Baby Calves and Buzzards

[Bright Raven]

The buzzards were worse yesterday than I have seen in four years. The cows and calves were out on the ridge top enjoying some rare sunshine. The buzzards harrassed them all day. I spent half the day on guard duty.

The cows are clearly aware of the threat. I saw cows running at the buzzards several times.

I have a pre-64 Model 70 Winchester in the .270 calibre. I had it barreled by Ed Shilen of Ennis Texas back about 1985. He might be dead now. A 23 inch stainless steel match grade barrel with cut riflings. A custom fiberglass stock with a beautiful cheek rest. It still can knock the eye out of a buzzard.

 

[Ebenezer]

An article in a farm mag this year said that an effigy of a buzzard cut from a rubber mat and hung in eye view will repel them as far as they can see what they think is one of their own hanging upside down. I have not tried it but folks around here have hung the real thing up years ago and cut down on the problem. Politically correctness has struck again!

 

[callmefence]

Baloney....
A dead buzzard will only attract other buzzards. They will eat the he// outta their own.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Baloney....
A dead buzzard will only attract other buzzards. They will eat the he// outta their own.

Must be a Fenceman's place observation, mine differs. Harassing buzzards where they roost will also run them off.

 

[callmefence]

Baloney....
A dead buzzard will only attract other buzzards. They will eat the he// outta their own.

Must be a Fenceman's place observation, mine differs. Harassing buzzards where they roost will also run them off.

If dead buzzards hanging around don't attract other buzzards, I would make sure their in the woods deep enough to not attract game wardens..... ;-)

 

[Bright Raven]

There is a seedstock Angus Breeder about 5 miles from here. They have a pay lake near their farm. The dead fish people leave around the lake has led to a serious buzzard problem. They kept calling the game warden.

Finally, he told them do whatever they have to, to protect their stock. I don't think there is a game warden in the state of Kentucky who is going to do anything to prosecute producers protecting their cattle.

The buzzards are getting more aggressive. The Black Vultures behavior is more like a bird of prey than a scavenger.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Baloney....
A dead buzzard will only attract other buzzards. They will eat the he// outta their own.

Must be a Fenceman's place observation, mine differs. Harassing buzzards where they roost will also run them off.

If dead buzzards hanging around don't attract other buzzards, I would make sure their in the woods deep enough to not attract game wardens..... ;-)

No cussing on CT, duck season is coming up.

 

[Bright Raven]

Baloney....
A dead buzzard will only attract other buzzards. They will eat the he// outta their own.

I ask the guy who has the Angus farm if he tried hanging up the dead ones. He said they were landing on top of the fence posts where he hung the birds. It don't work here!!!

 

[bird dog]

Harassment is your best bet if they are hanging around waiting (nothing already dead). You really don't even have to kill them, just shoot. I rarely can get close enough for a shotgun even with buck shot but the noise and I guess the pellets flying close to them is enough for them to usually look elsewhere. As true grit said , if you can find where they are roosting in the evening, sneak down there at dusk and unload on them.

 

[OleScout]

Recently a guy a couple of counties East was fined $10,000 for shooting a hawk that was wearing out his quail preserve. After that I called the state Wildlife folks about a permit to take black vultures, I lost three calves to them last year and would have been more if I hadn't been home to keep the off of some others.
State guy said call Fed guy, after talking to 2 Feds finally got the 3rd one with info. Yes I can shoot them after I have exhausted all other ways to run them off BUT I must complete an application, attach a report that Fed guy emailed to me that documents my losses and attempts to discourage them. Send those documents with a check for $100 to a field office in Atlanta where he assured me my permit would be expedited. Then there are numerous reports that must be completed and filed whether you shoot one or not. I do not need nor want to put myself on their radar.
So I'm back to 3 S's and hope I don't get reported.

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

It's wrong to not be able to protect your livestock. I'm south enough in Michigan that I don't have much that threatens calves, but the UP has wolves to deal with.

 

[Bright Raven]

There are no dead calves. I dispose of all my placentas. In fact, I think I got everyone but one this year.

I have to wonder if they just hang out because it is common for producers to lose calves thus rewarding them with a prize - as in, the early bird catches the worm.

I do notice this and it is the first time I have discovered this - they are eating the calf feces!

 

[OleScout]

These calves were born alive and well, the buzzards pecked their eyes out and killed them!!!
I saw one of them up nursing. When I came back the ole cow was fighting the buzzards and the calf was fresh killed.

 

[JMJ Farms]

These calves were born alive and well, the buzzards pecked their eyes out and killed them!!!
I saw one of them up nursing. When I came back the ole cow was fighting the buzzards and the calf was fresh killed.

I've seen this numerous times. Hasn't been as bad the last couple of years.

My theory is do what you need to do and keep quiet. Loose lips sink ships. Never seen a reason to kiss and tell myself.

 

[Lucky_P]

Plenty of buzzards here - both turkey and Mexican. I watch closely, but have not had an issue(yet) with them attacking calves or cows calving. We do remove placenta if we find it or the cow doesn't eat it pdq.
But... some days, early on during the calving season, they mob up and spend the bulk of the day sailing in and out, walking around the pasture eating calf poop. The cows mostly just ignore them.
But... let a cattle egret sail in and alight... they'll chase that sucker right out of the pasture. Several years back, they caught a great blue heron that was, I guess, fishing one of the stock tanks, and was too slow getting up in the air... and trampled him to death.

 

[Ky hills]

Plenty of buzzards here - both turkey and Mexican. I watch closely, but have not had an issue(yet) with them attacking calves or cows calving. We do remove placenta if we find it or the cow doesn't eat it pdq.
But... some days, early on during the calving season, they mob up and spend the bulk of the day sailing in and out, walking around the pasture eating calf poop. The cows mostly just ignore them.
But... let a cattle egret sail in and alight... they'll chase that sucker right out of the pasture. Several years back, they caught a great blue heron that was, I guess, fishing one of the stock tanks, and was too slow getting up in the air... and trampled him to death.

Those blue herons are slow even when they get up in the air flying, watched one take off and fly and wondered how they can just looks illogical to me. I found one dead on a pond bank, part on the ground and part in the water, I figured that a turtle got a hold of it. We have had some trouble with buzzards in years past, and always a concern that I have. They seem to always be around like you say earlier in the year there were a lot more flying around, now just see one or two flying high up. The ones earlier would swoop down close to the ground and go back up, and sometimes several would be walking around on the ground, I went several times to see what they might have been after, but didn't see anything.

 

[NEFarmwife]

Last year was the first year we've ever had fall calving. We never had issues with buzzards up until then. Had to stop banning our bull calves at birth because of them. That greatly reduced the problem. The buzzards would attack their sacks.

 

[Midtenn]

Baloney....
A dead buzzard will only attract other buzzards. They will eat the he// outta their own.

I ask the guy who has the Angus farm if he tried hanging up the dead ones. He said they were landing on top of the fence posts where he hung the birds. It don't work here!!!

Really? I've seen it work here. Not supposed to shoot them , but Put up a pole with some wire and some stupid buzzard will fly in and get tangled and hang himself.

 

[5S Cattle]

Plenty of buzzards here - both turkey and Mexican. I watch closely, but have not had an issue(yet) with them attacking calves or cows calving. We do remove placenta if we find it or the cow doesn't eat it pdq.
But... some days, early on during the calving season, they mob up and spend the bulk of the day sailing in and out, walking around the pasture eating calf poop. The cows mostly just ignore them.
But... let a cattle egret sail in and alight... they'll chase that sucker right out of the pasture. Several years back, they caught a great blue heron that was, I guess, fishing one of the stock tanks, and was too slow getting up in the air... and trampled him to death.

What kind of cattle?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Talking about buzzards. We have always had red headed buzzards here. They are a good scavenger. But, this fall, everytime I have a cow even "thinking" about going into labor, buzzards have been circling our field. Can they smell?
During one of my trips up into the field to check a calving cow, I noticed a group on the ground and then noticed 3 others in a different area. The big group had red heads - the other 3 had BLACK heads. Is that what you call a black buzzard?
Sure hope not, don't want predator vultures around here.