Bobcat Tried My Chicken Run

[McChooky]

This bobcat has a den a mile or less from me. I scared off this bobcat 30 minutes prior to this today and it just tried my chicken run (ran around it in a circle, tried digging briefly before it hit our wire skirt). No chickens were harmed, they just left a whole chicken's worth of feathers everywhere in a panic as their defense mechanism. I have music blasting. I have electrical wire that wasn't on at that moment because I was doing yard work near the wire. As this cat becomes more audacious, what can I do? Previously, it wouldn't even come close with music on. This time, it tried when it knew I was there. The thing is too fast and there is too much shrubbery (and their coop) to shoot it. My girls are sounding the alarm still, it's been 30 minutes and I've been standing right outside their enclosure. The girls still think something is out there. I'm worried it isn't scared anymore.

Professional trappers are $600, more than I'd like to spend.

My last option is getting a trapping license, as I have a live trap for dogs already.

Visit its den will get rid of it. You won't have to do anything else.

 

[McChooky]

It has not been that long, but the rabbit population has plummeted this year so it is probably finding alternative food sources and being riskier is my guess to the change in behavior. Neighbors say pet cats have been prey to coyotes and the bobcats, but I'm not too sure about that. As the bobcat sits, my chickens won't lose feathers unless it pounces at their enclosure. For now, I'm at a truce, but figuring out the legality of using airsoft as scare system. Ammonia wouldn't work because of how much rain I get. I have sprayed water at it, but very limited range, and it isn't too bothered since it has a double coat.

A bob cats main diet here is deer.