A wolf ate my cow

[titanopteryx]

How do I keep my cow protected while I'm away?

[Pain]

I usually make an effort to kill all wolves I cross paths with. For packs I use baited traps and move them around following the wolves.The last game I have played my cows were tied to a tree in a village that was walled off, and only had one way in and out.

In previous games I've tied cows and bulls to trees, or kept them in an enclosure but always with dogs tied to trees or post surrounding the cows and bulls. Take note that the barking from the dogs can become annoying.

The only times I have lost a cow or bull to a wolf is while walking the creature if I happen to walk into a pack of wolves. Usualy, if this was the case, for some reason the wolves always target my best animal (most storage space), not sure why.

You coud also build a barn, but that is too much effort for my taste.

[titanopteryx]

Actually my settlement is walled off except 1 gap with trap fences and pits. That wolf must have got through that gap. So now I build a trap fence there and when I want to pass through the fence I'll just deconstruct the segment temporarily. it seems i get 100% of the building mats back each time. A plus note is I got a big bunch of smoked cow meat now and winter's fast approaching.

Speaking of which, when that lake freezes over north of my settlement, wolves might cross the ice.

[Pain]

Walled off? With a fence or house walls? I have done it with fencing and the climbing over it constantly became annoying. Much respect if it is house walls that must have been time consuming.

I can't recall what a trap fence is? I am going to assume it is the same as a fence. A bunch of animals including you can jump, climb, or squeeze through player made fences (the wolf being one of them). Just so you are aware, here is the link to the wiki of the animals able to do so:

http://unrealworld.wikia.com/wiki/Fence

I find fencing to be near useless, my only use of it is to guide animals into a pit trap or use it as a post to tie an animal to. In my current play through I have zero fencing. And yes I would imagine a creature would stumble into your camp when the lake freezes over. Let's just hope it is an elk walking towards that pit trap.

[titanopteryx]

A trap fence is a type of fence made using the trapping skill that's specifically designed to block animals from passing. It is cheap to produce because it takes 6 stakes and one thin trunk makes like 20ish stakes. I got the idea from studying the wiki. Your own dog can't pass it and if you try to zoom to the overworld map with a trap fence between you the game gives you a messages saying your dog can't reach you and if you zoom out your dog will be left behind. One nice thing about my creation was that the wolf that I caught attacking my cow started running from me and ran right into a pit.

[Brigand231]

I almost hate to say it, but a lot of critters can climb over fences. "Trap fence" and "fence" are quite literally the same thing. Same construction, same materials, same everything.

As was said, the "best" protection for livestock is to have them inside a building made of cabin walls. It does not need to have a roof, just walls. Yes, it's a lot of work; very little in this game is free or easy. The wiki linked to is outdated on a lot of entries, and even it mentions that wolves, lynxes, and bears can bypass fences. I usually leave my dogs wandering around my livestock area or tied to a fence adjacent to the only door in.

Having said that, if you do fence in your "yard", but put a covered pit about every fourth tile and lay loop snares on the inside of it that seems to be enough to keep most predators out. I've seen lynx tracks go all the way around my yard in Winter, but smaller nuisance-type critters will still find their way in such as hare or ermine if you leave even the slightest potential opening.

If you're going to have your homestead against water, it's best to do it against rapids so you you'll always have a source off fresh water and big fish all year. No animals, wild or domesticated, except for some birds, will ever willingly go over a water tile unless you lead them through it on a leash.

[titanopteryx]

Ok, I'm still a bit new and haven't figured this game all out yet. I'll try making a barn but i'm not looking forward to it. the little building I made took a lot of trees and a barn would have to be bigger... Well big enough for a couple cows. I like bringing containers of milk around with me. Do cows for trade in villages repopulate over time?

[terry]

Just a FYI: Trap fences wont stop most predator animals and most of them also wont trigger pit traps. You can keep your animals in your house while you're gone if you want to, they dont hurt anything. Or you can build several deadfall traps around your animal pen.
I have my pen attached(not really attached but right next to it so nothing can get through it) to my house with a door from the house to the pen. When i leave for a while i just move them inside the house. I also have deadfall traps around the pen for when im around.

[Pain]

Animals you trade for such as cows do not repopulate over time. Once you buy them all from the villages that is it.

[titanopteryx]

Originally posted by Pain:

Animals you trade for such as cows do not repopulate over time. Once you buy them all from the villages that is it.

Well it sounds like I'm going to be putting my remaining cow in my little cabin now.

[AzzaUK]

l;ol a wolf would eat a cow inreal life

[Róccolis]

♥♥♥♥ happens =/