I need help identifying this predator--VERY GRAPHIC PICS!!

[CMV]

Titania- you just learned the hardest lesson of poultry keeping. It sucks losing birds especially if you feel it was your failing that led to it. You are new to this and underestimated your foes. Next time you will not be so complacent. Beat yourself up for a while if you feel you must, but be aware that most of us have lost birds in some way or another. It happens. You are wiser, now. You will do better the next time around.

I am sorry for your losses. Good luck in your future endeavors.

 

[rufus]

Quote:
Get a live trap at Harbor Freight, and get a big one. Cover it with a tarp except for the entrance. Bait it with a sardine can. Once you catch the critter, it is baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.

Tell no one what you have done. This is best done the night before the day the garbage man comes. Make darn sure the critter is dead before you put it in the garbage bag.

Good Luck,

Rufus

 

[Titania]

Quote:
so true. I finally stopped feeling bad about it, but I'm thin-skinned about my guilt & felt horrible all over again with MaKettle's chastising. I overreacted. Like all things in life, lesson learned...the hard way. I now know I have predators that, a few weeks ago, I didn't even know existed. Again, thanks everyone.

 

[SilkiePuff]

I've seen this before, its a cat!.. cats don't drag the pray away like a raccoon would, they will over kill what ever they can.. eat a little bit and then leave it.. cats are horrible about this.. do any of your nieghbors have cats??

 

[daytonfarm]

I don't think it's a cat, a cat can not drag a dog crate out into the yard. Cats wouldn't work that hard or eat that much unless your talking about a bobcat.

 

[The Tinman]

I did not know you were shooting it in a cage. I thought you were shooting it at a distance that is why I said body shot. CB do not have alot of power so they will drop over distance.
Quote:

I always use a .22LR bold action rifle (though I've heard the 'short' is quieter, my gun says LR only...) and always go for the headshot. I would not risk having to take a second shot, because a body shot would not guarantee an instant kill. Even though I'm killing the raccoon I always try to make it as painless as I can for it.
I always shoot after dark so the neighbors don't see me, and shooting downward towards the raccoon so missing doesn't endanger the neighbors (though I've never missed). One shot with a .22 and most people don't realize what they've heard or where it came from. Anyone listening will be listening closer for a second shot and that will get you caught.
It's extremely hard to miss a caged raccoon's head. Just put the gun muzzle up to a hole in the cage, and wait for him to look the right direction. It gets easier the more you do it.

I *have* taken raccoons cage and all out to the sticks to do the shooting, if you need to do that you can - just wear gloves and be careful when moving the live raccoon.

 

[AHappychick]

I am in a suburb as well and I trap and then drown the coons when they become a problem or try getting to my birds. once in the cage I drop the whole thing (rope tied to cage) into my pond (you can use full garbage can of water. It is quick and as painless as possible when a gun is not an option.

So sorry you are certainly dealing with a coon though. wrap everything in hardware cloth and use washers and screws to fasten it on well.

Good Luck I have suffered terrible losses like yours and it is heartbreaking.

 

[Titania]

There are many large cats that live in a neighborhood across a greenbelt & a creek. I've never seen them on my side of the greenbelt, though. None of my neighbors on the street have cats that are out, that I know of. Anything is possible here, though. Maybe I had two predators. Maybe a raccoon, then a cat, and then the raccoon came back? I just need to get a wildlife camera and see what's out there. And set cage traps for them. And then either return the rodent to the city so they can deal with it or drown it myself. A fellow okie was telling me that there have been more coyotes than usual this year in OK and that they can easily jump a fence. To be honest, we never saw any prints of either cat or raccoon or any other animal. It was too dry and then we were getting some heavy dew that hid everything. But, as always, thanks for the input.

 

[SilkiePuff]

Quote:
I had a wild cat kill 12 chickens in one night, and it destroyed my coop ( one of those portable ones ), it was a domestic/wild mix.. once I saw it I shoot it.. cat weight approx 20lbs.. and it left parts and pieces everywhere, some were eaten some weren't but, I know coons usually drag off there meals.. and when a animal is hungry and determined they will drag, and destroy anything for food..

I'm still in a firm believe it was a cat.. just from what the carcasses looked like..

 

[IonaFarm]

My neighbor has feral cats. He feeds about 10 cats daily. I just lost a 2 month old hen turkey. The carcus and the feathers are in the garden. Can feral cats do this?