Wolf stalking my pens.

[kartking22]

I just noticed big dog tracks outside of my bird pens. These aren't from local dogs. These are from the wolves that the DNR planted a few years ago. I have seen them in the area before. My problem is that I can't do anything about it. They are protected in this state and I can't shoot them even though they are on my property and stalking my birds. DNR says that they will reimburse me for any damage caused by the reinstated wolves in the area. LOL what about the " unofficial reintroduction" of the cougars that they reintroduced and deny that they are here. Give me a break, We have alot more preditors in the area than we have birds. Deer herd had gone down 300% since 2002 also. What's going on with our hunting/fishing rites?

 

[hcammack]

I guess all you can do is grit and bare the losses or maybe get some sort of sound of light trap to scare them off.

Henry

 

[Zookeeper9000]

I hear ya same here, I am in Upper MI, can I ask where you are at.

I use an electric fence.

 

[scooter147]

Electric fence and a guard dog, look to be in your future.

Keep in mind that wolves or any large predator have little effect on the population of their nature prey. They seek out the weak, sick, injured and old in their prey animals, especially wolves, they are very good and picking up on a animals deficiencies. They will watch a herd buffalo for hours to pick out the most vunerable.
I can speak from experience, I have a degree in zoology and spent two years studying the effects of wolves and other predators on elk, white tail and buffalo in the west. As a matter of fact the herds are healthier, since the introduction of wolves in the natural park system, as the predators quickly take out the sick which helps prevent the spread of illness.

That being said, large predators will prey on livestock when they are pushed to do so for various reasons. Keep in mind that domesticated livestock have few defenses against predators and the predators know it! Cattle, sheep and goats do not have the speed to out run them or the instinct to ban together to fight them off like buffalo or elk (I have seen, amazing). Poultry no longer have the ability to sustain flight to escape. We also keep our livestock in nice small pens, much easier to catch.

That's my one speach with one foot on my soap box for the today.

 

[NoelTate]

The privilege of seeing a wolf in the wild would e well worth any effort and expense I had to invest in putting up an electric fence and fortifying my chicken coop. What an amazing creature to share our living space with! Let's just hope that we have learned a lesson from our shameful past and now have the intelligence and heart to share this world with them rather than taking away all their living space and killing them off. Enjoy your birds and your wolf neighbors!

 

[Wifezilla]

3 words...


IRISH
WOLF
HOUND

 

[greyfields]

I live on an island where the native deer are an endangered species. We cannot harm, molest or dicsourage them in any way. You see a lot of high fences around peopele's vegetable gardens.

I dunno. I guess it's just the price we pay for living somewhere beautiful and remote. They were here before I was.

 

[animals1981]

where are u from? i have the same thign happen in my area wolves and cougars introduced

anyways i saw a big black wolf sniffing around my chicken pen

dont worry the wolf wont stay long, wolves are not to interested on chicken coops they need much bigger animals to satisfy them

 

[ams3651]

just like there are no mountain lions in my area

would a motion sensor light help. If its set to be on only a short time it can sometimes be a deterent, they are startled when it comes on. Id also be running electric fence as mentioned earlier. Do you have a trail camera to see exactly what they are doing?

 

[chickenchickenbulkbulk]

Kartking, have you thought of putting baby monitors out by the chickens? We did and we can hear everything. If you can put a motion light or camera out there to see what you are dealing with. Why are the putting wild dogs{wolves} out like that. I don't see anything benifical coming out of them doing that. In our area a few yrs. ago they released these stinky lady bugs to feed the turkeys. The turkeys won't eat them and every fall we have to clean up from these pest. They stain everthing they touch, they are in every window, the ceiling of our house, on the furniture. They are every where. Now why can't they leave well enough alone? This has done nothing but cost us money and alot of extra cleaning. It had no benifit to anyone, not even the turkeys!!! What are they thinking? Any ways, I hope you can catch the preditor, before it gets your chickens. Dj