Misfitmorgan's Journal - That Summer Dust

[TAH]

Sorry about casper

 

[Bruce]

oh yes it is....and you cant shoot them. It's all BS because the wind farms can kill 10K birds of prey including bald eagles a year per wind farm....but we cant even though they are killing our livestock.

I don't know about bald eagles but I believe you can shoot other BoP if they are killing your livestock.

I understand now why the llamas need to go into the barn. I had ASSUMED! that like me, you currently have some pasture for them to eat this time of year. I have the heated water bucket outside (not plugged in!) at the moment. It did skim over with ice yesterday morning. I'll need to get another non heated outside bucket. The less they are in the barn, the less likely they are to start a latrine in there

I have a hook for the heated water bucket in the barn on an outside wall near the hay feeder. I put some alpaca/llama pellets in their indoor grain feeders last evening. They were still there this morning so the boys didn't go in the barn last night or this morning. They were empty about 4 PM so they did find time to go inside. On (in) the other hand(s), they have eaten pellets from my hands every morning. No touching though. Two days ago they alerted on a deer in the NW field. This morning they alerted to a flock of turkeys in the same area. At least 12 adults and some juveniles. I bet I missed 95% of the wildlife activity in the past having nothing to spot them for me

 

[farmerjan]

In VA you cannot shoot any bird of prey, nor can you kill the black mexican buzzards that have made their way up here either. As far as I know it is federal, not a state thing. No hawks, eagles, owls, buzzards, nothing. There is alot of the SSS with the hawks and owls.In fact there is legislation in several states trying to get some sort of exemption for the black buzzards as they will attack and kill lambs, kids, baby calves and who knows what else. They drive away the old "naked neck" turkey buzzards that used to be the only kind we had here and that only eat dead "road kill" type stuff. Had a first calf heifer calve last week and there were a dozen of the black b***tards on the ground within 10 feet of the heifer and she was charging after them to keep them away from her new calf. And the resident bald eagle was sitting in the tree 30 feet above her. What an aggravation. Chased them all off then she got the calf and they headed to the woods. All is well now but they are a pain. Lost 122 free range layers to the eagle 2 years ago and after trying letting them out later, just late afternoon, etc. finally quit. They were at a pasture that we cannot keep a dog at, the llama didn't bond with the chickens but did take good care of the calves that year. and I finally said enough. There are several nesting pairs in the area now, and everyone oohs and aahs over them, but then they get p**d off when the price of food goes up. Problem here is they have microchipped some when they re-introduced them here so you don't dare take a chance of getting rid of them as they found one out west that had been shoot and buried on some ranch and he got time for it and a huge fine. They might be beautiful but I hate them.

 

[NH homesteader]

Yikes. We have owls here but since our birds are locked up tight at night, haven't had any issues. We see hawks sometimes. Used to more often, maybe someone else SSS'd them for us because I hardly ever see them any more.

Never heard of these Mexican buzzards. How far north are they?how awful! They sound like terrible creatures!

 

[CntryBoy777]

I know here is Ms it is a 'Right to Defend' state....you can shoot Any animal that attacks livestock, pets, or people...and that includes humans too....but, ya better have Evidence when the Wildlife Officer pulls in your drive.

 

[NH homesteader]

I think I would have better luck shooting a person than an eagle. They're less protected.

I'm only kind of joking.

 

[Baymule]

My wacko former chicken killer Great Pyrenees will leap in the air at hawks and buzzards. She hates them and knows they are a danger to HER chickens.

 

[NH homesteader]

Good girl!

 

[farmerjan]

Yikes. We have owls here but since our birds are locked up tight at night, haven't had any issues. We see hawks sometimes. Used to more often, maybe someone else SSS'd them for us because I hardly ever see them any more.

Never heard of these Mexican buzzards. How far north are they?how awful! They sound like terrible creatures!

As far as I know they have been seen in Pa and maybe further north? They are black, big wing span but have white on wing feathers, when in flight you can see it. They are nasty. I know Texas is trying to get something pushed through with the state legislators since they are still federally protected. I am not sure that even in Miss with their "right to defend" status that it would over-ride the federal laws. If it's not legal in Texas then I can't imagine it would be legal anywhere else. I understand the livestock assoc's. here in Va are also petitioning to get some sort of legal rights to kill them.

 

[farmerjan]

Did a little more searching on the mexican black buzzards, and found that if you find them attacking livestock and you have a fish and game officer come out, they can recommend that you get a permit through the migratory bird act to kill them. Texas is trying to get them off the non-game bird federal protection list so that farmers and ranchers can deal with them immediately. Google it, there are lots of sites to read how aggressive they are. Needless to say most will SSS but by getting the damage recognized will help to substantiate that they are destructive. If only I could get them to look at this eagle the same way....as he carried the chickens up and over the neighbors, and dropped a few there on his way.