Safeguarding against predators

When the time comes to be prepared to survive off of our animals we need to make sure we keep them safe from predators. I have already, in my prepping stages, been a victim of predator attacks. I have lost two hens and some eggs to some sneaky little animals. Luckily I was able to replenish my flock this time around, next time I might not have that luxury. I am going to cover some points about protecting your land from predators.

After losing my chickens I sought help from a family member who is employed by the USDA. This family member's job is to trap and tag wild animals in heavily populated urban areas, as well as to terminate certain wild animals in these areas to account for population control.

In the event that there would be an event where government and control fail you would not have to follow any guidelines and will be able to do whatever you need to be sure you keep your food supply. Lucky enough this is not YET the case, so at this point you still need to follow state and federal regulations. 

In an urban/suburban area the (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) IDNR recommends hiring a nuisance wildlife control operator to remove the wildlife causing the damage. To contact one of these individuals you should contact your local IDNR office which can be found by visiting the IDNR Website. Once there scroll to the bottom and select your region. Currently the IDNR is working on establishing contact information to specific offices but you will be able to find contact information by going to your region. 

In a rural setting the IDNR recommends removal of the wildlife during the open hunting and trapping season, and will likely turn down your request for a nuisance depredation permit in a rural area. Since you will be instructed to do this you need to use precautions. The traps you should use should not be able to harm your domesticated pets or your children if they would come into contact with it. I use two different live traps that cannot harm anything, but it can contain whatever gets into it. 

Once you trap the animal you need to use proper precautions to ensure that you do not get bitten or harm an animal that you plan to release back into the wild. 

Here are some links to follow for Illinois residents that can instruct them on the guidelines of hunting and trapping. 

Information about hunting and trapping in Illinois can be found at this site: Hunting Opportunities in Illinois.

Information about open hunting and trapping season dates can be found at this site: Current and Upcoming DNR Seasons.

In upcoming posts I will instruct the reader on baiting ideas and describe ideal placement of traps to catch your predators.