Douglas Dean

CSU Extension

Livestock & Range Agent

$22 billion per year

2012 actual game damage claims for Colorado > $1 million

Does not include “NON GAME” animal claims

Deer

Elk

Other Ungulates

Bears

Coyotes

Geese

Commercial Crops – consume, damage

Grains – contaminate

Spread disease – avian influenza

Gardens – consume, damage

Ornamentals – consume, damage

Golf courses – consume, damage

New tree plantings – consume, damage

Livestock losses

Aircraft damage

Houses/dwellings

Prey on other desirable species – elk, deer, pronghorn, wild sheep, game birds, etc.

Be based on sound economic, ecological, and sociological principles

Carried out as positive, necessary components of wildlife management programs

Actions must be justified, environmentally safe, humane, and in the public interest

Facts about repellents

• Repellents are not “fences”

• Most practical for non-commercial users

• Most practical for low to moderate damage

• Typically used to protect small # of trees, shrubs, crops, ornamentals, gardens

• May be useful as a temporary, emergency control for commercial grower

• Should be applied prior to period of anticipated damage before animals become habituated to plants

Typically must apply frequently because of rainfall or period of rapid growth. Can add “sticker” to mixture to reduce rainfall/moisture effects

Should switch types of repellents to prevent animals from becoming accustomed to taste/odor

Hungry animals are more likely to accept(enjoy) treated foods if natural food source is low/absent

Deer Away – Putrescent whole egg solids

Deer Busters hanging sachets – Meat meal/red pepper

Bye Deer sachets – Sodium salts of mixed fatty acids

Deer Stopper – Thiram(bittering agent), capsaicin, egg solids

Plantskydd – Dried bloodmeal

Deer Busters – Coyote urine(Who has enough coyotes to harvest their urine??)

Not Tonight Deer – Dehydrated whole egg solids, Montok pepper

Dr. T’s Deer & Rabbit Repel – Putrescent whole eggs, capsaicin, garlic, mint

There are more but these cover most of the formulas/ingredients

Powders – Full strength

Powders – Mix with water

Liquids – Full strength

Liquids - Mix with water

Sachets – Porous bags

Liquids – Used in foggers

Inducing Fear – Sulfurous odors – Predator activity Predator urine based

Meat proteins

Putrescent egg solids

Conditioned Avoidance – Nausea/gastrointestionaldistress Animals associate distress with last food source eaten

Pain and/or Irritation – eyes, nose, mouth, gut Capsaicin

Ammonia

Bad Taste – Thiram – bitter taste(is a fungicide and animal

repellent)

Systemic – Incorporated into the plant Compounds absorbed and translocated by the plant,

rendering the foliage less desirable

Ideal delivery system since cannot be washed off. Few if any systemic products available. The concentration needed to deter browsing animals usually harms plant

Area Repellents – Create a chemical barrier to discourage animals to cross an area by diffusion of an odor that animals find frightening or offensive

Low success unless palatable forage is available elsewhere in vicinity

Contact Repellents – Topically applied or attached to plant

Contact repellents are typically the most effective method of delivery

“Topical” repellents worked better than area repellents

“Fear inducing” repellents worked better than other types Sulfurous odors(decaying animal protein, egg,

slaughterhouse waste, predator urine)

Showed effectiveness for 8 – 12 weeks

Number and density of problem animals

Mobility of problem animals

Accessibility of alternative desirable sites

Availability of alternative foods

Palatability of treated plants High palatability lower success and vice versa

Weather conditions

Geese problem areas

Lawns

Golf courses

Cemeteries

Athletic fields

Crops

Overgrazing Pulling up new seedlings

Golf courses/athletic fields/parks ½ pound of fecal matter/day/goose

Crop damage Alfalfa, winter wheat, oats, buckwheat, soybeans, corn

Methyl anthranilate – Taste aversion agent Derived from concord grapes – limited success due

to multiple application #’s. Better success if applied with fog machine. Produces gastro-intestinal upset.

Safe for food crops/turf grasses

Anthraquinone – Taste aversion agent Not for food crops

Turf grasses and ornamentals

Building and roof surfaces

Problems with Avian repellents Can become expensive & labor intensive

Typically low effectiveness

Other means of repelling geese. Hazing with dogs

Propane cannons – must be moved frequently

Predator effigies

Drones

Nets on fruit crops

“Restricted” use Avitrol – 4 Aminopyridine

Can be fatal but birds that do not die will recover

Causes alarm behavior – alarm calls/erratic flying

For use on pigeons, starlings, sparrows, blackbirds, crows

Treated grain

“Alpha chloralose” Anesthetic/stupefying agent

Treated grain

Used on pigeons, sparrows, seagulls etc

Does not cause mortality outright

Anesthetized birds are collected and dispatched.

Problems with pigeons eating grain and flying off and falling out of sky. Hitting cars, people, buildings, public sidewalks etc

“DRC 1339” – 3 – chloro – 4 – methylbenzenamineHydrochloride – Lethal

Species most succeptible

Pigeons, blackbirds, crows, magpies, seagulls

Treated grain

Always need to pre-feed non-treated grain for # of days to get birds accustomed to feeding in area

With Avitrol, Alpha chloralose, and DRC-1339 Must be concerned with NON – target species

Must have applicators license

Should use Personal Protection Equipment(PPE)

Controlled agents

“Always Read Label Directions!”

Exclusion Method

8 ft woven wire fence

Wooden snow fence

Electric fences

Individual tree protectors

Large wooden panels

Welded wire panel exclosure

Cultural Methods Plant species that are undesirable to deer/elk

Plant larger trees esp. conifers

Plant lure crops to hold deer/elk in offsite area

Harvest crops early if possible

Frightening Methods Propane cannons

Hazing with dogs – check local laws. Could be considered harassing wildlife

Pyrotechnics – flare guns

Human effigies

Non lethal methods Live capture & relocate - $$$

Darting

Nets

Birth control – tubal ligation - $$$$

Cornell Campus study in Ithaca, NY

May be only option in cities/towns

Lethal methods Shooting - rifle/archery

Sport hunting

Damage permits

Compensation from state??

Toxicants – none registered

Black bear issues Livestock

Wildlife

Apairies

Cabins/homes

Crops

Exclusion methods Electric fences

Woven wire fences

Cultural methods Brush control around dwellings

Remove livestock carcasses

Pet food

Garbage

Outdoor cooking

Frightening methods Loud noises

Motion lights

Rubber shotgun slugs/buckshot

Dogs

Trapping & relocating

Culvert trap

Foot snares

Darting

Lethal methods Shooting – firearms & archery

Sport hunting

Damage permit – state wildlife dept.

Coyote issues Livestock

Wildlife

Crops – watermelons

Pets in cities

Exclusion methods Netwire fences – can dig under & jump

Tall wooden fences

Electric fences

Roller fences

Cultural methods Remove livestock carcasses

Oversight of lambing/kidding/calving pastures

Monitor small pets

Frightening methods Sirens, propane cannons

Guard llamas & donkeys

Guard dogs

Toxicants – “LETHAL” M-44 – sodium cyanide capsules – ejector device

Compound 1080 - livestock protection collars

Fumigants – gas cartridges registered for burrows/dens

Trapping Leghold traps

Snares

Box/cage traps

Shooting Sport hunting

Predator control

Aerial gunning

Questions?