#&@% Buzzards

[Ky hills]

I had been seeing them flying over in pretty good numbers over the winter and it had me worried. They had been flying straight over of a morning and evening then circling around at various times of the day. We hadn't had any problem for a few years but hadn't seen those numbers since then either, I think there is another roost somewhere close. They got a day old calf last week, then this morning had a young heifer and new calf surrounded. I chased them away. The heifer was standing right by and almost over her calf and another heifer that's kind of temperamental and with about a two week old calf was trying to run them off too but wasn't successful they just would hop away a little and then move closer to the cow and new calf. Just a warning these things are bad.

 

[Brute 23]

Do they do this out in open fields?

I'm really curious because I have never seen this and have never heard of any one having issues. Most our calves are born in the brush though and the buzzards domt like going in there.

 

[chaded]

Are you talking about black headed vultures? I have a policy regarding them here but I don't talk about said policy.

 

[Ky hills]

Do they do this out in open fields?

I'm really curious because I have never seen this and have never heard of any one having issues. Most our calves are born in the brush though and the buzzards domt like going in there.

Yes it's in the open. We don't have many wooded areas for them and if so it's deciduous trees mainly.

 

[Ky hills]

Are you talking about black headed vultures? I have a policy regarding them here but I don't talk about said policy.

Yes that them. We are definitely going to have to do something.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

We battle them too Ky Hills. I wish you the best.

SSS

 

[kentuckyguy]

17 HMR works well. And they will even go in the woods after calves here.
Last year a cow had a calf down in brush I could hardly walk through. When I found them the vultures were eating the afterbirth and the cow was standing directly over the calf.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have heard tell of buzzard traps.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I have heard tell of buzzard traps.

I remember learning about those traps a long time ago but I never got around to building one. The biggest change I made was prohibiting hunting over bait for coyotes and removing all carcasses as quickly as possible.

 

[FlyingLSimmentals]

Yes they're terrible here too. Try to keep the dead trees cut, old buildings done away with, carcasses and afterbirth disposed of, and keep the SSS going.

 

[CSM]

The SSS is good but its better to shoot, hang one up, and shut up.

 

[callmefence]

Do they do this out in open fields?

I'm really curious because I have never seen this and have never heard of any one having issues. Most our calves are born in the brush though and the buzzards domt like going in there.

Same. And we have alot of buzzards. Turkey, Mexican and the Mexican eagle. I can't say I've ever seen a dead calf I could blame on them. We calve in the cedars, I'm sure that helps. Maybe enough dead deer on the roadside to keep them full.?

 

[bird dog]

Disrupt their pattern anyway you can. Shoot at them even if you can't hit them. Use duck loads. Find out where their evening roost is and blast away right at dusk. As CSM said, hang one up or lay it out on the ground spread winged.

 

[ccr]

We used to calve in open fields by barn, but this year calved in pasture with brush and trees. Put a scope on a 22 and sighted in at 100 yards with a 3" to 4" group. At times they will be within a few feet of cows. We just shoot a little ways away from them and scares them off for time being.

FlyingLSimmentals has some good suggestions. Hadn't thought about getting rid of dead trees (they sure enough hang our there). What is SSS?

 

[Brute 23]

Do they do this out in open fields?

I'm really curious because I have never seen this and have never heard of any one having issues. Most our calves are born in the brush though and the buzzards domt like going in there.

Same. And we have alot of buzzards. Turkey, Mexican and the Mexican eagle. I can't say I've ever seen a dead calf I could blame on them. We calve in the cedars, I'm sure that helps. Maybe enough dead deer on the roadside to keep them full.?

Ya it's very interesting to me. We have those huge power lines that go thru one place and they roost on them.

I've noticed before when cows die in the brush the buzzards dont go in after them. I've seen the same things with hogs in corn. The buzzards dont go in and eat them either.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Do they do this out in open fields?

I'm really curious because I have never seen this and have never heard of any one having issues. Most our calves are born in the brush though and the buzzards domt like going in there.

Same. And we have alot of buzzards. Turkey, Mexican and the Mexican eagle. I can't say I've ever seen a dead calf I could blame on them. We calve in the cedars, I'm sure that helps. Maybe enough dead deer on the roadside to keep them full.?

Ya it's very interesting to me. We have those huge power lines that go thru one place and they roost on them.

I've noticed before when cows die in the brush the buzzards dont go in after them. I've seen the same things with hogs in corn. The buzzards dont go in and eat them either.

They do here, and this isn't called the Big Thicket for no reason. Had them coming in after this heifer the other day.




I was moving them out of the woods to pasture where I could sit in deer stand and watch them.

 

[Cress27]

Are you talking about black headed vultures? I have a policy regarding them here but I don't talk about said policy.

Yes that them. We are definitely going to have to do something.

Man always needs a scatter gun close by and a 17hmr I've got a buddy that's declared war on them suckers

 

[insurman]

Are you talking about black headed vultures? I have a policy regarding them here but I don't talk about said policy.

You and me both...I carried out said policy with a vengeance two weekends ago.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Are you talking about black headed vultures? I have a policy regarding them here but I don't talk about said policy.

Yes that them. We are definitely going to have to do something.

Man always needs a scatter gun close by and a 17hmr I've got a buddy that's declared war on them suckers

Good luck in your offensive as we are not winning here. They need to be eradicated. The old turkey buzzard serves a purpose, the Mexican Vulture is as bad as hogs IMO.

 

[Ky hills]

Yes that them. We are definitely going to have to do something.

Man always needs a scatter gun close by and a 17hmr I've got a buddy that's declared war on them suckers

Good luck in your offensive as we are not winning here. They need to be eradicated. The old turkey buzzard serves a purpose, the Mexican Vulture is as bad as hogs IMO.

From what I have seen the black headed ones have pretty much replaced the turkey buzzards. Hardly ever see a turkey buzzard anymore. I also think that the black vultures are more predators than scavengers. They should not be included in any kind of protective status. They should have the same status as hogs.