Dead Chickens

[Mudder]

This one won't eat anymore chickens, but the main reason was the farmer is lambing at the moment, so its important to keep on top of these crafty killers!
So I went out with the night vision and .243 last night, job done, for now, back out tomorrow night, at least I don't mix with other people when doing this, well maybe the occasional young healthy friend!
Stay healthy and safe friends
Cheers
Richard
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Used to be Fox here was a 12 month season, now it is the middle of Aug until the end of Feb. When we hunted them full time there was never any shortage of Fox. I expect we will have them coming out of our ears soon. I think the Greens are driving policy and not reality. Just about the time, the Roe Deer start dropping fawns is when the Fox have a den full of hungry kits and are hunting 24/7. I expect the Roe Deer population to decline in a few years. Too many Fox decimate the Hare, Pheasant, Duck and Roe Deer. The Greens see fuzzy Red Puppies I see my freezer getting harder to fill.

 

[Mudder]

Raccoons will kill them all in a night and not hardly eat any. Seen this personally.

There are Racoons around I see them occasionally or their tracks, but they are fairly rare here in most places. We have a lot of Fox and I think Fox get most of the young Coons. Could be A Racoon though I didn't see any Coon prints after a rain.

Funny story about Racoons, I spread half a grain sack of hard bread rolls, the local Bakery gave me, near a thicket to draw the Boar out. I put the other half of the sack up in a shooting tower. I came back just before sunset and climbed the ladder up into the tower and came face to face with a Racoon. That sucker did about three quick laps around inside of the tower platform, crawled right up and over my head, then did a belly flop from around fifteen feet up. I still vividly remember Racoon crotch sliding up my face and over my head.

 

[devon deer]

Used to be Fox here was a 12 month season, now it is the middle of Aug until the end of Feb. When we hunted them full time there was never any shortage of Fox. I expect we will have them coming out of our ears soon. I think the Greens are driving policy and not reality. Just about the time, the Roe Deer start dropping fawns is when the Fox have a den full of hungry kits and are hunting 24/7. I expect the Roe Deer population to decline in a few years. Too many Fox decimate the Hare, Pheasant, Duck and Roe Deer. The Greens see fuzzy Red Puppies I see my freezer getting harder to fill.

Your short season sucks!
As I have said before, kill a fox, 3 come to the funeral and 1 stays behind.
I respect the fox as a crafty hunter, very cunning, and a challenge at times.
As you say, the Roe start dropping their Kids soon and the fox cubs need feeding.
Cheers
Richard

 

[RG_Adult_Onset_Hunter]

I know a lot of others have said it, but it sounds typical of a racoon kill to me. The head removal bit is a good indication of that. If you have a trail cam it may be worth putting it by your suspected point of entry so you can be sure.

I had a similar problem a few several years back, it was raccoons.

 

[Happy Myles]

I vote raccoons. Sixty five years ago bobcats were a problem, hunch those days are gone