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GraphicDesignMonkey on July 5th, 2019 at 17:39 UTC »
We had a smallholding farm in Ireland in the early 80s, and we had lots of foxes around. My Dad didn't mind, as foxes are one of the best animals for keeping rats and mice numbers down (which can be huge pests on a farm). Foxes are expert rodent hunters. Our free ranging geese (who were put in the barn at night) were never in danger, they were almost bigger than the foxes, and pretty ferocious, so were our semi-feral goats. Any fox that ever tried to go near the geese would end up running for its life, leaving pulled-out tufts of fur all over the yard and in the geeses' beaks! Geese are vicious vindictive shits and they'll go after a fox with no fear. Our chickens lived high up in the hayloft of our other barn, with access to a large fenced-off run (9ft chickenwire fence). The only time my dad ever had to shoot a fox was one night when he caught one trying to break into the chicken run. He was pretty upset about having to do it.
He hung the body on the chicken fence for a few days - foxes are pretty smart, they knew not to go near the chickens after that - they're smart enough to understand the sight, and smell of dead fox and gunpowder, and peace was re-established.
After that my dad reinforced the fence, then peed around the whole perimeter (which really works!) regularly.
To anyone who keeps chickens, collect pee in a bottle (or get a male friend to do it if you're not a guy - it needs to smell of male pee, and always from the same person, and use the bottle every few days to 'mark your territory'.
As long as you keep your smaller animals like chickens, ducks and rabbits, secure and safe, foxes can be beneficial around farms. We never had any mice or rat problems again, even though the placed was overrun when we moved there.
susinpgh on July 5th, 2019 at 16:19 UTC »
My dad was a cemetery superintendent. Our cemetery backed on to a large park area, and we had a population of small wild life that traveled the grounds between the park and the cemetery.
My dad had to track down a rabid fox. Found it and realized that it had a litter somewhere. He had to track down and destroy the litter, too. I remember it was pretty hard on him.
jedijbp on July 5th, 2019 at 14:56 UTC »
my favorite professor engages in non-violent fox hunting with no hounds, no guns, just a horse, a saddle, and the chase. The foxes will actually circle back and play along with the chase.