Get Foxed rules roost at feral shootout

Boyup Brook’s annual Red Card for Rabbits & Foxes fox shoot saw locals outfox pests and raise more than $15,000 for charity.

The event saw 528 foxes, 34 feral cats, 156 rabbits and one feral pig culled.

The winning team was Get Foxed, which finished with a count of 78 foxes, five feral cats, six rabbits and one feral pig.

The total amount of foxes was down from last year’s record-breaking tally of 705 foxes.

Boyup Brook shire president Graham Aird said he hoped the reduced number of foxes killed indicated their numbers in the shire had been reduced through previous years’ efforts.

“Unfortunately in Boyup’s case we’ve been the record holder for this program for the last couple of years,” he said.

“This year the numbers were down ... it could mean that the foxes just weren’t out on those particular nights ... but it could also mean — which I am hoping — that we’re having an effect on this population over time.”

Every fox shot saw the WA Sporting Shooter’s Association donate $5 to the Regional Men’s Health Initiative, while local farmer Jim Bagwell raised more than $13,000 for prostate cancer, bringing his total to more than $55,000 for the last four years fundraising.

The registration fees for the competition were donated to Peter Chilwell, who is planning to organise volunteering trips to help farmers affected by bushfires in the Eastern States.

The events results were tallied on Sunday at a breakfast provided by the Boyup Brook Pistol Club.