[Jane-M]

I live next to the army training area in Northumberland. One of the keepers who works the range has recently claimed to have taken 200 foxes off his patch in the last 12 months.

I don't know whether to be delighted or not  Does this mean there are very few left  to worry about - or - that there are flaming thousands of them and he is only taking a tiny proportion  Glass half full problem I think!

[Foxy]

Depends on the of the range. Why is he removing them from an army range? Are there pheasants?

Foxes all have territories and numbers will vary during the year -spring, summer they have social groups with the head female and her sisters helping with the cubs. Later in autumn the youngsters will be "despersing" and finding their own territories. This is also the time of high mortality and 60% will find themselves killed by road traffic.

I know one of the top gamekeepers in the UK he doesn't generally shoot them -he said there is no point another one will take his place!

[Jane-M]

Sorry Foxy I should have explained, our range is also part of the national park and contains all manner of farms and and wildlife. However the entire county - or so it seems - is given over to shooting birds! You can't budge on the roads locally for crowds of pheasant and partridge, and out higher up there are the grouse moors and to go with all of that are the gamekeepers! they have a perpetual battle with mink and fox - and sadly, very sadly, with raptors.

[Foxy]

Oh I see! I didn't realise....it that case the gamekeepers will be shooting hundreds, to protect pheasants, wildlife and waterfowl etc...