To Kill or Not To Kill

[Mountain Man Jim]

All right, not a bad conversation. Though I think it’s best to avoid name calling.

Panner123: I agree, you don’t have a choice when a large predator has gotten that close to your house. My issue is with shooting predators just because they are in the area. All wildlife needs to have a healthy respect for humans and our territory; which is what I keep telling the foxes as I get a bead on them with the BB gun.

Purple Chicken: Your City Slicker “joke” describes one of the problems very well. Instead of teaching the predators that humans are to be feared, we have people teaching the wildlife that humans=food. It is a serious problem in our area. I know for a fact that neighbors leave food out for the foxes, some even for the bears. Garbage is left out where the bears have easy access. Mountain lions routinely “take” peoples’ pets (we leave close to Nederland, where a guy had to shoot a lion that was attacking his dogs).

Heck, before our Great Pyrenees was old enough to be on guard duty, we had a bear climb the fence, walk on the deck (imagine sitting down, watching TV, and a large black shape walks past the patio door) and peeked inside at the chickies. But, the bear became satisfied that we didn’t have any thing tasty that she could easily get to. She has never been back since. And, I like it that way. She’s out there doing what bears do and has learned that it’s not worth it to bother us. Shooting this bear would have done nothing. Another bear would just move into the territory.

I guess the really problem is other people, since I can try as much as I like to scare off the predators. But, if the people down the road leave food out so that they can watch the “wildlife”, I’m sunk. Can one get a hunting license for stupid people?

 

[Zenbirder]

Quote:
When you find out who is issuing them and how much they cost please post it so we can all partake!

 

[skatcatla]

I agree with you Jim.

A wild animal coming after me is one thing but simply coming after my chickens, well, that's my responsibility to build a better coop.

We have Cooper's Hawks in my neighborhood. One actually tried to swoop down on the chickens while they were free-ranging around my yard and I was in the house. So, my solution is (I know, this is drastic so you better sit down): to not leave the chickens unattended in the yard. I know, I know. Shocking huh? My dog does a great job of babysitting while I am working in the yard, otherwise they stay safely in their henhouse and extra long coop.

I love my chickens, but killing a predator over a few chickens is, pretty irrational.

 

[PurpleChicken]

This subject has come up before. It's a hard issue with no easy answers. I do agree
with Skat about building a better coop, although that is really only a bandaid on
the bigger issue. I also agree that I really wouldn't want to kill a predator like
a bear if it was after or took a few of my chickens. I'm not even sure I could shoot
a dog if it wasn't directly threatening my and/or my family.

Is there such thing as Bear Repellant?? Heck they make it for dear.

We have a ton of coyote and fox here but have had no problems. Our
dogs pee all over the place and I must admit, so do we. The scent keeps
the canines away.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
I would agree with either shooting them or not shooting them, but shooting them with a BB gun is cruel, all we need is foxes runnig around with one eye suffering from infection from the BB that is not powerfull enough to kill yet poerful enough to pierce skin or eyes, Hum who is doing wrong by only wounding the preditor, either kill it or allow it to kill you r chickens, dont just wound it and let it wonder around suffering.

P.S. the BB gun is the worst TOY ever, it allows kids and adults to think pointing a gun at something wont REALLY hurt it. once aimed at a liveing creature it is a WEAPON so treat it that way, or dont be surprised when your kid is walking around looking like a Pirate because of the Toy he and his buddies were playing with. are firecrackers really explosives?? we could take that up in another thread

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

Well i said i wouldn't post on these types of threads anymore. I even said i wouldn't post at all anymore! but I cant help myself, yea i'm weak, I agree with the not killing the large predator thing to a point We have at least one bobcat here because I have seen it several times. I have made the coops predator proof to a point, I say this because we have not lost anything in a coop so far. No bears here but the territorial thing still applies to things like Bobcats. I have not seen any coons or opossums here in 4 years and think it is because of the bobcats. But be very carefull scaring off large predators they dont scare easily and may turn on you quickly. If you decide to shoot one use powerfull ammunition that will stop it quickly and and shoot to kill namely center mass in the head if you are good enough. never shot a bear but have shot large charging boar and they are serious. Not sure if you can train a wild creature not to come back. but if you do kill one it will be replaced by another. so glad Roaming domestic dogs and coyotes are the main problem here.

There I did it again.
RCG

 

[kstaven]

The hot wire in a predator snack does work well. For the most part animals aren't stupid and soon figure out that dining in this area isn't a good idea. It works well on neighbors dogs too!

Guard dogs and good fences also help.

But none of these measures will stop the most determined predator. At that point the choices are a lead sandwich or dead stock. As much as I do everything to avoid killing animals the choice is easy at that point.

 

[Chatychick]

Well there isnt anything wrong with protecting what is yours...You would do it if it was someone invading your house...well the critter is invading your chickens house ...or goats house...A friend of my DH lost both of his pygmy goats because someone got tired of their GP dogs and turned them loose to fend for themselves...well he shot and killed 1 and the other goat away...This just tore them up as the goats were their babies and now they dont have any because of some stupid person didnt want to take responsiblity for the dogs... I know because I am letting them have 2 goats soon when they are ready, I know we dont have bears here but we do deal with coyotes and skunks and possums and flying fowl...well a possum has been attacking my chickens and he got a lead sandwich the other nite because as most know slikies are not cheap and it really made me mad...well he decided it was time for supper again and I was waiting at around 10 at nite...his mistake...I live way way out in the country and cant relocate a problems so it becomes someone elses problem. Ok I will hush now...

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Seems to me we basically all agree here that the first line should be to not ‘provide’ for the wildlife so they don’t see humans or their farms as a food source. Second in line would be scaring off or deterring the predators from the livestock or property and lastly fatal measures if needed. Relocation gets consideration depending on the location and the species involved.

Thanks to everyone for participating. I’ll close this now as topics such as this often head down the wrong pathways after a while.