And the nightmare continues...

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True Grit Farms":2x9gzexg said:
Very efficient TT. A dead mexican vulture placed in the open will deter there buddies from sticking around.

Does it actually work though? Heard the same thing about crows up here all my life, but Ill shoot one and hang it in a tree and shortly after more crows will be standing on the same branch checking it out.

Also heard they were some sort of indian spirit bird, but I don't give that much value either.
 
Supa Dexta":2ptothay said:
True Grit Farms":2ptothay said:
Very efficient TT. A dead mexican vulture placed in the open will deter there buddies from sticking around.

Does it actually work though? Heard the same thing about crows up here all my life, but Ill shoot one and hang it in a tree and shortly after more crows will be standing on the same branch checking it out.

Also heard they were some sort of indian spirit bird, but I don't give that much value either.

Early on i tried this. We got permission to shoot them. Got a few and i hung them around.. Did nothing. I even make fake ones, still, nothing. In fact, if i remember right, they ate one i hung up...lol I tried with with a crow also, hung it in the pecan tree we shot him out of...did absolutely nothing..they still came to my yard to peck my nuts...
 
We don't have a dependable dead wagon here. He runs 2 days a week. Do other communities even have one? Keeping the carcasses gone would be a big help. I've got a roost, and the county land fill not far from me. I've got no choice, but fire at will.
 
They probably aren't hard to kill once inside a big sturdy ladder trap.
I guess if a buzzard should 'accidentally' find it's way into one, the proper & legal thing to do is to let it out so it can kill again..........
 
I see more around each year. I know someone who has killed several and he does not often see them around his pastures. Seems to be working for him he just shoots them sss without the shovel.
 
I said nothing about hanging a buzzard up as a decoy, I've never tried that. But a buzzard laid down in the open with the wings spread is a very good deterrent. As for the trap, cattle panels wired together with a few deer carcass inside them work excellent. As for crows and pecan trees, anyone who knows anything about crow hunting knows a crow is the best decoy for attracting crows. And an owl decoy with a couple of crow decoys, and an electronic crow caller, is lots of fun.
I enjoy killing problems, and you can really make alot of head way. But if you start smarting up an animal they get hard to hunt. So don't play.
 
Bigfoot":1w3w6yn5 said:
We don't have a dependable dead wagon here. He runs 2 days a week. Do other communities even have one? Keeping the carcasses gone would be a big help. I've got a roost, and the county land fill not far from me. I've got no choice, but fire at will.

We are fortunate here to have a dead wagon that runs each weekday, and if contacted early enough will come the same day.
I feel bad for you that there is a roost that close to you. There is a huge roost in our city cemetery, have been there close to dark watering flowers on graves, couldn't believe how many buzzards were in those trees and flying in. The way the crow flies it may be 5 miles or so from here. I see several flying by some mornings, I finally figured they were coming from the roost.
 
Dogs and Cows":2gtc6v5e said:
I appreciate all the comments. I will wage the "war" so to speak with these birds. Now I am practically spending all my time at home in the pasture as I have cows to calve yet. Between my wife, myself, and my son...maybe we can salvage this spring. Once again, I appreciate all the thoughts.

Tim


Man, you have 2 things working against you. Nearby hangout and no way to get rid of a dead animal quick. You aren't going to make a dent in them by shooting them. Your only defense is watching and doing what you can to keep them from watching your herd. They are so tricky. I had a cow once have just a tad of trouble and once they see they can creep up on a down cow they go to work. If they can get just one bite on a calf coming out, two days later the calf is all infected. If you don't pay attention to that the birds get what they were after a few days later. Most times they go for heifers because they tend to get all wrapped up in their labor. Let those birds know this and before she knows it they've eaten on her too. They call their friends in that are watching up high, you go out to two dead animals. It's one reason we go for tiny heifer calves. They have to come out fast or if we aren't around it's curtains for that heifers calf.
They will eat a dead friend. Putting dead ones around does not work if you have a bad problem with them. Nothing keeps them away besides showing them there is nothing to eat there. And then they still come around when there is. And what is sad is that I spend my days during calving season plotting against these beast, I know that my success means someone else who isn't watching is losing animals. When I go to the feed stores or vet, you'll hear others telling how many they've lost. I've lost 0 in years. I will not leave a newborn calf with a cow who has not shed her afterbirth. I sit there sometimes for hours waiting.
And as far as shooting them. I live with the best shooters and they are no match for these birds. One here one there, not going to make a difference. What I would like to do is set a dead cow out and set a water bottle filled with tannerite and pennies. Wait 300 yards away and get there before dark so they don't see you hiding. When the hoard comes..........boom!
 

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