RDFF
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Buzzards killing mature cows
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RDFF
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Black Vulture Kills Increasing in Ohio
Black Vultures Wreaking Havoc In Southern Indiana
"We're used to having vultures," Foster said. "The vultures eat the afterbirth, and we're used to them because of that. The black vultures have become aggressive. This morning when I left home, there were probably 50 sitting on a fence, just sitting there watching. It's crazy. They've become so aggressive that they're actually sitting in the herd with our cows. What they're doing is sitting on the back of a very healthy cow who is laying down, and the vulture is just eating their skin."
Black Buzzards Get Another Heifer and Calf
Cows defending calf from Buzzards
Black Vultures Wreaking Havoc In Southern Indiana
"We're used to having vultures," Foster said. "The vultures eat the afterbirth, and we're used to them because of that. The black vultures have become aggressive. This morning when I left home, there were probably 50 sitting on a fence, just sitting there watching. It's crazy. They've become so aggressive that they're actually sitting in the herd with our cows. What they're doing is sitting on the back of a very healthy cow who is laying down, and the vulture is just eating their skin."
Black Buzzards Get Another Heifer and Calf
Cows defending calf from Buzzards
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50/50Farms
Well-known member
Damn, seems like the northern areas are starting to get it almost worse than further south... I wonder why they'd be so after cattle with all the road and winter killed game up there? I've only seen them bad, bad down here in the warm months when the throwaways, gutpiles, and winter killed stuff dries up.
Still, somebody mentioned using a shotgun. It is worth noting that CCI Quiet out of a rimfire is a better option for "scaring" them.
Still, somebody mentioned using a shotgun. It is worth noting that CCI Quiet out of a rimfire is a better option for "scaring" them.
Travlr
Well-known member
It's beginning to sound like those making the rules about what can and cannot be shot need a vulture killed carcass dumped in their meeting room.
RDFF
Well-known member
Certainly doesn't look to me like that cow or calf are "almost dead"... in that last video I posted. Guess I just have to hope that the cold this far north will keep this riff-raff away!
Take a look at this... wouldn't be much left of that calf in the last video, if they'd gotten him down with Momma worn out.
Vultures Swoop In On Red Deere, Gone in 60 Seconds
Take a look at this... wouldn't be much left of that calf in the last video, if they'd gotten him down with Momma worn out.
Vultures Swoop In On Red Deere, Gone in 60 Seconds
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50/50Farms
Well-known member
It's a civics exam, don't ya know? Those who need a petition or sign off for their rights don't really have them. When the times call for it, do what's right and don't look back. The only person who can tell on you and prove it is yourself.
Travlr
Well-known member
This is a case of everyone waiting for someone else to do something... and in the meantime the population of vultures multiplies until the situation gets much more difficult to control. The more birds there are, the more urban people there will be to say they should be left alone. Vegans and animal rights advocates are eating this stuff up. It works right into their agenda to make meat eating look bad.
The birds might be smart enough to learn... if there are consequences. But really, the only permanent solution is to limit their numbers. I'd have to say that the best solution would be to identify their rookeries, their nests, and midnight raid their eggs until they leave the area.
50/50Farms
Well-known member
Many folks who live in their new native range might be a little more proactive than you think, they just won't readily say anything too incriminating. The permits are azz, they hinge upon your problem and the duration of the permit overlapping. Ime you just dose one up everytime one makes for a pretty target. I've sat for hours under the shade of a pine daring them off of downed critters with a 20 gauge. I drove past a cow pasture near Taft, Tennessee the other day and there were some laying deader'n a can of corned beef.
Travlr
Well-known member
Shooting them is a solution, but I wonder about how it affects population numbers year to year. The larger the group of birds, it seems, the more aggressive they get.
Ky hills
Well-known member
Problem is here a lot of the darn things roost in town and on properties that you can't go on without being a trespasser,
For years some trees in our city's cemetery has been a roosting area for a huge population of them. Late every evening the sky is full of them coming to roost there.
You'd think that would be embarrassing to folks and they try to do something about it, but no. A utility substation is home to another big group. I've also seen a an even bigger gathering of them around the national forest area in the next county over.
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50/50Farms
Well-known member
Well, it's like anything else. Man tries to both control things by shooting and also limits the shooting. Enough folks and guns can blast anything off to hell or back into its native range, you just have to facilitate the doing. Ask the plover or the Carolina parakeet among others. I see no reason for the things to be up here, especially as they are more aggressive than native carrion birds and only gregarious so that they may use them to locate food.
I've lost two cows. We are overrun with buzzards and Mexican eagles.
One got calf head out but too weak to fight. Been in labor a long time when I found her. Ate calf eyes out and her back end. Died from pain before I could get back with gun.
Another dropped calf but prolapse. Was Saturday evening and couldn't get her away from calf to get her away from them so could sell her Monday morning. They stayed after her till they got her down. Lost both. Thank you animal rights org!
crossbreed
Well-known member
It's interesting to really watch them circle while honing in on the smell till they find the dead animal
crossbreed
Well-known member
Or maybe that fresh calf with its eyes and rear gone
50/50Farms
Well-known member
I've seen turkey vultures do it. I have no way to say if the black headed ones are sniffing or just surfing thermals and sight hunting. I've had them loom over me while I'm posted up hunting before, so who knows? Let me know what one says other than "hiss" when you ask it.
Ky hills
Well-known member
My understanding is that the black buzzards can't smell and that turkey vultures can. From what I u derstand the black buzzards will sometimes follow the turkey buzzards to a carcass and then run them off. That would be logical as years ago we use to see both at carcasses. Now hardly ever see any turkey vultures.
About any time you look around here you are subject to see a black buzzard. They will frequently swoop down very close to calves laying down.
Used to be when you saw buzzard's circling it was a sign of something already dead. Now with the black buzzards it's an every day occurrence to see them circle. They are opportunistic they will eat carrion if they find it, or they will turn to predation if the the opportunity arises.
About any time you look around here you are subject to see a black buzzard. They will frequently swoop down very close to calves laying down.
Used to be when you saw buzzard's circling it was a sign of something already dead. Now with the black buzzards it's an every day occurrence to see them circle. They are opportunistic they will eat carrion if they find it, or they will turn to predation if the the opportunity arises.
Dusty Britches
Well-known member
My old Lacy dog will chase buzzards off and wait around the cows for them to return. Ive seen him leap over baby calves to get the buzzards in the air.
One time i saw easily 75 birds in the pasture and a coyote. I just knew that momma had lost the calf but when we approached my dog ran the buzzards off and the calf was unharmed. Momma got her baby up and my dog and I escorted them to the thick cedar tree thickets. The buzzards circled until we got to the trees. Im gonna miss this old dog when his time comes for the last journey.
One time i saw easily 75 birds in the pasture and a coyote. I just knew that momma had lost the calf but when we approached my dog ran the buzzards off and the calf was unharmed. Momma got her baby up and my dog and I escorted them to the thick cedar tree thickets. The buzzards circled until we got to the trees. Im gonna miss this old dog when his time comes for the last journey.
crossbreed
Well-known member
I have watched exactly what you described. Shot a coyote, threw him in field near tre line, set up my pop up blind in tree line and waited. Red heads circled and found him and blacks ran them off.
