Turning the tables on Predators? ** don't read if you're squeamish

[Mojo Chick'n]

for smaller predators, I just throw them into the burn barrel with the other trash that gets burned. The barrel helps to concrentrate the heat and flames to make it burn up quicker.

You could always cook the predator then freeze what you don't use - that way you could make it last in between capture/kill instances.

I usually give my chickens the turkey carcass from holidays - they strip it clean, no grinding or cutting required.

meri

 

[sred98]

As far as the meat, I'd boil it and just let them have it. You can freeze whatever you don't need for later. Around here, we dress and clean it like anything else, and use the meat like you would a pork roast. Do it with dressing or sweet potatoes.

I'd definitely use the meat. My kids are wanting to eat coon and possum...I keep telling them they don't really want to! LOL!

Shelly

 

[KDbeads]

If you aren't in one of the burn ban areas, freeze them until you have enough to fill most of a burn barrel, toss them in the night before and set them to fire the next morning. There are a few ranchers out here that do that or they toss them in a cleared mesquite pile and set them to fire.

Around here, if you have several vultures circling your area, you are going to get calls from the neighbors to let you know. For all they know it's a dead cow you've been missing or something to that effect. Better not to attract too many too often because one day you actually are going to be missing an animal and the neighbors won't call. Like crying wolf...

 

[patman75]

People eat those predators, why not chickens. I vote for boil them until they fall off the bone and given it to the chicks.

You might want to check the hunting forums on how to properly dress a coon. There is some glands you want to avoid, I cant remember where.

 

[gway2008]

I lost 2 of my favorite chickens night before last

and yesterday I bought a live trap. I caught a coon last night and I will be drowing him here in just a couple hours... I want to get a couple of pics of the little killer.
I plan to dispose of the coons body in my manure compost pile. Do you have any horses on your property? The compost is excellent for gardens as well as decomposing things quickly.

 

[twentynine]

Burn'em in a barrell.

Shoot'em instead of drowning.

Not trying to pick a fight, but are these animals actually actively preying on your flock? Or: Are they trapped on the far reaches of your property, while in the act of being what God intended them to be?

 

[chickenmum]

I wouldn't want to mess with a dead racoon that much! And I definately wouldn't want it in my cooking pot. I would just throw it in the woods or corner of the property or something if it was me. I wouldn't feed it to my chickens.
You could just throw it in the road and pretend it was road kill!

 

[PunkinPeep]

I like the idea of processing the meat and feeding it to the chickens. I hate the raccoons and posssums because they're such a threat to my chickens, but i also hate that we kill them and don't use the meat.

I would love it if someone would post instructions on how to dress them out.

I would actually like to try to see about using the meat for US, but my husband says he's not eating it...doesn't even want the meat in his kitchen.....guess who the squeamish one is in this family. ha!

Anyway, my vote is for boiling and freezing, largely because you'll have way too much meat for the number of chickens you have right now (imho).

Good idea!

oh yeah, one more thing, others have mentioned it, but why DON'T you shoot them instead of drowning? just curious.

 

[TexasTony]

Hey all,

Thanks for the further advice. Oh, first be warned, widowzilla has informed me that she has seen this thread, and will be posting her view on this topic. But be warned, she would have just let them out of the trap (until one gets out & goes after her! Then she might let me take care of them).

OK, first why i drown rather than shoot. The mesh on the trap is in the 1/4 to 1/2" size. It's not like they hold still to get shot, and I don't want to mess up the mechanisms of the trap nor risk a ricochet off the metal frame. IMHO it's safer to drown them. I don't let them suffer. I don't put the trap in the barrel then slowly fill it with water. That would be cruel. The barrel is full, and in goes the trap. In under a minute's time they lose consciousness and stop moving.

There are other benefits. I don't have to go 300' back to the house to get the gun. I don't have a puddle of blood to attract other predators. No worries with 'missing' on the first try. No mess getting them out of the trap nor scent evidence for the next predator to avoid the trap. No spooking the chickens/ducks with the noise. Honestly, I don't see any reason to use a bullet.

Oh, and for those who asked where I set the trap. It's within 20 ft of the chicken pen. These are not innocent passer-by animals. Woods are about 300' north of there, and the pond is about 150' SE of there. There's another pond back in the woods on the neighbor's place about 1500' NW of the pen. And I bait with the chicken feed or catfish feed, nothing that will attract them from 500'. These critters are up to no good and get what they deserve. I've got about 10 acres of woods at the back of my place that is all theirs. Do what they what back there.

A couple of days ago I found a sheep skull in the field 200' from the pen. No idea what dragged it there, I've never had them, no idea where it came from, but predators are all over. Coyotes are everywhere around here. So are feral hogs (we killed a dozen a year or two ago after they destroyed a hay field). Raccoons, skunks, possums, armadillos, and now gophers. Lots of wildlife, and I'm just fine with them until they come after my animals or start destroying things.

Oh, a touch of humor. Widowzilla said that if I cook them, they are not going into one of HER pots. I had to think about this, but problem solved. Next time I need to burn a pile, I'll put a barrel next to/on top of it with water & any critters I catch. Light it up & let the burn pile give it a good boiling. No problem with the grease on her pots and I have a pile of free barrels. I may need to freeze them until I get enough to justify a barrel full (ok, need to negotiate a little freezer space my dear, just 2-3 small animals!).

Oh, and a warning on raccoon meat. If you really tenderize it, it'll be as tender as beef jerky. Tough animals with tough meat! Most people will soap it salty water for a day or two. Then marinade for another day or two. It's a dark meat. Do a google search for 'raccoon dressing'. Here's one link: http://www.ssrsi.org/sr2/Hunt/fdgame.htm . You can click on a couple of the videos on the left side. Not real instructive, but you get the gist of how it's done. Also search for 'raccoon recipe'. Have fun there, but I'm not that hungry just yet!

In terms of how to dress them, pretty much like any other animal. I plan to pull the hide & take off the head. For the first one, I'm not even going to gut it. I want to see what the ducks/chickens do with the innards, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't eat them too. I read that they have scent glands on the insides of the front legs. I'll have to see if I can find them.

Oh, one other option. A friend mentioned yesterday that he used to wrap the carcass in wire to a weight (rock), & throw them in the pond. Catfish will clean it to the bone. Do enough & it'll contaminate the water, but one now & then should be OK.

That's about it. Other thoughts?

Tony

 

[PunkinPeep]

I watched those videos. You're not, um, "Big Tony," are you?