Bobcat grabbed hen not 5 feet from me!

[sonew123]

Quote:
Unfortunately, in NYS you need a trapping license and it can only be done during trapping season unless you are a licensed in a "Pest Control Service".

Luckily, MY BIL lives next door and he IS a liscenced pest control-so when I had an issue last year with raccoons-I had the traps within minutes He disposes of them for me-or I gave them to my FIL to make coon skin caps for the kids-creeped them out a bit but hey Gpa had fun doing it for them

To the OP Im so sorry I cant imagine watching it happen:-(

 

[callducklover20]

I almost wonder if this bobcat was someones "pet" at some time and they grew tired of it and let it go-that is an ever increasing problem going on and these animals have zero fear of humans since they were raised by them, but it doesnt make them not dangerous, dang even a feral cat will tear you apart if you corner it. I know people have used these cats and bred them to house cats to make the domestic breeds-one lady I know that had 2 "pet" bobcats is the one who told me to never ever get one as a pet because they are wild animals and things will happen-even though she raised them from babies, one of her's jumped on her granddaughter and torn her scalp off her head, poor little girl had to go through major surgery and a ton of stitches. I hate things having to be shot or euthanized but I even think I agree in this case, especially if it keeps coming back and that close to humans-the only way it would be able to be released is if it was a wildlife refuge with no one around forever because I do agree that it has figured out that humans mean easy food and it wouldnt be fair to the next person. I know close to were I live the bald eagles were starving one year because all the water in their fishing grounds had froze so they started nabbing all the small dogs and cats they could find in peoples yards-everyone had to keep their animals up since you cant do anything to an eagle. I know thats a little off the subject but I just wonder what is wrong with this bobcat that is making it do this so close to people.

 

[panner123]

Not having all this formal education, I look at things that I have worked with, read about or seen first hand. So, lets look at this fact, in 2004 bobcats killed ove 11,000 sheep. This same year coyotes killed over 135,000; dogs killed over 29,000; mountain lion over 12,000; bear over 8,000; eagles over 6,000 and fox over 4,000. Using these facts, a bobcat is the fourth leading killer of sheep. A fair size animal. Attacks on humans, Death Valley a woman was attacked poolside at an inn, West Chaple Fl. a man was attacked at his home, Hermantown, Mn. a man was attacked at his home. Now it is a fact a bobcat can and will kill an anmial 10 times its wieght. Given this scale, even a 10 pound bobcat could kill a 100 pound child or the record cat of over 50 pound could kill a big fat man.

Working and living in the mountains, I have seen many people state that we are killing all are
wildlife. That the terrible hunters and land owners are killing at will. This is so far from the truth it doesn't even a response. But, I will give one anyway. Land owners are only killing to protect thier family, pets or livestock. Some years this could be 0, other years it be be in the over a 100. Either way, this will not harm the predator population. Hunters can be a little different, a true hunter only kills what his family can eat. No real damage here. Then you have the city hunter, he/she will go out and shoot anything that move in the wild. With the number of these people so low it still shouldn't hurt the numbers.

So why are the numbers down? People that don't have a clue of what they are doing moving out of the city for a better life. They think they are doing the poor animals a favor by feeding them. One of the worst things they could do for them. This causes the animal to lose all fears of humans. This fear is what keeps them going.

I have no fact on this statementbut, I would guess that for every person that moves out of the city, a thousand predators die. On the other hand, the animals that the predator feeds on goes up.

If people would have followed the ways of the Indians, we would not be in this trouble. They lived with and for the animals. They as hunters were the best environmentlist we could have.
And they didn't even need to go to school to learn this. Book learning is fine for some things, but it has no place trying to replace Mother Nature.

And NO, I am not an Indian. Born and raised in N. J.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
This is a pretty interesting read


http://www.messybeast.com/small-hybrids/rufus-lynx-hybrids.htm

 

[lizardz]

We have a resident bobcat who has taken a number of chickens over the past few years. I have chosen not to free range my chickens except when I'm out with them. Mine apparently isn't as brazen as yours. I choose not to try to dispatch of it simply because I believe it does little harm and probably provides a large amount of pest control. It has never tried to break into the pen, so it hasn't been that big of a problem. If it began to do that, I would have to rethink what to do. I saw it just the other night, about five feet from my chicken run, watching the hens. It was so intent on them that I got about 10 feet from it before it noticed me. Took off immediately when it realized I was there. It wasn't very big; only about the size of our beagle, but very beautiful. I'm glad I had the opportunity to see it. I hope you find a solution to your problem. Just realize that if you choose to free range you will always have problems with predators. Getting rid of the bobcat will only solve your problem for a short time.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
[I have a feeling this thread is going to get locked pretty soon, but anyway...] Panner 123, Where did you get your stats from? I'd like to check them. I suspect many of the sheep kills were lambs as I doubt, for example, that a fox could take a full grown sheep. I also suspect the bobcat attacks were probably rabid animals. It would be no advantage for a bobcat to kill a human for meat. As far as your extrapolation to size verses kill, I think that's a bit wild--as I type this I've got a 12-pound cat on my lap and I doubt he could take down a 120-pound anything, even though he's a good hunter.

The NYS DEC is very pro hunting/trapping and they have a lot of facts at hand. Consequently they will not allow trapping/hunting of bobcats in over 50% of the state due to lack of numbers and fear of eliminating the few that are there. [Lest you think NYS has a high human population I'd gladly drop you in the woods up near sonew123, we'd probably never hear from you again--and that is one area where bobcat hunting is prohibited. Also one of the areas were hunting is allowed is in the Hudson Valley which has one of the higher human population densities in the state.]

Please don't get me wrong, I hunted, fished and trapped for a greater part of my life and was very good at all 3--still would if I wanted to--and have no qualms about popping off a predator that is threatening my chickens or cats--depending on the animal. Coons, skunks, possums, weasels and coyotes, yes--martin, mink, fisher, bobcat--no; the latter are too rare and could probably be discouraged other ways.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
[I have a feeling this thread is going to get locked pretty soon, but anyway...] Panner 123, Where did you get your stats from? I'd like to check them. I suspect many of the sheep kills were lambs as I doubt, for example, that a fox could take a full grown sheep. I also suspect the bobcat attacks were probably rabid animals. It would be no advantage for a bobcat to kill a human for meat. As far as your extrapolation to size verses kill, I think that's a bit wild--as I type this I've got a 12-pound cat on my lap and I doubt he could take down a 120-pound anything, even though he's a good hunter.

The NYS DEC is very pro hunting/trapping and they have a lot of facts at hand. Consequently they will not allow trapping/hunting of bobcats in over 50% of the state due to lack of numbers and fear of eliminating the few that are there. [Lest you think NYS has a high human population I'd gladly drop you in the woods up near sonew123, we'd probably never hear from you again--and that is one area where bobcat hunting is prohibited. Also one of the areas were hunting is allowed is in the Hudson Valley which has one of the higher human population densities in the state.]

Please don't get me wrong, I hunted, fished and trapped for a greater part of my life and was very good at all 3--still would if I wanted to--and have no qualms about popping off a predator that is threatening my chickens or cats--depending on the animal. Coons, skunks, possums, weasels and coyotes, yes--martin, mink, fisher, bobcat--no; the latter are too rare and could probably be discouraged other ways.

I have witnessed 3 male bobcats ( 30-40 lber) taking down a fawn probably 50-65 lb deer. I think the warmness here it is kina sub tropical here at the south end of the Chesapeake and the availability of a lot of muskrat , cottontails etc etc has a lot to do with how big they get here and the fur is fairly flat on them here it is easier to guess their real weight. Fisher are not that rare they have been transplanting them in PA and recently opened a trapping season there for them

 

[panner123]

For anyone wanting to check the facts I stated earlier, here theyare: skinnymouse.com look under New North America record Bobcat taken (this can also be checked with many other hunting & trapping sites) onebeing the Georgia outdoor news. As for the 10 times wieght statement go to pictures-of-cats.org/bobcat-attack, this site also give many photos & a list of state records & averages. For the livestock numbers, go to desertusa.com search bobcat & click on Do bobcats attack livestock.

Since I in the past have hunted & trapped for a living, I personally have shot & trapped many in the 30's & a few over 40 pounds. I had one that was only 28 pounds kill 4 dogs before I could get to them & kill the cat. All these dogs were redbone hunting dogs, average weight about 50 pounds.

Most of the attacks as stated were bought on by those attacked. A bobcat will normally stay far from humans unless sick or old.

 

[AllCoop'dUp]

Yikes....my 8 yr old female Standard Poodle took down a late season fawn, wild turkeys and has killed 5 of my chickens...should I take a shotgun after her??

 

[Surehatch]

My pet hate are snakes