Repelling Cows

[maceo]

In one of the fields I fish there is often a large herd of cows.

I'm not bothered by them or anything like that. I grew up in areas sufficiently suburban to be used to them......but...

These ones creep up on you. One minute they're right over the other side of the field with their backs to you, then the next time you happen to glance over your shoulder they're in a steadily decreasing semi-circle closing in on you ominously.

Does anyone have good methods for getting them to move along. A method that doesn't involve jumping around and waving your arms or swishing a landing net handle at them and scaring every fish away for miles in the process?

Even when you do scare them away a short distance like that, they're back doing the same thing again as soon as your back is turned. About 30 of 'em slowly closing in on the bait and tackle.

As a responsible angler, I obviously don't want to do anything that will hurt the cows and upset the farmer.

I must admit that I have resorted to firing little chunks of dried mud at them sometimes with the catapult. Although that seems to work, I'm worried about popping one of them in their eye or something and what can you do when it's wet and muddy and there's no dry mud lumps?

There must be a better way that someone's discovered.

[steph mckenzie]

Just give them back their Cravendale

On a more serious note -: Health and Safety Executive figures show that such attacks are rare. Excluding the recent deaths, 18 people have been killed and 481 injured by cows in the past eight years.

The best way to repel a cow is to stay out of it's way.

[peter crabtree]

Appleford on Thames maybe?
A few years ago I was on the pole down there and suddenly I was surrounded by cattle. I only noticed them close behind me when my pole got nudged, and then shipping out, the butt was covered with cow gob.
Every time I shipped back the bu88ers kept licking it.
I put it down to the salt in my groundbait as they like a salt lick innit..

[sam vimes]

I've failed miserably in every attempt to repel cows. Fortunately, I've successfully avoided marrying one of them.

[mick b]

Hi maceo,
In answer to your question, yes there is a (far) better way.

I assume you would like to fish the 'cow' stretch quite often?
If so you need to ask yourself if you are prepared to approach the cows directly, that is to walk right up to them (unarmed) when they are standing around you.
If the answers to these two questions is yes then pm me and I will tell you how to handle your new admirers!

Whatever you do...... DO NOT fire anything at them with a catapult, cows are worth a lot of money these days and if the farmer saw you all hell would break loose and you would certainly not be fishing there again.

[maceo]

Hi Mick - yes I'll pm you.

I do fish there regularly and no, I'm not worried about walking up to them at all.

[barbelboi]

Just a thought, you don't happen to take a bucket and stool with you by any chance?
Jerry

[little oik]

Its nigh on impossible .Just ignore them and they will go away eventually .
The worst thing you can do is have a bucket (with rattlely stuff ) plastic bag with you . n The farmers over here use both those methods to attract them as they carry calf nuts or something like that to feed them and to entice them.
Have walked into what looks like a clear field to prebait with flaked maize and calf or sheep nuts ground up as a mix . Just about get to the waters edge when you hear a stampede behind you as they can smell the food ,not something I enjoy .
The thing to watch out for is if you have your kit spread out on the bank .I have heard a few sorry tales of rods and kit being trampled on.

[tzetze]

A territorial terrier (capt. obvious) tethered by 15ft. of rope to a secure bankstick does the trick.

[chub_on_the_block]

I had this happen too. I felt like Ivan Marks with the crowd behind me. Coughing and snorting, moving around quietly. But he hidnt have to contend with litres of slobber on his rod bag and net pole.