I'm used to shooting at a target range, so a safe backdrop is pretty easy to figure out.

I have a fox who is killing my chickens, so I'd like to whack him with a 12 gauge, 2 3/4 #6 shot.

I live on a hill, surrounded by woods. There are meadows behind me that people walk around in on occasion. Maybe 1 or 2 people a day. They are maybe 50 yards through the woods. A crazy neighbor owns the fields so I can't chase the fox down to the field, and choose a better backdrop.

Are trees a safe backdrop for shooting at the fox? Or do I need solid earth like a hill? If I'm 6 feet tall, and shoot down at the fox on the ground from 10 or 20 yards away, will the shot go into the earth?

Thanks. Never had to think about this before.

Rog

Not exactly answering your question, but getting some altitude and shooting downwards is the safest.

Six shot is a poor choice IMO a heavier shot would work better. Think of something along the lines of Turkey or Goose shot.

I've had Fox walk right underneath me while I was in a shooting tower or high seat. Most of your scent rises. Fox pay much more attention to what is at ground level than what is above them.

Trap the fox if it is legal where you live.

I agree , TRAP it, will solve the worry about shooting past it with bird shot?
plus depending where you live, it could be illegal to discharge a firearm near a trail, or residential like area?
don't know where you live or what the zoning is?

a single well places .22 shot will also end the game here, but watch your back drop there as well
tree's will stop things, but NO way to tell what shot will hit what tree and where, to say for sure HOW far bb's will travel?

I have an open ended (both ends open) live trap I sometimes use for Fox. Not that expensive and will likely last forever with a little grease on occasion and someplace out of the weather to store it in.

Funny my Fox sized trap catches a lot of Rats. Rats seem to really favor Chicken bones. Fox seem partial to Cat food that has sit out long enough to be really ripe.

If a Fox has been trapped before or backed out of and escaped a trap, good luck ever trapping it again.

This time of year Fox usually come in pairs. They are territorial. with one male and anywhere from one female to three females sharing the same territory. Their territories can be smaller than you'd think. A quarter to a half mile radius, with the den near the center. Depends on the overall population on how large the territory will be, Fox don't much tolerate trespassers.

Spread a little Guano (or Chicken droppings) around the trap, it will cover your scent.

Sounds to me like trapping is your best option. Barring that, I think a 22 would be a better option than a shotgun. Sure, it's a larger and faster projectile, but at least it's just one projectile.