Do you believe in defending you and yours?

[chickortreat]

A lot has been said here about predators and things harming your flock. At what point do you draw the line? When is enough enough? Some say they'd shoot a hawk for harming their chickens, while others cower and hide behind the fact that hawks are "protected", as f that gives hawks some preemptory right to just swoop in and take what's yours. I'm just curious how far some folks would be pushed before they said, "That's it!"

My mother called me the evening of January 31, right after dark, to ask me what I had just shot. I asked when....she said just now. I stepped out on the porch and saw headlights just up the hill from my folks' house, just sitting in the road. I knew someone had just shot a deer. I jumped in the truck to go talk to them. They saw me coming and took off. I got close enough to get the tag number, then returned to the scene of the crime. I found the blood spot in the road, as well as their empty shell casing. I looked all about and then went home to call it in. Less than 2 minutes after getting off the phone with 911, the same truck came easing by again. I jumped back in the truck and chased again. (I found out later that they'd left #3 behind in their haste the first time). This time I had my phone and oldest daughter as well. We followed them until we had cell service, then called 911 again. I stayed with them until we reached an agreed upon location where I dropped back and a cop got between us and pulled them over. Turns out they had drugs/paraphernalia in the truck, and so at least one of them was arrested. All I wanted was to ask them no to be road-hunting or shooting around our houses. I'd have let it go that they had already killed the deer. But they ran, not wanting to face me, and so I pursued.

I said all that to say.....this is MY LAND, MY HOME. I WILL DEFEND IT. I have told my wife/daughters that if anyone comes through that door to harm them, there will be a mess to clean up. I feel the same about my chickens, dairy goats, etc. I will not hide while something/someone harms them. I will stop the threat.

 

[fiveladybugs]

My husband & I both have that same attitude...our home, property, & land, so we will defend. We have taken out several predators that have either killed or tried to kill our poultry without qualm. Having said that, we certainly don't seek them out, but do have a trap set up behind some of our pens and will dispose of any predators as necassary. We have many hawks over the years around, but none that have taken any chickens out, so we've never had to deal with that. I can say our dog seems to have helped cut down on how many we've seen over the past two years that we've had her.

 

[Ted n Ms]

I do what ever is necessary. SSS

 

[Nicole01]

We do not shoot hawks. I will shoot the coyote that steps foot in my yard. Apparently there is more then one. I heard a whole dang pack 2 nights ago in my backyard! Grrrrr..... I lost one hen to these coyotes and almost a second one. Coyotes go after people and my kids play outside. I have now limited my free ranging to a maximum of 2 hours a day watching them. I'm surprised my neighbor hasn't complained of my upset flock wanting out. Hopefully my girls will settle down soon. Nothing can get them inside their run and especially their coop at night. I will not break the law.:/. Thats just who I am. Luckily we have the tree branches go all the way to the ground. There's no hawk able to get at them through the thorny and low trees.

 

[Mattemma]

Best be on your guard as those men will now be quite cross with you,and ofcourse they know where you live.

I agree with defending what is yours,but at the same time I never like to bring attend to my home.The legal system is such a joke..Chances are someone caught messing on your land will be home before dinner,and after a few drugs they will start thinking some stupid revenge stuff.


I read in that in Canada you can go to jail for harming your attacker.You are supposed to run,hide,or not exceed the same force the attacker uses.How insane.

Alteast we can kill someone when attacked. I can deal with animals(sss them all),but I am not sure what I would do with humans.Pretty sure I could kill one if needed.Scary thought to think of someone attacking you in your home,but it certainly does happen.

 

[geoff40]

It has to start with a solidly built coop. I realize that not all people have good carpentry skills, but there is no excuse for repeated entry in to a flock's roosting place by the same critters. It isn't difficult to secure a coop. All coops should have a fully enclosed run too, so that you have options on how much access to the outdoors your birds have. At least thats my opinion. An ounce of prevention....

Then you deal with what happens. I personally would not risk arrest and the loss of my firearms and hunting rights over a chicken. In general, the laws are on your side, but obviously there are times when you're going to have to call your local warden for a yea or nay. Around here they are generally reasonable, even when it comes to regulated fur bearer's and other protected critters, and it isn't difficult to reach a compromise with them when the situation calls for one. I wouldn't expect to get permission to shoot an eagle though.
As for defending myself and family, "are you kiddin'?"

 

[dainerra]

I don't shoot hawks because I've never had a hawk bother my birds. If you count in my mom and my grandmother, in over 60 years of keeping chickens, less than a handful of birds lost to possible hawk attack. It's just not a big issue to me.

When I free-range, I accept that there will be some danger and possible loss. I'm much more defensive against dogs because, well, they have a "responsible" owner who is supposed to be feeding and caring for them and making sure that those kinds of things don't happen. One warning is all that is given for roaming dogs. In the case of predator loss, I trap and shoot the culprit. Of course, I'm aware that more will just move in but a new predator in the area doesn't necessarily mean that I will lose birds. Some are more wary of human scent than others. Basically, it comes down to the fact that there are billions of potential predators in the world and I can't kill them all so why bother? I only dispatch animals that have proven themselves to be a problem. Some years I might kill several raccoons; the past year I've had no problems. I know they're here - I see them walking around. But a coon that's not bothering my birds is welcome - he keeps other coons from moving in.

As for the situation described above, I don't think that has anything at all to do with predators. It involves people being stupid. I'm actually surprised that the police didn't have a long talk with you as well. That was a really bad idea and if the offending truck had caused an accident, you're butt would have been in just as much trouble as they.
Yes, I would have taken my gun (and dogs) out to investigate. And if they had come back, they likely would have found me standing there waiting for the cops to show up. High-speed chases in the dark of night? No. My life (and possibly innocent people) are not worth it. You said that you already had the tag number. Cops would have found them easily.

 

[chickortreat]

As for the situation described above, I don't think that has anything at all to do with predators. It involves people being stupid. I'm actually surprised that the police didn't have a long talk with you as well. That was a really bad idea and if the offending truck had caused an accident, you're butt would have been in just as much trouble as they.
Yes, I would have taken my gun (and dogs) out to investigate. And if they had come back, they likely would have found me standing there waiting for the cops to show up. High-speed chases in the dark of night? No. My life (and possibly innocent people) are not worth it. You said that you already had the tag number. Cops would have found them easily.

Yeah, and they came back by...AGAIN. I wanted to speak with them. My following them was not illegal. And had they caused an accident, how do you figure it would have been my fault? I was simply following them, at their speed. And we live in the country, not some crowded metropolis. The 911 dispatcher asked me to stay with them if I was comfortable doing so. I wanted them to catch them with the deer in the truck.....not two days later when the evidence was gone.

 

[7L Farm]

You know its hard to say that what you did was wrong or right. Its hard to make the right decision when things happen so fast. You seem to just react at least I do. Just an example your roo tries to attack you my reaction is to hit him or kick him. Is it the right decision probably not. Something is attacking my birds my reaction is to kill it. You know everybody raises their birds different & it seems a lot of people will let something take one of their pets, livestock or however you categorize your animals. Personally, I don't wanna loose any of my livestock & I will defend them if need be & have more than once & will continue too . Snake eats my eggs I'm not gonna relocate the snake why he will find his way back. There's two animals where I live that I will shoot immediately no questions asked a hog & a yote. Coons are getting close dang bandits. All animals have their rights to live as long as they don't bother my animals.

 

[angel8035]

Animals don't own "property" so where are they supposed to go to live? I say live and let live. I keep my birds safe as best I can but I don't believe in killing a wild animal just because it is trying to stay alive. Now as for PEOPLE invading my property - that I have no tolerance for. They know better and are possibly threatening myself and my family. That's unacceptable.