We have a friend who is a pheasant farmer, and he deals with foxes by shooting them, not nice in our eyes, but after all he is just protecting his livelyhood.
But as to traps down holes on public footpaths - we feel the right thing has been done by removing it.
At least shooting is quick and doesnt harm anything but the intended victim. Traps on private land legal or not would be down to the land owner, but it could have been anyones children or dog that could have encounted that with possibly fatal consiquences had it been armed.
Luckily it had rusted up, and no damage done to either animal or human.