Do You Have An Opinion On Killing Predators?

[Trefoil]

In my opinion, killing predators is for the most part a waste of time ,energy, and resources. To give background, I was raised on a working farm and have never lived in the city. I now live on 40 acres, partially wooded. The worst ( most efficient) predator I have experienced are humans,and its illegal to kill them. They don't kill necessarily for hunger, they kill for sport, to assert dominance (real smart, every living thing is dominant than a dead animal), and just because they can. Okay, I'm off that dead end.
1. every predator that is killed leaves a "hole" that another predator will fill.
2. Its cheaper, in terms of labor and fowl killed, to put fowl out of the predators reach than try to annihilate all predators.
3. For most predators, our chickens & other fowl aren't the only or even main prey, most rely on other "pest" prey, if you are successful in killing all the mink,coons,skunks,ect. your next target is going to have to be the insects, rats,mice,ect. that they lived on. Its never ending. Why bother?
I have no problem with hunting deer for food, as long as you realize that nothing is free. There, in my opinion ,is nothing lower that the city types that every year kill cattle,goats, sheep, and horses because they are too dumb to know what a deer looks like. The farmers that support the deer population have the right to hunt for food. You won't find many farmers bragging about how many coons they trapped, they either have dogs that keep predators away from their fowl and/ or protect their fowl environmentally.

 

[The Big Dog]

Gday trefoil, maybe things are different over there but I doubt it, I also suppose it would depend what type of "Farm" one was working.
I am recently retired off 20,000 acres and to say lets not kill any predators this year.........well, i may as well just toss many thousands of dollars in the bin, and God help us the year after.
When I started farming the main predator was the Dingo, after 20odd years of trapping, shooting and poison we have not seen a Dingo for many years down here.
Next on the agenda was the wily red fox, by continued shooting and poison, ($10.00 govt bounty) we can lamb in relative piece.
I guess many Americans would be up in arms if they knew how many Kangaroos we shot a year, but then again, how many have sat up in a big header and seen how much crop is missing. I think also people overseas only see the little grey roo in the tourist parks. They have no idea about our 6 and 7ft monsters that can come in their hundreds and wipe out a paddock overnight.
And of course, the very stupid Emu, Get a flock of 2 or 300 emu running thru your crop......emu throw their legs as they run and take out about 3ft each side. and then of course what happens when they reach a fence ?....well, they start to mill around and around, get to the fence and if your lucky they will only take out 300ft or so.

So to say its a waste of time to do predator control.... well, all I can say is "I wonder what sort of farm you worked?"

Cheers..........The Dog

 

[Afewbantams]

I'm afraid I'm far, far too soft about killing predators - won't kill them. I live in England and thankfully have very few predators nearby. Can't even bring myself to cull a cockerel. We had a rat for a while and I bought a humane trap but didn't set it up, thankfully he left.

I understand others views about killing predators and fully respect their choice. I may feel this way as we've never lost a hen to a predator yet (4 1/2 years) ; I may change my mind if/when we do. We have foxes, birds of prey and rats but I think that's about it.

My neighbour's dog seems to keep foxes away and my cat keeps rodents at bay. The hens free range most of the day and go into a coop at dusk.

 

[Macro]

For me it depends on the predator. I live in a rural area so we have a lot of wild animals around here.

Basically we take a lot of precautions with our animals. Burying wire, and back filling the area around our poultry coops so larger animals won't want to dig there. Having a large dog around to keep away nosy animals. Putting aviary wire on the tops of open pens. Using hardware cloth on things instead of chicken wire. Filling in cracks and holes so things don't nest or hide in them. We have mountain lions out here that scare the crap out of me, but they hardly ever come around the house because they're not that gutsy.

As much as hawks suck for chickens, they aren't that difficult to predator proof from and they take care of our rat and mouse problem, both of which are harder to keep under control in my opinion. They get everywhere. Snakes too, we normally let them roam the property because they don't do much except eat the small pesky varmin. Many of our snake species out here are very much non-aggressive and they'll run away before you even get closeto them. They're all typically too small to bother our fully grown poultry anyway. I'd like to see our flock of chickens go up against one of those little gopher snakes. They'd tear that sucker to bits.

However, we get MASSIVE rattlesnakes out here. And they tend to populate the area very quickly if you don't take care of them. And they aren't scared of anything really. We've found them all over the place. Under the shed, in the dog house... Pretty much when we find one of those, we kill it... And eat it. Waste not want not right?

I guess what it comes down to for me is what's easier. I respect people's right to get rid of predators on their own land. Doesn't really bother me in the slightest. For me I would worry about non-discriminately getting rid of things like hawks and good snakes in our yard because they do keep other annoying pests in check.

 

[nzpouter]

any predator land/ step a paw/ claw in here, unless an endangered species, gone.... and luckily where I am, there's only 1 such species.

 

[bigoledude]

Hey Kiwi

Would that protected predator be the stinky Tasmanian Devil? That is one fine looking hog dog ya got there! Her assistant looks a lil light in the butt for heavy work though.

 

[bigoledude]

It's hard enough for the old eyes to type stuff once. But, really stupid to forget you did already!

 

[MuckyPuppy]

We currently live in the UK - Hubby is English, I'm American - and like Afewbantams says there are few predators here. That said, we did lose all 6 of our home hatched pullets to one that climbed our brick wall and unlatched our chicken house. We recently bought two D'anver pullets and are currently keeping them at night in our locked garage, in their latched chicken house. I think my jaw drops more when I read online comments on news stories where some people blame the human victim of a wild animal attack and get upset/angry when the said animal is killed as a result even if the attack was no fault of the person killed.

 

[nzpouter]

Hey Kiwi

Would that protected predator be the stinky Tasmanian Devil?  That is one fine looking hog dog ya got there!  Her assistant looks a lil light in the butt for heavy work though.

cheers, she's got a bit more growing to do yet... and the only protected predator here is the native falcons, not many of them around...

 

[zazouse]

I don't kill anything but my dogs will if they feel the critter in entering the safe area that does not belong , it has been that way for 30 years here and it works for me.

This is 3 year old Gracie, she is my number 1 critter getter, i have lost count as to haw many snakes,coons and possums she has taken out in her 3 years but there have been 5 young possums 3 snakes in the last month




PS i live out away from all neighbors so i am able to leave my dogs loose, living in a neighborhood would be very different, i am sure i would have to have my birds penned in a secure coop