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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,193
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,193 |
This was strange..............yesterday afternoon we were leaving to go to a granddaughters basketball game, and as I drove by the field where the cattle are, I saw the cows all running around and buzzards sitting in the trees. Of course I happened to be in my wife's Explorer and the only gun I had was a 9mm Glock. I jumped out and headed towards them, and saw a cow with a newborn calf. The other cows were actually chasing the buzzards away. When I got close enough, every buzzard, and one hawk that was watching the show, all flew away. I figured they'd be back, so I turned around and went back and got into my pickup, where I always keep a rifle. Went back and watched for some time, and never saw a single buzzard. Usually, you have to shoot at them in order to get them to leave, but this bunch apparently just left the country.
Never had that happen before, which leads me to believe that maybe they're getting used to farmers getting after them. Those people who do not have cattle have no idea how aggressive these black buzzards are. They will catch a cow that's calving, and try to eat the afterbirth, as well as going after the calf. I've never lost one to the buzzards, but some neighbors have.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,098
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,098 |
I have neighbors that they have given problems the last couple of years. miles
Look out for number 1, don't step in number 2.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,569
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,569 |
They'll damn sure kill a calf down here. Some studies show that the closer the proximity to a populace buzzard roost, the greater the danger to calves or lambs. And they are federally protected, and if you have a problem with them killing livestock, you have to apply and get a permit to do so. Or you could just use the 3 S's rule...
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,077
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,077 |
We just have the old turkey buzzards here in the south of Iowa- and thankful that they help clean up the carrion. They generally won't bother a live critter.
I hear those black buzzards can be a nightmare.
Always drink upstream from the herd...cowdoc...
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,569
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,569 |
We just have the old turkey buzzards here in the south of Iowa- and thankful that they help clean up the carrion. They generally won't bother a live critter.
I hear those black buzzards can be a nightmare. I mostly find buzzards to be helpful in letting me know if I have a problem in the pasture. I see buzzards, I know something is dead, and go investigate.
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,193
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 19,193 |
We have two kinds vultures (that being the official term), with the head that looks like a turkey, and those black basitds. The black ones are the bad ones. They will get all over a cow that's having a calf, and often worry the cow so, that she ends up having problems. We can get a permit through Farm Bureau that allows us to shoot up to 5 of them. I should do that, in order to be legal about things.
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 5,161
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 5,161 |
Damn mexican buzzards give the American vultures a bad name. SSS
Life is good live it while you can.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,482
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,482 |
Some are starting to have troubles with the black variety around here. Also hear they can carry a certain parasite that's pretty lethal to cows
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 494
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 494 |
I never heard of buzzards killing calves until last year. Heard one guy lost one and I figured the calf was already dead before the black buzzards started eating on it but then a good friend of mine said he had a cow standing in a field watching 2 black buzzards on the ground and he figured she had a dead calf. He went out there and the calf was still alive but the buzzards popped both eyes out and he said the calf ended up dying from it. So I guess the black buzzards are a lot more aggressive than the turkey vultures.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,296
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,296 |
We have two kinds vultures (that being the official term), with the head that looks like a turkey, and those black basitds. The black ones are the bad ones. They will get all over a cow that's having a calf, and often worry the cow so, that she ends up having problems. We can get a permit through Farm Bureau that allows us to shoot up to 5 of them. I should do that, in order to be legal about things. Curious, how often is often, and what kind of problems do your cows have when buzzards are around? I'm a heifer and a cow away from being done calving here and the buzzards are still a while from showing up for the summer. But even when we have an occasional late calf and they are around I've never had any problems, or heard of anyone having problems, with buzzards whilst calving.
Black Cows Matter!
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 586
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 586 |
I have a high voltage power line tower in my yard & those damm buzzards like to sit there on damp days. I shoot them with my pump up pellet gun. Just a few pumps so as not to kill them (illegal) but to run them off. They are trainable, to pain. If I let them be, they crap & stink, to "high heaven".
"not too grumpy"
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,034
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,034 |
This was strange..............yesterday afternoon we were leaving to go to a granddaughters basketball game, and as I drove by the field where the cattle are, I saw the cows all running around and buzzards sitting in the trees. Of course I happened to be in my wife's Explorer and the only gun I had was a 9mm Glock. I jumped out and headed towards them, and saw a cow with a newborn calf. The other cows were actually chasing the buzzards away. When I got close enough, every buzzard, and one hawk that was watching the show, all flew away. I figured they'd be back, so I turned around and went back and got into my pickup, where I always keep a rifle. Went back and watched for some time, and never saw a single buzzard. Usually, you have to shoot at them in order to get them to leave, but this bunch apparently just left the country.
Never had that happen before, which leads me to believe that maybe they're getting used to farmers getting after them. Those people who do not have cattle have no idea how aggressive these black buzzards are. They will catch a cow that's calving, and try to eat the afterbirth, as well as going after the calf. I've never lost one to the buzzards, but some neighbors have. I have hunting property in Cumberland County, my neighbor and I first talked about the Mexican Buzzard depredation last year just after calving season, she said the Buzzards were her biggest problem. Also last year I was watching a Doe and fawn for weeks and noticed about week three that the Buzzards were perched in tree in my back pasture and went out to check what's up and that fawn was dead and mostly picked clean.
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