How do you get a Horned Owl to leave?

DaveB

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Out on the new acreage...we've discovered we have an owl that hangs out on top of our house 3 or 4 nights a week. We haven't seen it...but a quick Google search on owl sounds tells us that the gentle "hoohoooo" is a Great Horned. Anyways...did some searchin...seems they will take the odd dog here and there....most stuff that comes up is Chihuahuas or Yorkies....both in that 5 to 8 lb range. Molly our Schnauzer is 22 lbs and mean, so not worried about her, but George is a Lhasa Apso and is at 13 lbs....and fluffy and white (read: rabbit-like)...HIM I worry about. We have a doggy door and right now they are confined to a real small area around the rear patio, but once we have grass and fence, the goal is to let 'em rip.

Soooo...do we think George is in danger? I read about some bird deterrents, but they don't list "owl" on the list of birds. What should we do? Just block the dog door at night? (they both tend to take a middle of the night whiz right now).

On top of this, a co-worker in Whitecourt just had the family Chihuahua killed and gutted by a GH owl YESTERDAY. His wife and kids are NOT happy.
 

Nytroman

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Our yorkie and shepherd are also locked up this spring at night due to another skunk. Sucks getting up at 2am for not my whiz needs. Looks like long weekend may be trapping instead of sledding
 

rsaruk

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Would a plastic owl on top of the house work or does that only keep other birds away?
 

DaveB

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Gun........;)
Illegal.

I thought about the plastic owl...but all research I did on it says it just keeps other birds away...and some sites say even that doesn't work after a while; you end up with a plastic owl covered in pigeon crap....
 

Snowdin

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Send it to my place. After the dog died the cat took off and now the mice are taking over.
 

imdoo'n

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Our yorkie and shepherd are also locked up this spring at night due to another skunk. Sucks getting up at 2am for not my whiz needs. Looks like long weekend may be trapping instead of sledding

Put a boiled egg in your cage trap, gets skunks every time
 
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teeroy

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Illegal.

I thought about the plastic owl...but all research I did on it says it just keeps other birds away...and some sites say even that doesn't work after a while; you end up with a plastic owl covered in pigeon crap....
the wife's stepdad had one of those plastic owls perched at the opening of the loft on his shop, there wasn't a single feather or bird dropping in that open loft in ten years. they work good to keep pigeons and other birds away
 

ferniesnow

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I think it will be cyclical thing Dave. It will move on when the food supply gets down. They only hunt at night and I'm betting that by the time you have grass and fence so the dogs can run around the owl will be gone.

But don't take my word for it; doo what you feel is right! I doo like snopro's idea......
 

d mills

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I think it will be cyclical thing Dave. It will move on when the food supply gets down. They only hunt at night and I'm betting that by the time you have grass and fence so the dogs can run around the owl will be gone.

But don't take my word for it; doo what you feel is right! I doo like snopro's idea......
Yup......if it were my dog in danger I'd have 3" "tranquilizers" loaded in the mossberg.
 

DRD

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Lost more cats than I can count, welcome to the country. Smaller dog run with some mesh over the top? That's what I had to do to keep the rabbits from being dinner.
 

Nytroman

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Put a boiled egg in your cage trap gets skunks every time


Boiled egg, i will try that, I can get it in the trap in front of the house but dont want that again, maybe the egg will get it to the other lot. The trap i got from the F&W seems way over sized for a skunk so no doubt its going to spray when it trips:rant:

As far as the owl he will find a more private wooded area once the warmer weather comes and theres more action outside I would think. Maybe see if cabellas has owl perfume and bust a bottle on your neighbors roof to attract it over yonder.
 
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Russell P

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Illegal.

I thought about the plastic owl...but all research I did on it says it just keeps other birds away...and some sites say even that doesn't work after a while; you end up with a plastic owl covered in pigeon crap....

In the words of the late, great, King Ralph............. SHOOT, SHOVEL, SHUTUP!!!! :hunter2:
:hunter2:
 

sled_wrangler

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Get a paint ball gun .... make him glow and im sure he will leave and then there is no harm no fowl

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 

eclipse1966

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Not entirely true FS. Last year my neighbour and I were standing in his front yard and suddenly we heard a squeal from hell. Looked up to find his family cat in the claws of an owl. This was in the middle of the afternoon. Poor cat was almost waving goodbye :(

I think it will be cyclical thing Dave. It will move on when the food supply gets down. They only hunt at night and I'm betting that by the time you have grass and fence so the dogs can run around the owl will be gone.

But don't take my word for it; doo what you feel is right! I doo like snopro's idea......
 

ferniesnow

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Not entirely true FS. Last year my neighbour and I were standing in his front yard and suddenly we heard a squeal from hell. Looked up to find his family cat in the claws of an owl. This was in the middle of the afternoon. Poor cat was almost waving goodbye :(

I was going to say "mostly hunt at night" to cover my bases...........my bad!
 
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