Had a fresh skiff of snow the other morning and by a trailer of oats I have an small auger under to fill pails for some calves, all the tell tale signs of a porcupine visit. It's one of my A train pups, since being open underneath, between the wind and deer there is a bit of oats laying around under the trailer and around the hopper, so it has been a magnet for deer and every rodent still alive in the yard. Birds too.
Porcupine anywhere near the yard or corrals, are like bears and skunks, shot on sight. So I figured since it was such an easy trail to follow, after I fed the young stock, I grab the 22 and go for a walk. Up the hill, thru the bush and out into a stubble field behind the yard. At this point I'm wishing I had the Gator, when I realize the tracks lead across the field...well that's it, hoof it back to the yard and get some wheels. traded in the 22 for one of the 303s as well, figured might have to do some distance shooting and I wanted my scope and something with some horespower in the barrel lol.
Back out to the stubble field, and start heading further out than been earlier, when I realize I am following several sets of tracks, or whats left of them, visible from the ice left in the paw prints. This dam thing been going back and forth for a while it appears. Follow the tracks to a fenceline, they then follow the fence, thru a gate and then start across a pasture. By this time I've come to the conclusion, I know where I'm gonna end up....and sure enough, half a mile from the yard, thru bush and across fields, the tracks end at a brush pile of willows I pushed up several years ago when clearing a fenceline. Tracks go right up the pile and near the middle they go down into the depths of the pile. I'm screwed now, no way I can get at the nest, pile over ten feet tall. The thought of burning it out crossed my mind, but then that's why the pile is still there, sitting on moss on the edge of a lake bottom, ground fire something I don't need.
I stood there almost admiring and respecting the work and determination that porcupine had went thru, just to get a tummy full of oats. I grabbed the one pic posted here with a smile and I said screw it and went home. But I wasn't smiling after I get back home. Standing at the fence I can tell something not right with a few cows...oh oh, think I know whats up...climb over fence and go look, well guess the second pic tells that story:eek:
I haven't decided what to do, have some traps I might set up, but I am definitely keeping an eye out for that porcupine. I feel like an idiot because I saw it earlier this winter when hauling hay, but it was another quarter of a mile south of that brush pile at the time, I'm sure its the same one. Was there last year too, saw the bark chewed last spring. But I have never seen or known of one that would travel half a mile one way, back and forth, over hill and dale, repeatedly like that for food...almost makes me hesitant to trap or kill it...that is one persistent porcupine.
Never a dull moment around here:)
Porcupine anywhere near the yard or corrals, are like bears and skunks, shot on sight. So I figured since it was such an easy trail to follow, after I fed the young stock, I grab the 22 and go for a walk. Up the hill, thru the bush and out into a stubble field behind the yard. At this point I'm wishing I had the Gator, when I realize the tracks lead across the field...well that's it, hoof it back to the yard and get some wheels. traded in the 22 for one of the 303s as well, figured might have to do some distance shooting and I wanted my scope and something with some horespower in the barrel lol.
Back out to the stubble field, and start heading further out than been earlier, when I realize I am following several sets of tracks, or whats left of them, visible from the ice left in the paw prints. This dam thing been going back and forth for a while it appears. Follow the tracks to a fenceline, they then follow the fence, thru a gate and then start across a pasture. By this time I've come to the conclusion, I know where I'm gonna end up....and sure enough, half a mile from the yard, thru bush and across fields, the tracks end at a brush pile of willows I pushed up several years ago when clearing a fenceline. Tracks go right up the pile and near the middle they go down into the depths of the pile. I'm screwed now, no way I can get at the nest, pile over ten feet tall. The thought of burning it out crossed my mind, but then that's why the pile is still there, sitting on moss on the edge of a lake bottom, ground fire something I don't need.
I stood there almost admiring and respecting the work and determination that porcupine had went thru, just to get a tummy full of oats. I grabbed the one pic posted here with a smile and I said screw it and went home. But I wasn't smiling after I get back home. Standing at the fence I can tell something not right with a few cows...oh oh, think I know whats up...climb over fence and go look, well guess the second pic tells that story:eek:
I haven't decided what to do, have some traps I might set up, but I am definitely keeping an eye out for that porcupine. I feel like an idiot because I saw it earlier this winter when hauling hay, but it was another quarter of a mile south of that brush pile at the time, I'm sure its the same one. Was there last year too, saw the bark chewed last spring. But I have never seen or known of one that would travel half a mile one way, back and forth, over hill and dale, repeatedly like that for food...almost makes me hesitant to trap or kill it...that is one persistent porcupine.
Never a dull moment around here:)
Determined and Persistent Porcupine
0 commentaires:
Enregistrer un commentaire