Thank you very much for the warning and sorry for your loss.
This is the first time I have heard about the electric option. This may be a great solution for next season. Two questions:
1. Where can I get them? The Solar option would be my only real choice based on the poles location.
1. Also, they are within 5 feet of the shore of a lake (one that frequently can drench the base of the poles; is this safe with the elecrtic solution?
Thanks again for the warning and all the best for next season!
Please Read-A Serious Warning about your Predator Guards
How many are using video surveillance systems to monitor for predators? I bought an inexpensive system this year and used it to monitor the martin pole for predators, as well as monitor my nest camera and activity when the parents entered and left the gourd. These systems have become very sophisticated compared to what was required back when I did video monitoring in a physiology research project. The system I used is a PC board that can monitor four cameras and one audio channel. It cost $113. One day-night infrared camera was about $67. You can also buy fairly inexpensive stand-alone systems. With my system I can aim the camera at the pole and set multiple video fields to trigger recording based on motion or sound. I set it to look for motion at the base of the pole and at the entrance of the gourd my pair used. You can set this system to take all sorts of actions depending on an "alarm" detection, including making a recording to disk, sending an email, and paging. I set mine to to record to disk. Other than recording the martins each time they entered the gourd, I was lucky not to have detected any predators--at least not that I have played back. It did record my sheep when they browsed near the pole, and it recorded me when I did my nest checks.
Although I did not have any predators that I know of, it sure was a lot of fun spying on the birds.
Charles
Although I did not have any predators that I know of, it sure was a lot of fun spying on the birds.
Charles
Peggy, I'm sorry the predation happened. I have been using electric predator guards since I started my colony in 2002. We live on a farm and have plenty of raccoons, snakes, and feral cats to deal with. All of my gourd racks are located on the edges of either a pasture or a hayfield. Both give predators the advantage of cover to hide in. Coons raid our garden each year and 3 of my racks are located adjacent to the garden, with a pasture on the other side. I have either been extremely lucky or my predator guards have worked without fail since my colony started. I was fortunate enough to have a large electric fence charger to wire my guards into. We have one "hotwire" on all our pasture fences. The fencer we use is rated for 200 miles of electric fence. When you buy a charger I would suggest buying the best one you can afford. Skip over the ones rated for pet fencing, and go with one designed to keep cattle contained. Fencers are generally rated by the miles of fence they will electrify. You want to get one rated for the longest distance and with the highest joule output you can afford. The pet chargers are meant to disuade Fido from climbing out of his/her pen or digging under the pen. I know of at least one instance where a snake went across a battery powered electric fencer charged predator guard. I would sure not waste my money on a D cell battery powered charger. There are some solar chargers that are great, but the cattle ones are fairly expensive. We use 2 of them on our farm. Both will stop a bull in his tracks, and they would work great for a predator guard if you aren't concerned about cost. If you go with a wired fencer, you will get much more bang for the buck.
If you shop around, you should be able to get a sufficient wired charger and setup supplies for a little over $100. If you have a farm supply store close by you might find an older rebuilt charger at a bargain. A "Super 98" use to be a popular model and we had one several years ago. I can attest to it's stopping power after "getting into it" several times.
At one time, I had pictures of my guards. I can't find them now. I will be happy to take more and post them and answer any questions that I can.
If you shop around, you should be able to get a sufficient wired charger and setup supplies for a little over $100. If you have a farm supply store close by you might find an older rebuilt charger at a bargain. A "Super 98" use to be a popular model and we had one several years ago. I can attest to it's stopping power after "getting into it" several times.
At one time, I had pictures of my guards. I can't find them now. I will be happy to take more and post them and answer any questions that I can.-
Guest
I have battled coons for many years on our bluebird trail. I sympathize with you as I have experienced ruined bluebird and tree swallow nests more than a few times.
When we first moved to our place and set up our bluebird trail many years ago we did not have problems. Then, in the second or third year we had one or two nests robbed. I responded by attaching rat traps to the PVC poles immediately under the houses. This worked very well for five or six years and though we would frequently find sprung traps (indicating an attempt) the coons would retreat leaving the nest box unmolested.
Then about three years ago we discovered a robbed nest. A coon had discovered that once the trap was sprung that they were free to go back up and plunder. In less than a week just about every active BB and TRES nest had been robbed in spite of the rat traps. The traps were no longer a deterrent and I had to start looking for alternatives.
I tried attaching 18" long carpet tack strips all around the poles - no luck. There was no evidence that tack strips even slow the coons down. Long story short, I finally had to start on an aggressive elimination program. I trapped and eliminated well over 20 coons from our 40 acres in the remainder of that summer. I again eliminated at least that many last summer.
This summer I have used an 18" long coating of bearing grease on the poles under the nest boxes - no coon attacks yet this season. The greased poles look like (you know what) but between coon population reduction and greased poles it is now safe for the BB's and TRES to raise a family on our property again.
The coons are a tough predator for sure. Good luck!
Jeff
When we first moved to our place and set up our bluebird trail many years ago we did not have problems. Then, in the second or third year we had one or two nests robbed. I responded by attaching rat traps to the PVC poles immediately under the houses. This worked very well for five or six years and though we would frequently find sprung traps (indicating an attempt) the coons would retreat leaving the nest box unmolested.
Then about three years ago we discovered a robbed nest. A coon had discovered that once the trap was sprung that they were free to go back up and plunder. In less than a week just about every active BB and TRES nest had been robbed in spite of the rat traps. The traps were no longer a deterrent and I had to start looking for alternatives.
I tried attaching 18" long carpet tack strips all around the poles - no luck. There was no evidence that tack strips even slow the coons down. Long story short, I finally had to start on an aggressive elimination program. I trapped and eliminated well over 20 coons from our 40 acres in the remainder of that summer. I again eliminated at least that many last summer.
This summer I have used an 18" long coating of bearing grease on the poles under the nest boxes - no coon attacks yet this season. The greased poles look like (you know what) but between coon population reduction and greased poles it is now safe for the BB's and TRES to raise a family on our property again.
The coons are a tough predator for sure. Good luck!
Jeff
My martins have left now, although they are still visiting. My brother saw them over the camera this morning, and sure enough they were recorded exactly when he said he saw them.
But this afternoon was more pertinent to this thread. I was just playing back the afternoon video, and look what I saw on top of the house.
The system picked him up as he was near the top of the pole just below the house. He investigated the rack and then the house. And then he just sat there and smiled for the camera.
Looks like I need to rethink how I have rigged the stove pipe predator guard. I suspect he jumped to the top of the guard from the chair that I carelessly left right by the pole.
Charles
But this afternoon was more pertinent to this thread. I was just playing back the afternoon video, and look what I saw on top of the house.
The system picked him up as he was near the top of the pole just below the house. He investigated the rack and then the house. And then he just sat there and smiled for the camera.
Looks like I need to rethink how I have rigged the stove pipe predator guard. I suspect he jumped to the top of the guard from the chair that I carelessly left right by the pole.
Charles
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Joe Creason KY
- Posts: 101
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- Location: GREENSBURG, KY
Hi Peggy,
Well when I post this people are going to say that I am crazy, but it works and here goes.
If you have access to old clear glass one gallon jugs with the finger ring on them, here is what you do.
Tie the glass jug to the ground with a wire through the finger ring. Use a stake that is driven in the ground pretty deep to assure that the raccoon doesn't run off with it. Place a couple of medium size marshmallows in the bottom of the jug (towards the back after it is lying down). I use a wire to do this with. Then place another marshmallow toward the front of the neck of the jug. Then around 30 minutes before dark, I place 2 marshmallows at the mouth of the jug on the ground.
When the raccoon comes to your area he will smell the marshmallows and eat the 2 outside of the jug. After that the next closest marshmallow is the one at the mouth of the jug. He will reach through the opening of the jug and grab the marshmallow and make a fist as to hold on to the marshmallow. The raccoon is so greedy that he will not open his paw and turn a loose of the marshmallow, thus keeping the raccoon at bay. Then I give him what for with the lead.
Some will laugh at this trapping, but it has worked on several occasions for me. (And it is in-expensive too, if you have the jugs).
Hope you have a great rest of the year!!!!
Joe
Well when I post this people are going to say that I am crazy, but it works and here goes.
If you have access to old clear glass one gallon jugs with the finger ring on them, here is what you do.
Tie the glass jug to the ground with a wire through the finger ring. Use a stake that is driven in the ground pretty deep to assure that the raccoon doesn't run off with it. Place a couple of medium size marshmallows in the bottom of the jug (towards the back after it is lying down). I use a wire to do this with. Then place another marshmallow toward the front of the neck of the jug. Then around 30 minutes before dark, I place 2 marshmallows at the mouth of the jug on the ground.
When the raccoon comes to your area he will smell the marshmallows and eat the 2 outside of the jug. After that the next closest marshmallow is the one at the mouth of the jug. He will reach through the opening of the jug and grab the marshmallow and make a fist as to hold on to the marshmallow. The raccoon is so greedy that he will not open his paw and turn a loose of the marshmallow, thus keeping the raccoon at bay. Then I give him what for with the lead.
Some will laugh at this trapping, but it has worked on several occasions for me. (And it is in-expensive too, if you have the jugs).
Hope you have a great rest of the year!!!!
Joe
You can please some of the martins some of the time, but you can't please all the martins all of the time.
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Peggy Riley
- Posts: 885
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:21 pm
- Location: TX/Tolar
Joe, thanks for the info, I'm laughing that something so simple works! I can picture it in my mind.
Charles, is that a squirrel? It is hugh! No doubt it could do as much damage a raccoon.
Jeff, I agree that the tack strips don't work. I tried them two years ago when they started in on my BB houses and they just kept doing it. I found their blood on the strips but I just the urge to eat takes over. I finally added PVC and raised the poles to 6', so far so good.
Brad, thanks for the information. We do have one solar thats rated in miles but it's being used to keep the donkeys from going down a ravine. I will definitely get the best I can. I guess my dogs will just have to raise a leg on something else!
Charles, is that a squirrel? It is hugh! No doubt it could do as much damage a raccoon.
Jeff, I agree that the tack strips don't work. I tried them two years ago when they started in on my BB houses and they just kept doing it. I found their blood on the strips but I just the urge to eat takes over. I finally added PVC and raised the poles to 6', so far so good.
Brad, thanks for the information. We do have one solar thats rated in miles but it's being used to keep the donkeys from going down a ravine. I will definitely get the best I can. I guess my dogs will just have to raise a leg on something else!
Peggy, I assure you your dog will be a quick learner in finding a new place to mark his territory. One of our neighbors dogs use to visit out place regularly until he marked a gourd rack. I haven't seen him back over here and that was 2 or 3 years ago.
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Peggy Riley
- Posts: 885
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:21 pm
- Location: TX/Tolar
We have a neighbor that has a Pyranees that is always doing his business at our place and always at night. He'll get a good shock I'm sure!