NOT WITHOUT PROTECTION

The first perimeter of defense in your operation should be just that, your outside perimeter fences. An electrified, or hot, high tensile fence is used many places and can prove quite effective. If kept charged, a hot jump or crawl wire set approximately six inches outside and three inches off the ground will stop most animals from burrowing under the wire and it presents an inexpensive dual line of defense.

A tightly woven mesh fence set close to the ground can also deny access to many animals who would prey upon your young goats. A closely set three inch center, four prong barbed wire run along the bottom of the net wire fence will discourage many who would be inclined to burrow under and attack your animals.

Having guard animals running with your goats will help prevent or reduce predator losses should some of these varmints ("an animal or bird considered a pest", Websters definition) gain entrance to your property. Guard donkeys; Jennys are recommended over Jacks, guard dogs of various breeds, and llamas have all been used for years and are being used as of today as livestock guardians. The degree of their effectiveness varies from animal to animal as they are different and to an extent affected by the terrain encompassed in the goat enterprise. Visiting with producers who use these methods of protection is recommended to allow you to gauge their effectiveness and possible usage in your operation. Proper application of the above mentioned deterrents will limit predator losses or possibly even eliminate them in some instances.

Please note that I use the word deterrent here because this is all they are. Unfortunately there are times when one runs into a particularly obstinate canid (dog or coyote) who refuses to be denied access to a food source; and we all know how good goat meat is to eat. Raptor predation is also to be considered in certain parts of the country. This can largely be avoided by timing your kidding cycle not to coincide with the annual migration of Eagles and hawks into your area. All raptors, Eagles, hawks, owls, etc.… are protected by Federal Law and may not be harassed or killed without chance of Federal prosecution, enough said on this issue.

The Federal government through the U.S.D.A./A.P.H.I.S. - Wildlife Division Services provide assistance to producers willing to enlist their aid. These are programs with competent personnel, paid for by your hard earned tax dollars, and are therefore generally free of all cost to you should you decide to contact them for aid with a particular problem in your area. Their people have in my experiences been very useful with their training in and knowledge of control methods. Your local USDA office can put you in contact with them should you desire help with a problem concerning predation.

Contacting producers in your area for suggestions regarding dealing with problems is also recommended as there are "home remedies" that will work on problems endemic to a particular area of the country. Should you not be able to reduce predation to an economically acceptable level through the above mentioned methods, then more effective means such as the various lethal methods legally usable in your state or county may need to be employed.

Self locking cable type snares set along your fences where you find a craw or slide (spot dug out under the fence) work well in conjunction with practically any type fencing, but prove most effective when used with a net or woven wire mesh fence. These need to be checked daily at east once ; in the morning is a good time as most varmints are nocturnal and are usually caught in the dark hours. Early morning running of your snares lessens the chance of escape along with reducing the amount of time caught animals spend in the snare before you dispatch them. When running goats in the large expanses of pastures many times it becomes necessary to consider control of the resident predator population. While considered cruel by some, steel leg-hold type traps work well for this type of situation.

Knowledge of set types, target animal habits, and general woodsmanship will help you become more effective with these tools. Checking local laws before using these two devices is recommended as in some locales they may be prohibited. Again daily checks of your sets lessens chance of escape and reduces time the animal spends in a trap. To those of you who would say such methods are unnecessarily cruel, let me assure you that once you see the savagery with which these predators kill their prey, your outlook towards them will change.

The only two poison type devices legalized for general usage here in Texas that I am aware of are the L.P.C. (Livestock Protection Collar) containing 1080 compound, and the M-44 sodium cyanide gun. Both require extensive training and special licensing before they can be purchased or used. I urge producers not to attempt using these devices without the proper training. They can prove as fatal to humans as they are to predators if improperly used or accidental discharge occurs. They are however, extremely effective and safe when used in their intended and proper manner.

For those who enjoy such, predators may be hunted with firearms. Daytime and night-time calling techniques work well for luring them within range for a sure, safe and humane dispatch. This is one of the most selective methods available to the producer as you will visually identify your target and then can decide that you will or will not pull the trigger on what you have called up.

For those of you in more densely populated areas, use of small caliber rifles with highly frangible bullets is recommended. Should noise from firearm discharge be a source of worry, silenced firearms may be used for this purpose. Silencers are legal to own and may be fitted to your firearm by a competent gunsmith. You will need to make an application and pay a $200.00 Federal Transfer Tax prior to receiving or using a silenced arm. Failure to do so is in violation of United States laws. You also need to check state and local law as certain species may not be hunted by any of the above mentioned means.

We afford all the protection we can to our children; to our "kids" we should do the same. This article was not meant to offend anyone. Many apologies to any it may have. Good luck goating.