What is a tried and tested fox deterrent?

[AplineDaisies]

Bloomin fox is doing a big dump every night two feet from out back garden patio doors.
Our garden is nothing special.
What really works to stop the fox going around our garden?

Our fox is genuinely lovely but I do invite a dog round routinely to have a few wees round the garden every now and then, she doesn't turn up when they are here.

I have chickens so I know. It’s electric fences and Labradors. Fox comes in for the chickens, they kick off, the back door opens and then the merry chase begins!

Not that they’d know what to do if they ever caught one.

This is hilarious! But I’m sorry you lost your cat.

I use vinegar, but its such a hassle re-sprinkling every time it rains. It did work though.

The only way they are getting into my garden is jumping over a 6 foot fence, so no chance of preventing them that way. It doesn't help that the neighbours love foxes and keep feeding them.

Just get yourself an air rifle, go on a stakeout and prevent it from coming back permanently. Just have to be careful of your surroundings.

The foxes on our road used to fight every night at 3am. One night a neighbour shouted at them from a window ‘Stop it! You’re embarrassing yourselves!’. Never heard from them again. What I think actually happened was it wasn’t the power of her words, but I suspect she had been feeding them, and stopped, so they moved on. Along with their propensity to shit in my front yard.

I tried those sprays to stop cats shitting, that smell of citrus. Also tried chilli. Also bleach (I know, terrible for environment, was getting desperate). Nothing really worked, but I did not try white vinegar so will try that next time they are back.

@Twenty7
Thank you, she was a big character. I have a friend who dislikes cat and he loved her as she left him alone. She liked him a bit because he didn't try to touch her and didn't look at her. It was a mutual relationship based on a misunderstanding.
I like to think she is still causing trouble in the afterlife.

A rifle or foxhounds.

We used a fox repellant spray I got off Amazon. The lid came off as I was diluting it in the instructed water. As a result it was so strong that you could smell it from three doors down-it made us all gag for days. It worked but it wasn’t pleasant. Think it had chilli, garlic and I don’t know what else in. All natural and harmful to the fox or pets, just disgusting.

Get a big dog.

We used to have non stop foxes. They built dens under our decking. They were getting brave and nearly venturing inside in summer with the doors open.

Not seen a single one since we got our large breed dog. He does sometimes run outside to bark at something so im assuming that's the foxes he's scaring off.

Jolyon Maugham in his wife’s kimono.

Adult male urine but then your patio will smell like a urinal so maybe not the best compromise. Maybe they could wee whwre the foxes are coming into the garden instead?

I got some spray from Amazon I can’t remember what it was , but it made the whole garden stink for days , but it did the trick .

Icedvanillacoffee
I’m sure she is as formidable as ever up there! Really enjoyed what you said about her, so much humour and love ❤️

@Twenty7
Bit of a stretch to think she is up, but wherever she is she will be in charge I think.

Horrible piece of work.

Both barrels of a twelve bore at close range.

I used to have a cat. He was a wuss-cat, a 'mummy's boy'. Scared of other cats.
Not scared of the fox - went up to the fox and smacked him on the snout.

I take it you're not a fan of the shooting community, there are very strict rules around what you can shoot, where you can shoot and how you can shoot, for example if the Fox isn't damaging your property or killing your livestock then you can't legally shoot it anyway, and you certainly wouldn't do it in a residential area. It is however a tried and tested solution in rural locations and on farmland/smallholdings.

OK so we got white vinegar and mixed it with chilli powder and put it in a spray bottle. The bottle got clogged quickly so next time we will use coffee filter paper to put the mixture through first
We sprayed it around the sides the fox(es) got through and they haven't come back since.
So thank you ladies, that's a result.

Actually I lie, I can see from the Ring camera that one came back in the early hours. It had been raining so need to get out there again with the spray.

Shotgun ..neighbours may complain though .