Bobcats

[ColtHandorf]

Very well.

To the OP, keep your birds in a secure pen/coop and you won't have to worry about the bobcat or her youngsters. Secure pens involve predator/anti-dig aprons, a strong roof, ensuring the birds are safely indoors at night or using wire with spacing so small a predator is unable to reach through and strong enough to prevent a carnivore from breaching it. The addition of an electric fence as a deterrent (suggested by cmom) will round out a predator-proof run. If you allow the birds to free-range, predation is a risk you are willing to take. Personally my birds stay penned and enjoy time out when I am outside working and have the ability to keep an eye on them. Two when I can spare them.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Be careful here. You may want to use a little more discretion. Any animal considered a game animal or fur bearer typically has a season and killing one out of season would be illegal.

It is highly recommended that you consult your state's game laws prior to taking action or your local DNR office for suggestions.

If its legal this time of year, go get him and good luck!

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Maybe you should move so the mice can have there nest back, betcha did not think about that.

 

[333113]

View attachment 2505158

Very well.

To the OP, keep your birds in a secure pen/coop and you won't have to worry about the bobcat or her youngsters. Secure pens involve predator/anti-dig aprons, a strong roof, ensuring the birds are safely indoors at night or using wire with spacing so small a predator is unable to reach through and strong enough to prevent a carnivore from breaching it. The addition of an electric fence as a deterrent (suggested by cmom) will round out a predator-proof run. If you allow the birds to free-range, predation is a risk you are willing to take. Personally my birds stay penned and enjoy time out when I am outside working and have the ability to keep an eye on them. Two when I can spare them.

I personally like to sleep soundly without worrying about every noise outside being a predator trying to get my birds. So, all my pens are 1x1 inch welded wire or smaller, sides, top, bottom.

I don't like to be listening for predators when I'm in the house, or worrying about predators when I am not home, so the birds only get to free range when I am there with them.

After I built my cages, my doctor noticed on my next visit that my blood pressure had dropped to normal range. So, for me, the extra predator-proofing and better predator-avoidance habits were totally worthwhile.

BTW, I do notice that both the foxes and the bobcats mark my cages, as their territory, I guess. But no chickens are missing or damaged, so that's okay with me!

 

[ColtHandorf]

I hit the ground with a stick every morning and tell all the animals around me "you shall not pass!"

Does it work? If so, can you come to my place and teach my fence hopping heathens where they are supposed to stay? lol

 

[cmom]

In some cases a permit may be required.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

A person must make reasonable attempt to keep predators out. They can't willy nilly kill predators they've basically invited to eat their livestock. If reasonable measures have been taken and the nuisance animal is actively taking/ in the act of taking your birds you can shoot it out of season. This does not apply to birds of prey of course.

Situations you can't shoot predators would be if you are free ranging, have no or completely inadequate run deterrent or leave your coop door open. Fish and Game sees these scenarios as invitation to predators for easy meals and would be tantamount to baiting and shooting out of season.

The take away here is taking reasonable measures to deter predators and protect livestock. The idea being you are protecting both the predator and your livestock. Some predators are extremely persistent, usually during times of low natural feed. It's those that can be killed when actively taking livestock.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

If an animal is on my property, and clearly has/going to kill my animals then it does not last long, my animals will win in a battle like that: I make sure of it.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I did check here in Florida and if a predator is threatening your livestock, you have a right to shoot it.

Get the definition of "threatening?" The mere presence of a predator isn't always considered a threat.

I live in rural mountain land where everyone keeps to themselves. But I still try to know the law so if a busy body neighbor questions anything, i know my footing is solid.

Plus as a hunter, I am a conservationist. I don't kill anything I don't have to for food, defense of my family, or for population management.

 

[ChicNmom]

What if the predator comes at night? What if a neighbors house is in the background of the shot? What if the predator is protected or endangered? It seems quite lazy to disregard these contingencies because you don't want to improve your predator deterrence. Also, adding a few posts and one hot line around a perimeter wouldn't take a whole weekend in 90% of backyard setups. More like an hour or two. Minimal effort, your animals are safer, more wild animals get to keep being wild...Where's the downside? Who loses? The gun happy people who don't get to shoot their toys that day.

Why do you assume that people who chose to protect their livestock are just randomly shooting at anything that moves with no regard to neighbors etc? Or that their coop set up is weak?

A gun is a tool. It serves a purpose. No need to be so judgmental of people who choose to deal with predators as they have been dealt with for hundreds of years.
Life is not a Disney movie.