Maize Fields wild animals problem !!

Thread Starter

olvine

Joined Mar 10, 2014
99
Hello

I have a fields of maize(corn) crop. On the fields there are some wild pigs which destroy the fields. I wanted to make something which detect those wild animals within the range of 30m or so and turn on some buzzer or something. The main problem is to detect those animals. Can anyone suggest some good method to detect those animals ?
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,157
  1. Directional microphones with parabolic dishes.
  2. Infrared cameras and or night vision goggles.
  3. Pressure pads to detect the passage of the animals along certain pathways.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,280
I would suggest a PIR sensor such as used on outside security lights. They have a fairly wide range and should detect the pigs if they are in the open. If getting power to them is an issue, they have ones that are solar powered. Insead of powering lights it could power the buzzer or other noise maker.

Does this have to work in the daylight? If so then you would need a sensor that is not disabled by daylight. Security lights are disabled in by light so you would have to determine how to bypass that if you used a security light module (perhaps as simple as covering the light sensor inside the box with black electrical tape).

Note that pigs are fairly smart and may not be easily discouraged.
 

sirch2

Joined Jan 21, 2013
1,037
Putting a fence round the field seems like a better approach - since this is AAC, make it an electric one!
 

Thread Starter

olvine

Joined Mar 10, 2014
99
PIR sensors are better option. Other option are very much expensive and time consuming. I was also searching on the internet and available components in local market and PIR sensors are good to go.

Fense is too much expensive.

They don't destroy during day but only at night.

Any other options ?
what about ultrasonic sensors ?
 

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
Like most high adaptable animals, wild pigs will be spooked once or twice by some alarm. But, that which does not kill them, just becomes part of the their environment. And even killing them might only work on a small group. The next group to move into the void won't know death might await them. It will be like bailing out the ocean. Even fences tend to be just another challenge that they will find a way over, under, or through. :(

Ken
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,280
Pigs will root under a regular fence so it definitely would need to be electrified. And a single wire may not be sufficient. We had pigs on the farm when I was a kid and they learned to run under a single-wire electric fence, tolerating the shock if one occurred as they ran under it. You would likely need some type of electrified mesh or multi-wire fence, perhaps a foot or two high. And the electric controller should be a strong one so they won't be tempted to touch it more than once.

How big is the field?
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
Ken is right on. That behavior even has a name, annoy and ignore. Even humans exhibit that behavior.

How about a nice dog, then just listen for its bark. You need a dog smart enough not to challenge the feral pigs.

John
 

Brownout

Joined Jan 10, 2012
2,390
PIR won't work because it won't see through the corn stalks. If it were an open field, then it would. I think you would need something that runs the perimeter, like a wire-capacitor, or some sort of trip-wire.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Not sure if it works with wild pigs, but planting prickly vines amongst the crops will keep raccoons out of sweet corn. They don't like the feel of the vines under their feet.

A baited trap is another possibility. Catch and release - somewhere else. I am very doubtful of any scare tactic, for the reasons others have noted.

Electric fences are usually to keep stock animals in, not vermin out. I'm not aware of any successful electronic countermeasures for ANY farm pest, let alone pigs. It's fences and rifles around here.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
My horticulture professor was not a big advocate of so-called "natural" techniques but he did try to at least mention them if they had some real value. In general he said most were old wives tails that didn't work. I believe cucumber vines were the recommended 'coon foil. Probably a mild deterrent at best, but better than nothing.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
Haha, I saw that too. It got me thinking about using another animal that might deter the pigs. I don't think sheep would be effective, but maybe a goat? A couple big dogs? Snakes on a leash?
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
We have a lot of wild hogs in Florida ,the numbers get bigger every year. You don't know

what to eat anymore. If you don't live with them....hunt regular..know what they are

eating...spot good meat to eat.. about the coon's they have sensitive front feet that they use

to find small crabs and other food underwater,they look straight ahead as they feel for food in the

water.
 
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Thread Starter

olvine

Joined Mar 10, 2014
99
Parameter is 1500m but there are some spot or open fields from where pigs enters the fields. PIR sensors with 30m of covering range would be great to detect those pigs. We don't want to detect them in the fields. We might try to scare them off before entering the field. We must scare them or else their will be huge loss.

@mrChips FeMgSiO4 ?? :D

We cant stay awake whole night to guard those field so that's why this kind of method is needed. Once we detect the presence of those pigs we can hunt them down or scare them off.
 
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