Essay Sample on Fox Hunting in Mooreland: Controversy and Exercise

Introduction

Fox hunting is a pursuit and exercise where people hunt and kill foxes in a residential place. In most circumstances, when hounds pick the smell of these animals, they follow them and ensure that they are dead. For 300 years, fox hunting has gained its popularity in Britain in the late 19th century (Hobson, 2011). However, in the past few years, the debate on fox hunting has heated up. Even though most countries practice these exercises, this essay will focus on fox hunting in the Mooreland.

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Mooreland is a residential area that has many foxes that invades their farms. After the public opinion survey, it is clear that each person interviewed had their view to share. However, questions were raised on the best methods of controlling foxes has become debatable because of the landowner that has employed a gamekeeper to shoot them with a rifle. Due to this, the management of moor has decided to ask the residents what they think of the process and if the method is humane.

The above chart derived from the public opinion survey shows that the majority of people thought that controlling the fox will be vital in maintaining the status of the ground-nesting grounds. As an interpreter, the idea of controlling the fox would be an idea because the ground-nesting birds are vulnerable to predators like foxes. Since several other species are also of concern, the best way to protect them while they are breeding is by controlling the number of foxes, especially in the early summer and the late winter.

Most foxes, in this case, are controlled around the partridge and pheasant rearing and also around the pens in the autumn and the late summer. The effect of managing this is by regulating the breeding population because when the birds are protected, then the number of predators will not increase (Hobson, 2011). However, using lethal weapons to control the population of foxes may evoke negative responses not only to the public, but the habitat of foxes may be threatened.

It is vital then to consider the pros and cons of the methods used since the protected species like the birds may also be affected. If such techniques are not adequately utilized, severe damage may be caused to both humans and the birds. A few reports conducted worldwide have also shown that when specific management actions are not applied to control the predators, adverse reports biased the results (Hobson, 2011). Moreover, most results were driven from practical management actions because many people never did their research before using it. The same discussion should also be started in Mooreland to avoid damages.

Is Fox Control by Using a Rifle Acceptable and Humane?

The results in the public opinion survey show that the majority of citizens did not agree with that method. As the interpreter, I feel other methods can be used to control foxes. The most effective means of reducing the predators is through a coordinated and simultaneous community bating programs put at the landscape scale but supported by other controlling techniques. Before this program is developed, it is essential to design a training platform that teaches everyone about the characteristics and behavior of these animals (Ranes, Lawson, King & Dailey, 2014). Below are factors to consider designing the program successfully.

One thing everyone needs to know is that foxes are mobile, and they go more than 10 kilometers every night. The population of foxes is also resilient, so conventional methods are ideal for controlling them. However, everyone should also keep in mind that rapid re-invasion will take place even after the measures have been put in place. Therefore the best way is to plan how to manage them than killing them with the weapons. Several points must also be highlighted before the method is implemented.

The effectiveness of this method will be achievable when combined control; measures are out in place. This means that the whole community will be involved by working across the landscape rather than on individual properties. Everyone should also be aware of native wildlife to ensure that the method used does not affect native wildlife. Also, any fox control method has taken should ensure that it does not become a disturbance to the culturally signified waterways or areas, and native vegetation (Baldwin, 2018). But then such caution should be approved by the authorities before the programs implemented. The authorities should also involve the local government in case it includes the environment.

Moreover, if dogs will also be used to control predators, then everyone needs to be mindful of the Domestic Animals Act that was enacted in 1994 (Pepling, 2014). Based on this law, the animal is not allowed to bite, chase, rush, or attack any animal when hunting because of the 1986 POCTA (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). If the control plan means chemicals have to be used, then applications should be made to the Agriculture and Veterinary Chemical, an act embraced in 2007 (Pepling, 2014). This is because the law adheres to the use of the chemical labels and records but restricted substances.

The Plan to the Program

When planning is successfully executed, it can maximize the methods of fox control without causing other damages. One way to consider is the distribution, the habitat, and the density of foxes as well as the determining actions to be used. The only way this can be achieved is when everyone works together to conduct various fox control everywhere (Baldwin, 2018). This is because; individual properties can undermine the inactive efforts of the neighbors. For this to facilitate, the local land care group and the neighbors should be informed to carry out a work plan.

Another way is by identifying the activity and feeding areas of the fox around the homes. Usually, foxes are found around buildings, rubbish tips, rocky outcrops, weedy fields, and waterways (Baldwin, 2018). Another way is by assessing the number of foxes around an individual property by using powerful spotlights or torch. This is because if one fox is seen, it means there are others around. Everyone should also assess the risks that might take place when implementing shooting or baiting methods by recording the results in the map for future references.

Later a benchmark will be established on every property to measure the success of the methods used. However, procedures that will have adverse effects on the wildlife will be kept in records to avoid future errors. Once all this is achieved, the information will be collected and monitored to check the success and progress of the fox control program. If anything does not work well, then the application gives way for adjustment

My opinion on the method of shooting the foxes is that it's not the best idea because foxes are not a threat to agriculture, and none should see it as a vermin. What people don't realize is that foxes assist farmers by eating small animals like the voles, rats, and rabbits.

Moreover, foxes are territorial animals in that once one is killed, another one will take the spot of the dead (Baldwin, 2018). Therefore instead of shooting them, the best way would be by controlling the scarcity of food to make them change their hunting spots. In other words, to lessen the breeding of foxes, then feed should also be unavailable.

Furthermore, foxes never damage or cause loss to the livestock. For instance, research conducted by York University, a school against fox hunting, discovered that only a minimum of about 0.4% of lambs was killed by those animals (Nelson, 2017). The percentage loss of other livestock was also shallow. The study also added that foxes do not suffer from stress when hunted, and they will keep returning. The study concluded that when the foxes are hunted with hounds, they will be killed immediately by a nip at the back of the neck (Nelson, 2017).

One proposal that would discourage the use of guns is by doing fumigation to destroy the dens of foxes. It is widely known that foxes re-use their holes every year. This means that the habitats should be found and analyzed if the animals already gave birth to disinfect the area. It is also known that cubs are usually born from August to September. Each vixen can also have more than one den purposely for breeding.

Therefore, ones the dens that have cubs are identified, fumigation should take place to target the cubs and vixen that are likely to be confided between August and October. The only time the vixen can be killed in the first three weeks after giving birth (Baldwin, 2018). Since the den will be left accessible, it should be later destroyed by using the deep ripping machinery. After that, a carbon monoxide fumigant should be used to control the foxes in the area.

Another way of controlling foxes is through exclusion fencing. Foxes are animals that can pass through, jump over, dig under or even climb most fences. Therefore everyone in the community should use the wire netting that has the mesh size, which does not exceed 80mm to prevent the predators from passing through. The nets should also be 1.2-1.9 meters high and buried to a depth of 450 mm. the fence should also have a perimeter that is angled outwards to give an added deterrent due to digging (Baldwin, 2018). Moreover, an electrified outrigger should come in handy to discourage foxes from climbing up the fence. Electrified fences exclude the foxes because the spacing between the wires is tight to make sure that the fox is electrocuted before penetrating through the wall.

Conclusion

While shooting is considered to be inhumane, it might not achieve the long term project for controlling the foxes. Using a gun is known as a quick way of hunting, which makes the animals wary. Spotlight shooting, for example, during early autumn and later summer can execute many foxes. However, since most predators from the area will drop rapidly after implementing the programs, the remaining vulnerable foxes are killed by nature. Therefore, even though the majority of the community members chose the shooting method to hunt the foxes, the other ways are also useful for long-term effectiveness.

References

Baldwin, C. (2018). Socially sustainable communities and resilient foxes. Social Sustainability, Climate Resilience, and Community-Based Urban Development, 92-131. doi: 10.4324/9781351103329-8

Hobson, E. S. C. (2011). An introduction to fox-hunting / by E.S.C. Hobson; with notes on hunting terms and point-to-point races., 3(2), 114-135. doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.16473

Nelson, D. (2017). What Do Foxes Eat? Escaping Intraguild Predation. Science Trends, 2(2), 45-62. doi: 10.31988/scitrends.7124

Pepling, M. (2014). Diseases of animals act, 1894 to 1911. Description of certain diseases of animals. 1st September 1912. Domestic Animals Act & The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 1(2), 114-135. doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.27827

Ranes, B., Lawson, B., King, M., & Dailey, J. (2014). Effects of Rifle Handling, Target Acquisition, and Trigger Control on Simulated Shooting Performance. Proceedings OCEANS, 1(2), 33-76. doi: 10.21236/ada601359