Photography is not always beautiful ( with warnings)

[Nikkie]

But it is always a story.
Real life don't look at the photo and get cranky this is reality and how each of us survive.

( This may seem like photojournalism ) To me its the real life.

The farmer has to protect his life stock. Remember without the farmer where would we be meat, food. and clothing,Just to name a few, is what we get from the farmers I have a story please read on what happened today.

I was out on one of my camera drives that I often go on I had spotted an abandon house but was hopeful to get a better shot at it maybe from a different location when I seen foxes hanging on the fence. This is something I have never seen myself first hand living in a rural area has really been an eye opener for me.

So I decided to take photos of this as I did not see it as cruel or sick its called survival them or us farmers have to do what they have to do and its a bloody hard life. Yes they are cute adorable but life stock has to be protected.

While the foxes are doing what they need to do to survive they are also costing the farmer a lot of money.

Here is the part of the story you wont see. After I took this photo I jumped back in my car and drove up further to the road that abandoned house is getting closer and I will get a better shoot at it now.

When I seen what I had seen near the fence in the paddock a sheep at first I thought that seemed odd as I could not see any others around he was in the paddock I seen the abandoned house by himself. He was just laying there I stopped my car I could not see all of him at first, he had his head up looking at me I was going to take his photo but when I had a closer look I could see his wool was torn from his body he was injured he had his leg torn almost off it was horrible but what can I do he is suffering he needs help but I could not see any farms around I remember there was one a fair way back I went to swing my car around when I thought there has to be a farm some place around here closer by a little further up the road I seen a farm house it was closer to the road that is good I thought to myself but I could not find anybody around I called out but nobody came.

I got in my car again I started to drive further up the road when I spotted a white UTE the type farmers drive I flagged the man down he stopped I told him about the sheep in the paddock now a few kilometers away I guess but I could tell him where it was due to the abandoned house

Anyway I continued on my way but only to find the end of the road for me as after that it looked like it went on to private property I spotted some more things to take photos of and turned back to head back to where I had came from. I then spotted the abandoned house from a better direction so yes I did get to shoot that house and got it so much better then I would have in the first place

So you see it was most likely a fox that tore that poor sheep up and left him there he did not want to eat him but just did his damage for the heck of it

Oh and by the time I got back the sheep was gone so guessing the farmer did what he had to do yet again



23 by Sandy De Jong, on Flickr

[sejac]

Sandy, foxes are beautiful, intelligent animals, but unfortunately they do massive damage to our wildlife and our rural economy. The only good fox is a dead one. And I'm speaking as someone who has had numerous birds - swans, peacocks, chickens - taken by the ba$%#@ds.

Potentially very powerful shots. The shot posted is good, but I'm wondering if you took any from further back, including more of the surrounds, more of the fence etc. The foxes placed in the environment as it were. That would be cool?? Just a thought.

[Nikkie]

Charles they are all of what you say, they were introduced to this country for a sport back in the 1800s I did only take a few quick snaps of the foxes as I was anxious to get a better composition for the house that is where my eyes were heading I should have taken more photos and maybe taking more care to do so it was not until I had seen the sheep laying there so badly injured to sites I had not seen before rural living has been a eye opener for me in many ways of the real life and what its really all about I guess hard for me to explain what I mean. I was not shocked or in any way surprised when I seen both the foxes and the sheep. Anyway I just left these ones a bit smaller I did not want to put them up onto my flickr but as you asked I did want to share with you as they are not the best IMO so mate because you asked so nicely I am more then happy to share with you could you tell me what you mean by potentially very powerful shots as I would really like to know how to handle shots like this so maybe I could try next time. As you can see these foxes look pretty fresh to me as well

[seaslug]

Sad but needed. A very contentious issue in Tassie. Huge amounts of money have been spent on a now disbanded 'fox taskforce' and after quite a few years of 'sightings' (foxes do look similar to brush tailed possums) they were not able to find a single fox in the state. (Which is what we would prefer of course).

[millicat]

I enjoyed your adventure I do feel sad for the foxes but do understand why they are a pest.. Lucky you spotted the sheep and helped, I hope its farmer appreciated your kindness.

[P Plates]

Interesting story Sandy and thanks for sharing it and the photos. Our forefathers didn't do the country any favours introducing animals like foxes and rabbits. Cute they may be but do so much damage. Then of course there is the ever spreading cane toad, definitely not cute but equally dangerous to our native wildlife.

[Nikkie]

Thank you all for looking and for your comments as well.

[Phoenix]

Well done Sandy for going out of your way to help the sheep. A lot of people would have thought it was too hard.
Foxes .stupid people for introducing them.
I am always reporting there where abouts to authorities as they are constantly in our "reserves" and it breaks my heart to see what they do to our native animals.

[Nikkie]

Thank you Jo for reading and for looking and for the comments yes they were introduced to this country but the only reason for this was for sport a beloved sport they could not live with out hunting foxes and they breed and spread though out the country as much as I was ok about taking photos of them dead I still would love to chance to take a photo of one alive as well.

[wacko-ocker]

yes foxes and wild dogs will kill for the sake of it. Had mate who lost 34 sheep though dogs that had run away from there owner.
the owner refused to admit it was his dogs until the cop showed him the dead sheep and his dogs ......about 33K worth of sheep, needless to say the dogs were shot

[Nikkie]

Farmer has every right to shoot them as well. Thanks for looking and reading the story Rod