Varmints!!

[BearBio]

Appears the neighborhood raccoons have discovered our tomatoes!!!!

I'd set a Hav-a-Hart trap but what would I do?? Drown it? Animal control won't care: too many deer, coyotes coming down into town because of the heat and it being fire season.

Besides we are giving baskets away to the neighbors because our shelves are full of sauces, etc. Just a tithe to Mother Nature, I guess. A privilege to feed the Almighty's critters. As long as they don't tangle with Faith, our dog, It's OK!

 

[Unshaven2897]

I pulled out the live trap earlier this summer for the 'upper' garden just off the front deck. The gray diggers and hybrids were coming in from the forest as they do during dry season because there is still green stuff in our gardens. So we have long laughed about people who don't want to dispatch a critter and haul/transport them elsewhere. It was time for an experiment to see how long it takes for them to get back 'home'. I brought from the shop five spray cans of marking paint and did up the captives' tails and delivered them - starting at two miles off and working back towards home.

The last one was delivered about half way from the furthest point to the homestead. So far they must be fitting in just fine somewhere around their new habitats. The experiment has ended for the year because, between the live trap (5 rodents and 1 skunk) the dogs (~16) and the snap rat traps (4), the population has dwindled and/or the word has gotten around in rodent communities. But nothing with a colored tail has arrived. We're actually kind of surprised. Also surprised that we haven't heard anything through the grapevine about the mystery of who is spray-painting the rodents. Not me. Not me.

Stay tuned. This will continue science experiment next year.

 

[BearBio]

I pulled out the live trap earlier this summer for the 'upper' garden just off the front deck. The gray diggers and hybrids were coming in from the forest as they do during dry season because there is still green stuff in our gardens. So we have long laughed about people who don't want to dispatch a critter and haul/transport them elsewhere. It was time for an experiment to see how long it takes for them to get back 'home'. I brought from the shop five spray cans of marking paint and did up the captives' tails and delivered them - starting at two miles off and working back towards home.

The last one was delivered about half way from the furthest point to the homestead. So far they must be fitting in just fine somewhere around their new habitats. The experiment has ended for the year because, between the live trap (5 rodents and 1 skunk) the dogs (~16) and the snap rat traps (4), the population has dwindled and/or the word has gotten around in rodent communities. But nothing with a colored tail has arrived. We're actually kind of surprised. Also surprised that we haven't heard anything through the grapevine about the mystery of who is spray-painting the rodents. Not me. Not me.

Stay tuned. This will continue science experiment next year.

While I was working on my MS thesis, Cal DFG "put back" (aka relocated) a black bear 250 miles from Angeles National Forest to either the Tehachapis or Sierras (Forget which=wasn't one of my study bears). Returned in a month!

 

[Unshaven2897]

The dogs are still at work as of this morning. The puppy is getting smarter too:

 

[BearBio]

Mine just barks a lot and charges out the doggie door. Heard growling and snapping one time but no marks, fur, or blood. Mighta just chased a cat out. A raccoon would have marked her!