What can be done?

[Yokel Matt 918]

I've kind of mentioned this in another thread but what the hell I popped round to my tiny permission yesterday as the farmer was cutting hay in a small, narrow field where he had accidentally caught some young fawns the past few years I told him to give me a ring so that i could walk the ground before-hand and hopefully prevent the same happening this season. Things went without a hitch and so i took a stroll with the .22 after some rabbits, only to find this in the next field.

 

 

Sad to see

[martin 332]

It happens every year mate,they can put chains on the front of the cutter to move them on before the blades get them,but,they cost money,and,don't forget..........the deer eat their crops(that's all a few of my farmers keep saying to me).Another little thing I get regularly is...........I don't care if they are in or out of season,they still got a mouth all year round!

I do understand their point of view,but,it certainly aint nice to see fawns all chopped up,but,use it to your advantage because the foxes will be patrolling the cut fields for any cut up morsels,so get out and blat a few...........Martin.

[Guest rodsmith]

poor little fuckers!

[Yokel Matt 918]

It happens every year mate,they can put chains on the front of the cutter to move them on before the blades get them,but,they cost money,and,don't forget..........the deer eat their crops(that's all a few of my farmers keep saying to me).Another little thing I get regularly is...........I don't care if they are in or out of season,they still got a mouth all year round!

I do understand their point of view,but,it certainly aint nice to see fawns all chopped up,but,use it to your advantage because the foxes will be patrolling the cut fields for any cut up morsels,so get out and blat a few...........Martin.

 

Making hay while the sun shines and all that. I guess it's the way it goes.

[mudman 14]

The main problem is the speed at which they cut the silage, they really do fly up and down. I was watching them cut last evening and they did a fifiteen acre field in next to no time. I was up there at four this morning to see what was about (only just got back out of bed!), found a cock pheasant and a rabbit or two sliced up. I did think one solution (non serious) was to hammer a number of angle iron stakes around the field about 18 inches high, big enough for the tractor driver to see, if he goes slowly .

Edited June 2, 2009 by mudman

[Yokel Matt 918]

The farmer does have his living to earn and is doing me a favour by letting me stalk there, I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate me telling him how to do his job . Personally i can't see a way to prevent these accidents I just hope the small population on this patch can handle the losses, i'm trying to manage them so i can take a couple a year but the farmer is doing more than that with the mower

[Hannah4181 260]

[J Darcy 5,871]

Its a shame but i do not see any way round the problem unles the grass wasnt cut until, say, July, which is impractical. I do not think the speed is relevent here as the fawns will sit tighter as the noise approaches....and i bet they are nigh-on impossible to see from behind the wheel of a tractor....poor little things...

[artic 595]

Its not nice, but its survival.

 

This happens each and every year.

 

There's much you can do, and as someone has mentioned the farmers will take advantage of this weather, as we all do.

 

Such a shame.