Killing Just Because it is a Predator

[Nyboy]

While i live in the city of White Plains, I am on the outskirts of city very suburban. The houses on my side of street back up to wooded park. The area is fulled with wildlife, even though minutes from downtown White Plains. Coyotes which are not native have moved in casing trouble, they have killed many pets, even attacking kids playing in their own yards. Man living 3 houses down from me likes to kill things (willn't call him a hunter, I have too much respect for hunters) When 2 dogs and many cats on our street disappeared, he and 2 of his friends cleaned out the coyotes in secret at night. I have to say I was glad. A Bobcat has been sighted during the day 3 times now. Bobcats are native to NY, but very rare where I am. As far as I know this cat has not caused any trouble. Neighbor just told me him and his friends are going after the cat, if I see flashlights in woods at night don't call cops. I have no problem with a animal causing trouble to be taken out as long as kill is quick. I do have a problem with killing something for no reason.

 

[catjac1975]

I must say I have prejudices against coyotes and I am not too upset when they are killed around here. I have enjoyed seeing them however and they have not cause my animals any harm. I am careful with my dog at night. I have not lost any cats-they have a lot of skills, I guess, to be outside most of the time and still alive. They have a lot of safe places to be, barns, under porches ect. A bob cat, I do feel differently about. They have been hunted to near extinction. When all of these predators are hunted until they are gone we then have predator problems with smaller predators. Foxes, fishers, raccoons become a problem when their is no one left to eat them. A neighbor killed a lot of coyotes near me and now we seem to have a ton of wild rabbits, A guy with a gun, as you describe-not a hunter, is a danger to neighbors. If you see their lights they are shooting too close to your house. The legal limit in Ma, is not within 500 feet of a house without the owners permission. And they want to change the law to 1000 feet. I would love to see the bobcat removed to a isolated location. That is not legal in this state either. But I would think a wildlife official could do it. I would report the neighbor.

 

[Nyboy]

There is no legal way you can shoot a gun in Westchester, not sure about bow hunting. I go back and forth about reporting them. I just hope I don't see any flashlights this week.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's a bit of a hard one. Killing for the sake of killing, no. I don't agree with that. Killing things that pose a real danger to people, livestock, or pets, yes. To me, those two are pretty clear.

We have invaded the bobcat's territory. We have altered its food chain, probably improved it in many ways actually. There are probably more rabbits and extremely likely more squirrels where you are in suburbia than in a virgin forest. They have learned to be scared of people so there are probably a lot more bobcats around than you suspect. They do hunt during the day so seeing one isn't impossible but you really don't see them that much.

I don't think there is mush risk to humans from bobcats, though I would not expose a toddler to one. They will kill smaller pets and smaller livestock so there is a risk there. But as long as a bobcat is not bothering pets or livestock and is content to live off of rabbits and squirrels, I'm not going to go hunting it. I don't go hunting raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes or other predators either but if they come around my chickens or garden I'll try to take them out, trapping preferred, shooting if necessary.

If there have been three sightings the authorities know about it. I doubt they'll try to relocate it but who knows. My brother-in-law caught a bear robbing his trash can on a security camera. When he mentioned it to a park ranger the ranger said they don't have black bears around. BOL offered to show him a video. Then the ranger said that is probably "????" (I forgot their name for it) He's a small black bear and that would be in his territory. They don't want to let on that there is a black bear in the area because someone would shoot it. He's not likely to injure anyone so they leave him alone.

I don't know what I'd do in your case. How do you feel about that neighbor? What are the potential consequences if he finds out that you are the one that reported him?

 

[Nyboy]

I get along well with all my neighbors. If he is caught with a gun it would be serious, not a slap on the wrist small fine. I am sure there would be big consequences by him if he found out I was one to call police.

 

[so lucky]

Maybe you could tell your cranky neighbor, and she can call the police.
Seriously, you never hear about bobcats harming anything. Could you alert the police anonymously? Or is that cowardly?

 

[catjac1975]

A rich neighbor is building a palace of a barn and the middle American and poor neighbors are up in arms . We don't care and have just stayed out of it. However a few of their oversized delivery trucks have done a little flower and lawn damage to our property. We spoke to the project manager asked him to manage these dumb guys that want to drive oversized trucks onto an undersized road. On the first day a giant trees harvesting truck blocked the road and were threatening my daylily plants. I went out and spoke to him and everything was fine. I found out later that one of the complaining people called the police and said it was me. I am not sure how they got away with that with caller id and all but that's somehow what happened. The police told them I had called. Quite some time later the project manager asked my husband about it. I WAS MAD that the troublemakers were making trouble and blaming me. It was worked out but, the police should not be telling people who called on them. That just makes a small problem worse. Why would anyone report a real crime if the criminals will know who reported them? So, I don't blame you NYB. But, again. And inexperienced guy with a gun is a danger ti humans.

 

[thistlebloom]

Maybe you could tell your cranky neighbor, and she can call the police.
Seriously, you never hear about bobcats harming anything. Could you alert the police anonymously? Or is that cowardly?

That's funny So Lucky, I was just typing the same idea!

 

[secuono]

You can always call anonymously. No reason you can't.

 

[bobm]

About 35 years ago, I whent deer hunting in Kings Canyon Cal. on our friend's sheep ranch with over 100 breeding ewes with lamb crops of 160 + per year. They started to loose up to 3-4 month old lambs, first one here and there then increased to 2-3 per week. They found bobcat tracks near the carcasses . First adult ones then increased to adult female with what they thaught was 3 cubs. Again in increase of dead lambs out on pasture as well as in their corral. Started to add up to HUGE $$$ loss. They had killed 3 adult bobcats by the time I came for the deer hunt. One morning at first light I was walking a ridge line, when I spied a bobcat on the other side of the mountain about 100 yards away just sitting down and licking it's paws. I squeezed off a .302 round and it leaped up 10 + feet and dropped dead on the spot. I did a necrosy and found lamb meat in it's stomack. Later I took it to Fish and Game, told them why I shot it... they said congratulations and said that they had lots of complaints of bobcats killing lambs. They weighed the carcass ( sans intestins, liver, heart and lungs) and it came in at 36 lbs. ... the largest bobcat recorded in King County. I had it mounted. So If you see one... more than likely it's mate, offspring, relatives, etc. will soon follow. SSS. Oh yea, I bagged a 4 point buck on that trip too.