Sykes 'outfoxes' foxes

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, is claiming his fox bounty to be a resounding success – at least on his farm at Benalla.

Dr Sykes paid a $1 per head bounty on foxes killed in the Electorate of Benalla in May 2006 to draw attention to the need for a State Government Fox Bounty as part of a coordinated fox control program.

Dr Sykes said, “I paid out on over 100 foxes and obviously the foxes around Benalla got the message to keep away from my lambing ewes.

“My lambing season has just finished and I had over 400 lambs of which the foxes may have got a couple. This is much better than the 10% they killed last year.”

Dr Sykes continued, “I used a combination of 1080 fox baits and shooting. One of my shooters cashed in 60 tails from foxes killed locally.

“So, as far as I’m concerned, a fox bounty is an integral part of a successful fox control program which includes baiting, shooting and the use of alpacas.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “The Nationals’ Environment Policy includes a fox bounty as part of a substantially increased focus on pest animal control. I call on the Bracks Government to follow the lead of The Nationals and reintroduce the fox bounty now.”

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