Too many tracks in the snow...

Ford Zoo · #1 12/22/12, 05:03 PM

I lost 2 geriatric horses this past fall. DH buried them in the horse pasture which is near the new goat yard. Darn wolves keep trying to dig them up, even with the ground freezing now-although they don't come in as often the past few weeks. I have been looking for an LGD, while DH has been respectfully holding his breath hoping I don't find one. (we have never had outside dogs, and his biggest fear is for the grandkids, although I keep telling him the 'guard' part of the dog is for the goats, ect, ect, ect.)

Any hoo, he was out today looking at all the wolf and fisher tracks in the snow around our place. He came back to the barn and told me "Yep, it's time to get your dog".

I am so glad I finally have his support on this! I have a few leads on pups in the area raised with livestock. Did I mention I'm excited?!

Minelson · #2 12/22/12, 05:33 PM

Yay!! That is exciting!

dbarjacres · #3 12/22/12, 06:34 PM

Yay!

Just another thought, do you know if you are in a zone that's open yet for the wolf hunt? I know there are lots of hunters that'd be elated to have access to sit on your property for a few days. I've got lots of guys right around here that'd be to your place tomorrow.

Ford Zoo · #4 12/22/12, 07:16 PM

I'm not sure if we are still open, but thanks for the idea!!

dbarjacres · #5 12/22/12, 07:25 PM

http://dnr.wi.gov/news/BreakingNews_Lookup.asp?id=2604

There is a link to a map on here. The season closes tomorrow as the quota will be met state wide with one more wolf in zone 3, rest are already closed. That's close to your area, but don't know exactly where you are.

It was an idea if they'd have a few more days. Sorry!

CJBegins · #6 12/22/12, 08:55 PM

So what did he see today that changed his mind?

I will take coyotes any day over wolves....and fishers!

dkhern · #7 12/22/12, 09:09 PM

we dont have wolves or fisher here although a hyberd wolf was traped in the state two weeks age 92# but i digress here coyotes are efficent scavengers they clean up alot of carrion might have been quicker to have let them dispose if there wasnt emotional connections??

Ford Zoo · #8 12/22/12, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJBegins

So what did he see today that changed his mind?

I will take coyotes any day over wolves....and fishers!

I think all the tracks in the fresh snow convinced him that the herd needs some protection, especially since kidding season is upon us.

Ford Zoo · #9 12/22/12, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkhern

we dont have wolves or fisher here although a hyberd wolf was traped in the state two weeks age 92# but i digress here coyotes are efficent scavengers they clean up alot of carrion might have been quicker to have let them dispose if there wasnt emotional connections??

I can see your point, but considering one was a large draft horse-that's alot of meat to clean up, which would probably draw more canines to the vacinity of my goat fence. I don't think that I would have had the heart to drag him out to the woods and leave him. This year he will feed that part of the pasture that will then feed my goats. I like that recycling option better.

As for the hybrid, I'm sure I saw one here a few years back. If I remember correctly from some show on discovery they are large and a more aggressive predator? I'm sure our DNR wouldn't admit to them being here, just like the cougars that have been seen and treed, and photographed.

Backfourty,MI. · #10 12/22/12, 10:42 PM

How Scary! I thought the wild critters we had were bad enough, I'd be a nervous wreck if we had wolves prowling around our property!

I don't want you to push your lucj with your hubby since you finally convinced him to let you get an LGD but sounds like 2 LGD's would be better for you in your area & situation. A couple wolves might do a great bit of damage to 1 lone dog but 2 LGD's would help each other. Maybe get 1 that is already working & a younger 1 that the older 1 can help train.

Sparkie · #11 12/23/12, 07:50 AM

If you have wolves you need more than one lgd so they can work as a team. Wolves will be braver with only one dog and will try to draw it out and ambush it.

Jmho but we let scavengers clean up carcasses, it only takes them a couple of days then the carcass is gone completely with nothing to draw them back like burying dead stock does. We drag the carcass away from any small stock areas and let nature take it's course.

Dreamgoat Annie · #12 12/23/12, 08:05 AM

We have a bone pile too. It's surrounded by tall cattle panels so the coyotes, etc., can't access the bodies and drag pieces away but vultures can fly in and consume them. At first I hated it but now it seems just right. Our friends go back to nature and when their bones are clean, we can bury them in a small hole. Otherwise our land is so rocky we'd have to hire someone with heavy machinery to dig a hole each time someone died.

And I save a small bone, usually a knuckle bone, as a keepsake, so a piece of my animal friend is always with me. Each has a handsewn deerskin pouch to live in (I used to make deerskin pouches as a business; I make each one unique so I can tell them apart). When I die and am cremated, I want my ashes and all the bones to go in the same hole, wherever we're living at the time.

This doesn't work for animals euthanized by a vet but we give ours a Xylazine shot so they're asleep and then shoot them. Xylazine doesn't seem to bother the vultures. They clean a sheep or goat body in just a few weeks. A horse takes somewhat longer.

Sue

BTW, we buried our animals in Minnesota--about 20 miles from where Ford Zoo lives--and always had to stack a good-size pile of rocks on top to protect the grave.

Ford Zoo · #13 12/23/12, 08:23 AM

We always dispose of hunting carcasses that way. Funny how the human mind works, I hadn't ever considered it for livestock. We have a high spot were we put the others that is visible enough to enjoy watching the eagles and vultures come in, but not close enough to pull predators to the barnyard.

Dreamgoat Annie · #14 12/23/12, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Zoo

We always dispose of hunting carcasses that way. Funny how the human mind works, I hadn't ever considered it for livestock. We have a high spot were we put the others that is visible enough to enjoy watching the eagles and vultures come in, but not close enough to pull predators to the barnyard.

Our bone yard was in a nice grove near the back of our 29-acre property. Believe it or not, two years ago during hunting season someone stole 2 of the panels. They'd have had to carry them close to half a mile to get them to the nearest road without bringing them up our ridge, which they didn't. Some of the bones were scattered. I picked them up and as soon as possible, we buried them.

That made me sad and mad, so we moved it in front of our woods where people are very unlikely to trespass. The down side is that I can see the white spot that is Shiloh's body from up here on the ridge and I'm reminded, way too often, that he's gone.

We have few eagles here but the vulture should be Arkansas' and Missouri's state bird. There are immense numbers of them around. I like them--they're much more graceful in the air than eagles and they perform a necessary service.

Sue

Ford Zoo · #15 12/23/12, 08:14 PM

Sue, I have no words...how sad that must be.

On the lighter note, as you probably know we have more eagles than vultures, but I find the vultures to be very handsome birds.

Dreamgoat Annie · #16 12/24/12, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford Zoo

Sue, I have no words...how sad that must be.

On the lighter note, as you probably know we have more eagles than vultures, but I find the vultures to be very handsome birds.

<LOL> Yes, I remember how thrilled I was to see a vulture when we lived in Minnesota. Now--and Alice and Yarrow can back me up--it's not unusual to see a flock of 40 or 50 circling over Mammoth Spring and Yarrow, which are two small towns set right on the Arkansas/Missouri border. I don't know what attracts them unless it's the fish hatcheries but it isn't as if there are dead fish lying around. Small circles form in the country too. I think they're scouting out carrion.

Unfortunately Black Vultures are moving in now too. Before it was only Turkey Vultures and they are non aggressive. Black Vultures are known to attack small kids and lambs and peck their eyes out. As a result, we no longer let kids and lambs out in the big pasture until they're quite good-size (we have more than an acre of so-called yard, so they have a big, safe area close to the house). Our LGD hates vultures and drives them away, so that helps.

Regarding the bone pile, once the animals are comfortably positioned (yeah, I know I'm weird) and the fence wired up, I try not to go near until the bones are pretty much bare. That worked when it was back in the grove but not so good now with two large, white animals in it and within sight down the ridge. I do tie prayer flags on the fence from time to time but not until primary cleaning has occured.

This would have seemed macabre in lush Minnesota but seems right in this dry, harsh land.

Sue