SO - Kangaroo's on or near the edge of runway when landing or takeoff. Has anyone tried a horn!!!!

[onetrack]

The 'roo scaring whistles don't work (or not effectively enough, anyway) - and a lass did a 171 page thesis to test them out, with the results showing what most regular country drivers already know.

 

https://abigpeacheyadventure.com.au/kangaroo-whistles/

[pmccarthy]

Whistles don’t help if you have kangaroos in the top paddock.

[turboplanner]

5 hours ago, onetrack said:

The 'roo scaring whistles don't work (or not effectively enough, anyway) - and a lass did a 171 page thesis to test them out, with the results showing what most regular country drivers already know.

 

https://abigpeacheyadventure.com.au/kangaroo-whistles/

There are also truck studies showing vehicles with bull bars have mored insurance claims.

I've also found that horns don't move them either.

I've learnt to slow down to about 50 km/hr when they are thick, and be prepared to slow down to a stop when they just park on the road.

One night south of Boulia I was down to that speed when one, about 50 metres off the road at 45 degrees in front of me stood up, and took off flat out towards the side of the car. He hit it with a massive bang and shudder, and I got out of the car expecting $3000 damage and the side bashed in. All I found were a few hairs on the rear wheel; he'd hit the wheel head on, fallen back and was still able to get up and hop away.

 

On airstrips the owner had a duty of care to fence out stock or roos, or put up white crosses to prevent anyone landing.

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by turboplanner

[Old Koreelah]

I have a small, very lightweight plastic marine horn fitted under my engine cowl.

It’s wired direct to the battery so it will still work if all else doesn’t. 

Press-button on the throttle so I can operate it with my knee if hands are busy.

 

It’s a compromise between weight and loudness, but can be heard on the ground 500’ below. I give it a honk just before calling “clear prop” and hope it would alert wildlife, people and livestock to my silent approach if the engine quits.

 

 

[Thruster88]

45 minutes ago, turboplanner said:

 

 

On airstrips the owner had a duty of care to fence out stock or roos, or put up white crosses to prevent anyone landing.

 

It would, thankfully,  appear that a simple warning in the ERSA is sufficient duty of care. It is my opinion that the pilot is responsible for their decisions about where they land and whether they have insurance or not.

 

https://www.cbp.com.au/insights/insights/2019/january/airport-operator-s-management-of-kangaroo-risk-rec

[NT5224]

11 hours ago, eightyknots said:

 

Hi folks. 

 

In my personal experience kangaroo repellers don't work. I've tried a couple  (on vehicles not my aircraft!)  However, my take on why they don't work is as follows.

 

Kangaroos are dumb. I absolutely love them, but they are  among the dumbest of Gods creatures! When Im out walking the  sound of my footsteps through the bush will likely scatter a a big mob when they hear me  approaching. However, I can fire a shotgun close to the same mob and they will stand  frozen, transfixed  by the sound or in some cases even hop forward to investigate.

 

So  the question is not whether roos are hearing the sound emitted (whistle, horn, approaching vehicle or whatever), but how they respond to that sound,  and whether it is (from a human perspective) a rational response? Without a much deeper understanding of roo psychology, it is impossible to assume just because a roo hears a particular sound it will respond to it the way a human would. 

 

This is why my own  roo control mechanism is the best. Like all good shepherding  dogs,  The Boy 

has learned  to intimately  understand and predict roo behaviour, and does exactly whats required to shepherd them to safety off the strip.  Funnily enough, the roos have also learned about the dog (its the same individuals that come back to the airstrip everyday), and so, like sheep, are not unduly concerned at being shepherded.  To them its pretty much  part of their daily routine. 

 

Everyones happy.

 

With respect to fencing the strip, it would cost me approximately $4000 to put a three wire fence round the perimetre. Trouble is, a three wire fence  might be useful in sheep country,  but wont stop roos as they hop over or push through  between the wires. And  the occasional buffalo around the property wouldn't even know the fence was there. It would walk straight through, dragging the pickets out behind it. Then Im hit with repair costs. A steel cyclone mesh fence might keep most of the critters out, but as a private individual I can't afford that.

 

Another consideration is I actually quite like having roos grazing the grass strip, other than when its actually being used for flight operations. I don't want to restrict their access permanently. 

 

Having a good shepherd dog as airstrip guardian is the way to go. Purchase price  $2500  and all up about  $1000  per year maintenance costs.   The airstrip is cleared of critters whenever you want it, and the he keeps an eye on the homestead and hangar too.  

 

And.... I get my face licked at 6.00am every morning. 

 

Result. 🤣

 

Alan 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

[facthunter]

 After he's also licked his Ar$e and other. Dogs are fine. What about a fence with some volts in it? All other kinds get pushed over. Once they touch it, they don't forget it. Roos get caught in fences.  Nev

[onetrack]

Electric fences generally work well on 'roos, just as they work well on most animals. But the problem is the erratic behaviour of 'roos.

 

If the 'roos are just grazing, and not being pushed or startled, they will normally hop up to a fence slowly, and then push their way under it - if the bottom wire can be lifted enough (and it usually can).

 

But if the fence is really tightly-strained, and the 'roo can't push under it, they will then attempt to jump it. They will also jump a fence at speed if they're being chased, they won't stop to nose under it. 

 

But a lot of the time, they misjudge the jump over the top wire, and get their toes caught in it, which brings them down with the twisted two top wires trapping their feet. They then die there, if not released.

 

I can recall a trial the Ag Dept did with regard to stopping wombats with an electric fence.

 

They found the most highly successful arrangement was a low electrified wire, and a higher electrified wire, about 300mm higher - just back a bit from the first wire.

 

The wombat would shuffle along and come to the bottom electrified wire, and get a jolt right on his nose. This made them do an "Oww!! - SHXX!!" jump backwards, and upwards - whereupon they promptly hit the second electrified wire!

 

This second jolt was apparently the coup de grâce, that sent the wombats scurrying off, never to return! It apparently took the double jolts to really reinforce the message to the wombats, that they weren't welcome!

[Possum1]

On 16/1/2021 at 4:54 PM, SSCBD said:

SO has anyone used a horn on their aircraft for this reason.

If you go to Murgon Airfield(YMRG) in the South Burnett in Queensland, don't use a horn. The farmer's cows have learnt to come to the sound of a horn, not run away, because when he blows the horn, this means there is a nice fresh bale of hay waiting for them! 

 

With the grass as lush as this, they're probably not interested in hay though... Burnett Flyers Webcam

[Possum1]

On 16/1/2021 at 4:54 PM, SSCBD said:

 

 

Edited January 19, 2021 by Possum1
duplication

[Student Pilot]

11 hours ago, pmccarthy said:

Whistles don’t help if you have kangaroos in the top paddock.

Or a few Kangaroos short in the top paddock

[Marty_d]

On 18/01/2021 at 2:26 PM, spacesailor said:

PARACHUTE 

Sounds the go,

FLY OVER HOME, DROP THE WIFE !.

Fly over strip, drop the doggy, do circuit, land & put your toy away, pick up doggy, home & dinner,s ready.

GREAT

thats how Life should be.

spacesailor

Wives make dinner?  When did this start?

[facthunter]

I'm not allowed in the kitchen and she has her own zero turn Mower that she won't let me drive.This has to be a good deal. Mind you I'm always wrong but I think that's inevitable.

   Spacey has to be aiming for stand up Comedy as his new day job. Nev

[old man emu]

2 hours ago, facthunter said:

 Spacey has to be aiming for stand up Comedy as his new day job

Too bad that his hips can't stand it.

[spacesailor]

Hips are great !.

Every day l stand a little longer, mow the lawn. And go for a walk, 5 klm, do a few exersizes,  & still try for that elusive " chinup " ,

will a half chinup pass scrutiny.

BUT, can do 40 pushups. LoL

BUT, can no one answer my canundrum " how do you write , the pronunciation  ??? " .

spacesailor

 

 

[old man emu]

 

[cooperplace]

In the 70s when I was young and stupid I rode my Ducati 900 Adelaide-Perth, cruising on 200kph, using a black visor daytime and yellow at night. Once, after dusk, I stopped to change visors, and looked back to see a guard of honor of hundreds of 'roos lining the road I'd just been doing double-digit speeds on. I hadn't seen one. I think I was going so fast they didn't have time to jump out in front of me. While I survived, I don't recommend this strategy.

[skippydiesel]

8 hours ago, cooperplace said:

In the 70s when I was young and stupid I rode my Ducati 900 Adelaide-Perth, cruising on 200kph, using a black visor daytime and yellow at night. Once, after dusk, I stopped to change visors, and looked back to see a guard of honor of hundreds of 'roos lining the road I'd just been doing double-digit speeds on. I hadn't seen one. I think I was going so fast they didn't have time to jump out in front of me. While I survived, I don't recommend this strategy.

Naaah! Correction: You were young and bullet proof (testosterone loaded) Its a natural condition in the young the males of our species. Essential for our continued survival (unfortunately at the expense of those that are "culled" in the process) A characteristic that society seems to want to deny

[waraton]

I have been told that livestock and roos get confused by a continuous sound like a horn blowing and they can't work out the direction and location of the sound. An intermittent beep beep beep beep (for example) gives them a clearer indication of distance and location of where the sound is coming from, this allows them a better chance of moving away. There are bushies who have a constant beep beep horn they can run at night while traveling and they swear by this. I have tried it by just using the the horn with regular short bursts as I approach and it seems to work. Emus are a different kettle of fish and at times have suicidal tendencies.

 

Recently tried to clear some roos off a nearby strip, after they refused to move on the first run I did a second just over their heads and they still would not budge, I went and landed elsewhere. When they are in poor condition they are sometimes just too buggered to move.

[Old Koreelah]

46 minutes ago, waraton said:

...Emus are a different kettle of fish and at times have suicidal tendencies.

On a ride to Broken Hill I had to keep my head right down on the tank so that I could see which of those drab, brown tumbleweeds had a long neck and bobbing head.

[CT9000]

Like Skippy I have a burgular alarm siren mounted under the cowel to move the roos off the strip. The problem is that the roos have gotten used to the sound and these days take less notice. I have 1.2m high farm fence that they just hop over at will except for the joeys which try to push through the ringlock get blocked then in a panic just go anywhere. If I drive the ute on the strip to pop a few bunnies the roos scatter straight away, my other half thinks I should thke the rifle in the plane but I don't have an interrupter for that and I worry about the prospects for my prop.

[pmccarthy]

5 hours ago, CT9000 said:

Like Skippy I have a burgular alarm siren mounted under the cowel to move the roos off the strip. The problem is that the roos have gotten used to the sound and these days take less notice. I have 1.2m high farm fence that they just hop over at will except for the joeys which try to push through the ringlock get blocked then in a panic just go anywhere. If I drive the ute on the strip to pop a few bunnies the roos scatter straight away, my other half thinks I should thke the rifle in the plane but I don't have an interrupter for that and I worry about the prospects for my prop.

You took a while, given the discussions we have had I thought you would be the first to reply!

[Kyle Communications]

Well I have to disagree on the whistles...maybe our kangaroos are smarter up here...I have a lot of roos down the main road to my farm..they loved to jump in front or go across the road when your coming down the road. Ever since I put a set on the sportage..and now the Triton..everytime I see a roo its hopping away from the edge of the road..never across in front of me or at me. It used to happen all the time here but since using them there has not been even one time they have tried to commit suicide

 

Steve Donald put a set of car airhorns on his savanahh as we have a lot of kangaroos always around the strip at Caboolture especially in the mornings..he gives thm a blast on the horn and they scatter away so it certainly works..its pretty load. The sav I bought back from central NSW to rebuild had a set on it too so the car horns work

 

[old man emu]

The problem with scaring kangaroos is that they really don't have anything preying on them. There have been no large predators, apart from humans, for eons, so you can't use animal noises to scare them. 

 

I wonder if they get the message to look up when they hear strange noises from above? Also, the roos that you have on and around your airstrips are the roos local to that area. That's your mob's territory, so they will soon get used to the noise you make and ignore it.

[spacesailor]

NO ,.

The roo,s on my Daughter's property never raised a head, whenever an Autogyro passed.

But

We always go out to look up, & see what that noise is, very different to fixed wing aircraft sound.

spacesailor