What would do this kind of damage? UPDATE POST #65!

[Coop de Grille]

My neighbor has a trap that she is going to let me use, but she has to get it back from her son first. This is what I caught on the game cam last night... not sure what it is.

 

[zazouse]

Looks like a small dog
Black and tan
maybe tailess.
got anything in the neighborhood like that? some folks think it is ok to let their dogs run free at night, but that is when they get into trouble.

 

[hokankai]

looks like a possible fox or raccoon to me. I don't see a small, well-fed dog being that hell-bent on getting to those chickens or doing that kind of damage to the wire. If only you could see a tail...

 

[Phyrst]

Yeah at first glance I thought dog. But then looking at the mouth and the way it's flattened out, I was wondering if it could be a fox or small coyote. A dog would sure be easier to deal with. Foxes and coyotes will continually return and try to find a weak spot to break in. Must be hungry if it's trying to get your chickens. No other canines on the game cam? It's probably feral and has a circuit it checks at night for food. That's why your dog keeps hearing it when it comes around. Our Humane Society will lend a humane cage to trap (if the cages are not all out in service) You could try calling them if you think your neighbor can't get hers back from her son soon enough. Either way, if you trap a dog, you are responsible for taking care of your new problem. I don't know any where that will pick up a trapped dog so be aware you'll have to provide some care for your nuisance catch and take it to a shelter. I hope someone didn't just drop the dog and it is trying to live on what it can find for food. You never know ... I like your game cam! I like that it tells you date, time, temp, moon phase and all! And if you have any doubt whether the culprit is a dog or something else, try moving your cam a little closer. The next pic would surely be spot-on.

 

[Coop de Grille]

The other pics show my dog sniffing the entire area, this is the only frame that has this guy in it. There are a lot of dogs in our neighborhood as we are very rural.

I have two dogs. One came with the house when we bought it 2 yrs ago. She was about a year old and was living under our back deck, probably from the time she was a little puppy. When we bought the house she adopted us. She comes in when I get home from work or when I am home during the day but she has never spent an entire night in the house. She prefers to be outside. This is why she is outside barking in the middle of the night.

Tomorrow I will set the game cam on a different tree to see a different angle. It's too dark now to go out there. I'm really happy with this game cam. It's a Primo's Truth Cam 40 and it doesn't have a flash. I should be able to catch any two legged predators without them seeing the cam.

 

[hokankai]

You know what? If that thing doesn't have a tail it could also be a bobcat or something else of the feline family. The way it is walking is very cat-like to me, and looks too small to be a coyote.

The resemblance is uncanny:







Edit: I take that back. I think it's a coon. Here's an enhanced picture of your critter


I think I see a hint of a ringed tail there

 

[Phyrst]

Coop de Grille, you still have a mystery! I thought I could see a jaw line ...mouth. I'm going with a fox or small coyote! Tomorrow night may catch it in LIVE ACTION!!

 

[TNBarnQueen]

If you have an electric fence put 2 wires up at 6 inches and 10 inches. Take strips of aluminum foil and wrap one end on the wires leaving a small bit of it hanging. Right before dark put peanut butter on the strips...raccoons, skunks and possums cannot resist. It is a good deterrent.

I am pretty sure that is a coon....I have spotted them on our property at night...they use to come eat the cats food...but I would bet money it is a coon..they carry their tail low almost between their legs and they are very strong...you would be surprised how much damage they can easily do. I raised one as a pet and released him when he turned 2.

 

[WingnutCrazy]

Never underestimate a coon! I think that may be what that is, that may be a ringed tail.

 

[joelman7]

it looks like a fox to me