# What constitutes 'about to do damage'



## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Last winter my last pigeons came up missing one night. Now I have eight more and was going to set a couple dog proofs next to my coop. Would it be legal to set a raccoon trap next to your coop year around even if there hasn't been recent sign or dead birds?


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

shaffe48b said:


> Last winter my last pigeons came up missing one night. Now I have eight more and was going to set a couple dog proofs next to my coop. Would it be legal to set a raccoon trap next to your coop year around even if there hasn't been recent sign or dead birds?


Not sure about legalities but i set them next to my chicken coop all the time. In my opinion a **** around a coop is about to do damage.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

I think it would be. Perhaps I should just call into the fuzz cause I see them around here more this year and don't want to take any chances.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

I'm not sure traps are legal against "about to do damage". Shooting them, yes. Something more passive like a trap... eh...


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## triplelunger (Dec 21, 2009)

I wouldn't worry about it. 

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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

In the fur bearer digest it includes traps in about to do damage I'm just not sure if you need evidence of a proximate target. I have had birds killed.


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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

Set a live trap to figure out what's causing the damage. May not be a ****.


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## triplelunger (Dec 21, 2009)

I wouldn't worry about it. 

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## Spartan88 (Nov 14, 2008)

A CO Lieutenant told me the law is intentionally vague after I asked about shooting coyotes on my property. He chuckled when I told him I've never seen a coyote that didn't look like it was about to do damage.


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## trucker3573 (Aug 29, 2010)

Go at night with a pcp air rifle like this. All you hear really is the valve inside the gun. Mount a light and those ***** will be dead as . 











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## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

About to do damage could mean tomorrow. Lots of people are arrested for conspiring.


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## outdoorsman48049 (Jan 27, 2011)

my input, i did animal damage control for almost 15 years, for the public, I had a permit from the state.If an animal is about to do damage or suspected of causing damage, remove it from the situation, dead.You are NOT allowed to transport a wild animal without a permit, off your property, Lots of people, a few of them i met, would set live traps on their property and then catch raccoons, possums, etc and take to a game area or park, that is a DO NOT DO.You can be ticketed/fined.I had a chicken coop.I used to raise some small chicks and one night i put them in , it was a little early.I forgot that i didn't have 1/4 inch mesh around the bottom.Some of the chicks were near the edge, and at 11 at night heard some commotion, So, i ran out and a big **** was standing by pen, with a small wing in his mouth, i kicked him and he rolled about ten feet ran up a tree....soo, i ran into house and loaded up my 22, now mind you i'm very rural.I took my spotlight and 22 out, shined up in the large pines around pen.I saw him, as he was falling, a little wing floated down.So i scanned the other pines, 4 more sets of eyes, dropped them also, i noticed that if i held the light along the barrel, i could see the 22 bullet kinda zing out and used it like a tracer to hone in.
I heard a coyote bark, in the woods near my house.So i walked to the edge of the woods by some brush, knelt down, and i saw my lab kinda over where the bark came from.I watched him, as he got closer i saw a huge coyote behind him , eyes on fire, following him, now mind you my lab never took any sht from any animal.As they got closer, i saw the coyote grab his haunch , my lab spun, they were face to face.Growling, then my lab turned as they got near me, i stood up and the coyote took off.A month later, i heard the bark.Grabbed my ten gauge threw in a buck shot and my rabbit squealer, and hoofed into the woods 50 yards from house.I almost laid in the leaves, and started a rabbit squeal.I could see him coming through the woods full bore, at me.....as he got within 50 ft, i came out of the leaves, he almost slide into me, he was running so hard his feet were actually sliding he couldn't get traction, BOOOOOOOM and he was no more....
My kids were small then, and we watched them like hawks when outside, and the lab was there also.....
If an animal is doing damage or about to do damage, the landowner has the right, to stop its onslaught.done.
as long as you follow other rules, like you can't shoot in the city, etc.
One night , it was 2 am, my wife was up with baby, she comes in, "theres something in the fireplace" i said, "there's a cap on top" , got up, now mind you, i'm in bed, sooo, i put on my mickey mouse boots, and walk out, shine up, and a **** is trying to pull cap off.sooo i run back in grab 22, lab follows me.I walk to back of house, shine up, he looks down, bang bang he's hit falls to roof, and as he rolls off my lab catches him in mid air.done.
The moral of the story is, If you see me in my mickey mouse boots, with my 22 and a spotlight, in my ****** tightys, make your peace with the lord, and accept, because as i told the guys at work, there's nothing more scary, and that's the truth.


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## 2010flhtk (Jan 7, 2013)

They are always looking for something to damage, be it chicken coop, trash can, gardens, bird feeder, on in your case pigeons. 
Take'em out!!


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## rwbaker (Dec 14, 2007)

bobberbill said:


> Set a live trap to figure out what's causing the damage. May not be a ****.


+1


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

bobberbill said:


> Set a live trap to figure out what's causing the damage. May not be a ****.


A dogproof trap is a live trap. Its not like a connibear.

I have used marshmallows in them for years and have never caught anything excepts *****, skunks, opossum, and mice. I have heard of people catching cats in them but usually that is using a bait similar to catfood. Marshmallows dont seem to attract them.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

I would not worry about it. I think I would be checking to see if you a mink or wessal in your area to. Them little B can do some damage


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Set whatever trap, just dont talk about it. Check them early AM and remove any 'catches'.

Please kill all possums, **** and cats that dont look like the neighbors.

Too bad cats arent licensed and leashed like dogs. How come?? Thousands in $$ for bureaurats to spend.

We have quite a few 'walkers' here in the sub. Many come w/ dog on leash and a plastic bag in hand. Cat owners just let the thing out every eve or have a 'cat door' so it comes/goes at will. Neighbors clean up after them, esp winter w/ foot of snw covering all the litter box. Neighbor had 2 or 3 cats few yrs ago and NO LITER BOX.. What does that tell you?


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## TriggerDiscipline (Sep 25, 2017)

I suspect they're about to dig in my siding and damage my dog by eating him. Therefore, on my land, ***** and yotes are always about to do damage.


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## wpmisport (Feb 9, 2010)

I have yet to see a **** do anything beneficial in my yard.


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## Tron322 (Oct 29, 2011)

Years ago the critter control truck would drive to the end of my dead end road and then drive back a few minutes later, I would lose chickens. I suspected he was releasing racoons from other areas whether it was legal or not, it was only one summer so I didn't raise a fuss.

Easier just to keep my two dogproofs going with marshmallows, check them early and dispatch the raccoon and dump it out back. Think I killed about thirty raccoons that year and lost ten chickens or so.

Still set them every now and then within six feet of my chicken enclosure, not any rule I have ever seen about it but I figure that's the reason I am trapping raccoons is to keep them away from my chickens, so the trap goes close to the pen.

I live in a fairly rural spot, can see five of my neighbors houses now, will see one in June when the leaves all pop, so occasionally they get shot out of the trees too.

Luckily a few neighbors also have chickens so when I hear one or two .22 shots every now and then I know it's a community effort to keep the raccoon numbers down.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

One of our neighbors used to think I was picking off deer and filling the freezer...
We've since gotten to know each other quite a bit better and he knows I don't even deer hunt with a bow, let alone gun anymore and our property is a sort of "safe haven" for deer to bed. When we had a nice size garden and about 30 chickens...
Well the ***** and opossums got regular feedings of 39 gr. HP sandwiches.🤣
They make good fertilizer after you till them in very well.😉


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

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## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

sfw1960 said:


> One of our neighbors used to think I was picking off deer and filling the freezer...
> We've since gotten to know each other quite a bit better and he knows I don't even deer hunt with a bow, let alone gun anymore and our property is a sort of "safe haven" for deer to bed. When we had a nice size garden and about 30 chickens...
> Well the ***** and opossums got regular feedings of 39 gr. HP sandwiches.🤣
> They make good fertilizer after you till them in very well.😉


I just throw them in a fencerow where the birds can see them and they pick away at them & drag them around. Looks like a pet cemetery out there.


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## TriggerDiscipline (Sep 25, 2017)

In my experience, I've had a heck of a time getting animals to eat my *****. Coyotes won't eat them, so they're useless as bait. Neither will eagles or vultures. Crows are about the only thing, and they take their time.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

shaffe48b said:


> Last winter my last pigeons came up missing one night. Now I have eight more and was going to set a couple dog proofs next to my coop. Would it be legal to set a raccoon trap next to your coop year around even if there hasn't been recent sign or dead birds?


Set it and forget it. Take care of the problem and move on. Your intent Is what counts. Your trying to save your personal property from loss. I believe you have a right to terminate most critters if they are or about to do damage.


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

TrailMarker said:


> I just throw them in a fencerow where the birds can see them and they pick away at them & drag them around. Looks like a pet cemetery out there.


Actually I usually give em the good old gut shot and maybe a limb if I get a follow up.

Why should I carry & fling when they hobble off to the buffet lol


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## smith34 (Feb 2, 2009)

Generally, the safety clicking off, constitutes “about to do damage”.....at least around me!


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## Biggbear (Aug 14, 2001)

Every coyote I've ever seen around our place had a shifty look in their eyes. That's all the convincing I've needed that it was "about to do damage".


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Kill every possum you can. That will benefit all chickens and pigeons.


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## Biggbear (Aug 14, 2001)

22 Chuck said:


> Kill every possum you can. That will benefit all chickens and pigeons.


Possums eat thousands of ticks. No one around is has chickens, so they get a pass. But I'm always torn, they raid grouse and turkey nests too. But I hate ticks, it's hard whack something that takes so many of them out.


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## TrailMarker (Dec 8, 2012)

Biggbear said:


> Possums eat thousands of ticks. No one around is has chickens, so they get a pass. But I'm always torn, they raid grouse and turkey nests too. But I hate ticks, it's hard whack something that takes so many of them out.


Life is simple. Stomp your own snakes, Kill your own ticks, whack when you want. Used to kill all possums and be proud of it, then got in the “they kill ticks” train, back to killing those dumb things. They might not dig the holes under the foundation, but they still travel them, so they are on my Schmitz List. The last one I caught in a live trap had about 8 ugly ducklings attached. Does that count as 9?


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## lostontheice (Feb 18, 2011)

Imo . any predator close to a pen or livestock is "about to do harm".. trap or shoot on site..


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