Drought is taking its toll

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handirifle
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Drought is taking its toll

Post by handirifle »

Well into our third straight year of drought, here in Kalifornia, and from what I have been hearing lately, we might be heading into year 4. The animals around here have been showing it too. We have had all sorts of odd behavior from them. We live in the country, so seeing wildlife on the roads and sometimes in the hills near the house, is not unusual as all. We often see deer in the yard as well.

Some of the oddness I am talking about has been, seeing a grey fox on our back porch, after our dog cornered it there, but we NEVER see foxes close to the house.
Having a young bobcat drinking out of the dogs water bowl, until the dog found out, and treed it in the Eucalyptus 40ft in front of the house.
Having a lion sit 50yds from our house and just sit and watch us.
Then 6 weeks ago, said lion killed a neighbors goat, and 3 weeks ago, said lion killed a horse just a 1/4 mile from the goat.
Then last night a local cattle rancher friend said they heard their cattle making a ruckus, (after dark) and went out to check (this is a 5400 acre ranch) it out, and SAW a cinnamon phase black bear eating the calf it took from one of his cattle it had disemboweled.
Then this afternoon, I went to work on the gate opener that is 100yds from our house, and almost stepped on a HUGE bear track. Have lived here 6 years and have yet to SEE a bear. Others around here have, but not the wife and I. I followed tracks and took several pictures to show neighbors. The animals are acting very odd all in all.
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AJMD429
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by AJMD429 »

Be careful. Hope you have a deep well.
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Malamute
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by Malamute »

Drought is very hard on the animals. They are trying to find water and food, and are not really trying to cause trouble, but unfortunately conflicts arise. For my part, I'd tend to cut them a ton of slack so long as no real harm is done. The stock killing isnt going to work though.

The 8 or so year drought in this area several years ago caused all manner of grief for the animals, pushing them hard to find food.

Can you afford to have a water bucket out where it can be used by them and not have animals in the road or too close to the house? Could be a lifesaver.

Drought pushes animals out of their former home ground and preferred type of country, and into other animals home ground. Its a pretty stressful thing for all involved with the animals.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-

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AJMD429
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by AJMD429 »

Malamute wrote:Can you afford to have a water bucket out where it can be used by them and not have animals in the road or too close to the house? Could be a lifesaver.
That's a real good idea, for both critters and people.
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octagon
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by octagon »

Neighbors lost 30-40 head of goats/calves to coyotes. Lost one or two calves on my place. Very unusual have never seen or heard them at my place. Gov trapper came out with a helo and got nine coyotes, I assume with machine gun. Working on five years of drought here. :(
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Shasta
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by Shasta »

We live in a subdivision on the edge of town near the Sacramento River. In an effort to conserve water we let our lawns die off, so the wife planted a few watermelon and cantaloupe in the front yard. I often see deer in the neighborhood late at night feeding on whatever they can find among the houses. Until recently, the deer never came around in daylight hours, but as the drought gets worse, they now come at all hours seeking food, water, and a bit of shade in the heat of the day. I caught a doe munching on the cantaloupes. She ate two and seemed to enjoy them very much! :D

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missionary5155
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by missionary5155 »

Greetings
We live in southern Peru high mountains. Average rain fall here is 2-3 inches a year all in Jan- March. The rest of the year is bone dry.
At our village church we always have a gallon pale of stored rain water sitting out at the door for the street dogs. All those dogs know us well from it and never bother us when we walk about to the area "shacks".
So I concur with the water sitting out. Keep the wild ones out away but happy. A dying beast has nothing to loose to get a drink and bite at your back door.
Mike in Peru
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stew71
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by stew71 »

We do the same here in Sacramento. Although we've reduced our water usage as much as possible, we keep the small fountain going in our backyard for the doves and hummingbirds that have come to depend on it. Sitting on the back patio in the morning with a cup of coffee watching the birds bathe and drink is a great way to start the day before heading off to work.

The city can kiss my *** over that fountain too.
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handirifle
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by handirifle »

We have had a 10 gallon tub out by the road for several months now and I see all sorts of critters drinking from it but never deer or bigger animals, but I am sure they use it.

Today I found out the rancher tracked down and shot the bear. US Forestry Service came and picked it up. There is no bear hunting allowed in this county, but the rancher was perfectly legal in what he did.

There is a vinyard next to our back yard and usually the owner works hard to keep them out, but now I see them in there just about every morning chomping down.
walks with gun
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by walks with gun »

Maybe it's dehydration that's causing some of the politicians to make less than sane decisions.
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handirifle
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by handirifle »

Sadly I doubt it. These idiots out here have been making stupid decisions for many years, ie Nancy Pelosi.......need I say more?
Daisyman
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by Daisyman »

Shasta wrote:We live in a subdivision on the edge of town near the Sacramento River. In an effort to conserve water we let our lawns die off, so the wife planted a few watermelon and cantaloupe in the front yard. I often see deer in the neighborhood late at night feeding on whatever they can find among the houses. Until recently, the deer never came around in daylight hours, but as the drought gets worse, they now come at all hours seeking food, water, and a bit of shade in the heat of the day. I caught a doe munching on the cantaloupes. She ate two and seemed to enjoy them very much! :D

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Shasta

Look at the ribs sticking out on that deer. Mighty hungry indeed!
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handirifle
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by handirifle »

Yes, sad. Normally, every year I buy a deer tag, and have scored 3 out of 4 years. Hunt a good neighbors land a mile behind me. This year I passed on buying a tag or license. The deer are having a hard enough time without me adding to it.
Batman1939
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by Batman1939 »

Handirifle, I bet that you'd be amazed at the variety of animals that may be visiting your place. An inexpensive trail cam can really open your eyes about wildlife using your place. I've had 3 over the years and a Stealth cam, which cost less than $100, has captured many bears, grey foxes, deer, elk, coyotes, cottontails, squirrels, etc. I'm a retired biologist and have long known that many animals were largely nocturnal, but the trail cam pics have really convinced me about how much of their activity occurs during the night. Money well spent!!
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Panzercat
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by Panzercat »

Sounds like a good opportunity for a hunting camera. Put a pail of water out, mount a camera and see what comes out to drink. Get to know your neighbors, so to speak. :D
Annnnd Batman beat me to it. Dern it. Still a good idea.
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44shooter
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by 44shooter »

And NC is on its twelveth consecutive day of measurable rainfall. A record I believe.
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handirifle
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by handirifle »

Yea my wife and I have talked, but never bought, about a tail camera. No idea which one to get, and don't want to spend a lot on one. I could use it on my deer hunting property (not mine) as well. Suggestions?

44shooter
I wish we could run a pipeline from there to here. They did it once with the aqueduct......
Batman1939
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by Batman1939 »

I own no stock in any trail camera company. I've had 3 such cameras: an early Cuddeback which finally gave up the ghost after thousands (I mean it) of pictures, a Moultrie that is still functioning, and a Stealth which I bought at WalMart for under $100--no tax here in MT.

For the money I'm pleased with the Stealth-It may not have the trigger speed of the Cuddeback, but it has taken hundreds of pictures this year on a single set of batteries-6 AA's as I recall. It also takes pretty good 10 second videos which often reveal a bit more than single pictures. Photos with it are not National Geographic quality, but they are pretty darn good during the daytime and nighttime photos are mostly black/white in appearance.

Several people I know complain about short battery life and trouble getting their cameras to work. I've been lucky I guess. The Cuddeback finally broke down after 4 full summer/fall periods; the company no longer had the capability to repair it.

That's my 2 cents on the matter. Trail cams sure are fun though.
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handirifle
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Re: Drought is taking its toll

Post by handirifle »

Thanks. We need to look into them a bit closer.
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