Wife needs to stop sending me to town

[CrealCritter]

IMO, You can't get anywhere by foot or road that won't release that fox into territory where other people live. Also, in most if not all states/regions, it's illegal to trap and release because of all the issues mentioned in FJ and my posts. Perhaps that killer fox was released INTO your yard from someone else's back yard.

Well country animal control will be here tomorrow. That's what I pay tax dollars for, so might as well use them.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I would ask the officials what the current law is regarding nuisance animals and trapping/releasing/terminating. As others stated above, it is illegal in many places to trap and release, because the animal may come back, it may prey on other domesticated animals in the "new" area, or it may be killed by the competition in the "new" area.

You may not wish to kill it or have it killed, but it has to eat in order to live. It has learned that domesticated flocks are much easier targets than wild animals, and it is not going to change it's new habits just because you don't want it killed. Animals don't work that way unfortunately.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Well country animal control will be here tomorrow. That's what I pay tax dollars for, so might as well use them.

I hope you can get some "conflict resolution" with your ACO. Hopefully, your county policies are better than what my county has to offer!

 

[CrealCritter]

Well... it's not a red fox it's a verified cougar

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[JanetMarie]

Well... it's not a red fox it's a verified cougar

Jesus is Lord and Christ

Did you see the cougar? You saw a red fox too, right?

 

[farmerjan]

I was going to suggest a bear because they will cover up their kills to come back to later. I didn't think about cougars being up in that area as they also will cover their kills. Foxes do not cover their kills normally; and they nearly always will carry off the entire animal if at all possible.

So, are they going to try to trap the cougar? It will be after your chickens too, and will wind up coming during daylight hours.... it may be a young one that has been pushed out of the "home territory" and is looking for a place to establish its self... a young male traveling too....

Sorry that it has really thrown you a curve ball with it being a cougar....

You will have to watch any other livestock you have, as well as any cats and smaller dogs that they might take a notion to attack.....

 

[CrealCritter]

I was going to suggest a bear because they will cover up their kills to come back to later. I didn't think about cougars being up in that area as they also will cover their kills. Foxes do not cover their kills normally; and they nearly always will carry off the entire animal if at all possible.

So, are they going to try to trap the cougar? It will be after your chickens too, and will wind up coming during daylight hours.... it may be a young one that has been pushed out of the "home territory" and is looking for a place to establish its self... a young male traveling too....

Sorry that it has really thrown you a curve ball with it being a cougar....

You will have to watch any other livestock you have, as well as any cats and smaller dogs that they might take a notion to attack.....

Country AC is of no help what so ever. I'm putting up 3 trail cams this evening and my 4 closest neighbors and I are working on a plan. Not sure what that looks is yet.

Two of my neighbor have calfs & young children and we have grand kids come to visit also. It's just not a good situation... I'm watching all my animals closely.

My neighbor and I have both been hearing what sounds like a woman screaming from the woods about 120 acres away. Now we know what those sounds were. Country life...

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Now, that puts a whole other spin on the situation. I hope you are able to dispatch it. Our DFW denies their existence in Maine, even though one friend had a face to face with one at least 10 years ago, and an other friend has video footage of a cougar hanging out by his pond during the day. Both of these families live within 3 miles of me. DFW denies their existence, b/c if they admit that they are here: 1. People will get all upset. 2. They will be forced to come up with a management plan. There will not be an issue if I shoot an endangered species if it does not exist.

 

[farmerjan]

Country AC is of no help what so ever. I'm putting up 3 trail cams this evening and my 4 closest neighbors and I are working on a plan. Not sure what that looks is yet.

Two of my neighbor have calfs & young children and we have grand kids come to visit also. It's just not a good situation... I'm watching all my animals closely.

My neighbor and I have both been hearing what sounds like a woman screaming from the woods about 120 acres away. Now we know what those sounds were. Country life...

Jesus is Lord and Christ

Yes, their telltale proof of existence is the "woman screaming" sounds they make.

The only safe plan for you and your immediate neighbors is a chance to get a shot at it. Don't discount all the reports over the years of cougars attacking humans in California. It is something to be very concerned about.
Yes, it is country life... but that said, the fact that it is willing to come that close to humanity with going after the ducks after so short a time as they have been out, is something to consider very seriously.

I hope that you can pick it up on some video footage... and I would get in touch with dept. of forestry and wildlife.... go through a hunting club or go to where they sell hunting liscenses... a gun store.... they will be able to send you in the right direction.

The animal could have been there for years... they often are around and never seen or heard by people... that is the way it is supposed to be. When they get brazen to come out and attack domestic livestock, close to humans, then it is time to get watchful and concerned.
We have a couple of black bears here... watched one come up out of a draw in a pasture field and pass right by the cattle and the calves actually were following it and acting like they wanted to play with it.... my DS and I (with my mouth open at the calves being so silly) , sat and watched it.... he went about his business and we left him alone.... The first time we would have found a carcass, we would have been bear hunting.
You can coexist... unless there is a threat.

 

[CrealCritter]

Did you see the cougar? You saw a red fox too, right?

Yes I seen the red fox. And yes I seen the cougar early this morning at 12:20AM. I had my wife's rottweiler on the leash to go. He kept smelling the air and whining. He tried to pull me back the house a few times. I seen it run across the street 4 legs, long body, long tail. It was moving fast jumped over my 5' tall fence like it was nothing. It seemed to me that it cleared the acre and half I've been working on in like 4 strides and headed to the back of the barn where it's pitch black dark. It left a stench in the air that smelled a lot like like rotten garbage. My wife's dog seen it also and jumped straight up in the air. I went in grabbed my shot gun and fired a shell into the ground, then left the outside lights on.

My neighbor Gary says that's a known cat that's been seen by many around here, he's seen it also but it was last year and said it's most definitely a cougar. But it ain't never bothered any of his cattle.

Maybe I'm thinking too much but there is a large open pond about 240 acres north of me with a lot of geese on it. And woods to the south of me where both my neighbor and I heard the screams.

Maybe I'm thinking too much, but I think this cat likes water foul and I'm in it's path from the woods to the open pond. If so the yeah duh... My wife puts ducks on the pond and it's like ringing the dinner bell and it doesn't have to go that far for a meal either. So far so good with my free range chickens. But they roost in a safe spot that's hard to get at.

Jesus is Lord and Christ