predators

[farmbif]

ok I was just peacefully entering some comments here on a couple issues and I hear a spraying or hissing sound outside. I grabbed the flashlight and a semi auto handgun and go out to investigate. didn't smell anything like skunk spraying or bobcat spraying, marking territory. the dog is curled up in the back corner of his dog house and the cats are keeping real close to their hiding and get away spots.
I get out to where the sounds were coming from and nothing but through some brush towards the side pasture I thought I glanced a set of eyes, maybe two sets
and fired a couple shots that way. didn't hear any moaning, groaning or houling. thought maybe the gunshots would get whatever is there to go the other way.
its kind of ironic but the neighbor was over earlier today talking about the bobcats, coyotes and black bears that have been sighted recently and how they lost a half dozen guenia hens in past week or so to an unknown predator.

[Gewehr-Guy]

Whenever I am after varmints after dark it is with a shotgun, I am not the best shot with a handgun, so if something needs killing go right to the 12 gauge. My troubles are mostly coon and possums, no bears and I have never seen a big cat or wolf, although they have been seen by others.

[Txcowboy52]

I’m betting chubacabra, big foot or possibly the moth man ! Lol

[Winger Ed.]

Feral dogs and cats can be pretty hard on farm birds too.
Depending on where you are, mountain lions/cougars are making a come back also.

I'd keep a eye out to see what sort of tracks you have around there.

[ulav8r]

Nothing like a shot in the dark to cause unintended problems.

[contender1]

"Nothing like a shot in the dark to cause unintended problems."

This is a valid point.

However,, I do not know what your property is like, what kind of back stop you may have etc. So PLEASE understand that what I offer is purely from a safety standpoint.
I teach Hunter Safety.
I teach that you need to always properly identify your target BEFORE you fire a shot. Once a shot is fired,, it can't be recalled. MANY innocent people & other things have been killed or injured by, as you said; " I glanced a set of eyes, maybe two sets
and fired a couple shots that way."
I also work as an Animal Damage Control Agent. I would never conduct my business that way.

But again, I only offer this as a way to prevent to potential heartache that comes from a mistake.

[Alex_4x4]

For me, an axiom: shooting at an invisible target is taboo.

But, your house, your rules.

Is it not easier to use non-lethal weapons (including noise weapons) when you assume an invisible chupacabra as a target?

[Winger Ed.]

when you assume an invisible chupacabra as a target?

Over here, zombies are such a concern that Hornady has a special line of ammunition just for use on them.
That may be where Pres. Biden got the idea that a 9mm will blow your lungs out.

[Alex_4x4]

Looking at "a man who greets invisible beings," you ask yourself: is he warm-blooded himself?

:-)

[GregLaROCHE]

Ten to fifteen years ago there was a problem in our area of semi feral dogs killing livestock. Especially sheep. We had two Great Pyrenees that lived with or goats and and never had problems. They also kept the wild hogs away too. The worst thing about the hogs was that the run right through the fences, leaving a big hole. I haven’t heard anything about the feral dogs causing any problems recently. Maybe they got hunted down.

[Thundarstick]

Looking at "a man who greets invisible beings," you ask yourself: is he warm-blooded himself?

:-)

There are many of us who think his brain is rotten as well!

[MrWolf]

We've been stalked twice that I know off. First time was some critter on the other side of a 6' chain link fence stalking an 80lb German Short haired pointer. Watched that from the porch. Couldn't see what but it was low to the ground and a decent size. Other time, my gf used to leave for work by 5 am and there was a set of eyes watching from the woods and an eerie feeling. That time went and got a pellet gun to just scare it. Damn thing did not scare easy until I went in for my bear gun (Marlin 45/70). It left by the time I got back out. DNR swears no mountain lions here even with neighbors seeing them on their ranch and me having a pic of Paw prints the size of a folded pocket knife.

[Tripplebeards]

A hog light attached to a 12 gauge along with 3 inch lead 1 7/8 oz BBs along with a .670 choke will take care of about anything that goes bump in the night. I have killed probably over 100 called coyotes with that load. Just make sure what you’re shooting at and your back stop before you pull the trigger.

[osage]

I lost 98 boilers, ducks and turkeys to semi feral dogs during daylight. Neighbor saw them existing their chicken house with a layer in it's mouth. Problem was terminated at that point. I saw a cougar on top of pit berm a few years before Game & Parks admitted they were here. That changed my planning for walk abouts or working outside. Nighttime I like my O light.

[725]

Glad it wasn't your neighbor. I have been on the exciting end of somebody's "sound" shot. Felt like I was back at work. Real glad I didn't meet up with the shooter. It would have been ugly.

[farmbif]

just to clear things up a bit where I shot was into the side of a mountain on my private property that is well posted. yeah in shooting anything humane clean kills are the only way to go. I really need to get one of those night vision scopes. I'm going to put together some more 1 1/2oz loads of #4 shot
thought maybe some might have idea what would make a loud spraying or almost like hissing sound, sounded like a pulsating big leak from a high pressure pipe.
shotgun needs to be kept more handy and I'm going to learn more about hog lights.
ive never seen any wild hogs anywhere around here.

[Rapier]

I keep this by the rear door, a 3" 20ga with #3 buck at 75 yards, with an IC choke the 24 pellets cover a fox from nose to tail. Light is co-witthesses to the parrern, with a palm switch. 5 foxes so far.

[rbuck351]

I have a skunk bait station 40yds from my bedroom window with a string attached and a cowbell under my bedroom window. I also have a night vision scope which allows me to identify skunks from the neighbors cats or dogs or the rare cougar that I have seen at the bait station. The night vision scope is mounted on a 22KH and stops skunks very well.

For other bumps in the night I use a very bright led flash light and a 1911 in 45. I want to be positive of my target before I pull the trigger.

[farmbif]

seems a good light like the coyotelight costs as much as a pretty decent scope. we had a gully washer of heavy rain though most of the early morning so there are no tracks or scat to be see this morning

[contender1]

"just to clear things up a bit where I shot was into the side of a mountain on my private property that is well posted."

Thanks for sharing this.

Still, as the saying goes; "stuff happens." I recall a case where a father shot his own teenager inside the home THINKING it was a burglar/invader. The teen had snuck out & was sneaking back in. A failure to identify,, even inside the home caused a tragedy.

I too find the expense of the night vision scopes or the similar stuff to be excessive. (MY opinion.) Especially for the limited use it might get, as well as it being an electronic device that can stop working just when you need it. I personally prefer to invest in good high lum flashlights. I have several that really light up everything that would be in an area I'd prefer them to not be. And they also light up stuff well past what I'd call "Too close for comfort" distances.

Just my humble opinion.

[Tripplebeards]

I have a night vision scope and have never used it. To scan with a heavy gun nonstop gets tiring real quick. With my hog light I can see 20 yards or more to either my left or right of center shotgun bead! You find glowing eyes with a big green flashlight strapped to a shotgun really quick.

[Texas by God]

I keep this by the rear door, a 3" 20ga with #3 buck at 75 yards, with an IC choke the 24 pellets cover a fox from nose to tail. Light is co-witthesses to the parrern, with a palm switch. 5 foxes so far.

That’s a nice looking varmint gun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jsizemore]

Female possum will make that noise when she ain't in the mood for Mister possum and he presses the issue.

[Thin Man]

We live in a well developed (and growing) neighborhood with plenty of neighbors. Over the past 15 years this area has had many cats disappear and this continues to this day. About 8 years ago we were hosting our entire family when at about 10 AM the SIL shouted he was watching a coyote walking in our back yard. I did not have time to find 'yote medicine to administer to him but he was slow walking toward one of their known den areas. Odd to see one out that late for us, they usually travel in the dark. Their numbers are increasing and there seems to be little can be done that won't get someone into trouble.

[MaryB]

We live in a well developed (and growing) neighborhood with plenty of neighbors. Over the past 15 years this area has had many cats disappear and this continues to this day. About 8 years ago we were hosting our entire family when at about 10 AM the SIL shouted he was watching a coyote walking in our back yard. I did not have time to find 'yote medicine to administer to him but he was slow walking toward one of their known den areas. Odd to see one out that late for us, they usually travel in the dark. Their numbers are increasing and there seems to be little can be done that won't get someone into trouble.

Crossbow, shovel, shutup...

[kerplode]

Or you could just leave it alone. I don't get the obsession with killing **** just for the hell of it.

Besides, house cats belong in the house. If Mister Fuffles goes outside and gets eaten by a coyote, well...Circle of life.

[elmacgyver0]

Or you could just leave it alone. I don't get the obsession with killing **** just for the hell of it.

Besides, house cats belong in the house. If Mister Fuffles goes outside and gets eaten by a coyote, well...Circle of life.

Now that's no way to talk about Mister Fuffles.

[kerplode]

[smilie=l:

[MaryB]

Or you could just leave it alone. I don't get the obsession with killing **** just for the hell of it.

Besides, house cats belong in the house. If Mister Fuffles goes outside and gets eaten by a coyote, well...Circle of life.

until mr coyote decides one of the neighborhood kids looks tasty... had it happen here twice. Both times attacked kids at the playground. Came into town across the field behind my house so I setup and waited, 300 yard shots and I turned them into bed throws for the kids that were attacked.

[MUSTANG]

Coyotes will pack up and as the available food source declines become more brazen and broaden what they consider to be prey. Back in the 1970's I was stationed at Camp Pendleton. My number came up and I was assigned to 30 days guard duty. One night I had the Roving Guard Duty around the Unit Armory (Back then we had the Weathermen, Students for a Democratic Society and others trying to raid National Guard and Active Duty Armory's to steal weapons). So about 3:00 AM I see a pack of 12 to 14 Coyotes slowly making their way down the Road towards the Armory. As they got closer; they started to growl at me. I was armed with a Mossberg 12 Gauge Trench Shotgun (including that evil bayonet lug) on a sling on my shoulder. Took it off and watched as the Coyotes kept coming my way. As they got to about 20 Feet away; I cycled the Slide and chambered a 12 Gauge Round of buckshot. The Coyotes evidently had heard that sound before, as they all turned tail and ran. I was quite relieved as what was going through my mind was "Wonder if I'll get demoted for an unauthorized discharge of a weapon (Shooting at Coyotes - not Domestic Terrorists knocking off the Armory).

Any way; Coyotes WILL ATTACK prey of all types when the food source declines. Growing up in Texas; it was common knowledge that there was a 7 to 10 year cycle where Rabbits would grow dramatically in population, then have a dramatic "Kill Off/Die Off". The Coyote Population would have a trailing curve 1 to 3 years behind that Rabbit Population curve.

[MT Gianni]

thought maybe some might have idea what would make a loud spraying or almost like hissing sound, sounded like a pulsating big leak from a high pressure pipe.
.

Gopher snake or blow snake.

[10x]

Nothing like a shot in the dark to cause unintended problems.

When a person pulls the trigger they own the bullet and the damage done by the bullet.
Until one knows where that bullet will stop they may live a lifetime of regret and guilt.