Coffee anyone ?

[frustratedearthmother]

It doesn't need my goats!

Sure doesn't need 'em but baby goats are easy pickin's.

 

[Mini Horses]

Neighbor agrees, possible young cougar size but he thinks old bobcat because he's seen a few in area...and apparently March is their mating season. . He'll set up a hunt, check other cams and let me know. Mean time, I'll walk drive often, watch for prints and pray for no visits.

 

[Ridgetop]

this is the first time I've seen them call and then lead the herd away from the threat

neighbor just sent this bobcat pic from one of his game cams. He's walking toward my front pasture of goats!! . Went out and didn't see anything...but!! That's the size of maybe a boxer dog with shorter legs.... He's asking of any losses and offers a hunt for it if so.

Looks like a cougar to me! Long tail and shape of body and ears. Looks too big for a cougar too. I agree with everyone about it more likely being a cougar. Bobcats and cougars will hunt in same territory. Probably there are bobcats there too, but I really think that picture is a young cougar.

 

[Mini Horses]

Wet, wet, wet out after all day off/on rains...some as late as 3-4am. Overcast but to clear with sunshine & upper 50s. Clear & warm for a few days will help dry us up. Area had "lower than norm" rains for last 6-8 mos but we didn't need this 2", no matter what they say.

I'll go to work today cause I can't do anything farmwise today. Same tomorrow. Checked fence prices yesterday but, still ridiculously high. Seems were stuck with it. I want 2 more rolls but that's over $900. . Was $500 just 14 months ago.

More coffee, look at a full larder. That'll make me feel better.

 

[Finnie]

@Mini Horses fingers crossed that cougar moves on and doesn’t harm any of your goats.

 

[Baymule]

@Mini Horses you got a cougar. Find an older LGD that somebody is selling their flock. Start looking ASAP. A puppy would be looked at as food and cannot protect itself against an apex predator. Up against a cougar, you need 2 dogs to deter it. A cougar will go up against one dog, and usually kill it, but 2 or more will usually keep a cougar on the other side of the fence.

In Lindale, a lady 2 miles from us lost her flock of Boer goats to a cougar. She had guard donkeys. Never guard a prey animal with another prey animal. All those donkeys had to do was outrun the goats. Cougar killed all but one or two.

We had 4 dogs at that time. The cougar was right next to us late at night on several occasions, our dogs were in a barking frenzy. The cougar was screaming, wanting a lamb dinner, but never crossed the fence. That cougar hung around for weeks and finally moved on. Thanks to our dogs, we had no losses.

You have been lucky so far. Your luck just ran out. You either get proactive and do something NOW or keep on like you have been and someday find your flock under attack and cry about your losses.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yeah, puppy out of question! Not many trained in my area. Looking, for sure. Hard to find a tru LGD in my area. Especially two! Don't want a pyr. What some say are toli are mixed....lotta pit around! Not wanting that. A work in progress.

Adopt sites have what they "say" toli but you are looking at the pit, boxer, herders in the pics. Maybe 1 in 10 are really toli. Talk about a crap shoot...of that 10% many are too old & house pets.

Sent pic to DD who lives at back end of farm. She says something was under her trailer...it growls . Her dog growls. I'll go tonight and check that out. Maybe a fox, or feral cat. I'll carry more than my spotlight! No opening for any size to get thru, we sealed it pretty good...but

 

[canesisters]

Why not a Pry? Just curious. I know that around here the local shelter's facebook pages ALWAYS have them.. ALWAYS.
People moving to the country get that cute, fluffy little cloud of a puppy to 'guard' their 3/4acre unfenced lawn and can't understand why it's roaming a mile in each direction. You could have your pick of any age and temperament for the adoption fee.... of course.. then there is the Training..

 

[Mini Horses]

Pyrs are the worst to roam. Guard all they see attitude.

 

[Baymule]

If a GP is standing on it, it’s theirs. If they see it, it’s theirs. Out to the horizon, yep, that’s theirs too.

A good HOT wired fence can keep them in. They are good dogs, more friendly in general than an Anatolian.