Bobcat Advice

[thomasboyle]

We have had a bobcat come through two times in the last four days. On the first visit on Tuesday, my coop mounted game camera photographed him at 10:30am, and two mallard ducks did not come home that night. On the second visit on Friday, my wife and I were out for the evening, so everyone had been put away for the night early, and he was photographed coming through at 7:30pm.





Are there effective chemical type deterrants to keep bobcats away? If I try and trap him, what bait should I use in the cage trap? Since I have not seen him around when I am around, I doubt I would have an opportunity to dispatch him with my Remington.

My mallards free range all day on the pond and all around the yard, and then the chickens and guineas join them in the yard for the evenings when I am home from work. Then everyone comes into the covered pen and coop for the night.




I don't want to keep them all in all the time, but I don't want to be offering the cat free meals twice a week. I am also concerned about my two outdoor cats and my two smaller dogs (schipperkes). My ultimate solution is fencing (heavy gauge field fence with three strands of electric on top, middle and bottom) and a couple of large dogs, but I would have to fence in the pond (or the ducks won't have access to it and be protected at the same time), and this involves almost 2,000 feet of fence, so it will get done, hopefully this summer, but its not going to happen overnight!



Any short term suggestions would be welcome.

 

[centrarchid]

In you location which is beautiful, short-term options all seem to be ruled out. Get a bigger dog that is 60 lbs or better and that is active. Don't mess with a pup, get an adult of two or more years and promptly hunker down with breaking dog of going after your birds. Walk dog around where birds range to leave scent and possibly have cat see dog. Dog's presence alone will detour cat or at least give it a reason to look for another location to use..


I can't see very well in image but cat looks female. She may have kittens close by so she will linger causing more losses than a male or female without kids.

 

[LCTX-Chickens]

I am interested in solutions as well. We lost a barred rock last Wednesday morning. I had suspected a large hawk as our main run is not covered. Yesterday morning I went outside at 7:30am & found a bobcat chasing our austrolorp around the pen. Me & the dog managed to shoo him out of the pen & it went up a tree. I didn't have a camera or means to dispatch the animal so it got away. I spent most of yesterday sealing up the coop to hopefully prevent the cat from ever entering again. It has been suggested to use a snare with sardines as bait.....

LCTX-Chickens

 

[centrarchid]

A bobcat that simply runs up tree when chased by human and dog is not an adult bobcat. You might have more than one trouble maker close buy.

 

[dringge]

A large guard dog or 2 would be good advise in your setting. Bobcats are pretty smart. You might see if you can find a local trapper or varmint hunter to help you out. Remember if you succeed in running this one off another may move in and the one you run off may become someone else's problem.

 

[centrarchid]

A large guard dog or 2 would be good advise in your setting. Bobcats are pretty smart. You might see if you can find a local trapper or varmint hunter to help you out. Remember if you succeed in running this one off another may move in and the one you run off may become someone else's problem.

Study up on bobcat behavior. Then rethink advice given.