Ridgetop
Herd Master
Definitely put the cameras up, but if you are baiting the cameras with a goat in a cage human predators will be suspicious. Sounds like human rustlers to me though. The fact that they all go missing during the day and you are surrounded by empty tracts of property makes me think it is humans. Probably 2 guys working together. They may only take one because they have a buyer for 1 meat goat. It would make sense that they only take 1 Boer goat at a time - those guys are fairly heavy and if they are not tame pets they won't calmly lead away from their herdmates. It would take 2 guys to carry a goat across the fields and back to a waiting vehicle on a road. You said the closest road is a ways off. I would contact the various livestock auction yards and find out when they have their goat sales. Check the dates against when the goats went missing to see if the dates match up. Notify the auction yards about the thefts so they will be on the watch.
Also, check around the outside fenceline of the pen where the goats were taken, you might find more tracks there in broken brush than you will inside where the goats have been eating. Also look for evidence of someone baiting them with grain or apples. People do that with deer (illegally) and maybe someone figured out that baiting the goats to the fence would make them easy to catch.
You said you have lost 5 Boers in the past month. Were these breeding stock (does) or wethers? Depending on meat prices or prices for breeding stock that amounts to a lot of money. You need to report this to the sheriff and see if other losses have been reported. The market for goat meat is one of the fastest growing in the country. Someone obviously has figured out that by coming in quietly during the day they can make off with a lot of your stock. Whether it is humans or animals you need to look into guardian dogs.
Both Greybeard and Purpequeen are right. Coyotes do make noise but usually not until after the kill is finished and they announce it. A big cat will carry the carcass away to somewhere secluded to hide it for a few days before eating it. They like their meat ripe. A bear could run one down and then carry it off but like Purple says they will just knock the fence down. Feral dogs will leave every dead and dying animal where they fall, and they will not stop at one.
Let us know what the cameras show. Hope you catch the thief.
Also, check around the outside fenceline of the pen where the goats were taken, you might find more tracks there in broken brush than you will inside where the goats have been eating. Also look for evidence of someone baiting them with grain or apples. People do that with deer (illegally) and maybe someone figured out that baiting the goats to the fence would make them easy to catch.
You said you have lost 5 Boers in the past month. Were these breeding stock (does) or wethers? Depending on meat prices or prices for breeding stock that amounts to a lot of money. You need to report this to the sheriff and see if other losses have been reported. The market for goat meat is one of the fastest growing in the country. Someone obviously has figured out that by coming in quietly during the day they can make off with a lot of your stock. Whether it is humans or animals you need to look into guardian dogs.
Both Greybeard and Purpequeen are right. Coyotes do make noise but usually not until after the kill is finished and they announce it. A big cat will carry the carcass away to somewhere secluded to hide it for a few days before eating it. They like their meat ripe. A bear could run one down and then carry it off but like Purple says they will just knock the fence down. Feral dogs will leave every dead and dying animal where they fall, and they will not stop at one.
Let us know what the cameras show. Hope you catch the thief.
