Senile Texas Aggie - comic relief for the rest of you

[Bruce]

You best hope those aren't tracked raptors.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

You best hope those aren't tracked raptors.

Hey, I honestly don't care if those d-bags go to jail LOL! I'm not going to do anything like that for a protected species. I'd rather just build a better coop or keep my puppies on a lead.

 

[farmerjan]

If the dam##d eagles here were not so visual, and some are chipped when they got "re-introduced" here there would be fewer because I also would shoot them. I had one carry off and/or kill 127 free range laying hens... many of which he dropped in the neighbors yard because they were too big for him to carry off.....and who actually threatened me at the coop one day.
And on top of that we have lost 3 newborn lambs in the last 3 days... almost definitely to a huge hawk... a set of twins and the other one one of a pair of twins. We are overrun with the hawks here and the eagles have settled in to the area around the truck stop now and are actually becoming a nuisance....
The county over calls the bald eagles white headed buzzards, as they have encountered them attacking and killing ewes while lambing and killing the lambs... and there are 2 different instances where it was videoed; an eagle attacking a cow calving..... and one where they were tearing a calf apart.
No, I have no use for the eagles at all anymore.

I would not go out and just shoot them for no reason... but when they are caught in the act, they need the SSS.....

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

If the dam##d eagles here were not so visual, and some are chipped when they got "re-introduced" here there would be fewer because I also would shoot them. I had one carry off and/or kill 127 free range laying hens... many of which he dropped in the neighbors yard because they were too big for him to carry off.....and who actually threatened me at the coop one day.
And on top of that we have lost 3 newborn lambs in the last 3 days... almost definitely to a huge hawk... a set of twins and the other one one of a pair of twins. We are overrun with the hawks here and the eagles have settled in to the area around the truck stop now and are actually becoming a nuisance....
The county over calls the bald eagles white headed buzzards, as they have encountered them attacking and killing ewes while lambing and killing the lambs... and there are 2 different instances where it was videoed; an eagle attacking a cow calving..... and one where they were tearing a calf apart.
No, I have no use for the eagles at all anymore.

I would not go out and just shoot them for no reason... but when they are caught in the act, they need the SSS.....

What a nightmare! I've never had one actually do anything. But they have scooped up and killed my neighbor's puppy. As well as many of his chickens.

 

[Mike CHS]

We haven't had any issues with Eagles but we have Mexican Vultures that will kill lambs and even baby calves when they are being born. They are protected but we get a Federal permit to take out up to three but I have only had to take out one and the rest move on.

 

[Cecilia's-herd]

Predatory birds are the worst! So scary.

 

[farmerjan]

The blackheaded Mexican Vultures here are just as bad. I caught 4 several years ago, INSIDE a shed that was 24 ft deep... big enough to get the hay wagon all the way in.... eating a baby calf that was still alive. He had had scours and I had put him in there to get him "under cover" and had been giving him electrolyte bottles and he had started to come around... could get up and walk some although still wobbly. The sorry SOB's were in there and pecking his butt hole and literally eating him alive and he was too weak to do much.... they are notoriously the absolute worst... I shot 2 and then had to put down the calf.... and there are constant reports by others on some of the cattle forums I go on, of the predation of these buzzards...

2 years ago I had a group of first calf heifers at the place I call the nurse cow pasture... The daughter was living there when they sold their house and were waiting for the new house to close and so she and her 2 kids were there for about a month... She saw a bunch of them down in the field so went down on the 4-wheeler.... there were 16 surrounding a heifer that was calving... she called me and I was on my way home from work and she stayed down there, 'til I got there, keeping them away from this 1st calf heifer as she had her calf and it got it cleaned off and I got there when it got on it's feet for the first time. I stayed with her and about an hour total the calf was a little stronger and I got her to take it into the wooded area where they seldom will go since they cannot take off to fly in the brush and trees. The sorry bas#@!ds would have killed that calf if not for her intervention. They are the first on my list of hated "protected" birds... but the eagles around here pull a close second. Our local animal control said that if they disappeared, they didn't see anything. Yes you can get some hardship permits, but some states are doing like Tenn where @Mike CHS is and giving permits to farmers... There is talk of taking them off the federally protected list since they have become such a problem. I do not know one farmer that doesn't hate them.
Most of us have nothing against the true "turkey vulture/buzzard" as they truly are scavengers.... both have a sense of smell which is rare in any type of bird... but they do not seek out live prey like the black headed ones....and the black headed ones are pushing the turkey vultures out of their habitat... they are way too aggressive.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Thanks, everyone for your input regarding the dogs. It looks like I will be building a fence for them.

We had to make a fast trip to NE Texas Thursday .. yesterday: James had a heart attack and underwent open heart surgery. His recovery is not going well. His wife Treasa is under a good bit of stress, plus she had a stroke about 6 months ago and hasn't completely recovered. Several of the family members who reside in NE Texas are trying to help out, but several have strong opinions on what is best that conflict with others with strong opinions on what is best. Poor Treasa is caught in the turmoil. All we can do is try to offer support. I suspect we will be going back to NE Texas in a few days.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[farmerjan]

So sorry @Senile_Texas_Aggie . My prayers for the family., and for you and your wife. It is hard on someone who has had a stroke and not be completely recovered, then for the "other half" to suffer a traumatic event like the heart attack and surgery.

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks, everyone for your input regarding the dogs. It looks like I will be building a fence for them.

We had to make a fast trip to NE Texas Thursday .. yesterday: James had a heart attack and underwent open heart surgery. His recovery is not going well. His wife Treasa is under a good bit of stress, plus she had a stroke about 6 months ago and hasn't completely recovered. Several of the family members who reside in NE Texas are trying to help out, but several have strong opinions on what is best that conflict with others with strong opinions on what is best. Poor Treasa is caught in the turmoil. All we can do is try to offer support. I suspect we will be going back to NE Texas in a few days.

Senile Texas Aggie

So sorry about the news.