Bobcat on the prowl

[Westfordchix]

Just finished building my coop last month. It took longer than expected to finish the run, and it had no roof for about 45 days. Then today, my dog started barking like crazy. We looked outside and saw this bobcat slaking around. He had just come from the coop area and after walking around a few times decided to move on. I expect he will be back. Any advice on deterring him over the winter? My dog is a boxer, and he is great with our chickens. I just don't think I can leave him outside in the cold winter months.

 

[Westfordchix]

 

[Westfordchix]

 

[koop]

Best offence is a good deFENCE, if the bobcat can't get your chickens he'll move on sooner.
You could walk your boxer around the coop to do her business too. We have five dogs and almost never have wildlife on the yard ( not all a good thing )

 

[Westfordchix]

Thanks for the advice. The dog generally does his business in the vicinity of the coop. While very cool to see, I hope it moves on quickly!

 

[hayley3]

I would love to have an outside dog but I would not be able to leave it outside either. lol

I would be very worried though if I saw a bobcat. I'm very scared of big cats even though people say they will run from humans.

Where do you live?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

There is an old saw about curiosity killing the cat.

A little smelly bait, some confidence lure, a #2 steel trap and a bird's wing or a couple of chicken feathers suspended about 7 feet above the trap and slowly turning in the breeze will excite a bobcats curiosity.

The idea is to trick the bobcat into leaping straight up after the visual lure or the bait. There is no doubt that what goes up also must come down, and bobcats are not exempt from from the laws of physics that govern that phenomenon.

Hopefully the bobcat will forget to watch where his paws are when he lands and snappo, you got em.

Truth in advertising disclaimer. Since 2014 I have caught two bobcats in a wire live trap in essentially the same location.