Something got into one of my fawn pens last night tore up one of my bottle babies pretty good. Since it rained theres no tracks or anything to identify the attacker by except a few tooth marks the size of hairbrush bristles. It almost looks like something tried to drag her under the gate... We got the wounds treated and all but my concern now not knowing what attacked her is rabies... Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Any suggestions would be appreciated... Thanks
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Steven, did you vacinate with a 8 way shot at birth? If so i believe that would cover the rabies.... So when was these fawns born? Didn't know anyone had fawns on the ground yet ...
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Steven.......I have never had this problem before.........I'm sure you know now that you need to make sure the fawn pen is basically inpenetrable......nothing able to get in or out! You cab bet whatever it was will be back again.......you could even have a stray cat being the culprit who knows.........a good box trap will help answer that question.....firts thing first though.......get those babies protected......batten down the hatches!!
Theyre last years fawns, we didnt give an 8 way at birth and most of the pens are pretty tight to the ground. Theyre the only bottle babies on that side of the perimeter. We did put a 4 yr old bottle raised in there a couple of weeks ago to be a good motherly influence because some of these girls will fawn this year. The two gentlest ones were the ones attacked worst. Vet just called and said I could give her the rabies vaccine now so I'm headed to pick it up....
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Oh so these are yearlings we are talking about.......geez thats different......I'd think about getting an electric fence up around the pen.......
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I see a long night with a hot drink , comfortable chair , good book and a flat shooting rifle
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We have bear near us that can go right up posts, but I would think bob cat or couger if you have them in your area and yes deer can get rabies.
Did you take pictures of the punture wounds?
Here in PA we can recoop the cost of lost deer due to coyotes.
I would run electric or be out all night...It will be back.
Did you take pictures of the punture wounds?
Here in PA we can recoop the cost of lost deer due to coyotes.
I would run electric or be out all night...It will be back.
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live oak,
coyote, bobcat, cougar... what other predetors are there in your part of texas..... fox are not aggressive to attack a yearling,.... chupacabre??? What else is big enough to drag a yearling that is still alive and kicking and didn't hurt the deer enough that it wouldn't recover from it's wounds????
coyote, bobcat, cougar... what other predetors are there in your part of texas..... fox are not aggressive to attack a yearling,.... chupacabre??? What else is big enough to drag a yearling that is still alive and kicking and didn't hurt the deer enough that it wouldn't recover from it's wounds????
Looking at the bite marks we're figuring a bobcat. We got her dressed up pretty good and feeling better, the other two have minor injuries compared to her. We've tried electric fence in the past but it wasnt dependable. Its real rocky and very little moisture in the ground most of the time, unless you hit the wire close to the box the charge was very minimal. Theyre coming yearlings, but around here the babies are fawns until my wife has a new set to call fawns..... Moved them to an interior pen thats a little bigger and left a couple alleys open for tonight. I'm thinking about 5 am heading over with a squealing rabbit and a thunderstick.
It looks like she kicked her way free, luckily there wasnt any puncture wounds in the cavity area, most of the major damage was to her legs and the fleshy part under her shoulder.
It looks like she kicked her way free, luckily there wasnt any puncture wounds in the cavity area, most of the major damage was to her legs and the fleshy part under her shoulder.
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Puncture wounds get infected easy so you will have to watch...I would hit with antibiotics. They close on top quick and don't allow them to drain well.
She got draxxin, banamine, and b complex. I was contemplating some ace but her breathing came back to normal and she gave a few good signs as far as flicking her tail and nudging me with her nose so I figured she had calmed down enough to know what was going on. she also got up a few times to eat and drink. I'll probly bump her again tomorrow with banamine. on the draxxin I gave her 1cc im and 1/2 cc sq just in case I couldnt get a needle in her for a few days after all the prodding and needles she took today.... may not make a difference but better safe than sorry at a time like that....
meant to say too the only wound we closed(wrapped) was on her leg that was cut to the bone on both sides. The rest we packed with antibiotic cream twice today. The sisterhood is doing a good job of keeping her wounds clean for her but I feel better packing them with ointment.
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what about a large live trap,.... temporary live trap and a trail camera, sometimes it's just good to know whats out there so you can make the right decisions on dealing with intruders
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Sounds like you are doing great.
I just meant if the tooth went in you may need to pick the scab off in a few days on the punture wound and squeeze the puss out ...The infection could go down and blow her hoof out....that can be a long hard fight.
Best of luck...like you don't have enough to worry about in fawning season
I just meant if the tooth went in you may need to pick the scab off in a few days on the punture wound and squeeze the puss out ...The infection could go down and blow her hoof out....that can be a long hard fight.
Best of luck...like you don't have enough to worry about in fawning season
Looks like it is a pretty good sized bobcat. Havent killed him yet but did find a track quarter mile from the pens today at a water hole. I'm trying to find a couple of bantam roosters for the big live traps, I talked to old timer today that said that was the best bait to catch a bobcat in a trap.
Rick,
On the double wire electric how would you set it so the animal would hit both wires at the same time with out going over or under?
She seems to be doing fine. Luckily she is probably the calmest bottle baby we have and can go over her with a fine tooth comb, which my wife has done 3 times today so far.
BJ,
Would you pick all the punture wound scabs in a few days? Drain them, clean em, then put antibiotic cream in? We've packed all the wounds with antibiotic cream several times so far and are trying to keep it in there.
Its been a hell of a time around here, we've still got turkey hunters coming and going, fawns coming soon, it seems like something like this always happens at the busiest times. Thanks for all the suggestions and help.
Rick,
On the double wire electric how would you set it so the animal would hit both wires at the same time with out going over or under?
She seems to be doing fine. Luckily she is probably the calmest bottle baby we have and can go over her with a fine tooth comb, which my wife has done 3 times today so far.
BJ,
Would you pick all the punture wound scabs in a few days? Drain them, clean em, then put antibiotic cream in? We've packed all the wounds with antibiotic cream several times so far and are trying to keep it in there.
Its been a hell of a time around here, we've still got turkey hunters coming and going, fawns coming soon, it seems like something like this always happens at the busiest times. Thanks for all the suggestions and help.
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Definatetly feel for heat on the leg...Pick the deepest one and check it if it looks good maybe your ok its hard to tell without seeing
Maybe just lift one side and see in infection/puss comes out but leave as much of the scab as you can, but I would stay on top of it.
Maybe just lift one side and see in infection/puss comes out but leave as much of the scab as you can, but I would stay on top of it.
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you would have to put it above or below the hot wire mabe space just 6" apart not sure of best way but there are several ways of doing this, you can also attch ground to your fence and if your hot wire is 6"-10" out from fence most likely he will get hit
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Leg traps work well. The best way to set one for cats is to take 3 traps and place them in a triangle about 12" from each other. Try to position the trap area close to a game trail. Take a piece of string, tie it to an overhanging limb, and tie a couple of white feathers to it hanging about 24" off the ground in the center of the triangle of traps. Cats cannot resist the feathers twirling in the wind. After setting the traps, cover them with very loose dirt to conceal them from the cat's view. Be sure to wear rubber boots and latex gloves to prevent leaving any of your scent on the traps or feathers, etc. In a day or two, if there is a cat in the area, then you will find it in the trap(s). Remember, leg traps are indiscremenant devices and dogs or pigs or any other animals in the area may fall victim to them. When you go to check the trap, be sure you ALWAYS have a rifle or shotgun. A cat in a trap will attack you if he panics and pulls loose from the bindings. Oh yea...........don't use the leg traps with those PETA approved rubber coated jaws. Use the ones with serated teeth to get a good hold on whatever you catch.
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Liveoak, From what you have said it most likely was a Bobcat. Lucky it wasn't able to get ahold of the neck. Try putting a 2ft mesh wire apron around your pens and tie the apron to the mesh wire fence and attach the ground to the apron that way you don't have to rely on mosture for the elect to work.