# anyone having human predators?



## bj taylor (Feb 11, 2013)

one side of our property is bordered by a railroad.  we've started having men riding the rail illegally dropping off onto our property.  they're camping and we've found some weapons w/handcuffs.  we're dealing with it, but i'm wondering if people are seeing more behavior like this and subsequent loss of livestock?


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## Pearce Pastures (Feb 11, 2013)

Nope.  Have you called the authorities?


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## bj taylor (Feb 11, 2013)

we're going to in the morning.  don't have much regard for the authorities - but finding a hammer and handcuffs together was pretty disturbing.  
i am wondering if people are seeing more stealing of livestock.  i've got a few chickens too & i'm not too inclined to share w/uninvited visitors.


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## alsea1 (Feb 11, 2013)

My thought is that things are going so swell, that we are going to be seeing alot more of this sort of thing. Keep the rifle handy is all I can say.


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## greenbean (Feb 11, 2013)

alsea1 said:
			
		

> My thought is that things are going so swell, that we are going to be seeing alot more of this sort of thing. Keep the rifle handy is all I can say.


X2

I've also noticed lately (around here atleast) there have been a lot of people talking about their cattle, horses, hogs, etc being stolen and even killed/slaughtered in the pastures.  :/   Someone even stole a breeders rabbits the other day.  The one that got to me was the cattle being slaughtered and stolen about 30 minutes from my house.  Someone said they were targeting smaller farms, like a family farm with a few cows/calves.  It got me a little paranoid.


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## alsea1 (Feb 11, 2013)

Oh gosh. That is bad. 
Well, if they come for my sheep, they will work for it. My sheeps is a bit wild and will run like hell and jump the fence.  I cant even catch em without a well thought out plan. LOL
my rabbits on the other hand . sheesh. Not that would sure make me mad. 
My goats would be easy pickens. They think people are food gods.


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## treeclimber233 (Feb 12, 2013)

A friend of mine went  on vacation  (gone all of two days and one night) and someone stole her whole herd of goats.  Bucks does and babies.  all gone.  I have someone messing around my barn.  I can't catch them but stuff is moved, turned over,  "lost" but then turns up later.  Fence pulled down --wire on the ground and posts gone, trees the wire was nailed onto cut down and gone.  Had a few rabbits and chickens stolen but no goats....yet.  Somene keeps turning me into the animal control saying my animals are not being taken care of.  Too skinny, not fed, too small of enclosers, not cleaned.... blaa blaa.  Animal control comes over checks everything and says everything is fine.  Won't tell me who keeps complaining.  Things seem better at the barn since  I got Drift (who by the way is terrified of strangers) but stuff is happening at the house now.  House dogs bark at night.  Air let out of my car tires, little gas door on car that is normally locked was open this morning, valve loosened on the propane tank the other day.  Stuff missing  around the house too.  What is wrong with people now days??????


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## greenbean (Feb 12, 2013)

treeclimber233 if I were you, I'd put up some trail cameras.  If they're starting to mess around your house, I'd be concerned about your safety (and anyone that lives with you!).  I'd also be worried about your animals safety.


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## Egg_Newton (Feb 12, 2013)

There was an article in the Indianapolis news paper a couple weeks ago where a teenage boy went into his neighbors barn and stabbed his goats to death. They caught him by following the trail of blood back to his house. Very disturbing!


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## Remuda1 (Feb 12, 2013)

greenbean said:
			
		

> treeclimber233 if I were you, I'd put up some trail cameras.  If they're starting to mess around your house, I'd be concerned about your safety (and anyone that lives with you!).  I'd also be worried about your animals safety.


X2 and get them up before something more serious happens....


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## jodief100 (Feb 12, 2013)

We have never had any trouble, in our neighborhood no one even locks thier doors.  

Then.......

Last week our nighbor had a 4 wheeler stolen.  

2 weeks ago we had a prowler who left the door open on the barn.  It looked like he went in the man door in the barn and then opened the back slider and left.  I suspect he didn't like the big dogs on the other side of the slider door.  Hubby thinks they were seeing if we had a 4 wheeler in there.  The neighbors being stolen a few day later adds evidence to that theory.

Doors are getting locked now, guns are being kept closer to the bed.......


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## bj taylor (Feb 12, 2013)

the replies i see really bother me.  if i thought someone was actually in my barn and then IN MY HOUSE??!!  that would scare me bad.  when i'm scared, the phone isn't what i reach for.  back at Christmas time a neighbor committed suicide in our pasture w/his gun.  it had been really cold & we hadn't gone out for a few days.  he had laid there four days.  when we came upon him it was awful.  it's sure not like it was when i was a kid.  people are scary.
this convinces me though that preparing for goats to be secure will take some real planning to get it right.
thanks for the responses.


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## alsea1 (Feb 12, 2013)

That is so awful bj. I cannot imagine what it would be like to find someone like that.
It certainly would etch itself in your mind.
I try not to get overworried about the way things are going, however things are not getting better for alot of people.
Some are willing to work hard for what they get and many others just feel they are entitled to take it from others. So for those types we must protect ourselves as best we can.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Feb 12, 2013)

*Dang I'm sorry sorry for everyone's losses. Fortunately we haven't had any issues like that around here. All the neighbors know each other and keep an eye out for each other's property. Plus we are home almost all day everyday. I sure hope nothing like this ever happens to us. We do keep everything locked, we're quite a ways off the road, and everyone has guns and dogs so hopefully that will deter anything from happening!*


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## BrownSheep (Feb 12, 2013)

We haven't had any issues with people, but another guy in two had a four of five piglets along with the feed and feeder taken last year, the year before that it was some lambs. I don't worry about the ewes that are in with the rams. Henry's mean enough he could kill someone if they dont watch him. I do worry about he ewes with the babies. Luckily, they back against the dog pen and truthfully if I was a thief I don't know if I would trust that chicken wire to keep back two 150+ dogs who would probably be very happy to physically escort them back to there car. Worst comes to worse Rylie and Izzy could stay with the ewes. They don't now since they can jump the fence.



People are crazy


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## Catahoula (Feb 13, 2013)

A few years back there was a case where cops stopped a car for traffic violation and heard bleating noise in the trunk area. A goat was found in the trunk. Official thought the goat was stolen and was on it's way to be dinner.... Lucky goat got rescued and found another home. Original owners were never found. 
I have always wondered...if anyone wants to steal my goats, it is not hard. Even if I locked all the gates, it is not hard to just cut the fencing. Hopefully no one is interested in my fat goats.


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## CocoNUT (Feb 13, 2013)

Disturbing! And here we were thinking finding four dead cats (squished) on the road in front of our house (the last one in our yard) was messed up and possibly worth putting up a trail camera! 
Treeclimber - you really SHOULD get some kind of camera system up...sounds like someone might be after you! If nothing else...you could have them charged with tresspassing....
stay safe everyone!


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## babsbag (Feb 14, 2013)

Our neighbors had a tragic fire at their mobile home in which they both lost thier lives. Our local paper made the grand announcement about our secluded little valley and how no one is around and all they see are no trespassing signs on the driveways. They also happen to mention that there were cars in the driveway of the burned out trailer, but it appeared that no one was home (they were dead, no kidding, duh). Within a day both cars from that home were stolen and on more than one occasion people were there at night looking for anything they could steal to sell for drugs. The Sheriffs were too busy and stretched too thin to do anything about it. Our goat pasture borders their land and I can't see it from my home. I am really glad I have two LGDs that are more than happy to patrol that fence line. And a hot wire 

People that are looking for a way to buy drugs will do anything. So far we haven't had any problems with them coming onto our land, but the doors are locked and the gun is not far away. Even though they haven't been here I am pretty ticked about the way the newspaper report more or less told the community about our "hiding" place and to come and get it. 

Even before this I worried about the goats. Not so much now that I have the dogs, but I worry more about someone shooting them just for fun than I do about them being stolen. It is a sad world. My dogs can't chase off a bullet.


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## EllieMay (Feb 14, 2013)

It's dark where we live and there is one neighbor who leaves a barn light ON at night.
We do not leave any lights ON.
However, I was wondering if any of you leave on a porch light, barn light, etc. at night.
What are your opinions on leaving lights on as far as a human predator deterrent?


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## bj taylor (Feb 14, 2013)

in my opinion, a light on is better.  i have one on in the coop area & around the house.  i live more in the suburbs, so crime is more of an issue.  if i need to go out in the night, i want light.  to me it seems a criminal is more comfortable out of the spotlight.


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## BrownSheep (Feb 14, 2013)

We use to have a yard light that automatically turned on at night. It was a flood light up on a light pole so it sent off a lot of light. Most people here leave porch lights on.


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## babsbag (Feb 14, 2013)

I have porch lights that are on front and back and two motion activated lights on the path between the house and the barn. When the dogs are really barking I have a remote that I can use to turn all the lights in the barn on without even leaving my house. I love that ability. Makes me feel safe knowing that I don't have to go outside.

Hopefully cameras are going in soon, before kidding in March


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## greenbean (Feb 15, 2013)

We have motion activated lights.  One in front of the house and one on the other side of the house.  Out at my rabbits cages I have a light turned on at night and an alarm is triggered if something gets within a certain amount of feet of the cages.


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## julieq (Feb 24, 2013)

We have motion sensor lights and also leave our porch light on at night.  The motion sensor lights are pointed towards the goat and chicken pens and in between them we have two large dogs kenneled.  We are talking about getting more motion sensor lights in the near future though, perhaps solar powered.

This thread is really frightening.  We've heard about calves getting stolen from the local dairies in the past couple of years, and about some goats being taken.  We chose our home and land here late 2011 because it sits back off the road and has a heavy tree line out front.  Sure wouldn't want to live right on the road where people could see our livestock and poultry!  And, fortunately we work out of our home and are pretty much here full time.  And quite a few of our neighbors are retired too, which makes it nice.


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## goatboy1973 (Nov 4, 2013)

I would get some of those motion sensor flood lights installed at each corner of the house and barn and get some signs that say your property is under surveillance and put up some non working or look-alike fake security cameras to make it look like it really is under video surveillance. Let your local Farm Bureau know of the goings on in the area and your concerns and maybe they'll give you some free signage to put up. It is far cheaper for the insurance company to give away free signs than to have to pay for stolen property and damaged property.


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## Andrei (Nov 22, 2013)

47 beehives stolen last month.


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## Andrei (Dec 9, 2013)

Same human predator for third time came and stole 2 frames of honey.
He is homeless living in the bush on the riverbed.
He is +50 and has some bee knowledge.
Found a clump of sage burned on one end that was used for smoke.
He got stung and knocked off the hive and run with the honeycomb.
Wildlife refuge manager called me and I went and straighten it up. 
Sheriff is on site but the riverbed is outside their jurisdiction they claim.
Manager suggested to mess him up a bit.
My boss suggested to offer him a jar of honey to stop messing things up.
What should I do?


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## Southern by choice (Dec 9, 2013)

A jar of honey, a blanket, and maybe some fishing hooks.


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## goatboy1973 (Dec 9, 2013)

Jar of honey laced with Liquid Exlax. He will be too busy to steal anymore.


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## kinder (Dec 11, 2013)

I to live next to RR Tracks , but in a small city. It's a short cut for many. Use to be a hang out , but not any more , I just stand on my front porch ( light on ) with my two German Shepherds and shine a bright light on them and let the dogs bark at them until they leave. I'm sure they think I'm crazy , but that's ok ! I just let them think that. One never really knows ?!?! Though I wont have my goats & chickens until spring, I've been putting up higher fencing chain link and I'm putting up signs saying ; ( THIS PROPERTY MAY OR MAY NOT BE BOOBY TRAPED / GOOD LUCK !!

P.S. I only have an acre.


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## treeclimber233 (Feb 24, 2014)

I used to live next to my mother in a secluded area.  She was having a problem with someone stealing her heating oil from her tank that was right behind her house.  One night my dog started barking her head off so I put her outside.  She immediately ran behind my mothers house.  Turns out there were two men behind her house so I called the police.  Then I took the dog and went back behind my mothers house and found the men hiding under another building that was closer to the road.  My dog ran them out from under the building and down the road.  Later the police told me those two men were wanted for something and they would be "gone for a long time."  They found them walking up the road back to their truck that was parked almost 2 miles from our houses.


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## goatboy1973 (Feb 27, 2014)

Good thing those 2 were caught. If they weren't caught, I would have set a bear trap at the oil tank.


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## SA Farm (Feb 27, 2014)

I've had a kid stolen and I've had someone shoot and take off with one of my turkeys. Both incidents were very far apart, so I don't think by the same person. I keep lights off for two reasons: 1 because I'm more likely to see that someone is around with a flashlight if it's dark, and 2 because my enclosures are quite a ways from the road, so they aren't visible without lights. Can hardly see the enclosures from the road during the day, which is how I prefer it!

I agree absolutely, BrownSheep - People are crazy!


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## Bluebonnet (Mar 1, 2014)

bj taylor said:


> one side of our property is bordered by a railroad.  we've started having men riding the rail illegally dropping off onto our property.  they're camping and we've found some weapons w/handcuffs.  we're dealing with it, but i'm wondering if people are seeing more behavior like this and subsequent loss of livestock?


 
Someone dumped weapons and handcuffs?!

Do not touch the items and inform the police. Those could be tossed after being used in a crime and should be treated like potential evidence!


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## Bryan99705 (Sep 16, 2014)

We always thought it would be fun to have a ornery Jacob ram in the field...can you imagine to look on a uninvited guest's face when a 4 horned ram came running at them?  You could take a video and win on a "Funniest Video" show!


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## kinder (Sep 16, 2014)

Wished I could've seen that...


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## JakeM (Sep 21, 2014)

I luckily haven't had anything stolen from me or shot (though I fear for my llamas all the time cause they are friendly and one could pass for a deer at a long distance), but we had an incident 4 or so years back when some random idiots were going around with shotguns trying to break yard lights. Ours is on our shop, so it was a distance away from the end of the driveway and they missed terribly, but the BB's went through both aluminum walls of the shop. I was freaked out cause what if someone was in there. I wanted to grab a gun and go shoot the tires of the idiots' cars and call the police, but they took off as soon as they shot.

Luckily, a few days later the people were caught and they were also wanted for some other things, so they were put away for a long time.

I live on a gravel road that only has traffic made by the mailman and neighbors and plows. My road connects to a road that leads to a town of 500 10 minutes away. So, not a lot of traffic which is nice.


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## goatboy1973 (Sep 21, 2014)

I have come to a conclusion that my guardian llama has multiple personalities. Some days he likes me and other days I have to look over my shoulder in fear he is going to harm me. Dude almost took my head off with a round-house kick last summer. Today he spit and snorted at my teenage son. I do know that the llama hates sunglasses and hats. I have to take my sunglasses and hat off before entering a pasture with the goats and guardian mini-mule where the llama is or he is on high alert and breathes down my neck.


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## JakeM (Sep 21, 2014)

Is your llama intact by chance?

He may see you as competition for breeding rights if he is. All the guard llamas I have met stay a fair distance from people and usually just observe.


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## goatboy1973 (Sep 21, 2014)

He is intact for now. LOL! He is the only llama we have though, only  other critters in the pasture with him is a mini-mule and 30 goats. There's really nothing for him to breed. I am waiting until it gets cool weather before I get him castrated.


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## JakeM (Sep 21, 2014)

Well, there have been cases where intact male try to breed female sheep (goats would apply too). They ended up killing the lamb(s) and sometimes squished the ewe to death as they are kushed (laying down) when they breed. Even if he is not trying to breed anything, I think that this is his issue.


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## goatboy1973 (Sep 23, 2014)

JakeM said:


> Well, there have been cases where intact male try to breed female sheep (goats would apply too). They ended up killing the lamb(s) and sometimes squished the ewe to death as they are kushed (laying down) when they breed. Even if he is not trying to breed anything, I think that this is his issue.


Yeah, I have heard of this type of incident happening. I am going to get the deed done in the next 6 weeks. I do know that this is not an immediate fix as it takes a little while for the testosterone levels to decrease. Can't wait for him to get fixed.


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## Archer (Sep 23, 2014)

My advice is a trail camera, nonflash infrared.

Put motion lights everywhere that's easy.

I too live in the middle of nowhere, and I've cleared the yard at night on more than one occasion with a homedefense shotgun with a 20in barrel, 00 buckshot, and an attached light.  Every time it was either a coyote, a poor starved hunting dog, or deer.

We always have a firearm within reach for the two legged coyotes.


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## Backwoodsman (Jul 21, 2015)

I'd set myself up in a ground blind in the bushes with my shotgun.


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## tressa27884 (Jul 21, 2015)

treeclimber233 said:


> A friend of mine went  on vacation  (gone all of two days and one night) and someone stole her whole herd of goats.  Bucks does and babies.  all gone.  I have someone messing around my barn.  I can't catch them but stuff is moved, turned over,  "lost" but then turns up later.  Fence pulled down --wire on the ground and posts gone, trees the wire was nailed onto cut down and gone.  Had a few rabbits and chickens stolen but no goats....yet.  Somene keeps turning me into the animal control saying my animals are not being taken care of.  Too skinny, not fed, too small of enclosers, not cleaned.... blaa blaa.  Animal control comes over checks everything and says everything is fine.  Won't tell me who keeps complaining.  Things seem better at the barn since  I got Drift (who by the way is terrified of strangers) but stuff is happening at the house now.  House dogs bark at night.  Air let out of my car tires, little gas door on car that is normally locked was open this morning, valve loosened on the propane tank the other day.  Stuff missing  around the house too.  What is wrong with people now days??????


If you go to animal services and pay a fee (I think it's $1) they'll tell you who is complaining and give you a copy of the report. At least they do here.


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## greybeard (Jul 29, 2015)




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## ldawntaylor (Sep 12, 2015)

Hi,

I would say one of my favorite "tresspass deterent" signs was a home made one.  It read "Tresspassers will be SHOT at".

Lisa


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## Rammy (Mar 26, 2018)

I know this is an old thread, but what happnened? Did you find out who was messing around your property? Did you get trail cameras? Hope you caught whoever was vandalizing your property!

Rammy


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