Message Board - Bowls: Fox marking of green

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17 Jun 2010 by Mike Varley

Hi,
we have a fox problem on our green,with regular visits to urinate on a part of the green.The problem is,it is not easy to see where it has happened,until the next day,when a circle about 9 inches across goes brown.There are now 4 visits-it's impossible to secure the surrounds on what is a very rural location. I guess that fox urine is very acidic ,and that early treatment would be the answer. Any suggestions as to what to apply?
Thank you in advance for answers.

Mike Varley

17 Jun 2010 by Aintgottaclue!!

An electric fence on the ditch of the green!

I may cut grass, but i'm not green !!

17 Jun 2010 by mackay

Try a PIR activated water scarer (or a couple of them):

http://www.gardensupplydirect.co.uk/pest_control/scarecrow_motion_activated_sprinkler/10592_p.html

Also try walking dogs around the green as the dogs scent will discourage the fox.

17 Jun 2010 by mario

What's the script on shooting foxes? Legal or what?

I know no boundaries.

18 Jun 2010 by Mike Varley

Thanks mackay,have already considered water scarer,after recommendation.
However,we have to remedy existing damage-what will safely neutralise the affected areas?

18 Jun 2010 by mackay

I've heard a rumour tthat tomato juice works? Perhaps someone can confirm? Prolonged flooding, possibly witht he adittion of a wetting agent will help the chemicals dispese quickly. Personally I'd get a turf doctor and remove some turf from around the edge and use it to replace the damaged turf.

Mario, shooting a fox is legal (altough in most of the rest of Europe it is illegal to shoot a fox during cubbing time) and will of course temporarily sort the problem out (until another fox moves in). Shooting surely has to be a last resort, and speaking as someone who recently and reluctantly had to have a fox shot (since no other solution was viable and the individual fox in question was causing intollerable damage) I definately would not recomend it. Aside from it being distasteful and unkind, the anti-hunting brigade will use it as a vehicle for spouting their ill informed ********, and the 'keep hunting' brigade will do exactly the same! (More of a class war than a debate on animal welfare if you ask me.)

I would suggest trying to deter foxes and to do anything possible to put them off the area: scarers, dog scent etc. I've always enjoyed the presence of foxes personally and in anycase, culling foxes carries the danger of backlash from people who would happily dig up your green. Remember the loonies who dug someone's grandma up due to a dispute over the treatment of animals?

There are alot of scarers on the market and very few that are any good, so beware.

For more information on humane fox control, contact John Bryant at the Fox Project. The Fox Project has conducted a lot of research and they are the real experts - just don't expect them to condone shooting.

E-mail:
www.jbryant.co.uk

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