Fox traps

[Jason Green]

...or whoever set it!

[renton1888]

I am sorry that it took so long for me to come back to you with an answer to some of your questions.

The trap is in the middle of a stone dyke which is the border line between my land and the farmers, the trap is best described as similar to the old bear traps you used to see with a release button in the middle and two clamps which snap up to catch its prey and it is contained in a wooden box with a stone covering the top.

I understand fully that trapping certain animals is a necessary evil but I also want this type of thing done humanely.

I thank you for all your responses so far and through these I have taken a decision on how I will proceed, whether some of you would deem it appropriate or not is another question.

Anything I do I will make sure I do it on my side of the boundary, whether this puts Foxes off approaching the trap to be perfectly honest I hope so, as I wont have any animal whether categorised as a "pest" by some or not, put through any more pain than is necessary..


Regards

[Oscar2006]

Any chance of a picture just to clarify this?
What you describes sounds like a very illegal trap and should be removed instantly (or sooner )

I have no problem with humane killing if the situation actually warrants it, but this sounds very dodgy!

[Pippa]

Originally Posted by renton1888

Anything I do I will make sure I do it on my side of the boundary, whether this puts Foxes off approaching the trap to be perfectly honest I hope so, as I wont have any animal whether categorised as a "pest" by some or not, put through any more pain than is necessary..
Regards

I agree with you 100%.

[Jonathan]

Hi Renton,

Perhaps best to first establish whether the trap's legal or not. Does the actual trap look like the one at the bottom of this page:

Setting Fenn Traps -The Hunting Life

Or the first photograph on this page:

GIN TRAPS

Can you tell us how big the entrance to the box is?

It does sound like a normal tunnel trap for stoats, rats, etc. to me rather than a fox trap. Whether it should have been set where it has been is another matter.

Cheers
Jonathan

[muldonach]

Originally Posted by renton1888

I am sorry that it took so long for me to come back to you with an answer to some of your questions.

The trap is in the middle of a stone dyke which is the border line between my land and the farmers, the trap is best described as similar to the old bear traps you used to see with a release button in the middle and two clamps which snap up to catch its prey and it is contained in a wooden box with a stone covering the top.

I understand fully that trapping certain animals is a necessary evil but I also want this type of thing done humanely.

I thank you for all your responses so far and through these I have taken a decision on how I will proceed, whether some of you would deem it appropriate or not is another question.

Anything I do I will make sure I do it on my side of the boundary, whether this puts Foxes off approaching the trap to be perfectly honest I hope so, as I wont have any animal whether categorised as a "pest" by some or not, put through any more pain than is necessary..


Regards

hmmm ...........

there are two questions here:-

1. does this trap have serated edges on the jaws? If it does then it is not legal

2. Just how big is it?

The type of trap you describe is in fact very common and in normal sizes is a humane deadcatch trap designed to kill animals such as rats, stoats, weasels etc, by a chest crush. The law actually requires that this type of trap is set in a tunnel to prevent innocent access.

There is however no legal trap of this type which is anything like big enough to deal with a fox. Foxes can only be caught in livecatch traps - either snares or age traps.

guidance on the law on trapping can be found at:-

BASC - Trapping Pest Mammals Code of Practice
and also on defra's website

The use of a "bear" trap designed for a leghold would simply beggar belief and has been illegal in the UK for a very long time indeed. It would be incredibly stupid to set such a trap in a shared boundary wall - so stupid that I cannot help but wonder if you are not mistaking the purpose of a smaller trap.

Perhaps you could, as others have said, post a photograph? alternatively the approximate dimensions of the trap and associated tunnel could be useful.

If it is an illegal trap then rather than interfering with it I would suggest you get in touch with the relevant cruelty organisation for where you live - if it is indeed a "bear" trap of a size and type to take a leghold on a fox then I would expect them to be pretty interested.

Regards
mac

[renton1888]

Answer to a couple of questions:
When I mentioned a bear trap I meant in design not size, there are no serrated edges on the mouth of the trap. The traps mouth when open will measure approx 8 -10 inch wide and it looks similar to the Fenn trap Jonathon mentioned with the opening to the trap being approx 6 inch from top to bottom and 12 inches across.

Thanks Again

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi Renton. The RSPCA can inspect the trap for you and, if necessary, deal with it accordingly, and/or give expert advice.

[muldonach]

Originally Posted by renton1888

Answer to a couple of questions:
When I mentioned a bear trap I meant in design not size, there are no serrated edges on the mouth of the trap. The traps mouth when open will measure approx 8 -10 inch wide and it looks similar to the Fenn trap Jonathon mentioned with the opening to the trap being approx 6 inch from top to bottom and 12 inches across.

Thanks Again

On the basis of that description and the other information you have supplied it sounds like a legal and humane installation which is not targetted at and is unlikely to bother the local fox population at all, although the tunnel is a little higher and wider than would normally be used.

Has the trapper restricted the effective width of the tunnel entrance with a couple of sticks pushed into the ground by any chance?

Regards
mac