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Hunting & Fishing Predator Control and Feral Cats

Southbreeze

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 22, 2011
485
0
55
Vancleave, MS
I know I'm opening myself up for a flaming here.....

When you are in livestock depredation control mode: my definition something killing your animals (ducks,chickens,goats, etc).

You're hunting over a bait pile or calling...whatever; and a feral cat shows up. I mean ovbiously not "Fluffy" the manicured cat with collar and bell. What do you do, ventilate it too?

I know what I do, but i thought it'd be interesting to hear other people thoughts.

Thanks,
Breeze
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

We have chukar for the dogs in the summer time and every animal known to man tries to enjoy them. Ideally none of them would walk away, but I can not sit out there all night and make sure of that. Skunks are the other bad offender and the same thing goes there. If somebody cared about their animals, they would not allow them to run free, especially without a collar, so then they are free game in my books.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

Feral cats do not live a good life whatsoever. Do a search for feral cats and with some reading you will probably come to the same conclusion the the humane society has which is that they are better off to be put down.

Starvation, disease, infection from fights. etc.. Its more humane to put them down.

There is a difference between strays and feral cats however.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

I have been dealing with feral cats this year. My nieghbors barn is full of them. Her logic is "if I have cats I wont have mice/rats." They have been coming around my place and I've killed 3 and shoot them when I get the chance. We have animals and suspect they are the culprits when 2 of my chickens went missing. More concerning are my young kids not that those cats would stick around and let the kids get close to them but im not chancing it. Bottom line, Take them out.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

For the litany of reasons that Flounder touched upon, we (my parents) put them down, especially when they show visible signs of disease. They are then picked up with nitrile gloved hands, put into a trash bag, sealed and thrown into a locked-lid can for disposal.


In the past 5 years, with a relatively agressive stancs on feral cats and detail oriented solution to the diseases that they carry the neighbors area within several miles of my parents' place has noticeably more song birds, flying squirrels, and the gray/fox squirrel population is coming back. The hawks keep the squirrels pretty well in check though
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gknutson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Feral cats have a impact on turkey and qual population. They would get the smack down if it were me. </div></div>

Yeah, no doubt. Our turkey popl. was doing pretty well til the 'yotes made it into the area. We've seen healthy looking coyote in broad daylight <70yd from their house.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

In Wyoming feral cats are considered varmits and can be legally shot a will.

Problem is, city folks get too many cats and decide all us country folks need more barn cats.

The destory game birds, chickens and kill our domestic cats.

I shoot them without hesitation.

My wife likes birds, so I built her a few bird houses. Last spring she saw one hanging from the perch with on hand raking out baby birds with the other.

Since then I haven't had to shoot many cats. Seem to be going through a lot of 22 shells though, can't figure it out.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

I kinda felt that'd be the case. Those that know the damage the little shits can do. We lost four loads of duck and chicken biddies in three days time. In the two weeks prior; killed two coyotes, 5 gray foxes, 1 red fox, 4 possum, two coons, 17 snakes and 3 chicken ducks. The 17 fireball went for a year without a kill to killing all this in two weeks! Anywho, the feral/barn cats were waiting at the hatching nests. So I went a walking with a walther p-22/gemtech combo and put 18 cats/kittens in a feed sack in two nights.

Checked in with the good lady and the next two hatchings haven't lost a bird yet. I've been away just over two weeks now.

Thanks for your responses guys,
Breeze
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

All this might be true, but if they gotta beak full of my birds and I see it happen on my farm; they gonna pay lead tax.

It might be the hilltop buffet and all, but I can't have no dining and dashing. Someone's gotta pay fer it.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 762frmafr</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Southbreeze</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> 3 chicken hawks.
</div></div>

This I do not approve of, and I'm pretty sure is a federal offense.</div></div>

Yep that can get you in federal trouble and probably state trouble too.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

That would be about right too. crackheads killing each other in the street, ain't never paid a dime into the system. And I get sent down for shooting goddam bird that's eating the very food I'm growing.

If'n the world gone ass 'bout tit........

I am from Louisiana, lemmee check on a recipe and I can eat the evidence! I thought that was a funny looking duck, but damn aint this gumbo good!

You know we live 'tween "Squeel like a pig" and "You got a pretty Mouth"
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

I was "stranded", sorry guys must've been the heat affecting my brain up here in Newfoundland, home of why play hockey when you can bash a baby seal!

The good lady is reporting that earlier type-O were really chicken ducks from too many late nites hanging around wrong end of the barn drinking goat pee.

However, 18 feral cats are still hiding underground in a 12% sweet stuff feed bag. As still in a yet undisclosed location.....More at ten.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

Dog Messiah, I shall not debate you. I'm thinking the coehorn mortar may just be the line of feral cat defense I've been looking for.

Thanks for sharing.........with few mod's it'd work on crackheads too!

Cheers,
Breeze
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

Given my history here, it's hard for me to say anything on the subject without coming across as a flame. But times change and I tend to with them.

I figure if folks don't want their kitties meeting up with an early demise, they can keep them indoors. I do.

I figure of someone wants to decimate the feral cat population, there ain't much I can say that will make them do more than stop and think for a minute about the folks who actually like cats. If they do, that's good enough for me.

Yes, I recognize that feral cats do harm. I think they cancel some of that out by having some positive impact on rodents, and maybe help some with rabies control. Beyond that, shooting them is probably never going to eradicate feral cats. Probably nothing non-epidemiological ever will.

I think the whole question is about to become moot. Folks are probably going to have a new and more troublesome menace to deal with, and right soon.

Feral hogs are coming soon to a neighborhood near you. Betcha that's bound to keep most our resident cat shooters busy enough.

Greg
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

Greg,

we got hogs and I've got a firm plan in place for them:

3 step process:
season
IMG_0536.jpg

cook
wholehog.jpg

eat
IMG_0585.jpg


I'm not saying I won't eat some pussy, hell I might get in trouble if I didn't
San.jpg


But feral pussy.....just aint' got no use for it.

Breeze
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

I have a 22 that is set up just for cats. I have a 3x9x40 scope and a laser installed on it also the rings are see through just in case. Useing cb shorts I have to load one round at a time because they don't have enough force to eject from a automatic; but it keeps the neighbors clueless to what is going on.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Southbreeze</div><div class="ubbcode-body">All this might be true, but if they gotta beak full of my birds and I see it happen on my farm; they gonna pay lead tax.

It might be the hilltop buffet and all, but I can't have no dining and dashing. Someone's gotta pay fer it. </div></div>


This made me chuckle.

laugh.gif
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pr0VideR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have been dealing with feral cats this year. My nieghbors barn is full of them. Her logic is "if I have cats I wont have mice/rats." They have been coming around my place and I've killed 3 and shoot them when I get the chance. We have animals and suspect they are the culprits when 2 of my chickens went missing. More concerning are my young kids not that those cats would stick around and let the kids get close to them but im not chancing it. Bottom line, Take them out. </div></div>

wait are you saying you think cats kill your chickens ? Really ? I live on a nice lil piece of land and I have turkeys, guineas and 14 chickens too. I also have a bunch of cats to keep the mice away from my feed. i have seen the cats and the chickens interact and honestly can tell you the average chicken will not get taken by the average cat, feral or not. i have seen several instances with my neighbor where his chickens have pecked his dogs and cats eyes out. I seriously doubt any cat took your chickens. And on a sidenote , here in Virginia its a felony to shoot a cat. Unless you're deep in the woods secluded then there is no way to know if a cat is feral or not. Now if you're rasing rabbits and "feral" cats are killing them, thats a different story.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

Phew, I'm suddenly glad I don't live in Virginia. I'm a felonius villain.

And you sir Defcon don't believe a cat will kill a chicken because of why???? you haven't seen it? Therefore it couldn't possibly be true under any circumstances? Am I reading your statement correctly?

I'll have to tell my good lady that her eyes were wrong on that fateful night the kitties were in the hen house eating chicks as the were coming out of the nest with the old hen. Defcon said it wasn't possible because he hadn't seen it before. you watch too much finding Nemo other disney bullshit.

I'd like to teach the world to sing...in perfect harmony.....blah fucking blah. Go hug a bunny and enjoy your own utopian Bambi place; while I kill anything worrying my livestock, birds, horses or even my good lady. My place, my rules!
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

dogs are better for guarding the chickens anyway- whenever the spruce grouse come down to hang out with my friend's chickens, her dog just steps around the hens and grabs the grouse. Best bird hunting I've ever seen. besides, what cat will run off a bear?
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

I shoot every feral cat I see, no questions asked. If it comes to my calls, its obviously not some little girls pet kitty. Feral cats are terrible for the environment (quail, rabbits, etc)

Our cats do not mess with our chickens, but thats because our chickens are locked in a coop. I have no doubt the average cat would take young chicks though.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

cats kill more game birds every year than all other predators. If not in a house or in a farm yard they are no different than a skunk or porky shoot on site. Got one on the way home from duck hunting today. Kill a cat save a pheasant
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

Ditch cougars are my favorite game to harvest. Here in south dakota everybody shoots em bc of the havoc they cause with animals we actually care about.
 
Re: Predator Control and Feral Cats

I like shooting cats. For awhile we had some feral cats that were wondering around and getting in my dog food in the garage. Turns out my dogs like eating pussy almost as much as me. Our team(me and the dogs) killed five of them sorry suckers. I didnt eat them, but my dogs chewed on em.Haven't seen many around since...lol.

If you like your pets safe, keep them at home. I also use .22 shorts out of my Remington Fieldmaster....sounds like a pellet rifle...neighbors are none for the wiser either....lol.