Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 19374

Sort of off topic...

Ever notice how... when you set a live trap you CANNOT catch the critter you want? We have a bold little fox who is slaughtering the chickens... We have tried to scare it away, have gun at proper time and the new game... havahart trap. SO... baited with a freshly slaughtered hen... nothing.... LOL which is typical around here... then this weekend Bob calls me out the help him release the critter our BnT was so excited about... Nice little young Fisher... very pretty and quiet and it was sort of Purring... kinda cool to take pix and let it go... since IT was not our murderer...just scavenging. OK fine... Sunday morning Bob calls me out to help again... This time it is a rather old coon, again very quiet...never even growled...got some cute pix of it trying to get my sleeve VERY gently...then it would be angry and bite down on the chicken leg...and it would CRACK! Imagine THAT on a finger... again, it is not our killer, it eats the carcasses and cat food...too lazy to hunt chickens and we've had it on the game cam for a couple yrs now... so again...it was very cool to get pix and watch it run off to freedom... a bit cold a not thrilled to be out in daytime....
When we were TRYING to catch a chicken killing coon we had the darnest time a few yrs ago...LOL...
We have NOT caught the new neighborhood cat, any possums or skunks yet.. then again...come to think of it we have NOT seen a skunk on the game cam at all this yr yet...Hmmm....
We are determined to get this fox... It IS frustrating as can be though!
Anyone want to guess what we trap next? That chicken bait is no longer fresh... so I'm predicting possum.
We are very familiar with Murphy's Law here but I'm getting really grumpy. I'm letting our birds die of old age and coming out to find 6 ripped up with the rooster having FOUGHT for those gals killed me... Normally I love a fox but...this one is GOING to Fox Heaven if possible. We're pretty sure we now know what killed the neighbors birds too...
HappyHunting Y'all! and trapping... Heather

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

Make a small wire cage to put the chicken into alive with food and water. If your hav-a-hart is a double door close one door. Also, cover the wire on the bottom of the trap. Catching a red fox in a live trap is a feat. Gray fox are alittle easier. If it is a gray fox use alittle beaver castor in the pen with the live chicken.

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 19374

.. Of COURSE it's a red one...LOL.. I'll name it Murphy! Haven't seen a grey fox in a few yrs now here... think the yotes may keep them away??? Our yotes are BIG...

Thanks for the advice on the live chicken. I had thought that May be the only way. We used that trick to get one of the coons that was killing chickens a couple yrs ago.

Really want a few of my OLD birds to live on a nit longer. It stinks to be down to one rooster... it is SO very quiet here

Thanks again, Bob and I will try the live chicken asap!

Heather

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Registered: Dec 2007
Location: Millington, Michigan
Posts: 225

you will have to do what larry suggested most likely. id bed(cover) the bottom wire of the trap with dirt from around that area. most fox wont step on wire or any thing strange or different. the live chicken should work great.

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Registered: Jul 2005
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 491

you sure it wasn't the fisher? they're notorious chicken killers.

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Paragon IN
Posts: 1100

Have had a litter of red fox pups raised around here the last 2 years, love watching them and never gave us any trouble untill about a week ago. I wasn't keeping real close tabs on the chickens then before I knew it was down to 2. They just disapeared. Caught 1 little fox pup at the entrance to the chicken pen and relocated him. Then found their den and guess what........Chicken feathers! Will let them slide for now, but will get new chickens this fall and anything that gets near them is getting skinned!

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Registered: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 19374

quote:

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Originally posted by BLCKRIVREDBONES
you sure it wasn't the fisher? they're notorious chicken killers.

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'

I had to CHASE the fox away with a big stick the first catch( the only one I was able to save...) Didn't expect it to come back... little rat.... Found the red hen feathers at the den...

For some reason the fishers have never gone for our chickens. NO clue why. THey seem content to eat any carcass that we throw at the game cams. What REALLY bugged me about the fox was the killing of 6 at once... and not just grabbing one and running off with it... That and the fact the rooster tried in vain to save his girls... I REALLY hope one of his big old spurs gave the fox a good dig... He was a good rooster...
Bob and I will definately go the live chicken route. Probably catch our other rooster...LOL.... He CAN fly if he wants to... right now he lives in a large pen with some hens who need to be confined BUT... I can picture him jumping out to "save" a trapped hen... LOL... I'm gonna miss them all when they're gone... but it's just too much work for me now and I hate for Bob to work SO hard and then have to do MY chores...

Surveyor.. I would LOVE to see the little foxes grow up. We do LOVE nature... as MA loses more and more wildlife it is always cool to have it around. We have a good fox population and the local fox hunters love to chase them and the yotes on the "big" farm and wetlands across from us... THIS fox is different... VERY bold... not a good sign. It's a bit rough looking too. We assume it's a young adult male who is doing what he can to make it... BUT his EASY pickings are getting me grumpy.... I'm an awful person to live with if I get grumpy...LOL...

Will let you all know how this goes... maybe we'll get lucky and Bob will see the fox WHILE he has gun in hand.. BUT I can tell you about Murphy's law and guns too

HappyHunting! HEather

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