Displaying items by tag: foxes

Gunning District Landcare has been a central player in establishing the region's coordinated fox baiting program. While the program is largely successful, there are always improvements that can be made, such as ensuring best practice baiting techniques are followed, and improving monitoring of pest animals and the impact of the baiting program. Thanks to funds from the Managing Established Pest Animal And Weeds program (MEPAAW - a partnership between NSW DPI and Landcare NSW), we were able to offer a workshop on 'Laying Baits & Using Trail Cameras'. The aims of the workshop were: 1) provide some practical demonstration of the best methods for laying baits and choosing the best baiting sites, and 2) demonstrate how to effectively use trail cameras to monitor and manage pest animals. Bobby Dillon, a bio-security officer from the Goulburn Local Land Services office, conducted the workshop which was held on a farm close to Gunning. The workshop started with an informative powerpoint presentation in the shearing shed, before we moved outside to watch a demonstration of tethering baits, setting Canid Pest Ejectors, and discussing the best locations for laying baits (TIP: "think like a fox"!). The workshop finished inside where participants were entranced by trail camera photos of pests and wildlife. We then enjoyed some long chats over a lovely catered lunch. The workshop was informative and enjoyable, and all participants were clearly engaged. New baiters left feeling more confident about how to get started, and experienced baiters picked up some good tips and tricks to make their practices more effective. There was some unexpected advice, such as the garnishing baits with blackberry jam, and splashing fish sauce or tuna oil around the baiting location. It seemed that everyone was inspired to try using trail cameras to get a better understanding of the pests and wildlife on their properies.

There are some 10,000 feral foxes in the wider Gunning district. They are a huge environmental and economic menace. Foxes are an invasive introduced species that cause significant harm to stock and wildlife. Not only do they kill lambs and chickens, they also spread diseases that affect all kinds of stock – including cattle - and some native animals. Foxes have caused the extinction of many native birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals; they are an on-going threat to numerous others. 

Gunning District Landcare has a proud history of fighting foxes. One of our predecessor groups, Jerrawa Creek Landcare, established the model of coordinated group baiting, which organises landholders within a local area to all bait at the same time. This has proved extremely effective at reducing fox numbers. The more people involved in a coordinated baiting program, the better. Whether you are a sheep producer, cattle producer, part-time hobby farmer, or if you have a conservation block – everyone has role to play. 

Check out this video to learn about the history and importance of controlling foxes, featuring people from Gunning District Landcare and other committed fox baiters in our region.