Mountain Lion in the Neighborhood

[Broke Down Ranch]

So there has been confirmed sightings/kills of a female cougar within a half mile of our place. What should/could I do to keep my goats and poultry safe? I am actively seeking a LGD but not so sure how a LGD would stand up against a big cat. I have put a baby monitor outside so we can hear if there is a commotion.....any other suggestions?

 

[PearlD]

Will big cats come around in bright lights? My husband went to Home Depot and bought a couple of motion sensor floodlights. If you have any knowledge of electrical wiring, you can easily splice the light onto a heavy duty extension cord to be able to move the lights around.....and also install them quickly. You can put a radio out as well, and turn it on a channel with lots of talking.....LOUD. This may keep it away for tonight......but you need to find a more permanent solution. Duh, huh? LOL!

What you need is a highly trained watch Donkey.

 

[d.k]

*And/Or a BIG TOUGH dog!!! I had a gf in Cali that lost her goats to a mountain lion one by one. Not only that, but it took to laying around on the patio to select and sleep off dinner!!! GF opened the front door one night, thinking to get s/t out of the car, and the cat was RIGHT THERE, watching the goats-- just sitting itself on the bottom step, scoping out the flock!!!

 

[Akane]

Bring the animals in as close to the house as possible or in the sturdiest buildings possible at night. Play a radio. Turn on some lights. Do as much as possible to make the place seem active and used. Just walking around the perimeter of our property with my dog left enough scent to keep away many more predators than would have been there otherwise. You don't want it to seem like a quiet, dark, abandoned place that would be easy to pick off prey animals. Electric fencing is a good long term deterrent for most animals but I'm not sure the best way to use it for mountain lions. We only get the very rare bobcat here. Usually you put it at the height the animal would run it's nose sniffing so they get shocked and don't try to continue.

 

[okiemommy]

wow Broke down that sucks. Unfortunately with cougars getting that close to (how weird, at this very moment the neighbors donkey starts up) people there is a good chance that these things (loud music, making it look like people are active may not be effective, or at least not long term. Hopefully she was the only one that was that comfortable, but not likely in the future, as we have seen in the cats in California. I don't know if it's illegal to shoot them or not, but I know that if I see tracks or hide or hair of one, I won't think twice b/c I have children to protect. So that to say, that you might want to consider firearms as well if you haven't already. Central Texas is a little too close for comfort for me, that and we have them in in eastern Oklahoma. Great.

 

[rufus]

These critters usually have well defined territories. They seem to travel a circuit. Mark down on the calendar when you notice them in the area. Then when they reappear you will have some idea what their cycle is. Take extra precautions in time of danger.

However, this all changes if they are raising kittens. They will stick around.

You had better kill the thing off before the litter matures, otherwise they will clean you out. I am not sure of what the legal rammifications would be, so be discrete.

Rufus

 

[dangerouschicken]

You can't just kill a cougar in some states. The best thing you can do is bright lights. Cougars do not like them.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Wht as she been killing?

 

[Bird Hearder]

As far as I know they're a fairly protected animal. I think the only time your allowed to kill them is if your Life is in Danger! Rules are made to be broken

You may want to contact Natural Resources, Fish and Game and see what your allowed to do about the situation.
If memory serves me correctly they have about a 10 mile radius that they roam/hunt.

I know my Mom lives on a Horse Ranch in Cali. at the top of a Canyon and every once in awhile you will get a REAL Strong odor of Cat Spray. which means it's a Male marking it's territory.

EDIT
Just remember if confronted by a Big Cat, Make yourself as big as possible By raising your arm's while making a whole lot of noise. Whatever you do, DO NOT put your back to it!! And DO NOT RUN!! If you turn an Run the Hunt is on, just like your cat on a Mouse.

 

[kees]

I live in NY and there is a trail called Breakneck or Breakback Ridge (doesn't sound good either way) and I had a friend who climbed up it with her Golden Retriever. There aren't supposed to be any moutain lions here. She saw one and it didn't have a "friendly" look on it's muzzle and her dog was protective and kept staring at it. I asked her she had a cell. She stated, "Yes". I then asked her if she called 911 and she said that she called her husband! lol I told her that it was good that she didn't' run otherwise the predator instinct would take over and to try to find the largest, strongest stick that she could find and yell and make herself as big as possible. Also, they if it came closer, to try to give it a couple of good whacks on it's nose. Luckily, she slowly backed away and lived. So when, people tell you that certain animals just don't live in your area, that may not be true. I'm just glad that my friend lived.