Cougars! In Michigan!

[stormy]

Need some ideas from you Westerners, what can I do to keep my horses safe against cougars??? There have been at least 2 full size horses killed and several attacks on livestock and now my neighbor got a photo of one chasing a deer in the woods near my farm!!! This is in south west Michigan, not a wilderness area! Help!!

 

[Shari]

In All honesty,, you would need a strong 8' tall fence with hot wire on the outside of the fence.

A charger that is rated for cougars. As per what Fish & Game told me.

We have a cougar,, or should say Cougars here that have been major problems. Also killing big horses and other livestock.

My minis are in at night. But the Big riding ponies stay out near the house. One of them will not go into a stall anyway.

I have 4 lines of hot wire, with a charger that is rated for cougars for the big riding poines. These chargers are not cheap but well worth it.

Right now I am home most everyday so I can keep an eye on everyone. If we go out,, they stay by the house.

I will as we can afford it be re fencing the rest of the property and adding that 8' tall fencing just around the 2 acre night pasture so I have a"Safe" area as soon as we can. Will give me a little more piece of mind.

If you are lucky enough to have a big barn,, just keep them in at night.

If you do not know how to use a Rifle......you see a cougar in your area,, make lots of noise,, use big metal spoons on metal pans.

Make your self look as big as possible if you are caught outside and there is one near.

We live with the Cougar Threat everyday. Just keep your eyes out,, watch what your horses are doing. If they are all Zoning on something,, make sure you look.

 

[MInx]

Never saw a Cougar here but we do have Bobcats. Have seen them personally on our property but they are elusive, and about the size of my adult yellow Lab. Never bothered us. They travel in singles and we watch for them. We also have Coyotes which can be a threat if really hungry too.

I worry more about neighbor dogs. Good luck, Maxine

 

[Magic]

There have been cougars sighted at our new place, so I'm planning to have all of my horses in the barn at night, and I'm looking into getting a LGD to warn me if/when a cougar comes around.

Thanks for the info on fencing, etc, Shari, I will be looking into that for "safe" areas for my horses!

 

[Lauralee]

I would recommend tall fencing and place an Anatolian Shepherd Dog inside the fence.

 

[Loess Hills]

The past several years we have had cougars sighted in our area, also. Particularly across the river in South Dakota, and Nebraska. According to wildlife experts they are moving East from the Black Hills area. They will follow creeks, and prefer wooded areas. At least three recent capture/killing of cougars. It's definitely a concern. All our horses are in their barns at night, but spend some time out in the pasture. Motion lights around the barn might be a good preventative measure, and we also have floods mounted on poles that we can light remotely from the house.

The electric tall fence would certainly be excellent protection, if one could affort it!

 

[Charlotte]

We live in a rural area of east Oklahoma City, 2 miles off of I-35 & 44 junction and you're not gona believe this but our neighbor on our west said he watched a cougar watching our horses from his driveway! This happened about 3 years ago and NO ONE TOLD US! There have always been rumors of 'big cats' in this area, but I kind of poo pooed them. Not any more! this cat was no more than 40 feet from our fence. The Dr said he watched him for over 10 minutes then when he started driving closer the cat got up and went into the woods. There are occasional reports of big cat prints in the rural areas of OkC.

We have always put all the horses in the barn at night, but sometimes it is after dark before I feed. It always makes me NERVOUS when I'm late feeding!

Our fence is only 5 feet high, but I had thought a preditor wouldn't try to make a kill in there because it would be hard to get out of there with the kill. I imagine I'm wrong about that too.

Scary stuff!

Charlotte

 

[sedeh]

We do have cougars in our area, though they tend to stay more in the wooded areas. I have had several friends who have lost animals to cougars....again, most live in or near wooded areas. Since they banned the use of dogs when hunting cougars our cougar problems have gotten worse. When my friends goats....which were penned beside a barn(and not all that far from the house), were attacked they got an Anatolian Shepard to help protect them. So far I haven't had problems, not to say I couldn't, but I'm in more of a meadow area and a little more populated street.

 

[stormy]

Actually one of the animals reported as having been attacked was an Anatolian Shepard. Do not know if it survived.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Donkeys and mules are good protection for a herd. They show no fear of anything and will attack even large cats to protect their herd. I know several people that have them in with their minis for protection.

 

[Margaret]

I recieved a clip of photos, with an article showing a regular sized mule attacking a mountain lion as it was stalking a mans two hunting dogs. The hunter stood by in shock while his wife took photos of the whole ordeal. The mule walked up to the mountain lion and picked him up by the tail and started whirling the mountain lion around, banging his head on the ground at every pass..A few photos later the lion was dead with the dogs watching in the background. The hunter did not need to fire one shot. It was appropriately titled "unbelievable", but it was convincingly real.

 

[Shari]

Ya, but from talking with the folks at ADMS the cougar was already dead.

It is a interesting photo though.

 

[Dorrie & Frank]

Get a pair of Anatolian Shepherds. Ours is 120 pounds and could take on a coufar and win. In Turkey they are known to kill bears. You'll need pups that can grow up with your horases learning who they are and that they are the herd for the dogs. They'll protect their herd.

OOPS See post below

 

[Ashley]

We dont have them here yet, however we do have bobcats(one lives in the trees right by the deer) and wolves here.

Funny you mentioned this.........I had a dream not to long ago of them moveing in but they were attacking people not animals. Hope this isnt a sign of the future(as in them comeing here soon)

 

[Dorrie & Frank]

Get a pair of Anatolian Shepherds. Ours is 120 pounds and could take on a cougar and win. In Turkey they are known to kill bears. You'll need pups that can grow up with your horases learning who they are and that they are the herd for the dogs. They'll protect their herd. Try here: http://www.anatolianshepherd.com/

Here is a rescue organization: http://www.nasrn.org/

 

[Shari]

Donkeys and mules are good protection for a herd. They show no fear of anything and will attack even large cats to protect their herd. I know several people that have them in with their minis for protection.

Please read the last Brayer. It had a good article about Donkey's protecting.

Want to also let you know,, at the old Farm in Kitsap County over at the bottom of Pine rd.

There were these folks that ran Scottish Black faced sheep and had a standard donkey to guard. Was a good guard donkey, protected the sheep from dogs. However, it was killed by the Cougar there. Cougar also killed and ate two of their sheep afterwards.

No prey animal is going to be able to protect anything from a Cougar. Donkeys and Mules are prey animals.

They can be hurt or killed just like any other.

I do not mean to be a wet blanket,,but having friends that have had Donkeys killed in the line of duty...

Many of them no longer use equines to protect there flocks or herds of what ever.

First,, the best protection is good fencing.

If you are lucky enough to have a solid barn also a plus.

Learning how to shoot and kill in a proper manner any animal that is out to kill your livestock.

Then a LGD....but some bring their own problems.

Donkey or mule as a guard would be last on my list. Standard or Mammoth might be able to take on 1 or 2 dogs or Coyotes.

But in no way could they take on the packs of aggressive Coyotes or the cougars we have here.

I have a mini Donkey. I do not expect her to do any guard work. She does what I want,, she will bray when strangers come around. For any thing else she gets scared and stands there and has the runs.

I will take care of the predators.

 

[bulletandlacy]

I live in rural Arkansas, and we have a problem with mountain lions and stray dogs. I bought a donkey to keep predators out, a gelding or jenny is the best, they will chase dogs and defend the herd against mountain lions. I have heard just to have one per pasture though to get the full guardian effect, I have also heard llamas will proctect a herd. I also lock my minis in the barn at night most nights too.

 

[Mercysmom]

Coyotes in our area... neighbor alerted us to one visiting our property when we were not at home at 11 am EST and had 3 foals at the time...I am now armed with a 16 gauge shotgun and have two mares who attack anything remotely canine (including my two house dogs)...they know best!!!

Denise

Silversong Farm

 

[sdmini]

Meet Tasha "posing" with a family friend.

We had Tasha a looonngg time ago and acquired her in a really red neck sort of way (I mean who pays their bills with a cougar kitten

: ) We treasured her and she was a very happy, well adjusted "cat" (who put a few gray hairs on the Schwans drivers head but that's another story :lol: ) but would absolutely never recommend them or ever have one again.

Cougars are, as far as I'm concerned the top predator animal in North America; they are smart, strong, silent and deadly.

Some of the things I would do is.

1) Clear all trees and brush back from the fence line if possible, as cougars are stealth animals they prefer cover.

2) Install a yard light. Again work against the animal’s natural inclinations of avoiding hunting in bright open areas.

3) A good barking dog is an asset. (Please note NO dog could take a mature cougar, a pair yes one no.)

4) Guard donkeys are not the end all answer but something with more "stature" is going to be a deterrent. (I would not recommend Llamas at all for lions.)

5) Predator rated electric fence on top of a eight foot fence. If you can afford it this is the best possible defense.

I would also talk to the local GF & P or whoever would be in charge of the wildlife in your area and ask about your rights when it comes to defending your livestock. Best to know up front rather than trying to cover your behind later.

If cougars are a problem in your area petition your state to open a hunting season on them, that way even the ones that make it through the season have a "new" fear of man. South Dakota held its first hunting season this year (although I must say the way the have it set up is moronic.)