M
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Our little ranching adventure started out with a couple of ducks from the local feed store (Cayuga - what a beauty, Rouen, Pekin and Mallard). Unfortunately, they became feed for a bobcat. We have not wanted to continue to feed it any more ducks but we have not been able to trap it. Until it disappears, I have not wanted to pour over the duck pages in the catalog and fall in love again. We are beefing up our security system which includes four foot tall field fence on 9 foot wooden (sunk 3 feet) posts inner spaced with metal T posts. Above the field fence is two strands of electric fence wire. No signs of digging under or squeezing through. Game camera might give us a clue as to how it is getting in, I'm guessing it is using a tree on the outside and an old stump on the inside. Our fenced area measures about 120 foot deep by 40 graduating to 65 foot wide. It is partially treed with cedar, hemlock and fir (cleared of brush and thickets) and has about a 20 foot across pond on the lower end. My chickens will obediantly go into the coop at night but the ducks enjoyed multiple runs around the pond whenever I was entergetic enough to try to drive them in. It was mostly an useless gesture since I tired out, or fell in, before they cooperated. So, yes, I have guilty feelings about them becoming bobcat dinner. That darn cat has even appeared as early as 6 p.m. instead of during the dark hours to have a run at the chickens so I know it is getting hungry. Maybe it will try the live trap soon. Does anyone have any other suggestions for trapping or preventing bobcats from entering other then covering the whole thing or cutting down trees?