Need help identifying predator

[gsim]

Coons. They eat heads, combs and all. Use a catch and release trap and marshmallows for bait.

Shoot them in the back of their heads. No good to transport your problem to others, plus those critters have a great homing instinct. It or they will return now that they have had a gourmet meal and a night of entertainment.

Coons go thru chicken wire like a hot knife thru butter. Needs to be reinforced with welded wire or hardware cloth.

I have them all around me here in E Tenn. I did an electrified 6 ft fence with 4 courses of hotwire from 8" to 42" ht. I also lock them down in their coop at dusk every eve and let them out at dawn. So far in 5 months, no preds have gotten to mine. I do not have hawk protection tho since I have a large population of crows hereabouts.

 

[lilcrow]

Quote:
I'm not sure if you're referencing my post or just in general, but I'm feeling a tensie bit defensive. I wasn't transporting my problems. I specifically chose a state park so they wouldn't be in someone else's backyard and I am aware of the homing issue. I didn't quite make the 20 mi recommendation but there was a LARGE body of water and a 4 lane bridge between them and me. I thought it a reasonable choice for offering them an alternate home. As I said, it's not in my constitution and I don't have anyone else to do the killing for me.

 

[FarmerChick]

re-homing a wild animal is actually very cruel.

you throw them into an unknown environment without them knowing their food supply or their predators or "anything"


so it is never just re-home and think that it is perfect...it is far from that. most relocated animals never live long after the relocation.


just happens. tis nature




and "there is no rhyme or reason" why they do what they do.

yes, there is...it is nature pure and simple. animals live by instinct. there instincts drive them to "do what they do" without a "humans conscience"

simple as that.


we do not ever have to figure out "why an animals does what it does"----it just does and doesn't think about it.


people are way too far removed from real nature and how it works. and signs of that "problem" are seen all over the globe, and our future is limited because of this stretch from natural instincts.

 

[NateinFL]

That's gotta be so frustrating

!! Show no mercy when you do trap "it"(or them).

 

[FarmerChick]

mercy?

only a human condition.

there is no mercy in nature.


limited resources, food protection and survival says, "see ya later" in the afterlife.

a bobcat corners a rabbit. it has a life and a nest full of babies and a mate. no mercy given.

 

[ErieSpurs]

Quote:
Just an FYI, it is illegal to relocate a pest species in most states. I know that it's illegal in Ohio.

 

[lilcrow]

Do you actually think I don't know that?

I have gone to a great deal of work trying to figure out the best way of protecting my chickens that didn't involve killing something. Don't you think I would have found that out in the process of researching the live trap issue. My decision from my research was that live traps were most likely the best way of reducing the vermin population and better yet, possibly "heading them of at the pass," but of course it did leave me in that bind, and I was bothered to have to drive that far to relocate them, but I saw no other alternative for me. Really, stop and think about what you're accusing of, I hear what you are saying about re-homing AND I agree with you to a large extent, but I also told you what I could and couldn't do, and it's just not possible for me to kill them! I can't, I've tried! Doing what I did/do certainly wasn't/isn't the easy way out. I have risked being arrested, being bitten, and I feel guilty and stupid for being a woos. So there, now what would you have me do? I'm not going to let them get my chickens, even if that means I have to trap the same stupid raccoon or 'possum 20 times.

 

[R Farm]

Thanks for all the advice. It is illegal here in Colorado to relocate anything you catch. We have contacted the Department of wildlife and they say if you trap it you kill it.

Our pen area is made out of hardware cloth. I think we need to reinforce some of the doors and latches. I've been locking down the coop completely at night as I am not 100% confident the pen attached is secure enough. It has been 4 nights with nothing in the trap. I will try the marshmallows tonight.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

It is very, very difficult for me to kill anything but I shot 2 possums in the last 3 nights.

I hated to do it however I just kept thinking of the awful deaths they would eventually cause one or more of my wonderful, trusting chickens and aimed and shot. Did it "bother" me? Sure! but it would have bothered me much more to lose another one of my birds or pet cats.

Plus my kill is faster and more humane ( I am a pretty good shot) than any predator's kill here.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
Them's profound wisdom words.