How do you deal with rustling?

[messybun]

Alright y’all, I’m angry. In the past month I have seen several people with stolen cattle. At least five individual offenses, one was caught. The one that was caught was also going around shooting horses and foals and some goats. One particular rustling was of 15 belted galloways, the man is looking at losing his 300 acre farm because of the theft. Another one the gal got her calf back, but it was poisoned and died last night. Most of these people have guard animals. What can be done? I remember a sherif briefing the neighborhood once about stringing cattle thief up, it was in Texas mind you. Overall though, it seems to me, that the importance of a man’s (or woman’s) livestock had been diminished. I know it used to be if you took someone’s livestock it was the same as killing the person and their family, and the penalty reflected that. Nowadays it isn’t like this. In anycase what can you do to avoid having your animals stolen?

 

[Beekissed]

They have LGDs and they are still able to steal all those animals? Do they shoot or poison the dogs first?

 

[thistlebloom]

New Zealand type hot wire fence, with enough power to throw you backwards, video surveillance and more dogs.

These people sound pretty hard core and must know that law enforcement won't go after them. And the question is why won't they? What state are you located in?

 

[messybun]

Honestly I’m not sure, it might not even be the same people. The one I know most about was the belted galloways, he is in VA and has a three hundred acre farm. There’s no way to patrol that much land and it is believed that it was someone who knew him or his family.
The calf that was taken had the video cameras destroyed and the dogs were locked up temporarily by the owner for some reason ( I think there was a storm and they were worried about them running away or something, not quite sure) but the calf was obviously drug to a stock trailer. You could see the tracks.
The others I’ve seen either in my state or a neighboring state are only to keep a lookout for the stolen animals but not much information about how.
I know the guy who was randomly shooting animals and stealing cows just shot the guard animals (donkeys and dogs alike) and stole the cattle. When they caught him they discovered he’d also been going to nearby farms and just shooting animals to shoot them, not even stealing anything. He’s already caught and being prosecuted thankfully.
I’m not so worried about me, I don’t have cattle and my goats aren’t particularly valuable. But I’m wondering for others.
I have a suspicion that it’s the world going crazy that is making a bunch of people try to get a quick buck with the cattle, not just one “professional gang” if you’ll allow the term.

 

[messybun]

I’ve heard of them stolen from: TN, NC, SC, VA, possibly GA (someone was buying and the papers didn’t match, they think it was a batch stolen from GA but not sure yet) I’ve heard FL is having significant trouble too. So unless someone is just hitting up the east coast I’m not sure.

 

[farmerjan]

If I ever catch them in the act, I will go to jail for murder......

HOT HOT wire that will fry their a$$.... but there is only so much that can be done. More cameras, and make sure you are friends with the neighbors so that they will call sheriffs if they see anything.... lots of time spent traveling around and reporting/checking out anything that doesn't look good.

Had some stolen in this area years ago.... guy backed right up to the gates at the barn where the farmer was going to load out the next day to sell.... contacted all the local stockyards.... found them a week or 2 later.

One reason all our heifers/cows that are retained get a bangs vaccination..... ear tattoo.....
Branding is also getting more popular here....but the tattoo's can't be seen.... so when they turn up... easy to trace back to who brought them in...
Still no sure fire way to stop it....

 

[thistlebloom]

A lot of animal stealing, including dogs, apparently, is drug related. In rural areas the addicts go for what they're familiar with. And I just read that a large proportion of cattle rustling on big ranches is done by the hands. Even cowboys can be meth heads.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

A lot of animal stealing, including dogs, apparently, is drug related. In rural areas the addicts go for what they're familiar with. And I just read that a large proportion of cattle rustling on big ranches is done by the hands. Even cowboys can be meth heads.

There is no shortage of meth heads around here...everything is being stolen...good time for SSS..... jail isn't such a bad place to retire at my age...., probably could get away with it here

 

[Ridgetop]

There used to be a lot of theft of goats and sheep here mostly from homes that had fences fronting the roads. Not so many animals here anymore. We are secluded, deadbolts on the gates, and our dogs are aggressive with strangers so . . . .

Don't you have brand inspectors where you are? The friend that had the dairy told me that her sons who took it over when they retired were taking some heifers north to their other property. The one boy was driving the truck and the brand inspector stopped him. He had forgotten his transport slips and his brother had to drive 2 hours to produce the paperwork before the brand inspector would release him and the cattle. I always used to carry a pad of transport slips in my truck when we took our calves to the auction. Never got stopped, but just in case.

 

[Longhornbreeder101]

Alright y’all, I’m angry. In the past month I have seen several people with stolen cattle. At least five individual offenses, one was caught. The one that was caught was also going around shooting horses and foals and some goats. One particular rustling was of 15 belted galloways, the man is looking at losing his 300 acre farm because of the theft. Another one the gal got her calf back, but it was poisoned and died last night. Most of these people have guard animals. What can be done? I remember a sherif briefing the neighborhood once about stringing cattle thief up, it was in Texas mind you. Overall though, it seems to me, that the importance of a man’s (or woman’s) livestock had been diminished. I know it used to be if you took someone’s livestock it was the same as killing the person and their family, and the penalty reflected that. Nowadays it isn’t like this. In anycase what can you do to avoid having your animals stolen?

YES THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME RECENTLY ACTUALLY IM located in Texas it’s horrible but I was lucky to get my animals back!