http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=268x5101Hmmm.
Skins's island, other than nadin and other occupoopers, is a little bit sparse on fodder for the DUmpster tonight.
For reference, the Star Trek primitive's a
femme. Or so I think, given the reference to a "boyfriend" later on. One never knows; perhaps Skins should add a feature to the new-and-improved DU03 or whatever it is, when it comes out, delineating the gender of the primitive making a comment.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 12:28 PM
Original message
Dammit, two rabbits were killed by coyotes right outside my back door last night.
I have never seen them in our pasture before.
They were hunting on two sides of us Saturday night, I chased them off but I guess they got what they came for after all.
And now that they found a way in I doubt we'll be able to stop them from doing it again. Will walk the fence later.
I have a Warmblood filly that's way too big for them to f*ck with and we just bought a burro - hoping we can control this so we don't have to kill anything ourselves. I want to adopt a rescue dog (or three) but I couldn't leave them out to be chewed up since they're way outnumbered.
Sigh...
MuseRider (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 12:50 PM
Response to Original message
1. The way I have had to deal with this is to just understand that they have to eat too and that I moved into their house. I watch my animals as best as I can. You should see the enclosure we built for our little goats! We are overrun at the moment with coyotes but winter is coming and there will be some loss I suppose. Your burro will go a long way to protecting things, or should. We added an extra chain link for our dogs and that seems to keep them out especially with a den (or whatever you call it) right off the backyard Still, the coyotes will come up and pass the front of the house and cross our patio.
Sorry about the rabbits. I hate when that happens.
I don't know how big your place is. One solution might be the use of temporary electric fencing using the wide tape low to the ground. They are awfully smart though, just thinking and trying to help.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 03:01 PM
Response to Reply #1
5. Thanks, we have 5 acres with horse fencing all around.
They weren't pet rabbits, actually, we have dozens of wild ones living in our pasture and lots of other assorted rodents around the estate because we're surrounded by crops and silos. That's the reason why we have so many coyotes.
Electric fence won't work since all of the vines and small fruit trees have melded with the existing fence.
I knew they're were three packs that hunt around here but this is the first time they've got into our pasture.
We do plan on building secure enclosures for any future pets/livestock. Comes with the territory, I guess.
Mojorabbit (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 01:05 PM
Response to Original message
2. We live in the city but they moved in here
Everyone around the lake I live on had cats go missing. Both of mine did also. ONe day I found a half of a black cat in my yard(not mine). Then coyotes were filmed at the small airport across the lake. They ate all the cats and then moved on. I understand they need to make a living but it was a real shock at the time.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 03:06 PM
Response to Reply #2
6. Thank you. I'm glad we decided not to get barn cats.
Mine stay inside, thankfully. Our neighbors two labs will run the coyotes off if they catch them near our driveway but even they won't follow them.
I had a dog years ago who was killed by coyotes, he was brave but outnumbered.
ChandlerJr (516 posts) Mon Oct-24-11 02:49 PM
Response to Original message
4. If it weren't for the coyotes you would be over run by rabbits when the supply of rabbits falls the coyote population with collapse also.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 03:10 PM
Response to Reply #4
7. And they can eat all the rabbits they want to - they just need to do it outside of my pasture.
I know they have pups to feed, I've seen them. Normally they gorge themselves on the mice and rats near the silos.
I'm just afraid now that they've had two easy kills in my backyard it will be almost impossible to keep them away.
MineralMan (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 03:32 PM
Response to Original message
8. How close are your neighbors? If you can take a couple of shots at them, they'll find safer pastures to hunt in. That's what my father always does on his 15-acre citrus and avocado farm. When the coyotes start getting to close, he'll sit out at night and wait until he sees one, then shoot at it with buckshot. He doesn't really want to kill them, but the shooting seems to send them down the road for a while. If they make it into the fenced yard around the house, though, they're goners. That's just not allowed.
Whoa.
The MineralMan's 65-66 years old, and so must have a Methuselah for a father.
More power to the ancient personage, with still enough spunk to sit around with a loaded gun, and to use it.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 04:13 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. Thanks, that is my plan, actually, I'll be camping outside for a few nights.
I'll use the shot gun as a warning and the rifle if they come in anyway.
Bf just told the neighbors what to expect.
He works 3rd shift and misses all the drama. When he came home this morning all he found were two trails of blood and grey fur leading away from the back step and a 1000 lb. horse having a nervous breakdown.
ProgressiveProfessor (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 05:50 PM
Response to Original message
10. My neighborhood kitties are cougars and I also have coyotes to deal with as well. Only realistic answer is to fully secure your livestock and be ready to shoot if needed.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 06:01 PM
Response to Reply #10
11. That's a little scary.
Thing is they hunted and killed wild rabbits that live in our pasture. And it was easy.
We walked the fence and couldn't find where they got in. I'm afraid they'll actually start jumping the fence when they're hungry.
So, yeah, I'm prepared to defend my animals.
ProgressiveProfessor (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 07:56 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. At home I carry a revolver with mixed load out snakeshot and softpoint. We have rattlers too. Scares the hell out of people who end up at the gate by mistake.
Then again I chose to live out here in the scrub desert. We knew what we were getting into when we bought the place.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 08:07 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. Heh. Our neighbor screams like a little girl when he sees a snake.
He'll actually throw his own kid in between him and said snake.
Guy found a little baby gopher snake in his yard and swore it was a Copperhead (around here every snake is either a Copperhead or a Water Moccasin), emptied his pistol on it and missed every shot. Had his kid get the shot gun but I think the poor thing had died of heart failure by then.
People who can't tolerate wildlife should live in high rises. I chose animals over people and I don't regret it.
During the summer, franksolich has a problem with the cats bringing snakes inside the house, through the special cat door that during the summer gives them unlimited entrance-and-exit.
franksolich doesn't care for snakes either, but what can one do?
I just grab them and toss them out the back door.
ProgressiveProfessor (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 08:22 PM
Response to Reply #13
14. That is why I use snake rounds.
I am good, but not always that good...#11 makes up for any minor aiming errors.
I do not advocate wholesale slaughter of wildlife. In California the cougars are protected. However a few times I have needed to discourage them...
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 08:42 PM
Response to Reply #14
15. Bf's originally from Colorado- a cougar attacked his friend's horse.
It was pretty bad. They tried but never did find the cat that did it.
Oh, goody, I just remembered that our street lamp doesn't work anymore. The only thing illuminated by the house light is the back stoop. I've walked out there blindly every night (I always open the gate for bf) without giving it a second thought.
That's okay, who needs coffee when you have adrenaline?
ProgressiveProfessor (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 09:00 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. Consider low cost IR viewer
You don't need a lot of detail, just heat blobs will do. Even a powerful flashlight beam will get eye reflections.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Mon Oct-24-11 09:09 PM
Response to Reply #16
17. Good idea, bf would love that!
I use a spotlight and have seen many many pairs of eyes looking my way before, but they were usually in the fields.
Bit unsettling it was.
Trying to hold a gun and a spotlight is impossible, but I do have a great led headlamp I use for caving. Thanks for reminding me!
MuseRider (1000+ posts) Tue Oct-25-11 04:35 PM
Response to Original message
18. Do you know when they are in your pasture?
They can be sneaky but often are loud enough when hunting to know. Here is something that we did, it might help if you catch them enough times. I don't know why I did not think to add this to my first post.
We had a large gray one that was out during the day. He would be laying on the drive or I would see him running in the pasture and then there were two. Most times those are animals that were raised by people then let loose. Whatever they are, they were out during the day, well fed looking and not ill with mange. I started to see them come up to the side of my house just under the window where I sit while I am on my computer. Freaked me out because I let my little goats out to roam around the house during the day and my cats are often out.
We have some M80's left over that we save for times that we see neighbors dogs on the pond when the ice is getting thin, it scares them off quickly. We threw one out from the deck and after 2 different times we have not seen them back. Just a thought. Fireworks come in handy for the strangest things but since we do not like to shoot animals for any reason, would have to make an exception if one was hurting our pets, we use fireworks.
Try it and see if that helps. With 5 acres you may be able to control a lot of it but probably only for short periods of time but that is better than nothing. It also helps to get some night vision binoculars. You would be amazed at what you can see with them on the darkest of nights. Expensive but worth it when protecting livestock.
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-28-11 10:24 PM
Response to Reply #18
20. THAT is the best suggestion yet!
Thank you, man, I've been out here night after night chasing them off and they are definitely not scared of little ole me.
I did get Stella to join in the chase and she seems to enjoy it
I would much rather use shock and awe that doesn't require deadly weapons.
I have no idea where to get m-80's, though, since they're illegal. Do you have any suggestions for similar fireworks?
Hmmmm.
Grouchy old Don, who's been lighting a lot of campfires on Skins's island lately, so as to get aboard the Top Ten DUmmies of 2011.
Don however needs to relax; he's already got a nomination coming, and so doesn't have to keep trying so hard.
NNN0LHI (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-28-11 08:31 AM
Response to Original message
19. In the long run those coyotes are doing you a lot more good than harm
If we didn't have coyotes here we would be overrun by ground squirrels, mice and other rodents.
If a natural cycle like that is ever broken it could lead to some very disastrous results. I like rabbits but I don't want to be up to my neck in them.
I would never kill any coyotes. They have pups that need to be fed too.
Don
beam me up scottie (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-28-11 10:34 PM
Response to Reply #19
21. Whoa, I haven't killed anything yet.
I'm a vegetarian, I save spiders from summary execution and champion the good qualities of snakes wherever I go.
The coyotes have plenty to eat around here, the rabbit den(?) is quite large and extends far beyond our pasture, and there are grain silos everywhere - you should see the size of the mice and rats! The farmers around here try to keep feral cats around the silos but something keeps eating them.
I love the sound of coyotes howling, it reminds me that I'm no longer stuck in the city. Another reason I love living here is that the owner of the estate forbids hunting and trapping. She will support me if it comes down to protecting me and mine, though.
I just want to be able to feel safe in my backyard again.
Better to be out in the country all alone in the middle of the night, like franksolich, and have wild bloodthirsty animals hovering around in the darkness, rather than stalking primitives.
