Cougars, Bears, Coyotes, Foxes, Raccoons, Weasels, Hawks, Owls, Eagles

[shangri-lafarms]

It's crazy how something that big and destructive is protected by the federal government...I mean I know they don't want to lose the species, but what good are they really, what do they contribute to our ecosystem? I guess it's the balance of nature...I sure wouldn't want to be near one when it's hungry an animal like that aren't afraid of people when they are hungry...We may be at the top of the food chain because of our brain's and gun power, but without a weapon against a mean hungry wolf, we are toast....

 

[sundance]

They look beautiful,but I don't have to live near them or worry about my animals. marrie

 

[deb1]

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I understand the desire to extend the gray wolves habitat. The problem is that it sounds like the Feds don't use common sense when creating laws to protect the wolves. Yes, killing wolves should be outlawed except in special circumstances such as a rancher protecting his flock.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

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Yeah, I know. There is a MASSIVE OVERPOPULATION of mule & whitetail in the area they released the wolves into...along with MANY cougars that hunt them. It's a lose/lose situation--the area they were released into is very hippie-like, PETA-ish people in that valley are VERY liberal...VERY "safe the salmon" type of people who are all for conversation and that type of thing. However, 99.9% of them do not have livestock.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
I understand the desire to extend the gray wolves habitat. The problem is that it sounds like the Feds don't use common sense when creating laws to protect the wolves. Yes, killing wolves should be outlawed except in special circumstances such as a rancher protecting his flock.

Yeah--I'm not sure what the rules are...other than killing one can carry a $100,000 penalty (per wolf) and time in jail!

 

[Their Other Mother]

My view point on wild animals. If these wolves only fed on other wild animals, deer, elk, rabbits... OK, leave them alone. The problem arrises when they go after domesticated animals who have never had to scrounge for food. They are in confined areas and don't even know how to fight off a wolf. There is a natural instinct to protect themselves but not like the skills a wild animal would develope. These pets of ours depend on us to feed them, water them, keep them warm and protect them. People make reference to animals "in the wild...." Well, "in the wild" The strongest survive. My horses & goats would be bear bait!

 

[Lea71]

It's so disheartening to see that we, as humans and as we populate like bunnies, believe that the Earth and all it's inhabitants are here for our taking. There has to be a middle-ground way of thinking and way to live in harmony with all of the Earths creatures. For those who don't like to live in harmony with nature, I say move to the city. I don't mean to offend anyone but geesh...at the rate the human population is reproducing there won't be anywhere for the wildlife to go...then all we'll have are chickens.

My list of neighbors include...black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes (by the dozens!), skunks, hawks, eagles, rattlesnakes, lots of other snakes, raccoons, possums....I know I'm forgetting someone.

The way I see it....chickens aren't a native species...so the native residents win. I'll just do my best to protect my girls from becoming lunch.

Once a species is hunted to extinction there is no natural way of balancing the eco-system back out. It adjusts to the lack of that species, so human intervention and attempts at preservation tend to go a little haywire....what's done is done I suppose.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Right....but chickens wouldn't probably be the item that wolves would go after. They would perfer goats, calves or horse foals over chickens.

 

[Lea71]

Quote:
I only used chickens as my reference because that's what I've got, I don't have goats, cows or horses. My mom keeps the horses and sheep at her place three miles down the road.

 

[Galaxie_Man]

As part of my budget for raising chickens (coop/run construction, etc.) I purchased a rifle for predators. I only had military surplus stuff or little .22's, but nothing practical to take out a predator. I picked up a nice used Marlin 336 lever gun in .30-.30 Winchester, all set up with a scope mount. I installed my Bushnell Trophy 3X-9X scope and zeroed it to 50 yards. For ammo I have Federal 150 gr soft point. I will exterminate any critter that goes after any of my animals. But I certainly am not going to "discuss" what I may or may not have killed, no matter what it is. Anyone who asks what I was shootin' at in the middle of the night.....it was a racoon, but, doggone it, I missed.

Wildlife of any kind is welcome on my property, but once they breach my fenced in yard, depending on what it is, I have no problem deciding what to do with it. Right now in my general area there is something killing chickens (not mine luckily) that sounds like a feral greyhound given the description. One of my friends who lost a bird is attempting to trap it, since he has no experience with firearms and shooting. Once it is trapped, we will then dispose of it.