Something going on

[randiliana]

First off (before the pictures) I will start with the story. About a week ago when I went out in the morning and found my weanling colt had been chased out of his pen. The gate he went through was latched, but not well. Enough to keep him in, until he hit it really hard and popped the pin. He was cut up just below his chest, and had reinjured his back leg. But there were no other marks on him. Then the next morning, one of our big corral gates had been hit hard enough to break the chain on it, and open it. Something had either chased the horses into it, or some deer.

Now, yesterday, when we went out to catch our horses to move cows, I noticed some claw marks on MY horse's rump. Keep in mind that he is 16.2 hh, and that they are WAY too high to be from barbed wire. They are not deep, barely cut the skin, and he did not bleed at all.

 

[Julie]

Looks like you may have a lion visiting -you might check the area for tracks.
We've had similar down on this end of the world....size of horses wouldn't even be a factor...they'll take down an elk like it's fun.

 

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

Yeap

 

[Mrs.Greg]

Cougar....we've seen marks like these on horses in the area,seems the cougars are sometimes following the river down to our area. We're seeing more and more of them. Cougars scare the daylights out of me.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep-- Randi we have been seeing lots more cats around here lately too..Always was a few-- but a lot more sightings now- and more reports of cattle attacked or killed....Been several reports coming out of the Opheim area-one was seen several times in downtown Fort Peck- and one they were tracking had a movement route back and forth between our area and the Malta- Whitewater country- so it isn't that much further north to you...Maybe the ol gal decided to "go global" and visit Canada... :wink: :lol:

 

[randiliana]

Yep-- Randi we have been seeing lots more cats around here lately too..Always was a few-- but a lot more sightings now- and more reports of cattle attacked or killed....Been several reports coming out of the Opheim area-one was seen several times in downtown Fort Peck- and one they were tracking had a movement route back and forth between our area and the Malta- Whitewater country- so it isn't that much further north to you...Maybe the ol gal decided to "go global" and visit Canada... :wink: :lol:

Yeah, those marks sure make me a little nervous. The funny thing about all this, though, is that we have 3 little 300ish lb calves (orphans) locked in the corral right were all the action was, and they weren't even bothered (that we can tell). Talk about easy pickings there.......

There have been numerous sightings around the area in the last couple years so I suppose it is not a huge surprise. Just read that a mature male can cover up to 175 sq miles, so that is a huge area, and if there are females around, I am sure there are males too.

 

[Manitoba_Rancher]

I ve heard that cougars can smell a horse and usually attatck them before they will a cattle beast. We jsut lost a 600 str last week, seen the cougar eating at him. Ripped the throat right out of the steer. We took a few shots at him but havent seen him since.

 

[DJL]

Cougars prefer horse meat above just about any other kind, but cattle aren't bothered much by them. I hope your cougar moves on or you get is shot, Randi. The cougar may not kill anything but the damage done running horses through wire, etc, can be pretty bad. Your weanling will be a prime target for a cat.

 

[Anonymous]

Cougars prefer horse meat above just about any other kind, .

We need to get those cats to teach Bo Derek and ol Willie Nelson something :wink: :lol:

 

[DJL]

Daughter and I ran out on the ranger to check a field for cattle, and on the way home a large cougar crossed the trail about fifty yards ahead of us, while were going through a gate. I know it was large because the grass is waist high, and I could still see it as it bounded through the grass. That makes five cougars sighted in that area so far this summer/fall. The old timer here says when you see a cougar, there are way more than you think, so we are pretty well over run, I'd say. It's going to get tough on the horse population around here, so I'm glad I don't try to raise any foals anymore.

 

[Mrs.Greg]

Daughter and I ran out on the ranger to check a field for cattle, and on the way home a large cougar crossed the trail about fifty yards ahead of us, while were going through a gate. I know it was large because the grass is waist high, and I could still see it as it bounded through the grass. That makes five cougars sighted in that area so far this summer/fall. The old timer here says when you see a cougar, there are way more than you think, so we are pretty well over run, I'd say. It's going to get tough on the horse population around here, so I'm glad I don't try to raise any foals anymore.

Shudder....just not an animal I'm ever comfortable seeing. I'm not afraid of bears or coyotes,but cougars,I just don't like. Gregs brother has gone with a friend of his cougar hunting,he said LOTS of times you run into the evidence that they're tracking you while your supposedly tracking them.

 

[randiliana]

Daughter and I ran out on the ranger to check a field for cattle, and on the way home a large cougar crossed the trail about fifty yards ahead of us, while were going through a gate. I know it was large because the grass is waist high, and I could still see it as it bounded through the grass. That makes five cougars sighted in that area so far this summer/fall. The old timer here says when you see a cougar, there are way more than you think, so we are pretty well over run, I'd say. It's going to get tough on the horse population around here, so I'm glad I don't try to raise any foals anymore.

Shudder....just not an animal I'm ever comfortable seeing. I'm not afraid of bears or coyotes,but cougars,I just don't like. Gregs brother has gone with a friend of his cougar hunting,he said LOTS of times you run into the evidence that they're tracking you while your supposedly tracking them.

Our country isn't really what 'I' would consider cougar country. It is really open, the only trees are in yardsites. But, then again, I am certainly no cougar expert. They make me more nervous, over the kids, than the animals. Our yard is very well treed, and it is right next to a creek, so I would think a cougar might like it. Add in the 15+ deer that call this yard home, and I am a little worried.

 

[kathydavis]

all i can say is keep your cougars up north.