The last few weeks a fox has been taking out mine and my neighbors chickens and ducks.   I have lost over a dozen birds and my neighbor has lost 5 or 6.   We have set traps with no luck.  The neighbor missed him with his AR as it was chasing a bird.   My wife was out in the backyard a few days ago when it came out of the woods running directly towards a chicken.  I was in the house and heard her yelling.  By the time I grabbed the gun and got outside,  I just caught a glimpse of him as he was headed back into the woods.

I get home last night from work and see 2 different feather piles.   He got my guinea hen and another chicken.   So I waited until dark and sat on my back porch with my thermal topped 6.5 CM.  I put my call out by the coop 40 yards away and started playing chicken distress noises.   Nothing happened for about 30 minutes.  I was getting ready to go back inside when I did one more scan of the area.  I suddenly notice two pointy ears emerging from behind a small hill about 35 yards away.   At that point he stops, and all I can see is the top half of his head.   I put the crosshairs between the eyes and down he went.  

I was going to put his head on a post to warn other foxes,  but that was no longer possible.  

Feels good to get the little sucker.  Problem is,  is I am sure there are more to follow.

Mr. Fish Cop:  That will be $5000 fine, forfeiture of your truck and guns, and a week in jail for taking a furbearing animal out of season.

Nuisance animals can be taking anytime on your own property if they are killing livestock.  I already checked with the DNR on that one.

Dang little bastardized caused some havoc between you and you neighbor.

Good shoot OP.

Night vision is where it's at.

I figured as much.  Just commentary on how much they can screw you if they want to.

OP I had a fox getting our chickens. It turned out to be two of them, a male and female. I called the DNR and one of the guys issued me a permit, not sure if I needed it or not. More of a CYA thing.

That is what I am worried about.  This was a male, but I am sure there is a female with kits somewhere.  I may have to do a few more night hunts if birds keep vanishing.

Lol, 6.5 CM for a fox. I like it.

Front most certainly fell off.

That's what I found out as well.

Quite a bit of an overkill, but.

Attached File

Go big or go home.

I would have used my .50 if the thermal scope was rated for it.   I really wanted to get rid of this fox.

Not sure where OP is but in Indiana the only way to get a written permit is if you are a commercial, for-profit farmer and you can demonstrate that the loss is significant. However, when catching an animal in the act it is a nuisance and permit is not required. Coyotes specifically can be harvested on your own land or on other private land with written landowner permission year 'round for any reason at all.

Thermal, suppressors, cannons, all legal.

No fence or what?

We have a lot of coyote in the area (that don’t want to come in to my call), and chickens. We have 4ft chainlink around the yard, and 6ft wire around the coop. Also a section of 2ft wire all the way around, 1ft up and 1ft on the ground, with 1/2” rebar tied in at the corner of fence/ground as dig protection. We lock the birds in for the night.

I think the coon population has been “checked” by me. Shot a couple hanging out nearby, napping, watching the birds, probably waiting for dark.

We frequently let the chickens range the back yard, sometimes sun up to sun down. No daytime predators have been successful.

Good kill OP, but they’ll be back.

And I wouldn’t involve the DNR in anything.

I've lost 2 chickens this year to coons. Very frustrating.

Finally killed one of 'em last night. Trapped about 10 so far and gave them to a coon hunter to train his dogs. The one last night bypassed the traps and got a lethal case of lead poisoning.

Nice hide...I could think of a couple of dozen neat projects for a hide like that.  A Russian Ushanka hat, Scottish sporran, gloves, collar on a coat, or the ruff around a parka hood...and on and on.  Please don't let that beautiful hide go to waste.

So far, I have not lost another bird since taking out this guy.  Looks like he was the culprit.  FAFO