Bobcat in my Yard.

[Nyboy]

While I loved having a bobcat in my yard a Mt. lion would be another thing. There was one not to far from me in Ct. The coyotes here are a very big problem. My county has very strict gun laws, no hunting at all. Because they have never been hunted they have no fear of people. More then once kids in next town have been attacked in their own yards during the day. Many years ago I gave up on trying to grow tulips, the deer ate them almost as soon as they broke ground. The past 2 years I have not had 1 tulip eaten.

 

[Scatterknit]

We have one on our farm. It attacked our Jack Russell who is the toughest dog I've ever seen and just about did him in. He had puncture marks all over him - $600 vet bill later and seriously wounded pride but he got over it.

I haven't seen it - a friend has though and said it's as big as a Labrador Retriever.

 

[peteyfoozer]

We have cougar, bobcat and coyote here on the ranch, as well as a lot of raptors. I free range my chickens (and next year turkeys). We had a cougar attack one of the cowdogs in front of our house the year we moved in and a bobcat trying to tear his way into the chicken pen in the middle of the day. We have shot countless numbers of coyotes in my back yard. I finally got my Maremma Livestock Guardian Dogs and haven't seen a predator since, except the occasional owl or hawk that tries to cut thru the 'no fly zone' and the dogs run it off. Best investment we ever made! The cougars have become so populated around here they have all but decimated the deer population. In the closest town to us (2 hours away) a cougar attacked someones mare and killed her. I like seeing them on TV, but would be prefectly happy if they stay the heck away from here!

 

[bobm]

Have a pep talk with your Maremmas as the WOLVES are a commin' !

 

[peteyfoozer]

Yeah, I have been worried about the stinkin' wolves as they have been sighted already. I hate them being protected. Notice all the 'protected' species are predators and have LITTERS, whereas unprotected species that only have 1-2 young a year are NOT under protection? Though I am more than happy to eat venison.

 

[so lucky]

Can you shoot a protected animal if it is attacking your livestock?

 

[peteyfoozer]

No. you have to report it and then maybe F&G will allow a depredation hunt on the animal. Problem is, like with a cougar, you can then only shoot it within a mile of where it killed. Got any idea how far those boogers travel? It would have to be a SS&S kind of a deal and that's if it wasn't radio tagged. However, I have VERY poor eyesight and cannot possibly tell the difference between a pack of coyotes and a pack of wolves when it comes to protecting my dogs

 

[Nyboy]

Glad all I have to worry about are coyotes. Wolves would make coyotes seem like puppies!

 

[OldGuy43]

Can you shoot a protected animal if it is attacking your livestock?

There's always SSS. (Shoot, Shovel, Shut up)

 

[Ridgerunner]

I like to know what the law is. The example I'll use is that't is illegal to kill snakes in Arkansas. It is in a whole lot of States.

As long as it is not poisonous I don't bother a snake around here. They are generally a friend and help me out from what they eat. But occasionally one will start regularly eating chicken eggs in the coop or baby chicks in my brooder. While it may be illegal, I do put a permanent stop to that behavior.

While it is illegal I don't feel guilty in any way, shape, or fashion. I don't skin the snake and hang the skin on my coop to dry. I just discreetly try to protect what is mine.

I know a snake is not a mountain lion wearing a tracking monitor. That is a whole different animal. I sure can't tell you what to do, just wish you luck!