To me, the only ethics question is what you do with it after you kill it. I live by the motto of not killing anything while hunting that I won't use...if you want the pelt for something, nothing wrong with it at all.
LOL. I guess I could also make a pear of fur leg warmers, at least then I'd fit in with today's typical male hipster.
I don't really see how this is an ethics question? I have no ambition to kill a fox as I enjoy watching them. But, if you want to kill them in a legal manner then go ahead.
My dad shot a red fox when I was a kid. It made of the most beautiful pelts I have ever seen. If you want the pelt, take one, otherwise leave them alone.
If it's in season and you can eat it or wear it, or it eats something that you would eat, then what's the ethical conundrum?
I don't have a problem with it, I shot one fox years ago. I didn't mount it or do anything with. After some thought, I decided to never shoot one again. I have seen several since then and they all got a pass from me. I don't hunt rabbits, quail or even turkey so that is not a concern for me personally. I think they are pretty cool animals and very mysterious. Now, I will shoot a yote if given the chance, but I have only seen one in my years of hunting. So it's not likely going to happen. Honestly, I think it's a blessing that i doin't see them. I know they are here, but I don't we have a problem with them.
When I bought my property, I had a few fox on it and I took a shot at one, one night. Luckily, I missed as I spent the next 4 seasons watching them have pups each year and run around the property. Winter 2014 someone dumped a bunch of cats off near my property. They now prowl all the ditches and a neighbor feeds them so they hang around. Spring 2015 was the first year with no fox pups and I did not see one all season. I really miss them as they are beautiful animals! So I say don't shoot and enjoy them unless you are really protecting turkeys or rabbits in your area!
@WELDO I believe the population is somewhere around a half dozen total in the, say 1/4 square mile area near me
"Mom said no" is right, @Sota I won't be hunting them this year. To clear it up, if I were to kill one, I would most certainly not let it lay. At the very least get the hide professionally tanned. But the rest of the body seems like it would go to waste... maybe European mount the skull too?
I agree that they are amazingly beautiful and it was an amazing encounter! I thoroughly enjoyed watching them.
We know that foxes multiply like rats. If I see a fox, it is visirized and shot. Here I do not know any mercy.
Since I also go hunting, foxes run me again and again before the visor, they can not be eradicated. Not only me, but also my hunt friends say that.
In my eyes, I would take a fox if it was causing a problem with my chickens or something like that. It has crossed my mind when one walks by when I am in the stand but as someone else said they only thing I could really do with it is mount it. But hey if they are in season and you want to put a cool mount on the wall or they are killing your chickens(like they try to do to mine) then by all means!
As far as killing one, do whatever you want, and your mom, says you can do. I will say that if you found the den, that is a gold mine for trailcam pics. Mount the camera within about 2ft from the opening of the den, about 8 inches high. The pics will be unbelievable, especially if you have a camera that takes great daytime pics. Here's one that's been coming into my backyard recently. I've yet to get a really good pic of him on one of my homebrews, which would produce amazing pics. Blessings..........Pastorjim
Don't shoot the fox unless "you are going to use it" ...But, is it Ok to breast out a turkey and throw away a dinner plate of good meat ?...........not on my property.
