LeadWasp Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 This is local to me http://www.midhurstandpetworth.co.uk/news/local/death-of-116-sheep-in-west-dean-is-uk-s-worst-attack-1-7261855 I'm thinking about the number of times I had to wade the river last year to deal with dogs that were running amok amongst my neighbours sheep!! You speak to the owners and get told to FO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Shocking to say the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OffAim Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) Or was it................? Date : 23 May, 2015, midnight. Location : West Dean, West Sussex. A taxi driver driving down a country lane spotted a very large black cat in the road. He said it filled half the road. It stopped and looked towards him before disappearing into bushes. He said it was jet black and massive with a very long thick tail. Source : sussexbigcatwatch. http://www.sussexbigcatwatch.org.uk/13.html I assume there must be some truth in these sightings.......... Where I used to shoot in Essex, there is a small wood of conifers and other trees on the perimeter track of an old USA airbase.......... I was surprised to see what were obviously claw scratch marks in a few tree trunks.......they were just like my own cats' attempts on table legs (and trees in the garden) only 50 times larger and about 5'-6" up the trunk from the ground. Too high up for badger and definitely not fox (scratches too large). I would expect a large cat rather than a dog prowling around a sheep pen could cause a number to die of fright..............I nearly did when I saw the claw marks. Edited March 9, 2016 by OffAim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 well.... I'm aware of the reported sightings and supposed evidence of big cats in our area of Sussex. Rogate, Ambersham, etc. I don't know of a single keeper, forester, farmer or shepherd who can supply any evidence to support the theories. Given the bad behaviour of virtually every recreational countryside user I see on an almost daily basis, coupled with the spreading disease of walking your dog off the lead on public highways - let alone amongst livestock - my money's on the 'its my right' brigade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12gauge82 Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 well.... I'm aware of the reported sightings and supposed evidence of big cats in our area of Sussex. Rogate, Ambersham, etc. I don't know of a single keeper, forester, farmer or shepherd who can supply any evidence to support the theories. Given the bad behaviour of virtually every recreational countryside user I see on an almost daily basis, coupled with the spreading disease of walking your dog off the lead on public highways - let alone amongst livestock - my money's on the 'its my right' brigade. I might be going slightly off topic but I think somethings gone seriously wrong with sociaty lately and it only seems to be getting worse, I don't even think it's a 'townie' vs 'country' issue, it seems to be a general I'm the centre of the universe attitude that is getting worse as the years go on and its effecting all aspects of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) I cant see it being a big cat, by nature a cat would stalk its prey and take just one for food. An out of control dog would circle and bark, possibly bite. I have personally seen and experienced this in action. Dog does not respond as they are in "red zone" and avoids being caught by owners and continues to cause distress. If this is a common dog walking area, my money would be on an irresponsible dog walker. Chances of them coming forward or prosecution... NIL! Completely irresponsible... All dogs that are not trained and owned by the farmer should be on leads in any fields with livestock! We occasionally get dumped "coursing dogs" round us and they soon go "rouge" when left alone for a while. Unapproachable and leaving only one option Edited March 9, 2016 by jeffjjack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Big Cats?- hasn't the Loch Ness monster eaten them all yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie10 Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 So they are 100% sure a dog but there is no evidence that it was a dog. They must be able to see paw prints in the mud somewhere there.... not fireworks or something else that has scared them. Sounds like the goose that was shot but then found out it wasn't..... Dogs and sheep are a definite no-no, dogs on leads at all times.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 well let's keep it in the realms of the feasible.....on balance it's hardly going to be vampires is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Zombies! I'm telling ya they're coming! They practice on the sheep cos they are easy to kill!!!! I'm gonna be ready when they come!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBob Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 It's a lot of dead sheep. Just a thought, could this be a deliberate act rather than a random attack. ? Revenge, ? harassment, ? sadistic attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben0850 Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) Yows heavily in lamb are easily stressed...pushed and ragged all over its easy to see what happened without some conspiracy theory...its truly terrible Edited March 9, 2016 by ben0850 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Sorry, don't believe this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bad lindz Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Although I sympathise with the loss of his flock it cant be proved that it was in fact a dog. two or three deaths maybe but so many ??, more questions need to be asked for the investigation and also post mortems should be carried out to rull out anything else. I have seen some so called sheep dogs give the poor sheep a very hard time and we all know what an old fox can do to a flock but at least you can see from the remains who the suspects could be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sian Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 There is a question that it might actually be the fault of the considerable amount of low flying chinooks that frequent the area - suggestions made by farmers themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurchers Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Have they not drank out of the same troff or beck where something has been poured in,as its slot of sheep for one area and no evidence of blood from dogs or big cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 ??apparantly not a mark on any of them...on face of it truly terrible but it does not totally stack up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 I've seen it happen to a field of around 20 back when i worked full time on the farm. 2 lived but aborted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Having been a sheep farmer for over 50 years I totally believe the story. Apparently there were 600 ewes on the ground and 100+ got run down a fold in the ground towards a fence. Totally possible and only one thing runs ewes like that and that's a dog. There is only one thing more stupid than those who refuse to believe this story and that's a sheep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossberg-operator Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/local/fundraising-starts-for-farmer-of-116-dead-sheep-1-7267360 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Slightly off topic but relevant, we were walking the Dales a few years ago when my brother-in-law's wife( who incidentally, thinks my pheasant shooting is cruel) found it quite hilarious when their German Shepherd Chased a couple of ewes and their lambs onto a small beach by a river. They were horrified when I said that the farmer was within his rights to shoot the dog. Luckily they managed to get him back on the lead But have never seen eye to eye with me ever since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Having been a sheep farmer for over 50 years I totally believe the story. Apparently there were 600 ewes on the ground and 100+ got run down a fold in the ground towards a fence. Totally possible and only one thing runs ewes like that and that's a dog. There is only one thing more stupid than those who refuse to believe this story and that's a sheep! another right answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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