Electronic "Pest Chaser" Mimics Predators

Electronic "Pest Chaser" Mimics Predators MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Pest Animals 27-1-29 Damage caused by deer and other pests was getting out of hand on the small Annapolis, Missouri, farm owned by Dan Jincks. He tried a lot of ideas but nothing ever worked for long. He finally figured out that he needed to start thinking like a deer to find something that would work. He devised an electronic device that intermittently emits a recording of a cougar screaming. He says deer are instinctively wary of such sounds and will leave an area immediately if they hear them. "I soon discovered that most nocturnal pest animals have a common instinct about the sounds made by cougars," he says. "While quite subtle and seldom noticed by people, these sounds strike incredible fear in night animals." Jincks has been testing his cougar scream-emitting device for four years at the same site and says its effectiveness has not been diminished over time. He also makes a similar device that emits a synthesized hiss for about 10 seconds every six minutes at night. "It is seldom noticed by people, since it sounds much like car traffic or an air conditioner. To the pest animal, it sounds like big trouble and works very effectively to ward off deer, raccoon, coyote, skunk, opossum, armadillo, fox and stray nocturnal dogs," he says. "It doesn't bother pets, livestock, or desirable daytime wildlife." He has designed a total of seven different models of what he calls "Phantom" deterrents. Some make sounds only, while others include a visual effect (light up eyes) that work with rabbits and other nocturnal rodents. He claims they're nearly 100 percent effective at keeping specific pest animals away from areas from under three acres to as large as 10 acres. Not only do they help protect crops, but they can also be effective at keeping predators away from poultry and livestock. Some of his deterrents are even effective against birds like crows and grackles. Jincks currently makes all of his products by hand and has sold some prototype units to test them under a variety of conditions. He's working on plans for commercial production. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dan Jincks, Walnut Creek Enterprises, Box 70, Annapolis, Mo. 63620.

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