[Jacob-list] Jacob-list Digest, Vol 101, Issue 13

[Joan Gross]

Karen,

I kind of feel like an "almost-an-expert" in the area of predator attacks.
We've had four mountain lions, various coyote attacks, and domestic dog
attacks here in the far northern reaches of California.  I have seen coyote
kills that leave almost no trace but some shards of bone and bits of wool.
Usually that would be from a young lamb (smaller amount of meat) and/or
attacked by a larger number of coyotes mostly due to having pups.  If you
still have a carcass, most of the time the rear end and some of the insides
would be eaten out and the rest is left until they come back again perhaps
the following night.

A mountian lion kill would show a large drag trail (especially if the kill
was a considerable size, such as an adult) and you would find the carcass
stuffed in near by bushes and mostly covered wtih leaves/needles/dirt.
They lions will eat a bit of the fresh kill then bury it to keep it fresh
and come back the following night to chew on it some more.  Once the
carcass starts to rot, the lion won't be interested.  They only like fresh
meat.

If I was in your shoes, I would call out your department of fish & game and
they can usually do some investigating as to what the predator was.  They
can then put you contact with a federal trapper who can come set snares (if
coyotes) or bring in the hounds to hunt the lion.  You need to call them
immediately as the fresh "crime scene" is most helpful with investigating -
and scent is fresh for the hounds too.  If you have the fish & game out,
keep animals away from the carcass so you can keep the scent fresh.  Keep
dogs away.

I'm sorry for you losses - I can certainly sympathize.  I've lost some of
my favorites too.

Joan Gross
Mud Ranch Jacobs



> Message: 1

> Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 22:40:51 -0500

> From: "Karen Askounis" <kaskounis at threefatesjacobs.com>

> Subject: [Jacob-list] predator question

> To: <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>

> Message-ID: <000001cd9d2b$12527200$36f75600$@com>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

>

> For those of you who have lost sheep to coyotes is it common to have almost

> nothing remaining after the attack? I have lost two ram lambs (one at a

> time) - the first one simply was gone without a trace! No blood, no wool,

> no

> wool or hair over or under fences - nothing. The second one - as is usually

> the case - my most favorite sheep of all time L - found one piece of hide,

> some bits of wool, his tail, no blood anywhere in pasture, again no wool or

> hair on any exterior fences. These were ram lambs about 6 months old. They

> were in with a donkey. Not sure if I should be mad at the donkey or happy

> he

> kept losses to one lamb each time. This pasture had a hot wire across the

> top but no lower predator hot wire (until last weekend, after the fact of

> course). There were a few spots where the ground had washed away a bit

> under

> the fence leaving some space under the fence where I figure they got in.

> Does this sound like a pack of coyotes or should I be looking for something

> else? We are in north eastern Illinois. Not sure what other predators to be

> thinking of.

>

>

>

> On a slightly different subject - does anyone think sheep with un-docked

> tails are easier for predators to catch??

>

>

>

> Karen Askounis

>

> Three Fates Farm

>

> Crete, IL

>

> kaskounis at threefatesjacobs.com

>

>

>

>

> --

> Joan Gross

> www.mudranchjacobs.weebly.com

> www.mudranch.com

> www.facebook.com/mudranch

>

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