Vultures Killing Cows

[jimkim]

This is not a joke. I'm serious. I've never heard of this happening until they started killing our cows. They have killed two cows since last week. The cows lie down to give birth and they swoop in and peck their eyes out. Then they swarm the body. Since this started, they are attacking calves now too. Since the buzzards are a protected species we can't shoot them. What can we legally do to get rid of them?

[waksupi]

Pretty unnatural activity. If you are far enough in the boonies, shoot, shovel, and shut up. Otherwise you are stuck with dealing with the Fish and Game, most likely. Take all the pictures you can, especially of them on the cows. I would think you would be okay shooting them, as long as you are protecting livestock. Do you have a state stockman's association? I would call them for their input.

[LIMPINGJ]

The 3 words that start with S.

[Simonpie]

My dad slaughtered a cow a couple years back and left the skull and bits out for the bald eagles to scrounge at. They pretty much pick it clean. About 2 weeks later, an eagle is hanging around in the pasture and a cow goes full tilt running at it and stomps it. The eagle eventually got away, but it got hit hard and flopped for a while.

I guess "hire some killer cows" isn't the best advice.

[gandydancer]

like the man said S.S. & S.

[GRUMPA]

That's the strangest thing I've heard. Where I live is open cattle country and have yet to see that happen. Coyotes......yes.....calves only.........that I've seen, but vultures.....that's one thing I'm definitely going to log into my memory.

Sounds like genetically engineered vultures to me but I guess anythings possible.

[oneokie]

Are they are the black headed buzzards with what appear to be white circles on the top outer end of their wings?
They can and will kill a newborn calf. They will also eat the vulva off of a cow that is having difficulty or taking a long time giving birth. They are getting more numerous with each passing year.

[frkelly74]

You know, there is something I noticed, the Hawks are sitting by the roads waiting for something to get hit. They have become scavengers. The county quit picking up carcases a few years ago and I guess the hawks learned they can get food the easy way. Once in a while you can see an dead hawk in the road. The quick and the dead I guess.

[dmize]

In Missoiuri we follow the 3 S method. Or at least so I have heard.
And as far as scavaging goes,this past winter my youngest son was with me and we almost hit a bald eagle that was eating a road killed squirrel.

[Houndog]

I also think the SSS "solution" is the best answer! If by some chance a game warden happens to come around after the fact, play dumb!!!! "I don't have any idear how them buzzards got "lead poisoined" Must of been dem kids I runned off the other day. No sir, I didn't know any of em and don't rightly remember anythin unusual or remarkable bout them. Sorry I can't be of anymore help!

[Charley]

What kind of vulture? Turkey vultures are pretty timid by nature, usually won't even land by a moving animal. Black vultures are a lot more aggressive, going after any animal that can't get up and move away from them.
Used to have nothing in this area but Turkey vultures, now the Black vulture has moved in, and I havn't seen a Turkey vulture around here in years.

[429421Cowboy]

I have seen eagles and other scavengers eat the hind end out of cattle if they couldn't get up fast enough after calving from pinched nerves or other birth related issues, as well as crows and ravens killing lambs by pecking at their kidneys, never heard of vultures doing it but it seems to be scavenger behavior. I know here if it is harming your livestock or pets you can kill it and report it, i'm not sure i would wait that long though, if something is eating on one of my cows i shoot first and go from there, usually SSS.

[Suo Gan]

This is something for the Feds. Contact the USDA, Wildlife Services for a black vulture depredation permit. These can cost up to $100 but sometimes the state funds them. Then after you get the permit you hang the dead ones in effigy as noted in this bulletin, “Guidelines For Using Effigies to Disperse Nuisance Vulture Roosts” here: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/research/invasive_wildlife/content/VultureEffigy%20Guidelines-revisedMar2010.pdf These issues cannot be handled at the state level as they are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Act of 1918. If you get busted with the 3 S's on this, this will be a Federal crime, but we are all big boys and know the risks.

Hope you get the problem resolved quickly.

[WILCO]

I've never heard of this happening until they started killing our cows.

I did a google and came up with this:

http://lib.colostate.edu/research/agnic/vultures-livestock.html

http://aphriza.wordpress.com/2007/06/22/desperate-vultures-roam-europe-attack-cattle/

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/publications/06pubs/shwiff061.pdf

http://controlpredators.com/special/12.html

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3784093?uid=3739832&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=56206657963

[Blacksmith]

Sounds like a dead goose painted black would be a legal scare away tool.

[GabbyM]

Would a good heard dog help with that?

If not a varmint rifle in 223 with 50 grain Sierra Blitz-Kings would be my go to solution.

With a dog your legal issues would to me seam solved. Since dogs can’t fly.

[Stephen Cohen]

The wedged Tail Eagle had a bad rap for cattle killing, till some study was done and found that crows were the ones picking eyes out of birthing cattle, the eagles were just cleaning up the mess. Its a shame animals seem to be more important than a cattlemans livelhood.

[Shepherd2]

The birds doing the damage are black vultures. They are much more aggressive than the turkey vultures and will chase the larger turkey vultures away from a meal. They've been moving into this area in recent years. Their head remains black when they mature.

I went to an extension meeeting about the problem a few years ago. There were some federal wildlife people there that spoke. Their input was mainly that the black vultures were federally protected and there wasn't much you could do a out them. The only solution they offered was to hang an effigy of a dead black vulture made out of a piece of inner tube to scare them off. One of the state dept. of natural resources officers showed one made from a real black vulture but, of course, we aren't allowed to have something like that. Seems the sight of one of their dead brothers will freak them out and send them on their way. You could tell the crowd was thinking SSS.

I keep guard dogs with my sheep because of a heavy coyote population, plus the occassional bear, bobcat and some say mountain lion. Lucky for me any bird approaching crow size is not allowed in their pastures.

[firefly1957]

Good luck can not offer any suggestions you do not already have but will pray for the problem to stop. This is probably a learned behavior by a group of animals that group needs to be removed but because of our complicated laws no one has any common sense anymore.

[randyrat]

Around here we have so many eagles eating/cleaning up carcass. When I see an eagle eating I never see Vultures and visa verse.

Try making a real looking eagle (Bald Headed) 1- wing span open and one standing. I'll bet the Black headed will stay away.
Wing span is about 6-7 ft and they stand about 3 1/2 ft tall. when I come upon one around a bunch of trees, they scare me.

One more thing to try, can you have a donkey in the heard, they have been known to chase Coyotes away, way more aggressive then cattle.


Remember birds learn fast- change things up once in a while

[EMC45]

You should see how thick they are over her Jim....They are everywhere.

[Freightman]

There is a sheep farmer here that runs a couple of donkeys with his sheep with good results from most predators, we haven't been blessed with Black Vultures yet.

[jimkim]

You should see how thick they are over her Jim....They are everywhere.

Seems to be more of them around than I've ever seen. I noticed on I-16 there are flocks of them in the trees. Must have been a lot of dead deer this past year. Ours are definitively black vultures.

We tried putting donkeys in with the cows a few years ago, but after they killed some calves and a colt, that ended it. We have some Great Pyrenees herd dogs, but they keep getting out of the "maternity ward". I guess maybe we could let the pregnant heifers run with the herd, but it would be harder to be there if they needed us to pull a calf.

[troy_mclure]

A llama will also stomp the heck out of any predator or scavenger as well and you can get them pretty cheap.

[montana_charlie]

You should see how thick they are over her Jim....They are everywhere.
Maybe it's time to end the federal protection of that bird ...
CM

[6.5 mike]

No, it IS time to end the federal BS in general.

[insanelupus]

When I was a kid in the midwest it was something of note to spot an eagle. Now days I see them sitting on the side of the road with the ravens in the winter time eating road kill. No more respect from me.

The predator bird that does amaze me and I enjoy seeing very much is the osprey. I've never seen one sitting on road kill, ever! And, they are much better fishermen than I am!

Good luck with the vultures. I've heard of this behavior on calves with ravens (pecking out eyes), but I wasn't aware of black vultures vs. turkey vultures until now. Very informative.

[Bret4207]

A llama will also stomp the heck out of any predator or scavenger as well and you can get them pretty cheap.

Our llama could care less as long as she's okay. If you want to do the llama thing, get a fresh weaned one and raise it with the stock.

Our issue is coyotes. This isn't our best year for lambs.

[contender1]

Ok y'all,,,, he asked for help, and we ALL should abide by the laws. (Yes, sometimes laws seem stupid,,, but they are there for a reason.)
The 3 S rule can really get him in trouble. FEDERAL TROUBLE!!!!!!!!!!
We do NOT want the feds to get one of our fine members here,,, and especially give them more reasons to "watch" our site.

Suo Gan has given EXCELLENT advice.

Contact the US Fish & WIldlife in Atlanta. In many cases,, you can easily get a FEDERAL Depredation permit to deal with issues such as this. Yes, the application fee is $100. However, livestock costs a lot more so the fee is cheap.

Of course, the Feds are going to want you to do things to deter the black vultures from being around you, so look into deterrant methods as well.
Guard dogs, donkeys, mules etc are all EXCELLENT long term protective animals for livestock.

Let's all NOT promote illegal activity here. We are better than that.

PS; I'm a state certified Animal Damage Control agent by profession.

[Three44s]

While agree with Contender1 on the three S business, as a rancher I also understand the fact that one can get backed into a corner and left with little choice.

I do however disagree with the notion that one should contact US Fish and Wildlife Service first ......... those are the folks that this BS enimates from!

What you start with is the the US Dept. of Agriculture Wildlife Service..........

USDA WS will be the closest thing to a friend in a "Fed" you'll ever find!

Not USFWS ....... they are often the problem.

You'll still get the later but you need the Ag folks in there to slow down the BS!!

I know .......... been there!!


Three 44s

[45 2.1]

Contact the US Fish & WIldlife in Atlanta. In many cases,, you can easily get a FEDERAL Depredation permit to deal with issues such as this. Yes, the application fee is $100. However, livestock costs a lot more so the fee is cheap.

Since they're paid with tax money, any fee is a gig. Just another way to make money.


Let's all NOT promote illegal activity here. We are better than that.

Yes, we should strive for that. We should also overview the Feds to see that they don't do illegal things either, but they don't want to allow that.

[LEADLUBBER]

laws are laws, and orders are orders..... right..... all written by lawyers, and we know how much logic and knowledge they have. Unfortunately, there was never a lift of the ban to kill these birds once they became overpopulated, which is what has occurred.

The solution according to them: go spend thousands of dollars trying to scare them away with other animals or effigys hanging everywhere.....

GOOD LUCK ON THAT, let me know how it works out for You.


If it were me, let's just say that I might be shooting skeet out in the pasture and there happened to be a flock of them passing by and got caught in the crossfire.... as long as there are some clays busted around, there is a viable excuse.


I remember the days when seeing a buzzard or vulture was a rare experience where I live in Texas. Now, it is rare to not see a whole bunch of them on the road or on the side of the road every single day. I have never seen so many dead buzzards hit by cars, and good LORD, the stink it makes.....

people who kill them with their cars don't get in any trouble.... maybe there is a thought.... faster farm trucks out in the pasture? ;-)



Remember this, the feds will take care of themselves, they aren't here to help You. A cattleman has to take care of his herd. I wish You all the best and I am saddened that You actually feel more harm and threat for your self and your livelyhood from a protected species of a trash bird because of the way our laws are structured.

[Blacksmith]

One should not break the law but it is alright to change the law.

The problem with chasing the unwanted wildlife away is you are just making it someone else's problem. They may stop killing your livestock but they will just start killing your neighbors stock. Not very neighborly. Even if you kill them smart critters learn fast to move to fresh less dangerous hunting grounds.

There are no easy solutions but is is time to start pressuring congress to change the law.

[crowbuster]

I would not want to contact anybody and put myself on there radar. Not sayin someone else my want to.

[runfiverun]

well, if a federally listed wolf kills a cow you get reimbursed.
i wonder if there is a program for that with the vultures?

[MT Gianni]

Probably not, the wolf fees used to be paid by tree-hugger funds they had solicited. The Courts made them plan to do something with there money.

[runfiverun]

i figured about as much.
sucking up a grand worth of cow, and it's future calves, is a bit much to stand there and watch.
i think i'd go along quietly running MY business.

[Ozarklongshot]

We run a large donkey with our cows. That is the craziest thing you've ever seen. He'll kill anything that doesn't belong around the cattle. Watching him pound an armadillo to dust is a sight to behold and the level of pure hatred he visits upon coyotes is just downright scary. I have no doubt he would keep vultures off of a live cow even during calving.
The plus is that the are the most entertaining farm animal around.

[contender1]

I agree that getting the USDA involved CAN help.
However,, the regulations will put the problem in the lap of the USF&W.
I have actual experience working with them,, (out of the Atlanta office) and they can be helpful.
And they were given the jurisdiction over the animals,, but it's folks who want to protect endangered species, as well as "anti's" who have gotten the laws passed that hamper the 3 "S's" and can cause you big legal problems.
None of here want to lose our rights to own firearms due to being stupid. (A federal conviction of killing a protected species w/o a permit can do that.)
And when you think you are on your own land, or whatever,,, remember,, nowadays,, practically EVERYBODY has a camera equipped cell phone. In my business, when I go to my classes,,, it is stressed; "Do not do anything in your job that you wouldn't want broadcast on the 6 o'clock news & you will be fine."
Just when you think you are alone,, you will get caught on camera. BTW; game wardens use motion IR cameras too.
And shooting clays & claiming accidental shooting will not be a viable defense. Usually a game warden will quietly observe,, photograph, and document BEFORE he approaches you.

Get the donkey, mule or dogs. What you spend on them will be offset by the work they do.

[nelsonted1]

Dad was at the local USDA office in MN several years ago. On the wall was a notice. It asked if anyone sees this animal call us immediately. It was a spotted skunk.

Dad asked who in their right mind would call the government on this. If you did they'd have people showing up in the trucks and cars crawling all over. They'd make the farm unfarmable to save the pretty skunk- turn it into some kind of federally protected wildlife area. Dad said what a normal farmer would do is shoot all he could find, throw around some poison, even light off a small nuclear device so one could be sure there was no more spotted skunks anywhere near the farm. The agent he was talking laughed, got mad then laughed again.

TED

[leftiye]

Head shots don't leave bullet holes!

[x101airborne]

I used to tell my dad that shooting buzzards was wrong. Then we found a cow with a dead calf in the pasture and buzzards all around. They circled the cow and crept ever closer to her. When she ran at them, the others came and bit at the calf. When they ran that cow to collapse, they came for her. Dad made me sit there and watch this. Before the cow was beyond helping, Dad asked if he could go back to shooting em. I will never forget that and I havent stopped shooting them since.
After 22 years of running cattle, I hate to say, I have not found another solution. We have donkeys. 19 of em. And we havent had a loss to yotes since, but we cannot find another solution for the buzzards. I wish I had some wisdom to offer, but I dont. Maybe try a crow cannon? No, not a cannon that shoots crows.... but that would be funny. A propane cannon that just makes noise. We used to use em in the pecan orchards.

[Reload3006]

This is not a joke. I'm serious. I've never heard of this happening until they started killing our cows. They have killed two cows since last week. The cows lie down to give birth and they swoop in and peck their eyes out. Then they swarm the body. Since this started, they are attacking calves now too. Since the buzzards are a protected species we can't shoot them. What can we legally do to get rid of them?

Shoot Shovel and Shut up. No matter what liberal government official is in charge. I am going to protect my livestock.

[Suo Gan]

Here is the deal, you probably won't get caught, but you might. Someone might see you, or a warden who does not need a warrant to enter your private property possibly doing some unrelated task might find some dead birds. If the warden is sympathetic he will walk on, if not, they will put a stuffed vulture or two in your tree and watch you shoot it. This happened to a local catfish farmer who ended up serving jail time and huge fines and finally sold the farm. They watched him with high powered cameras, tapped his phone, etc.

I don't care what you do but, if I was your attorney I would ask you if anyone saw you shooting birds, if you buried them on your property, and if you told anyone about it. If you said yes to any of these I would tell you to get another attorney.

The way the law works is frustratingly inept at times. You need to know all you can, and surprisingly, laws can work in your favor from time to time. You can shoot them if you get a $100 permit, that is a lot better than worrying about all the what ifs, at least for me. They may take some time to get the permit to you, but I doubt it.