Should I try and kill this bobcat?

[mowin]

It never fails to amaze me when some think that it’s ok to kill a beautiful apex predator because it’s doing what comes naturally. In the grand scheme of things the Bobcat has much more value to the ecosystem than a dim witted chicken. It’s your responsibility to secure your birds. If you insist on free ranging despite all the risks than the consequence are you will suffer some losses.

It is ok to kill a predator. The LAW says so. Apex??? They are far from the top of the food chain.

 

[McChooky]

It never fails to amaze me when some think that it’s ok to kill a beautiful apex predator because it’s doing what comes naturally. In the grand scheme of things the Bobcat has much more value to the ecosystem than a dim witted chicken. It’s your responsibility to secure your birds. If you insist on free ranging despite all the risks than the consequence are you will suffer some losses.

Most farmers wouldn't survive long if they didn't kill predators. But the rest of us have options I agree.

 

[McChooky]

The only down side to predator proof coops is getting locked in them.

 

[Genene]

It is ok to kill a predator. The LAW says so. Apex??? They are far from the top of the food chain.

They are Apex. What regularly preys on them?

 

[mowin]

They are Apex. What regularly preys on them?

Fox, coyotes, bears. And US as those that protect our livestock.
Apex predator.. are you willing to die at the hands of a apex bobcat? Probably not, but really no loss if that's you believe.

 

[DukesDucks]

Use a live trap for mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons and opossums..

Curious - then what do you do with them? Relocation is illegal in some areas. Relocation can make them someone else's problem, or puts them at greater risk of death being in an unfamiliar territory where they don't know areas of protection and food.

 

[Fluffy Hens]

The bobcats were killing mine and most of the chickens on my side of town. As a result the rabbit and vole population was insane. The first 7 years we lived here I never saw a rabbit and had no critters tunneling. Fast forward to everyone around here getting poultry. So much easier to kill a fat duck that can barely run or a trusting chicken. After having a bear rip the back off of my coop and killing almost all my chickens I called the state wildlife office. They instructed me to get electric fence rated for Bear, bulls, elk, moose etc. It must zap at least 7K , I think mine zaps at 10K. I fenced in a huge area, like horse paddock size. Zero problems since. All the rabbits are gone too. I guess the predators went back to eating natural prey. I will say at one point I was so pissed I was thinking you better be killing my birds to feed your babies, and the next day she brought her kittens. They fed on my turkey that the mother killed for 3 days. I watched them on my trail cam every day. OMG they were beautiful.

 

[Fluffy Hens]

Pics

 

[The Buffest Orpington]

It never fails to amaze me when some think that it’s ok to kill a beautiful apex predator because it’s doing what comes naturally. In the grand scheme of things the Bobcat has much more value to the ecosystem than a dim witted chicken. It’s your responsibility to secure your birds. If you insist on free ranging despite all the risks than the consequence are you will suffer some losses.

These are all value judgments that say more about your own biases than about predators, farming, or livestock. If the bobcat is a "beautiful apex predator," then that makes me a beautiful apex predator++. The bobcat lives exclusively by killing other creatures. If I want to "secure my birds" by killing a killer, then that's my prerogative. We are a part of the food web, not somehow apart from and beneath it. If I want to free range my birds and kill every predator that tries to kill my animals, then so be it.

I'm not saying that's what I'll do, but I sure don't appreciate your moralizing as if bobcats are somehow morally superior to farmers or birds. We all have an equal right to live.

 

[Fluffy Hens]

These are all value judgments that say more about your own biases than about predators, farming, or livestock. If the bobcat is a "beautiful apex predator," then that makes me a beautiful apex predator++. The bobcat lives exclusively by killing other creatures. If I want to "secure my birds" by killing a killer, then that's my prerogative. We are a part of the food web, not somehow apart from and beneath it. If I want to free range my birds and kill every predator that tries to kill my animals, then so be it.

I'm not saying that's what I'll do, but I sure don't appreciate your moralizing as if bobcats are somehow morally superior to farmers or birds. We all have an equal right to live.

People should do whatever they need to do in their own situation. I don't judge if someone wants to get rid of all predators
that come to their property. I have solved my problem for the moment. I am super happy the rabbits are disappearing as they are so destructive to all my shrubs and flowers. I can't stand the foxes around here. Fortunately distemper and mange has taken care of a lot of that population. Although a good shot is probably more merciful than dying of distemper.