Just weeks before the deadline for Colorado to begin reintroducing gray wolves under a voter-approved initiative, representatives of the cattle industry association are suing state and federal agencies in the hopes of delaying the predators’ release.
The Gunnison County Stockgrowers’ Association and Colorado Cattlemen’s Association say in the lawsuit filed Monday that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services failed to adequately review the effects of the plan to reintroduce up to 50 wolves over the next several years.
The predators’ release in Colorado, voted for in a 2020 ballot measure, has already stirred controversy and sharpened divides between rural and urban residents. City dwellers largely voted for the measures that would most affect rural areas, where wolves can prey on livestock that help drive local economies.
I’d say if wolves attack your livestock, then you are not protecting your livestock very well. Especially when wolves are natural to the region. And and your farm is not.
I’m going out on a limb and going to say you have never ran a farm, let alone a ranch.
I have, I grew up on one in Montana. Part of ranching is protecting your herds from predators. We had black bears, grizzlies, coyotes, cougars, and even wolves around. They almost never bothered our herds. The worst predators was the neighbors mix breed dogs that would chase and attack calves. We shot and buried 5-6 of them every year.
Ranching means not leaving your herd out in the middle of nowhere without any supervision. It’s a hell of a lot of boring work, but it’s part of the job. It’s a major reason I got the fuck off the ranch as soon as I could.
Only lazy dumbfuck ignorant morons leave their herds unattended for months on end. Ranchers in Colorado have a hard time leaving their wooly girlfriends long enough to check on their cows.
Yeah, I’m wondering what protection looks like for a massive herd over 100 acres or more.
We’re getting chickens out back soon. I doubt I could hear the ruckus, recognize the issue, grab a shotgun, run 75’ and blast a coyote or fox before serious harm was done.
If dealing with wild animals was easy, we wouldn’t be overrun with feral pigs. I’m on the edge of town and already had 2 wander up to my yard. (They stayed because I have a pet pig.) Hated it, but had to shoot one and give away the other (a piglet) to a farm.
LOL, I can’t keep squirrels away from my bird feeders! Guess I could, but the neighbors would not be amused with me blasting away with a .410. :)
Protection for a huge area: would that be autonomous armed drones run by an ai?
Also blast the squirrels, you have my permission. The damned things dig up my strawberries and my carrots.
I have ducks and learned fox attacks can be absolutely silent. In January my were attacked by a fox. One was killed and the rest were injured. I didn’t hear a damn thing. I can usually hear my ducks quack while I’m in the house because of the acoustics of my yard and my thin house walls.
I recommend taking lots of precautions with your birds. Losing any in an attack and treated injuries is heartbreaking. I cried for days after the fox got in.
I am dealing with raccoons now, but they aren’t bothering the birds. They’re just taking eggs and leaving. I’m trying to get that situation handled, but the birds and raccoons seem to be chill with each other, so I’m not in a huge hurry.
I’m imagining the racoons now:
“Hey duckies, lemme in on a few eggies and I’ll be on my way. Might take a snake or rat out, while I’m at it, whadda ya say, huh?”
The ducks:
“Eeeeeh sure, why not”
That’s probably it lol. One of my birds lays her eggs outside, and those are the eggs that are being taken.