Should I try and kill this bobcat?

[BelovedBirds]

This is the second year my chickens have been attacked by a local bobcat living in the woods behind out house. We like to free range our chickens, even though we only do so in the afternoon to cut down on the amount of time they're vulnerable. Last February the cat took Meridah, our favorite chicken, who was as sweet and affectionate as I've ever seen.

This year the cat is back at its old hunting ground (our back woods). Just last weekend my wife literally saw the bobcat through our window carrying one of our chickens in our side yard, and I ran out and chased it off in time to scare it away and make it drop the chicken. She's currently recuperating (I coated her generously with Neosporin and Vetermicyn for several days), but she's still not using one leg and I'm concerned about whether she'll make it.

A second chicken seemed to have fled from the cat and seemed largely unharmed at the time, but is now seemingly in shock, refusing to eat or drink much at all, and seems too weak to walk (even though she literally ran 100 yards back to the coop when we finally found her hiding under a log right after the attack).

I'm worried about these two chickens and their chances at recovery, and I'm frankly pissed at this cat. This is the second year it's been killing and harming our chickens, and now the chickens can only free range for a couple hours a day (if they're lucky and we have time to directly supervise them).

So I'm wondering - should I try and kill this cat? I called the state and they said they won't do anything, and that I'm not legally allowed to trap the thing without a trapper license. However, I have the rifle for it and I'm legally allowed to kill it.

But I'm interested in some other opinions on whether this would be morally or ethically justified to do. I understand predators have a right to exist too. But don't my chickens deserve to free range as well? How many animals do these cats bring a terrifying, agonizing death in their lives? Hundreds? Thousands? I'm starting to feel I owe it to my chickens to remove the threat and allow them to live and free range in broad daylight again.

So what do you all think? Should I try and kill the cat, or just let nature takes its course?

Your animals, your responsibility. If you free range, you are leaving them open to predators. It isnt fair to kill all predators so your animals can roam safely. Nature needs to co-exist with us, it's our responsibility to keep our animals safely sheltered from wild animals.

 

[mowin]

You have to learn to co exist with wildlife. Trying to kill them all is morally wrong and also an exercise in futility. This means you have to keep your chickens safe which in many cases means no free ranging. Free ranging chickens means you are providing an all-you-can-eat buffet for whatever predator happens by.

Morally wrong??? So when a predator is actively trying to get into my coops, and the chickens are bouncing off the walls like a featherd rubber ball, I'm supposed to politely ask it to stop?
Sorry, I do not have to co exist with predators that are trying to get a chicken dinner, free ranging or not. If you don't want to kill a predator, that's fine, but don't call those that will, morally wrong.

 

[gatrapper]

I kill or trap any and every predator that is on my property. It has helped tremendously with keeping the predators away. Get rid of it!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Morally wrong??? So when a predator is actively trying to get into my coops, and the chickens are bouncing off the walls like a featherd rubber ball, I'm supposed to politely ask it to stop?
Sorry, I do not have to co exist with predators that are trying to get a chicken dinner, free ranging or not. If you don't want to kill a predator, that's fine, but don't call those that will, morally wrong.

It isn't the animal's fault, they're hunting. Usually their prey are free ranged, but if loose in a fenced area? Easy meal.
Human beings are no better than them. And we DO need to co-exist, or else we would depopulate hundreds of species for our own benefit.
Our animals, our responsibility.
It's our job to keep them safe. Not nature's job.
I'm not saying you shouldnt keep them away, but killing any predator that dares to look at your chickens sure as hell isn't the fair answer.

 

[allenw]

I keep a couple of killers on the feed bill and they keep the varmints under control.

 

[mowin]

It isn't the animal's fault, they're hunting. Usually their prey are free ranged, but if loose in a fenced area? Easy meal.
Human beings are no better than them. And we DO need to co-exist, or else we would depopulate hundreds of species for our own benefit.
Our animals, our responsibility.
It's our job to keep them safe. Not nature's job.
I'm not saying you shouldnt keep them away, but killing any predator that dares to look at your chickens sure as hell isn't the fair answer.

Lol. Humans are no better than them.
I'll shoot the next critter that attempts to kill my livestock. I do believe that makes me better than them.

 

[Genene]

Just doing what I can to help ensure that there is one fewer coyote or bobcat to kill my chickens, turkeys, dogs, neighbor's sheep and goats, etc.

There is plenty of land and wild game to support these predators away from our homes. Feeding on livestock, pets and the contents of our trash cans has actually increased the coyote and bobcat populations near rural and suburban areas far beyond their pre-human densities. Coyotes and bobcats have bred close to homes and become bold enough to walk into backyards, garages and up onto front porches. They have attacked small dogs while the owner walked the dog on a leash in the middle of the day. They have attacked children and adults. Did you see the recent video of the guy who defended his wife and himself from a bobcat attack. He ended up shooting it, and it was rabid.

If a shepherd saw a coyote attacking a lamb and he shot the coyote, would you be critical of the shepherd?

Instead of quoting my post and making a snarky comment, why not defend the right of human-acclimated coyotes (and other predators) to kill livestock and pets and attack people?

The rabid Bobcat is not the norm for Bobcats in general. They generally go out of their way to avoid avoid humans. If a Coyote was attacking one of his lambs then he/ she is at fault. Not the Coyote. Predators need a large territory to hunt. They can’t just move to a new territory because humans start encroaching. They risk an attack by the predator that has already claimed that territory. What is an inconvience for a human like not letting your chickens free roam or ensuring their coop & run are secured, can be a death warrant for a predator. They are trying to survive. They can’t go to the grocery store like you can.

 

[mowin]

The rabid Bobcat is not the norm for Bobcats in general. They generally go out of their way to avoid avoid humans. If a Coyote was attacking one of his lambs then he/ she is at fault. Not the Coyote. Predators need a large territory to hunt. They can’t just move to a new territory because humans start encroaching. They risk an attack by the predator that has already claimed that territory. What is an inconvience for a human like not letting your chickens free roam or ensuring their coop & run are secured, can be a death warrant for a predator. They are trying to survive. They can’t go to the grocery store like you can.

There used to be a large sheep farm in my area. Several hundred acres. 6 strand Electric fencing that would just about knock you off your feet. Coyotes and bobcats had known problem getting past that fence. They killed a lot of sheep. Often killing them while they were lambing. Farmer did everything he could to stop the losses. Your saying it's the farmers fault and he should just let it happen? Farmer smartened up and had me and a few friends start shooting them. Killed well over 100 yotes and probably 30 bobcats on that property over the years. His losses dropped significantly.
Livestock shouldn't be the predators grocery store.

 

[Coops Dad]

The rabid Bobcat is not the norm for Bobcats in general. They generally go out of their way to avoid avoid humans. If a Coyote was attacking one of his lambs then he/ she is at fault. Not the Coyote. Predators need a large territory to hunt. They can’t just move to a new territory because humans start encroaching. They risk an attack by the predator that has already claimed that territory. What is an inconvience for a human like not letting your chickens free roam or ensuring their coop & run are secured, can be a death warrant for a predator. They are trying to survive. They can’t go to the grocery store like you can.

You've steadfastly ignored statements that predators don't exclusively hunt free ranging chickens, etc. and routinely break into coops, runs and animal enclosures. The coyote I recently killed was trying to get into one of my meat bird tractors.

I have my way of legally handling predators on my land, and you have yours. Good luck with that.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Lol. Humans are no better than them.
I'll shoot the next critter that attempts to kill my livestock. I do believe that makes me better than them.

....How??
If you are free ranging your animals, the losses are on you. I'm not going to throw an animal to the wolves and then kill the wolves. Take some responsibility.

Now, if you have a secure coop, say, and a large predator still managed to get in-and was killing them before your very eyes- I wouldn't blame you one bit for shooting.
But that isnt the situation here, and it seems to me that a lot of people in these comments are more than a little trigger happy.
If killing a wild animal is to be the solution, you'd best make sure you've exhausted your other options first, is all I'm saying.