Problems With Vultures and Raccoons

I am wondering if any of my fellow deer farmers have ever had the same problems we have with vultures and raccoons. Last year, one of our newborn fawns was yanked through the fence by a raccoon and began eating upon it. Then, also last year, our Albino Doe had 2 fully Albino Buck fawns and they were both literally eaten alive by vultures not even an hour after they were born.



We have Ok'd it with the Game Warden to set raccoon traps on our ranch, and have been trapping raccoons all fawn season long. Now how to deal with the buzzards? Luckily we have not had any problems with them this year, but we still have a few pregnant Does and we are still concerned. We see them soaring low overhead, almost as though they are searching for newborn fawns.

We have never had a problem with vultures and fawns. They do circle over but we've never had any attack fawns. We have plenty of raccoons that we trap continually but never had a fawn attacked by them either. Another thing you can do for the raccoons is set out, in a safe place, Blue Malrin fly poison, mixed with Coke. They don't get very far from the poison before they're dead.

While I was out feeding I had an eagle or what I think was an eagle take a fawn just a couple day's ago.

Shoot everyone of them!

Of course that would be illegal. The best thing you can do for newborn fawns is get them in a safe place. If you saw the Keith Warren show, I think we talked about the plastic barrels we use for fawns. We place them around the edge of the pen and fill them with hay. Fawns tend to walk around the perimeter of the pen and they will often lay in these barrels. If the birds can't see them they can't catch them. Also, we aren't mowing the grass in our pens - that high grass is a good hiding spot for newborns. We have the most trouble with the early fawns before the grass grows up. Eagles and vultures will definitely pick up fawns. An adult raccoon will as well - so set your traps. They can be live traps if you are afraid of catching your cat or something. You have to be on top of it at all times. You can place those newborn fawns into a barrel and they will stay there - something else we do.

Seems like black vultures are worse then turkey vultures. Here in western NY the raccoons are like little bears and definitely take fawns. Baited 5 gallon buckets guarded with a trap will target ***** only, with the odd feral cat or possum possible. ***** definitely know when its fawn season at an established farm...we caught few all year, then 11 in 5 days just at fawning.

Since a bald eagle flew over my pens and almost landed on the top of the house last Dec. I have been watching them. I see them on average about twice a week. If I was located just a few miles to the west I am sure I would be having problems with newborn fawns. When I see them hunting they usually follow a route from a lake I am east of to a river where I believe they nest at.



Somewhere about three weeks ago I watched a fawn get eaten by three fast growing young eagles on a nest with a camera that sends a live feed to a website. All that was left in 15 minutes was one hind leg. I would like to thank my mother for the heads up on this since she was the one who watches these websites with eagles, loons, and other non-game wildlife and brought it to my attention. These three young raptors will be leaving the nest anyday now and ready to hunt the late newborn fawn crop. These eagles are raccoons with wings and you have to do what you can to protect your fawns since they are held on a different level than a mangy raccoon. - Joe

Ask your local power company to install some windmills in your area. I hear they are killing eagles by the hundreds with them.

If your pens aren't too large, one thing we used to do to discourage hawks from eating our chuickens was place some taught fishing line from the top of one fence to the top of another. If you have very large pens, put them caddycorner. Something to do with the hawks or eagles being able to see the line, but not really since it is almost clear. They try to avoid getting injured. And a flashlight and a .22 keeps racoons away.....(wink)

My bet is usually eagles feeding on fawns are roadkills, as eagles are notorious scavengers, not to mention that in most areas fish make up a large percentage of their diet, thus the proximity to waterways. To avoid an argument, Im not saying they never would, just that fawns simply are not high on the menu.

NYBill, I am not argueing, but my buddy who lived in wyoming most of his life and was a guide and avid hunter has seen many times eagles killing goat kids, lambs and even the occasional calf. If it is there, they will eat it, and in an open pen, the fawns are easy pickins for them.

First put out the marlin for the ***** and give them a good dose.After the **** dies leave the the **** out in the open so the vultures can get down to it.That stuff has enough of a punch that it will kill the bird also.

Thanks for the input and advice, everyone. That barrel trick sounds like a splendid idea. Because a lot of times our fawns will look for cover and hide in the corner right up against the fence posts, and the ***** will grab them and literally yank and force them through the fence and start gnawing on them, if not simply climb up and go through the fence and wreak midnight havoc on the entire herd.



We have been trapping raccoons like crazy this fawn season. Luckily we have not lost any fawns to raccoons yet this year, but that is probably only because we have been trapping them.



Ironically enough, just today we had vultures circling overhead and one actually landed on one of the fence posts. I got out there right away and sure enough, one of our Does had 2 little newborn Buck fawns. I would like to be able to shoot them. In fact, I just bought a new Mossberg 500 shotgun on Tuesday that could use some testing out. However, obviously, I can't. I may actually have to call the Game Warden. Because the vultures are getting too close for comfort, and we still have 3 Does yet to have their fawns. If the Game Warden can't OK it, then I guess I'm just going to have to keep on top of things and keep an eye peeled.



Vultures can and will attack fawns, as will Hawks and Eagles. In fact, I looked it up and I found that vultures will attack animals anywhere from the size of a field mouse to the size of a large raccoon or 'possum, and they will actually begin to eat the animals alive. Pretty gruesome. These are predatory birds. They are not your typical Sunday morning song-singing birds. We have had our chickens taken by Hawks. I have witnessed one of my buddy's chickens being snatched off of the ground and that was the end of that. Will have to keep my eyes peeled, because it's not worth losing fawns to these birds.

Smoking_44, you are right. I am from Casper, Wyoming where my dad worked at a cattle/sheep ranch for several years. Eagles, especially Golden Eagles, are everywhere in Wyoming and they will attack and kill even calves and sheep. My Uncle runs a large Buffalo and Cattle Ranch in Douglas, Wyoming and he has had Golden Eagles team up on and kill newborn calves. In fact, I think in foreign countries folks actually train Eagles and Hawks to fly off their arm and literally chase down animals such as foxes and kill them. It is quite amazing what these birds can do!

My buddy lived in saratoga and Casper too if im not mistaken. HIs name was Doug Schmidt and his wife is Diane S.

I sure hope you all understand the spirit of my comments. Western golden eagles and eastern bald eagles are apples to oranges for the sake of debate. Heck, in western europe hunters hunt wolves on horseback with golden eagles, check it out on utube its cool as heck. Like I said, Im not saying they dont take fawns, just that its not the norm. I also never said not to take precautions.



See, in this day in age where antis and law enforcement routinely review our sites and message boards like these, some of us talk somewhat low key and vaguely about how it might not be that particular predatory bird thats a problem, so that theres less discussion about eliminating the problem. Otherwise, every vulture that hangs out on your fence poles to dry out every morning, or every hawk or eagle thats eating its share of rats or feed eating squirrels around your place will also be blamed for every fawn loss too. The people who review these threads also know what S.S.S. means, no kidding. And they also have access to your farm name and can pose as a fellow farmer to get your additional info.



So, trapping these ***** with buckets and conibears where legal really is a good idea prior to fawn season or with a nuisance permit during the spring. An occasional passby along the perimeter fence in the vehicle or with the dog helps keep birds of prey visiting elsewhere on the average size farm.

deer rancher said:

Smoking_44, you are right. I am from Casper, Wyoming where my dad worked at a cattle/sheep ranch for several years. Eagles, especially Golden Eagles, are everywhere in Wyoming and they will attack and kill even calves and sheep. My Uncle runs a large Buffalo and Cattle Ranch in Douglas, Wyoming and he has had Golden Eagles team up on and kill newborn calves. In fact, I think in foreign countries folks actually train Eagles and Hawks to fly off their arm and literally chase down animals such as foxes and kill them. It is quite amazing what these birds can do!

Click to expand...

Mongolians sik their golden eagles on wolfs. seen it on you tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWFtWzFbXCY

Yeah, that's it. I saw that on youtube a while ago...



NYBill, I understand what you are getting at, but I haven't done anything illegal. I have checked with the Game Warden and he has granted us permission to trap raccoons and 'possums around the ranch. But the point is that, at least around my deer ranch, these birds are almost constantly hanging around, seemingly monitoring each deer pasture. And with what happened to our 2 Albino Buck fawns last year, we are extremely concerned with these birds this year.



There's a fine line between jumping to conclusions and assuming that every fawn death was caused by these birds, and actually catching them in the act, watching these birds literally eat your fawns alive.



I would classify these birds just as someone else did above. They are raccoons, coyotes, may even go as far as to classify them as wolves, with wings. And if you aren't mindful of what they will do, it can cost you BIG time like it did us last year.

Bill you are right that alot of folks with bad intensions read our posts to see what dirty work they can do with them.I have came to the point that if you have trouble on your place do what you have to do to solve the problem without a word spoken.There are alot of people that dont want deer farming so they could care less if you have a problem.There are enough problems to deal with that will kill your deer ie..Dogs,bears,yotes,helicopters flyin low,neighbors,and the list could go on and on.

Just wanted to mention on the barrels - we use plastic barrels and cut both ends off so the fawns can go right through if they want. They are more likely to go in if they can see daylight on the other end. We also put a stake in the ground next to the barrel to hold it tight to the fence so it doesn't move around. Then we put hay inside and even on top if need be to wedge it tight.



Too bad you won't get our TV show - the third episode is what we call P & P - pests and predators. We talk about the different things we do in the spring to reduce both.