Any guesses at to what critter is lurking around my chickens?

[Benelli]

I know they spotted a bear SE of here, 20 miles, twice, about two months ago. I've been told horses don't mind bears. Mind you, I don't want to be on one of mine to test that. We have wild hog, but I've not seen any signs of them on my property.

It looks like it reached up maybe 24 inches into the bale to pull the hay down. I don't know if panthers do that or not. I thought bobcats stayed in trees or abandoned fox holes, but if it's scoping out the critters it could easily bed down in the semi-open. Whatever it was, it could see me if it was there and I wouldn't have seen it unless I flashed a light over that way. It's also slopping downhill in that area.

 

[Benelli]

Julie,
I'm not that nice lady you met. Sorry. You live around Geneva/Coffee Springs?

 

[cwhit590]

hmm...wild hog....that might be a possibility, but I think they normally travel in groups...? Plus you haven't seen any sign....

 

[LizFM]

I realize this story is from Canada and the OP is in Georgia, but this thread was the first thing I thought of when I read this on CNN today!

Golden Retriever saves boy from cougar attack.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/04/boy.cougar.attack/index.html

From the news article:

Sherri Forman, Austin's mother, said her son was outside with Angel around 5:30 p.m. gathering firewood from their backyard. She explained that Angel normally runs around and plays when she is outside, but on this afternoon she was behaving differently.

"He had come in at one point to tell me how cute Angel was being because she was sticking pretty close to him in the yard, which was unusual for her," Forman told CNN.

In hindsight she realizes that Angel was protecting her son from an unseen danger.

When the cougar charged, Angel ran to protect the boy.

 

[Benelli]

I saw that story today! If only mine were so brave!

The mystery continues, but I'm hoping to narrow it down. The dog acted normal this morning, as did all the critters. The dog did go over in that area to investigate and did not run away. So, I took a huge chance and let the kids out. When I got home, all was fine.

I went down to the area and guess what??? Whatever the animal is, didn't care that I'd kicked up it's bed and put horse manure over it. It kicked the manure off to the side and bedded down. What I did notice was that the area was only about a 2 X 1 area, so I'm thinking bobcat. I kicked more manure on it's bed this evening and put down flour around the area. I'm not sure I"ll get tracks due to the leaves and pine needles, but I'm hoping.............. It's funny, most animals don't like laying in anothers waste, but horse manure by far is some of the more "pleasant" to step in. I've had a spot in the fence line where something has been digging under, a ways away from the "bed", and I've filled it up numerous times with manure. Whatever it is keeps digging the manure out and going under the fence. I'm wondering if it's the same critter?

 

[Julie_A]

Quote:
Oh, I know. Didn't know if you'd ever heard of that play the put on over in Colquitt, Swamp Gravy.

Wonder if it is a bear? Keep us posted...

 

[Julie_A]

Quote:
And I live an hour north of Pensacola in Conecuh County, Ala.

 

[LizFM]

Quote:
Aw now don't diss your dog.

Whatever it was, wasn't attacking you...maybe s/he would have acted different if the critter was charging you. (might as well give him/her the benefit of the doubt)

 

[JCoogle]

Have you considered setting a live trap? 2x1 area you should be able to use a medium or large trap. I keep a couple here so when I noticed something odd. I live next to Mammoth Cave National Park so I have all kinds of critters roaming around.

 

[Benelli]

As of last evening, whatever it was had not come back to it's "bedding" area. There were also no tracks in the flour. I'm considering a trap and may pick up one today. For those trappers out there, let's assume this think is a carnivore. What do you think the best bait is for a bobcat or fox? I've hear fox are pretty smart and hard to trap. What about bobcats?