Giving back to Nature for Xmas

[Terrierman]

We don't have any neighbor cat trouble.  I live on the prairie and hear coyotes most nights.  That might have something to do with it, I'm sure the cats can't out compete a pack of dogs. 

Did have a litter of kittens dumped in our driveway two years ago.  We saved them to go to the shelter.  After that who knows.

I'm not much for interfering with Ms. Nature, other than our bird feeder in the window.  She's a harsh mistress, who knows her territory and her staff.

[fishinwrench]

I wish it was legal to shoot Hawks, and I'm almost to the point that I don't care if it's legal or not.   While I enjoy the fact that there are no mice around here and feral kittens get thinned out quickly,  I hate that the squirrels and rabbits don't have a chance.  We used to have lizards, ringneck snakes, and little skinks everywhere, but even they have been picked clean.     Those bastards are insanely efficient preditors, and for some reason they will not move away from this area here.  We have counted 8-9 that we could tell weren't the same one counted twice, just sitting here in our yard.

[Terrierman]

1 minute ago, fishinwrench said:

I wish it was legal to shoot Hawks, and I'm almost to the point that I don't care if it's legal or not.   While I enjoy the fact that there are no mice around here and feral kittens get thinned out quickly,  I hate that the squirrels and rabbits don't have a chance.  We used to have lizards, ringneck snakes, and little skinks everywhere, but even they have been picked clean.     Those bastards are insanely efficient preditors, and for some reason they will not move away from this area here.  We have counted 8-9 that we could tell weren't the same one counted twice, just sitting here in our yard.

Don't tell I said anything about this, but leg hold traps on the top of fence post baited with almost anything is hard on red tail hawk.

[MOPanfisher]

Heck I am.now down to one cat that is almost old enough to vote.  Had an adult bald eagle around for a few weeks, and the other cat, big ole white neutered Tom that like to stalk stuff in the pasture has vanished.  I may have to go looking for a dang cat, that is embarrassing!  Feral cats trapped in a live trap must be bathed and baptized prior to release or taking to a shelter.  About 10 minutes in a pond, trap and all cures all their evil hissing.  They can then be released anywhere and not cause any problems.

[Terrierman]

5 minutes ago, MOPanfisher said:

Heck I am.now down to one cat that is almost old enough to vote.  Had an adult bald eagle around for a few weeks, and the other cat, big ole white neutered Tom that like to stalk stuff in the pasture has vanished.  I may have to go looking for a dang cat, that is embarrassing!  Feral cats trapped in a live trap must be bathed and baptized prior to release or taking to a shelter.  About 10 minutes in a pond, trap and all cures all their evil hissing.  They can then be released anywhere and not cause any problems.

You're as harsh as mother nature. 

[dan hufferd]

I think bird feeders are great ! 

House cats ok, it's still a free country, but it is impossible to keep them in the yard. Let my rottweiler get over on the neighbors one time, there is heck to pay. 

Anyway it doesn't take long for a positive thread to go negative, sorry John, I am part of it too.  

[MOPanfisher]

My old German Shepard used to love cat and kittens.  Apparently they taste good, you had to introduce him to a new cat so he would know it was OK to live there, and even then if it copped an attitude he would sometime eat them.  I don't have a problem with cats or hawks catching and eating birds around a bird feeder, they are just doing what predators do.

[BilletHead]

3 minutes ago, MOPanfisher said:

My old German Shepard used to love cat and kittens.  Apparently they taste good, you had to introduce him to a new cat so he would know it was OK to live there, and even then if it copped an attitude he would sometime eat them.  I don't have a problem with cats or hawks catching and eating birds around a bird feeder, they are just doing what predators do.

            Hawks belong in the ecosystem, feral cat's don't. 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/feral-cats-kill-billions-of-small-critters-each-year-7814590/

     Have one neighbor that has a cat they let roam free. Seen it in the yard a few times. Mainly South of their house doing what cats do just kill. One day we were talking about hunting. I told him I had been shooting squirrels with the air gun. He found it humorous and said you can have the ones my cat brings home. Sometimes three a day. Doesn't eat them just leaves them on the back porch. Just like Flysmallie said. The cat gets into the mulch around the garden and craps in it. Any dry dirt in the carport or shed is it's litter box. You want a cat keep it at home. I really don't want to share it with you. Same thing with dogs that don't get taken care of. Another family three miles away has dogs that breed and not taken care of. The dogs roam up to the pasture behind the house and beyond hunting and looking for something to eat. Running cows and deer. It all stems back to the owners not the pets but the pets sometimes pay the price for their owners. 

          Back to the topic. Feeding stations. Wish fur was worth something. 

BilletHead