Barbarous Bobcat

[nicole camp]

The last couple of years I have had numerous attacks on my chickens. It actually caused me to stop raising them for year because spending money on birds just to feed this predator that I never saw seemed ridiculous. I ended up building a coop out of a dog run that was completely enclosed. For a few months nothing came around it or so I thought, but I still locked them up at night. One morning I had to let the birds out early, keep in mind this is the only time I had done this. When I returned late that afternoon my show quality Lavender Orpingtons had been massacred. The predator had killed half the flock and only ate the breast meat out of birds. My favorite rooster that I had imported the UK lay dead at the coop. That was the final straw. That night I left all the half eaten carcasses out and sat in our hay close by. At 2:00 a.m. In the morning I saw the silhouette come crawling down the tree and slowly started stalking the birds in the cage that had survived. The bobcat was the size of a medium sized dog and inspected every inch of the cage to make sure there wasn't a way in. This animal probably had been doing this every morning and evening for the past couple months waiting for me to slip up. They truly are brilliant animals. (Anyone who loves bobcats I'm sorry for this next part) I raised my shotgun up to my shoulder and waited until I had a clear shot away from any houses or other animals and "boom" the bobcat went flying. That was the quickest animals I had ever seen. It ran about 300 yards and dropped.

Tips to tell of a bobcat attack Verses Other Animals:
1. Similar Kill tactics and eating habits on all birds.
2. Happens at late hours.
3. little to no tracks, your lucky to find any
4. Quite death on birds when they attack

I Hope these tips help you find your own murder mystery.

 

[nicole camp]

Please post a comment If you want me to do more of the murder mysteries. I'll give tips and advice on how to track and hunt down your neighborhood predators. I'm a skilled hunter and know the way of the trade.

 

[nikkers390]

Don't get me started on bobcats. The time and money I have spent to feed these beasts and try to protect my flock is downright obscene. I think of all the chicken and eggs I could have bought, but stubborn to the end. I am raising more chicks.

Granted, I'm paranoid about letting them out of their pen; I sit in the pen every night till every body is in the coop and lock it up before I go, then lock and secure the pen.

So here in rural SW Florida you can never let your guard down, night or day.
Bobcats, raccoons, opossums, snakes, rats, owls and hawks all have an eye on the chickens.
My friend even lost a goat to an alligator living in her pond (didn't see that coming)
Think of this as a modern day Jurassic Park.

Thank you for letting me rant

 

[nicole camp]

I've installed a sprinkler system that detects motion thanks to my neighbor who is an engineer and its stopped just about everything from entering the coop now. However I don't live in Florida, and I think the alligator might actually enjoy it. I'm here for peoples rants. Especially the interesting ones!

 

[jetdog]

This is the only way to have a bobcat around. 35# female.

 

[nicole camp]

Totally agree. Nice taxidermy!

 

[nikkers390]

This is about the size of the bobcat that has caused my predator problem only she had some kits ??? how many.
My pen is all sand so the footprints were evident. Since bobcats are not pack animals, all those smaller prints were kits.
Lots of dead chickens only one eaten the rest were practice and fun. We have seen her several times, even tried hunting her,
but our property is cleared with no cover for breeding and hiding. All around us is vacant woods and scrub. Not our land though.

 

[nicole camp]

You could try a large trap. Try baiting it with canned cat food and the dead corpses of the birds if you have them. If you don't, a nice chicken breast from the store works too. I Learned that one from my dad, and he has caught 6. (Legally of course he is a fish and wildlife employee)

 

[nikkers390]

We tried with a live trap and cat food several times with no luck.
I disposed of the dead birds in a canal for turtles and gators.
I did not want to attract more vermin.
I will try the chicken breast, See if luck changes.

Hunting season is Dec. Jan. & Feb. I'm quite sure, but they are not protected.
If harming your livestock on your land killing them is not an issue.

It's been pretty quiet for over a month. Maybe she moved on.

I'm not a rabid animal hater, just the opposite. Seeing the destruction they cause and the waste of good livestock has me very defensive.
Not to mention financial loss.

 

[nicole camp]

I hope the chicken breast works for you. I wouldn't assume she is gone yet. She probably is patrolling it every night just like the one near me. You could also set up battery operate motion sensor that turns on a LED light to help scare her away. Hope this helps! Best of luck to you!