Need help with a predator ID

RJMAcres · 10-06-2009, 11:47 AM

I'm trying to help ID what kind of predator killed a bunch of goats in
1 night. This is in southern Oregon. They think it's cougar but I have
my doubts. I can email the persons description of what they saw,
heard and felt that night as well as pictures of the dead goats, wounds
and pictures of some paw prints in the slushy snow.

I can't tell from the pictures for sure but I'm thinking pack of dogs
did it.

Can anyone help out with this ?

If so, email me and I will forward all the stuff to you.

Randy@MeinerSolutions.com

AllAlaskan · 10-06-2009, 11:48 AM

I dont get on here much do to lack of internet but if you use something like Photobucket.com you can upload your pics on there off your computer then link them to this site from Photobucket.com thats always how I have done it.

RJMAcres · 10-06-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllAlaskan

I dont get on here much do to lack of internet but if you use something like Photobucket.com you can upload your pics on there off your computer then link them to this site from Photobucket.com thats always how I have done it.

Thats a fine idea.
Pictures are at Pictures by RJMAcres - Photobucket

There have been cougar sightings in the area.

Randy

Lobo0311 · 10-06-2009, 01:05 PM

The tracks look awful small for a cougar, also I'd expect more visible damage to the carcasses and not much blood that I could see, I have no idea what that could be, sorry. Hope you figure it out.

RJMAcres · 10-06-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lobo0311

The tracks look awful small for a cougar, also I'd expect more visible damage to the carcasses and not much blood that I could see, I have no idea what that could be, sorry. Hope you figure it out.

Tracks are real small and then all the dead goats. I was under the
impression that a big cat will kill and either eat or drag it off, not keep
killing. To me, this sounds like a pack of dogs on a thrill kill frenzy.

Randy

oklahoma hunter · 10-08-2009, 11:08 PM

looked at the picks and have to agree ........dogs more than likely did this .....they go biserk and get kill crazy when they start running in packs.............my suggestion is get more goat and put them in a dog proof pen....then set up a game camera, get pics and turn them into the local law........same thing happend to me this spring(we had show pigs instead of goats)... the dogs(5 of them) came back a few nights later and we got the pics, turned them in to the local police and they were disposed of..............although i wanted to solve the matter with 00 buckshot, the legal way is much safer, you dont have to worry about going to jail, and the owners of the dogs will have to pay for the damages

Capn Jack · 10-08-2009, 11:31 PM

Wouldn't the claws show in the track if they were dogs?

oklahoma hunter · 10-08-2009, 11:43 PM

the way snow was melted not necessarily........iv never heard of a cat going kill crazy like that.......but it is possible

Mooseman684 · 10-08-2009, 11:44 PM

Hard to see but looks like Mountain Lion tracks about 3-4 inches across

Capn Jack · 10-08-2009, 11:51 PM

I Googled Animal Tracks and the shape of the center pad and the lack of claw prints points to a cat, but the method of killing points to a pack of dogs... except for the fact a pack of dogs would leave a bunch of different tracks. That one goat looks like the leg was sliced off ????

oklahoma hunter · 10-09-2009, 12:07 AM

the leg wasnt cut off the belly was ate at tho(had to zoom in to tell)........im not convinced that its cat track(still possible) but killing method looks like dogs ..............if i had to put my money on it, id say dog or dogs

Capn Jack · 10-09-2009, 12:56 AM

OK, you're right. Looks like the udder was ripped off. Not much gone for an attack by "hungry" animals... I vote for a "Thrill Kill"...That makes it dogs.

tappedandtagged · 10-09-2009, 08:24 AM

Dog thrill kill vote here too. I've seen once domesticated dogs kill like that before, and even my own dog once with chickens. But never heard of a wild coyote/wolf/cougar doing anything like that.

ArkansasHunter · 10-09-2009, 08:32 AM

Poor Goats ! It's time to have a Thrill kill and kill the dogs !

texnmidwest · 10-09-2009, 08:41 AM

Guys, it is obvious to me because I grew up in an area where these animals are rampant. And have actually seen one in the wild. Take a close look at the shape of the track. Then most importantly look at the wounds on the animals. This is the work of the Chupacabra.

Yes, they do exist and yes I HAVE seen one in the wild. Ugliest animal I have ever seen.

tappedandtagged · 10-09-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texnmidwest

Guys, it is obvious to me because I grew up in an area where these animals are rampant. And have actually seen one in the wild. Take a close look at the shape of the track. Then most importantly look at the wounds on the animals. This is the work of the Chupacabra.

Yes, they do exist and yes I HAVE seen one in the wild. Ugliest animal I have ever seen.

Hmmm, had to Google that one. Interesting....

jmp8927 · 10-09-2009, 12:14 PM

^LOL

My vote is for a rabid couger. The track looks more like a cat to me and based on the detail of the rest of the print, claw marks should be visible if it were a dog. Also, dogs aren't very subtle. I think there would be a great deal of tracks everywhere from them running around. Cats are more stealthy and don't leave as many tracks.

Metronome · 10-09-2009, 11:33 PM

I will throw my vote in for dogs too, the kitty tracks I have seen are much larger than that and they often drag meat away from the area too. Snow is hard to find any kind of tracks well in. Unless it is some super pissed off Bobcat or Lynx...

honobia hunter · 10-10-2009, 12:28 AM

my vote is on dogs a cat usely dosent kill like that and as for the tracks the snow around has melted slightly that could explain the lake of claws

BaserRonin · 10-10-2009, 01:11 AM

well, from the description and viewing the tracks I was convinced this was a juvenile cougar learning/practicing to hunt. However when I have seen the effects of juveniles "at play" they normally leave rake marks down the flanks of the animals. Cougars will use their claws, and it leaves marks. Granted I do horses, not goats. Maybe the difference in animal size accounts for the lack of claw marks.

The tracks sure look like Cougar prints to me. Based on just the prints I would have said 100% Cougar. No claw rake marks on any of the animals at all?

10-06-2009, 11:47 AM	#1
RJMAcres Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 157	Need help with a predator ID I'm trying to help ID what kind of predator killed a bunch of goats in 1 night. This is in southern Oregon. They think it's cougar but I have my doubts. I can email the persons description of what they saw, heard and felt that night as well as pictures of the dead goats, wounds and pictures of some paw prints in the slushy snow. I can't tell from the pictures for sure but I'm thinking pack of dogs did it. Can anyone help out with this ? If so, email me and I will forward all the stuff to you. Randy@MeinerSolutions.com

10-06-2009, 11:48 AM	#2
AllAlaskan Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: In HOT North East Texas Missing COLD South Central Alaska Posts: 1,553	I dont get on here much do to lack of internet but if you use something like Photobucket.com you can upload your pics on there off your computer then link them to this site from Photobucket.com thats always how I have done it. __________________ Charlie The *Crazy* Alaskan

10-06-2009, 01:05 PM	#4
Lobo0311 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Northeast Kansas Posts: 633	The tracks look awful small for a cougar, also I'd expect more visible damage to the carcasses and not much blood that I could see, I have no idea what that could be, sorry. Hope you figure it out. __________________ If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy?

10-08-2009, 11:43 PM	#8
oklahoma hunter Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma Posts: 60	the way snow was melted not necessarily........iv never heard of a cat going kill crazy like that.......but it is possible Last edited by oklahoma hunter; 10-08-2009 at 11:50 PM.

10-08-2009, 11:44 PM	#9
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 11,310 Images: 2	Hard to see but looks like Mountain Lion tracks about 3-4 inches across __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

10-08-2009, 11:08 PM	#6
oklahoma hunter Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma Posts: 60	looked at the picks and have to agree ........dogs more than likely did this .....they go biserk and get kill crazy when they start running in packs.............my suggestion is get more goat and put them in a dog proof pen....then set up a game camera, get pics and turn them into the local law........same thing happend to me this spring(we had show pigs instead of goats)... the dogs(5 of them) came back a few nights later and we got the pics, turned them in to the local police and they were disposed of..............although i wanted to solve the matter with 00 buckshot, the legal way is much safer, you dont have to worry about going to jail, and the owners of the dogs will have to pay for the damages

10-08-2009, 11:31 PM	#7
Capn Jack Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Washington-The Wet Side Posts: 116	Wouldn't the claws show in the track if they were dogs?

10-08-2009, 11:51 PM	#10
Capn Jack Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Washington-The Wet Side Posts: 116	I Googled Animal Tracks and the shape of the center pad and the lack of claw prints points to a cat, but the method of killing points to a pack of dogs... except for the fact a pack of dogs would leave a bunch of different tracks. That one goat looks like the leg was sliced off ????

10-09-2009, 12:07 AM	#11
oklahoma hunter Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma Posts: 60	the leg wasnt cut off the belly was ate at tho(had to zoom in to tell)........im not convinced that its cat track(still possible) but killing method looks like dogs ..............if i had to put my money on it, id say dog or dogs

10-09-2009, 12:56 AM	#12
Capn Jack Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Washington-The Wet Side Posts: 116	OK, you're right. Looks like the udder was ripped off. Not much gone for an attack by "hungry" animals... I vote for a "Thrill Kill"...That makes it dogs.

10-09-2009, 08:24 AM	#13
tappedandtagged Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Southwest Arkansas Posts: 840 Blog Entries: 1	Dog thrill kill vote here too. I've seen once domesticated dogs kill like that before, and even my own dog once with chickens. But never heard of a wild coyote/wolf/cougar doing anything like that.

10-09-2009, 08:32 AM	#14
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas. Posts: 17,215	Poor Goats ! It's time to have a Thrill kill and kill the dogs ! __________________ IN GOD WE TRUST NRA MEMBER

10-09-2009, 08:41 AM	#15
texnmidwest Some People's kids.... Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: South east Wisconsin Posts: 6,978	Guys, it is obvious to me because I grew up in an area where these animals are rampant. And have actually seen one in the wild. Take a close look at the shape of the track. Then most importantly look at the wounds on the animals. This is the work of the Chupacabra. Yes, they do exist and yes I HAVE seen one in the wild. Ugliest animal I have ever seen. __________________ never pass up a bathroom, never waste a ** , and never trust a fart.

10-09-2009, 12:14 PM	#17
jmp8927 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Walterboro, SC Posts: 2,277 Images: 18	^LOL My vote is for a rabid couger. The track looks more like a cat to me and based on the detail of the rest of the print, claw marks should be visible if it were a dog. Also, dogs aren't very subtle. I think there would be a great deal of tracks everywhere from them running around. Cats are more stealthy and don't leave as many tracks. __________________ Fear not, for I am with you; Be not discouraged, for I am your God.

10-09-2009, 11:33 PM	#18
Metronome Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Northern California Posts: 951	I will throw my vote in for dogs too, the kitty tracks I have seen are much larger than that and they often drag meat away from the area too. Snow is hard to find any kind of tracks well in. Unless it is some super pissed off Bobcat or Lynx... __________________ I take my coffee how I take my women: bitter and overbearing.

10-10-2009, 12:28 AM	#19
honobia hunter Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 4	my vote is on dogs a cat usely dosent kill like that and as for the tracks the snow around has melted slightly that could explain the lake of claws

10-10-2009, 01:11 AM	#20
BaserRonin Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: CO Posts: 1,139	well, from the description and viewing the tracks I was convinced this was a juvenile cougar learning/practicing to hunt. However when I have seen the effects of juveniles "at play" they normally leave rake marks down the flanks of the animals. Cougars will use their claws, and it leaves marks. Granted I do horses, not goats. Maybe the difference in animal size accounts for the lack of claw marks. The tracks sure look like Cougar prints to me. Based on just the prints I would have said 100% Cougar. No claw rake marks on any of the animals at all? __________________ "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favour of vegetarianism" ~ R. W. Inge