# Critters ...



## FOMOGO (Aug 9, 2015)

Had a small group of elk  show up in the yard this evening. See them here fairly often, but always enjoy having them around. Mike


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## RJSakowski (Aug 10, 2015)

One of the joys of country living!


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## T Bredehoft (Aug 10, 2015)

We get White Tailed Deer on occasion, it's fun to watch momma and the twins walking through, browsing on leaves, etc.


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## jpfabricator (Aug 10, 2015)

Rabbits, coons, possums, and hog are all we get.

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker


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## savarin (Aug 11, 2015)

No deer koalas or roos here but we do get these magpies calling for a feed with their kids.


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## uncle harry (Aug 11, 2015)

jpfabricator said:


> Rabbits, coons, possums, and hog are all we get.
> 
> Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker



You too....I especially appreciate the groundhogs that burrowed next one of the poles in my shed.  They lowered the pole twice now & I have to jack up the header again. The coons, on the other hand, like to invade the crawl space under my 1888 farm house.  Time to eradicate again.


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 11, 2015)

FOMOGO said:


> Had a small group of elk  show up in the yard this evening. See them here fairly often, but always enjoy having them around. Mike
> View attachment 108613
> View attachment 108614



Nice looking elk, they seem to be very healthy animals!
thanks for sharing!


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## FOMOGO (Aug 11, 2015)

uncle harry said:


> You too....I especially appreciate the groundhogs that burrowed next one of the poles in my shed.  They lowered the pole twice now & I have to jack up the header again. The coons, on the other hand, like to invade the crawl space under my 1888 farm house.  Time to eradicate again.



  Comes a time. We've had a bumper crop of rodents this year and I've gone on the war path with the mice, chipmunks, and pack rats. Was about to start on the marmots (ground hogs), but it seems the coyotes have thinned them out pretty well. Mike



Ulma Doctor said:


> Nice looking elk, they seem to be very healthy animals!
> thanks for sharing!



  They do look healthy, we've had a pretty wet spring and summer, so good grazing for the elk and dear. Mostly calves and yearlings in that group. We don't see much of the big bulls until later in the fall. Mike


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## brav65 (Aug 11, 2015)

I saw this little guy yesterday in my back yard 
	

		
			
		

		
	




He let me get within 10 feet of him


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## FOMOGO (Aug 11, 2015)

That's pretty cool. We have the big cat's around here and 10 ft might be a little too close for continued good health. They say the old ones are the ones to watch out for as they can no longer catch their normal prey. I guess that's when old geezer goes on the menu. Mike


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## brav65 (Aug 11, 2015)

FOMOGO said:


> That's pretty cool. We have the big cat's around here and 10 ft might be a little too close for continued good health. They say the old ones are the ones to watch out for as they can no longer catch their normal prey. I guess that's when old geezer goes on the menu. Mike



This guy is a youngster.  He hangs out in the backyard on a daily basis.  A couple weeks ago he pulled out a landscape light and took it into the desert, never to be seen again.  I was oiling some wood furniture with music playing and he sat and watched me all afternoon.


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## uncle harry (Aug 11, 2015)

FOMOGO said:


> That's pretty cool. We have the big cat's around here and 10 ft might be a little too close for continued good health. They say the old ones are the ones to watch out for as they can no longer catch their normal prey. I guess that's when old geezer goes on the menu. Mike



Come on Dude, old geezer is redundant.  It's bad enough just to be a geezer !


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## RJSakowski (Aug 11, 2015)

uncle harry said:


> You too....I especially appreciate the groundhogs that burrowed next one of the poles in my shed.  They lowered the pole twice now & I have to jack up the header again. The coons, on the other hand, like to invade the crawl space under my 1888 farm house.  Time to eradicate again.


We have shoot groundhog on sight policy here.  The first year my British wife was here, she thought the young groundhogs sliding down the gravel pile was cute but when they ate her entire crop of green beans, I got a call at work to"come home and shoot them, NOW!".  Ever since, the .22 is always loaded and ready for action.

I haven't had a problem with poles sinking but  my 19th century granary foundation was  undermined by them to the point where it must be completely rebuilt.

Bob


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## uncle harry (Aug 11, 2015)

RJSakowski said:


> We have shoot groundhog on sight policy here.  The first year my British wife was here, she thought the young groundhogs sliding down the gravel pile was cute but when they ate her entire crop of green beans, I got a call at work to"come home and shoot them, NOW!".  Ever since, the .22 is always loaded and ready for action.
> 
> I haven't had a problem with poles sinking but  my 19th century granary foundation was  undermined by them to the point where it must be completely rebuilt.
> 
> ...


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## RJSakowski (Aug 11, 2015)

Harry, out here in the wilds of southwestern Wisconsin, no problem with firearms, the exception being shooting at night or just before gun deer season.  I have live trapped in the past.  I called the DNR about transporting to some uninhabited area (like the state park) and was told that I had to release them where I caught them.  As it turns out, groundhogs are protected, except for the provision you cited.  I released them but not before injecting them with 40 grains of lead.  Since those early days, I had dispensed with the live trap and gone directly to the lead injection.

Bob


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## brav65 (Aug 11, 2015)

Growing up on the farm in NH we had woodchucks and porcupines both of which were kill on site critters.  On day I was trimming weeds along the fence line and a woodchuck popped up right in front of me.  I grabbed a stick and sent it to the great prairie in the sky.  Then 3 little ones came out as well.  I felt bad about dispatching them, but our cows would break their legs stepping in their holes.  It had to be done. 

One summer the town fathers announced a $2 bounty on porcupines so my brother and I (age 7) decided to make some cash.  The next town meeting we walked in with two bags filled with porcupines.  The town fathers changed the proof of kill from whole carcass to nose after they had to get rid of 15 dead porcupines


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## silence dogood (Aug 12, 2015)

One evening after my wife got done doing the dishes, she opened the back kitchen door, threw out the water, then closed the door.  Unbeknown to her, a skunk was directly in the path of the dishwater.  Checking later (by the smell),  we discover that was one angry skunk since it went around in circles and let loose all that it had.  However, I suspect that same skunk found a way to get us back.  I was driving down the road in my ford econoliner van and just missed hitting a(that?) skunk.  Unfortunately, it let loose one on it's way.  The miasma hit my radiator. Yep, it took a while to get rid of that fragrance. Mark


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## nobog (Aug 12, 2015)

They're out there:


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## RJSakowski (Aug 12, 2015)

silence dogood said:


> One evening after my wife got done doing the dishes, she opened the back kitchen door, threw out the water, then closed the door.  Unbeknown to her, a skunk was directly in the path of the dishwater.  Checking later (by the smell),  we discover that was one angry skunk since it went around in circles and let loose all that it had.  However, I suspect that same skunk found a way to get us back.  I was driving down the road in my ford econoliner van and just missed hitting a(that?) skunk.  Unfortunately, it let loose one on it's way.  The miasma hit my radiator. Yep, it took a while to get rid of that fragrance. Mark


I've had a few close encounters as well.  When I was eighteen, I was coming home late one night in my '58 Buick Roadmaster.  A skunk suddenly appeared squarely in front of me.  With no chance to avoid it, I floored the the accelerator, hoping that my transit time was less than the skunk's reflex time.  It worked.  I carried home no olfactory evidence of the incident.  It was laying in the road the next morning when I went to work.  Unfortunately, it was also in front of my godfather's home.

Bob


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## RJSakowski (Aug 12, 2015)

brav65 said:


> Growing up on the farm in NH we had woodchucks and porcupines both of which were kill on site critters.  On day I was trimming weeds along the fence line and a woodchuck popped up right in front of me.  I grabbed a stick and sent it to the great prairie in the sky.


beav65, I'm impressed!  I have a hard time getting within .22 range of them.  

+1 on the holes.  I nearly lost a finger once when mowing hay and the sickle got clogged with a mixture of  ground hog mound and hay.  In cleaning out the clog, the bar dropped and the blade went through my finger.  Fortunately, missed the bone.  Back then, they weren't as clever with reconstructive surgery as they are now.  The holes weren't good for horses either.

Bob


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## Firestopper (Aug 23, 2015)

This little critter showed up after sundown on Friday night. I have never seen a Arizona Coral snake in the "wild" before, however plenty of pit vipers.
This little guy was spared and allowed to slip away unharmed. Very small as you can see the 1"- rock /gravel around the shop grounds. 
"red on yellow, kills a fellow".


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## brav65 (Aug 23, 2015)

firestopper said:


> This little critter showed up after sundown on Friday night. I have never seen a Arizona Coral snake in the "wild" before, however plenty of pit vipers.
> This little guy was spared and allowed to slip away unharmed. Very small as you can see the 1"- rock /gravel around the shop grounds.
> "red on yellow, kills a fellow".
> 
> ...



I caught n of those for a customer.  The wife and nanny were trying to kill it with a broom. I caught it and released it into the desert.  Their colors are truly stunning.  That looks like a baby which means there are others around.


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## Mike Nash (Aug 23, 2015)

firestopper said:


> This little critter showed up after sundown on Friday night. I have never seen a Arizona Coral snake in the "wild" before, however plenty of pit vipers.
> This little guy was spared and allowed to slip away unharmed. Very small as you can see the 1"- rock /gravel around the shop grounds.
> "red on yellow, kills a fellow".
> 
> ...


The only problem there is I don't see any yellow, just white. Deadly rhyme if it allows misunderstandings.


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## roadkillbobb (Aug 23, 2015)

uncle harry said:


> You too....I especially appreciate the groundhogs that burrowed next one of the poles in my shed.  They lowered the pole twice now & I have to jack up the header again. The coons, on the other hand, like to invade the crawl space under my 1888 farm house.  Time to eradicate again.



Ive been battleing the ground hogs and found if you dump the old fashion moth balls in there hole and cover it up, they vacate asap!!!


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## roadkillbobb (Aug 23, 2015)

brav65 said:


> Growing up on the farm in NH we had woodchucks and porcupines both of which were kill on site critters.  On day I was trimming weeds along the fence line and a woodchuck popped up right in front of me.  I grabbed a stick and sent it to the great prairie in the sky.  Then 3 little ones came out as well.  I felt bad about dispatching them, but our cows would break their legs stepping in their holes.  It had to be done.
> 
> One summer the town fathers announced a $2 bounty on porcupines so my brother and I (age 7) decided to make some cash.  The next town meeting we walked in with two bags filled with porcupines.  The town fathers changed the proof of kill from whole carcass to nose after they had to get rid of 15 dead porcupines



both are tasty if you know how to cook em up, this way its not wasted meat....


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## Firestopper (Aug 24, 2015)

Mike Nash said:


> The only problem there is I don't see any yellow, just white. Deadly rhyme if it allows misunderstandings.


I suspect the bright LED (blueish) flashlight had something to do with washing down the yellow.


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## Mike Nash (Aug 30, 2015)

firestopper said:


> I suspect the bright LED (blueish) flashlight had something to do with washing down the yellow.



Oh yeah, I see that now. 

But I did google images of coral snakes and found quite a few that looked more white than yellow. I also found some completely useless drawings purporting to help distinguish them that I could not make heads or tails of.


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## Andy Rafferty (Aug 30, 2015)

My Neighbor runs a wedding / event center behind our place in the mountains She shared a pic of a black bear eating the wedding today.


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## savarin (Aug 30, 2015)

Visit Australia.
If the salt water crocs dont get you the sharks will, if the sharks dont get you box jellies will, if the box jellies dont get you the cone shells will, if the cone shells dont get you the blue ring octopus will, if they dont get you the snakes will, if the snakes dont get you the spiders will. Other than that have a pleasant day


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## Firestopper (Aug 31, 2015)

We spent two weeks in Australia back in 99, I was amazed so many venomous critters are found there.


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## juiceclone (Aug 31, 2015)

That's really great !  The only visitors we get are anti-social alligators.  :>)


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## savarin (Aug 31, 2015)

It seems that 10 of the worlds 12 most venomous critters live here.
Maybe thats why we're a weird mob (literary reference)


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## hman (Sep 2, 2015)

Mike Nash said:


> Oh yeah, I see that now.
> 
> But I did google images of coral snakes and found quite a few that looked more white than yellow. I also found some completely useless drawings purporting to help distinguish them that I could not make heads or tails of.


The rhyme is useful mainly to distinguish between the hazardous coral snake and the harmless king snake.  The latter also has red, yellow and black stripes, but in a different pattern.  Use the rhyme as a mnemonic to (1) prevent needless fright when seeing one, and (2) prevent needless slaughter of the harmless variety.  The attached image of a king snake is from the Wikipedia article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsnake


PS - quoting from the Wikipedia article: "Coral snakes found in other parts of the world can have distinctly different patterns, have red bands touching black bands, have only pink and blue banding, or have no banding at all."


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## core-oil (Sep 2, 2015)

Great to see all those critters guys, I live in the outskirts of the town , All we have is Mr fox, and a couple of years ago we had two badgers, I kept quite about them, as the "Low LIfeScum" catch them to bait with dogs which is appalling , & if they are caught there is a severe penalty, In my estimation not severe enough, My rather ferocious "Guard Cat" an ex stray who does not have a great sense of humour sometimes sends the young fox packing,  I miss living out in the country .
When critters come around it is a gift from God.


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## Firestopper (Sep 2, 2015)

The coral snake head is black to just behind its eyes and the bands go all the way around to include the bottom (belly). I have caught king snakes around the property only to show my son the differences between them (many years back). Many black and yellow, I only found one like hman posted some time ago.
I also have had Gila monsters on the property as well. I really don't mess with those either, nasty biters.


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## GSPatton (Sep 2, 2015)

The best critter dispatcher I have is a CZ-452 topped with a Leupold "shotgun" scope.  Groundhogs are all over the place here in eastern Ohio for some reason.
Eight in one day is my record.


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## Firestopper (Sep 9, 2015)

I was cleaning the head at work and came across this little guy. The small tiles are 1"sq, so you can figure its around 6-8" long. A baby Gila monster, funny, I recently posted about one and them BAM! It's been years since I last saw one let alone evicting it from the firehouse. I used a dust pan to scoop it up for relocation. Recent rains and the fact that the bay doors remains open more than required allowed ingress. My brothers acted like little girls as we past the dayroom..... Damn sissies!


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## savarin (Sep 9, 2015)

cool, are they poisonous?


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## Firestopper (Sep 10, 2015)

venomous indeed.


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## savarin (Dec 13, 2015)

Just for all you guys freezing your unmentionables off.
We now know summer is here, temperatures above 88'F and the Rainbow lorikeets are stealing all our mangoes.


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