Bobcats

[newbyduckmom]

I don't know where you are, but our local Department of Fish and Wildlife had a guide online, "living with wildlife". Here's the link to the material on bobcats. Sounds like it just reiterates what was said above.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/bobcats.html

 

[dbolak]

Thanks to all for your advice! During the day when the Salukis are out I am not as worried. I will be building a strong run for my ducks this weekend. Hopefully, the new run and the camera that watches at night will give me protection and information on the critter.

 

[learycow]

This is very useful information!
Where my fiance and I are building a house, we found out we have a bobcat. There is a guy hunting Coyotes and he set up a trail cam just for fun. He sent us pictures of a HUGE bobcat hanging out near the bait. It is there almost every single night!
I was planning on bringing my ducks there when we move in next month. I have a coop and pond set up for them and plan on free-ranging them during the day. I now think I'll try to take care of the bobcat issue before I even bring my birds over! I have a lot of time and money invested in my ducks and I would be SO upset if I lost them to a bobcat!

 

[littledear]

Hi,

My daughter had a bobcat getting her chickens a couple of years ago and they will keep coming back until the food source is gone. She called the wildlife people and they gave her a permit to hunt or trap the animal. She then got some local hunters to come in and hunt it for her. I hope that helps you some. Bobcats can be displaced by floods and by lack of food and that could be what brought your bobcat close.

Littledear

 

[dbolak]

We put the trail cam up when we lost two in one night. Then someone down the street shot a large one, (sounded like the same one we saw). So we relaxed. But then we saw another one that was smaller on the camera. We got a trap and bated it with a wild rabbit. The rabbit was protected in it's own enclosure with food and water and not injured. It took three days but we caught a Bobcat. I noticed it looked younger than the other two so we were not hopeful the problem was gone.

The three ducks I had left were housed in a dog crate in the garage at night after that. The one day that I was late coming home from an appointment allowed the ducks to be out till dark. One duck totally gone one bloody and the other slightly injured. The next morning the same size as what we had already caught was sitting on my fence after the sun was fully up! Staring at us.

We live in a subdivision of half acre lots. Having three to four Bobcats in a few months probably indicates two adults and a litter.

I am in the process of building a daytime run made of 2x4s and 1/2 in metal fabric. I will post a picture when done. Only one duck left now. She is happy and spends a lot of time in a bathroom tub. The one that was gone was a Rouen and the injured was a Khaki that didn't survive her injuries. I think it stressed her too much and she just stopped eating.

 

[boxleyjoe]

Dogs are the answer, but if you want to trap them. fix your trap with a padded floor(hay, straw or leaves) and put a duck or chicken in a cage next to it. If the cat has been killing your ducks then it will go in the trap for sure. I caught 3 in a row this way. haul them to the land of far far away.

 

[dbolak]

Thanks to all for your input. We did build the night pen. My husband and I used 1/2 in hardware fabric and metal corners that screw into the wood (2x4) and give it even more structure. We put one door on the side and one on the top. A Plastic doghouse is inside behind the side door. That is for ease of cleaning. They now run into it every night and seem very happy there. The wire goes all around and underneath.

 

[dbolak]

By the way we now find and egg every morning in the dog house where we have placed a lot of straw.