Shooting fox vermin on our farm?

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  • We live outside the urban area in Montgomery county MD on a small farm.

    Recently foxes have invaded our main barn and have taken over from the ground hog. They are raising young (3-4 pups).

    The foxes dig so much it is damaging the barn foundation. They bring kill back to eat and it rots. Our dogs get into the fox poo and bring it inside.

    When my son was young (who is now teenage), he was attacked by a rabid fox on our property and had to have Rabies treatment due to the wound on his foot. The captured fox tested positive.

    I don't currently have anything living in the barn yet since it is being restored to board goats when ready. The barn has three stalls and a mechanical room and a vet room. The foxes go everywhere and dig tunnels connecting the rooms (except the mechanical room that has cement flooring).


    I do not have a great love to have to have weapons at home, but enough is enough. We are planning to fight back.


    So:

    We have an elevated back deck from which we can see the barn as well as the pastures around, and a small wooded area is in view too. Foxes roam and den in these areas freely now, even roaming during the day. It appears to me that a shot would be safe from this vantage since all shots would be towards the ground at a target on the ground and provide some cover for us to hide from the foxes. From this vantage, the farthest shot would be about 125'.

    A shot would hit the ground at about 125' max from the deck.

    I spoke with the local 'fox hunt clubs' but turns out they chase the fox, they don't kill it.

    Yes, I tried traps. Sorry foxes are too smart for that. All I get are possums.

    I am looking for extermination here.

    We have neighbors that would have no issue with this, and I will get that in writing.



    I have some experience shooting shotgun and antique rifles as a kid in a play. My son has shot some bb gun with Scouts and some basic archery. We want to practice together.


    Sorry for the long intro:
    My first question is: Do the "hunting laws" apply? I do not intend to wait until Nov 1.

    Second question: We are considering shotgun or crossbow and are looking to acquire some appropriate weapons and practice with them first. What would be a good choice for our situation?
     

    smokedog

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 10, 2009
    4,810
    Frederick Md
    My guess is being montgomery county you are limited to shotgun. I think most of the county is rifle-less unless at a range.
    How much property do you have?
    What general location?
    Shotgun only zone?
    Different traps maybe?
     

    jtb81100

    Ultimate Member
    May 28, 2012
    2,234
    Western HoCo
    Short answer is yes they do, because you don't have livestock that they are harassing. You may be able to get a permit from DNR or you can get some chickens that they will try to kill giving you the go ahead to shoot them.
     

    marko

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 28, 2009
    7,048
    Actually GREAT NEWS - you can shoot up to .25 Caliber, but NOT FULL METAL JACKET.

    Quote from OP, I get tired of people not reading....

    "We live outside the urban area in Montgomery county MD"

    You can shoot a legal AR-15 in .223 on your farm. Regular .22 Long and Short, .25 auto, .17 HMR.

    No AKs or .38s or .357, .44, etc.

    You have a lot going for you.
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    You have to understand where you are in MoCo relative to the shooting restrictions. Some areas firearms discharge is prohibited. Some you have to publically notify law enforcement, even if you have a crop damage permit. Of course crossbows are not firearms. Do not poison foxes it can kill birds and other animals if you do it wrong.

    You need to lookup the restrictions on MoCo website and then first figure out where you are relative to those firearms discharge restrictions. Then you need to decide how to pursue a crop damage permit, or a nuisance animal permit. Armed with this info you can then choose the right, arms. Maybe crossbow, maybe rifle, it's impossible to say without more info. For a fox you will need something bigger than a .22lr. I have seen plenty of foxes taken with a bow though.

    Actually GREAT NEWS - you can shoot up to .25 Caliber, but NOT FULL METAL JACKET.

    Is that a real MoCo rule or did you make that up? It sounds pretty stupid so I am guessing it's a real rule. :sad20:
     

    marko

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 28, 2009
    7,048
    The weird thing is you also can legally shoot 12 gauge Skeet on your property, 12 gauge Sabot Slugs, 20 gauge slugs, and .50 Black Powder Rounds on the same property.
    The laws are written by stupid, ignorant people.
     

    marko

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 28, 2009
    7,048
    "We live outside the urban area in Montgomery county MD"
    Dan, he knows where he lives. Why don't you look up regs outside of the 'URBAN AREA".

    I have friends on the North side of Brighton Dam Rd. - every rule I said is legal with them. They have distance from Occupied Dwellings OR PERMISSION covered..
    Neighbors on the SOUTH side of the road are SOL. That line was enacted years ago, and very well could change.

    Legal to discharge up to .25 NO FULL METAL JACKET.
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    Dan, he knows where he lives. Why don't you look up regs outside of the 'URBAN AREA".

    I have friends on the North side of Brighton Dam Rd. - every rule I said is legal with them. They have distance from Occupied Dwellings OR PERMISSION covered..
    Neighbors on the SOUTH side of the road are SOL. That line was enacted years ago, and very well could change.

    Legal to discharge up to .25 NO FULL METAL JACKET.

    So:I have the perfect shotgun for MoCo foxes, which will take sabot 12 gauge slugs:

    images


    It says **** you to the foxes and Moco at the same time.

    Probably needs a red dot tho
     

    Song Dog

    Active Member
    Jan 2, 2013
    368
    Eastern Shore -Delmarva
    If you're outside the firearm discharge zone then no issues with the county and you can shoot a .22 L.R./.22 magnum or center fire below .25 caliber in Montgomery County. Ground hogs can be hunted 7 days a week, yes on Sunday too, did it for years. Now DNR comar code (Regulation) has an exemption out of normal fox season regs they can be dispatched when causing the nuisance problems. The best person to speak with is DNR's Wildlife Furbearer biologists Harry Spiker, works out of Flintstone, MD Region. Harry a great guy, worked with him for years on predator issues, call him you'll be glad you did ..................................
     

    danb

    dont be a dumbass
    Feb 24, 2013
    22,704
    google is your friend, I am not.
    Ok, more seriously.. sounds like you can use rifle so I'd choose that. Rifle is cheaper to shoot for practice and more gentle on the shoulder, esp for kids.

    You have to say what your budget is. My personal suggestion is to drive to United Gun in Rockville where they have a totally fantastic selection of used rifles in consignment that will fit in your budget. If you are staying under 25 cal, 22-250, .223 (or 556), or .243 are some fine choices. .223 is cheaper to shoot and Hornady makes a great varmint load. They will all kill foxes. 90% is shot placement.
     

    marko

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 28, 2009
    7,048
    Outside Urban Area .25 non FMJ is good to go, local dwelling restrictions.

    It is not difficult to understand that law.

    Find your Urban Area Line, which apparently has CHANGED in the last 2 months or so -
    according to a post on here.. near the Power Lines...
     

    marko

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 28, 2009
    7,048
    Everything I have mentioned is for TARGET SHOOTING. ONLY.
    HUNTING LAWS are different!!!
     

    Dingo3

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 4, 2013
    2,777
    Fredneck
    Growing up on a farm in an undisclosed unincorporated municipality in northwestern MoCo, we (neighbors as well, and MCPD was ok with it) had no problems with getting rid of foxes, raccoons, groundhogs via high-speed injections of lead from a safe distance
     

    marko

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Jan 28, 2009
    7,048
    Where in northern MoCo?
    The old line was Brighton Dam Rd and it wiggled up to I guess the Damascus area along New Hampshire?
    Not sure, had a friend on Long Corner and Brighton Dam Rd. who both could shoot under .25, shotgun, and hunt with shotgun, muzz, bow.
    I could google it... and YOU have to read it -
    The newly revised urban area (again, that portion of the County where the discharge of firearms is generally prohibited) is defined as “that part of the County within the following boundaries:

    Beginning at a point where the Maryland/District of Columbia boundary line in the County intersects with the Maryland/Virginia boundary line on the southwest side of the Potomac River; running then northwest along the Maryland/ Virginia boundary line to the emptying of Watts Branch into the Potomac River; then northwest along the northeast side of the Potomac River to the emptying of Seneca Creek into the Potomac River; then north along Seneca Creek to Route 112 (Seneca Road); then east along Route 112 to Route 28 (Darnestown Road); then northwest along Route 28 to Route 118 (Damestown-Germantown Road); then north along Route 118 to Route 117 (Clopper Road); then northwest along Route 117 to Little Seneca Creek; then northeast along Little Seneca Creek to Black Hill Regional Park; then along the eastern boundary of Black Hill Regional Park to the Park’s southernmost intersection with 1-270; then northwest along I270 to Little Seneca Creek: then north along Little Seneca Creek to West Old Baltimore Road: then east along West Old Baltimore Road to Route 355 (Frederick Road); then south along Route 355 to Brink Road; then southeast on Brink Road to the Town of Laytonsville; then along the northern boundary of the Town of Laytonsville to Route 420 (Sundown Road); then east along Route 420 to Route 650 (Damascus Road); then southeast along Route 650 to Route 97 (Georgia Avenue); then south along Route 97 to Brighton Dam Road; then northeast along Brighton Dam Road to Route 650 (New Hampshire Avenue); then south along Route 650 to Route 108 (Ashton Road); then east along Route 108 to the Potomac Electric Power Company transmission line property; then southeast along the east side of the Potomac Electric Power Company right-of-way to Route 198 (Sandy Spring Road); then east along Route 198 to the Prince George’s County/Montgomery County boundary line; then southwest along the Montgomery County/Prince George’s County boundary line to the Montgomery County/District of Columbia boundary line; then along the Montgomery County/District of Columbia boundary line to the place of beginning. (Source – Montgomery County Government 2012)

     

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