Don’t see these much anymore

[Scott Tschirhart]

They were in my deer blind.

[Nath]

They were in my deer blind.

What are they please?

[TANGO 4C]

They were in my deer blind.

What are they please?

Just a guess . . . Ringtails, a racoon relative.

[Blaine]

Coati....

[Walt]

No, you're right, Scott.
They are ringtail cats; coatis are much larger animals. There are significant populations of ringtails around NM, specifically around Ft. Sumner and Vaughn. My game camera in my driveway picked up a picture of one several months ago.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Ringtail. But they are more like a weasel than a coon. We also called them a civet cat.

[Tycer]

They were in my deer blind.

What purpose does your hunting serve? I thought they were good mousers and not much of a nuisance. Pelts?

[Bill in Oregon]

We had lots of them at Oliver Lee State Park south of Alamogordo — think White Sands National Park. Highly nocturnal and prone to scampering about on peoples’ RVs during the night. They were sometimes called “miner’s’ cats” especially in the silver boom days in Colorado because they weren’t hard to make pets out of and they helped keep mice and rats out scarce supplies of flour …

[Scott Tschirhart]

They were in my deer blind.

What purpose does your hunting serve? I thought they were good mousers and not much of a nuisance. Pelts?

It would be nice if we could live in harmony with all of God’s creatures. But it really doesn’t work out that way. We have pests snakes and vermin and this falls under the latter category.

[Nath]

I hope that in the new world I have a thousand fox's to look after. The smell will be amazing!
Until then though thems a pest.

Within 10days more will arrive. Has done for the past 35 years.

IMG_20220909_220606.jpg

[Scott Tschirhart]

I'm trying to be sensitive to other folks who don't see things the way I do. As a lifelong rancher, I have a different point of view.

[Nath]

Same here.
Everyone has a heart, right up to the point something has killed their chicken's, lambs or piglets. Then they call me!

[Catshooter]

To hell with the cats! I'll take the Ruger! It's a .45 Colt isn't it Scott? I had a seven and a half incher that I put one of those Ruger brass grip frames on many years ago. Sold it, of course, genius that I am. I love those old models.

[piller]

When an animal is destroying property, it moves across a line from just a part of nature to a pest. I understand not killing without reason, but I also understand stopping a destructive pest when you might not be able to be around enough to permanently scare it off.

I know Tycer, and he was concerned that Scott might have killed something which might have been better left alone. Sometimes we misunderstand each other, but I am glad that the largest portion of us on here are adult enough to not take things the wrong way without some further questions. Seems to me that Scott just stopped a destructive pest, even if it was an uncommon one.

[Scott Tschirhart]

To hell with the cats! I'll take the Ruger! It's a .45 Colt isn't it Scott? I had a seven and a half incher that I put one of those Ruger brass grip frames on many years ago. Sold it, of course, genius that I am. I love those old models.

That's right. It is in .45 Colt and it has overly tight chamber throats that makes seating a .454 diameter 270SAA more challenging. But it shoots so good that I don't want to mess with anything! I have been shooting this gun so much that I don't remember cocking it, though I had to do that twice.

[Scott Tschirhart]

When an animal is destroying property, it moves across a line from just a part of nature to a pest. I understand not killing without reason, but I also understand stopping a destructive pest when you might not be able to be around enough to permanently scare it off.

I know Tycer, and he was concerned that Scott might have killed something which might have been better left alone. Sometimes we misunderstand each other, but I am glad that the largest portion of us on here are adult enough to not take things the wrong way without some further questions. Seems to me that Scott just stopped a destructive pest, even if it was an uncommon one.

I took no offense and I hope I gave none. I'm perfectly happy to have a disagreement on this point and I value what others have to say about it. Sometimes I change my mind.

[Bill in Oregon]

This thread just goes to show what fine people we have on this forum. A similar thread on most others would have resulted in ill will and foul language.

[samsi]

They're fun to watch, as they seem to flow around things rather than walk. I had one around a campsite years ago that I was trying to bait with bits of sandwich just to get a better look. Either it was smarter than me (which is entirely possible), or they can teleport.

[Blaine]

This thread just goes to show what fine people we have on this forum. A similar thread on most others would have resulted in ill will and foul language.

I love raccoons, and enjoy seeing them. But, when a really bad tempered one started showing up on my back porch, snarling at me when I tried to shoo him off, a .177 thru his head solved the problem. Worms gotta eat.

IOW, every situation is different. Judge not, and stuff.

[piller]

There are many good people on here.

[44shooter]

So what do these things do that is bad?

[Scott Tschirhart]

They steal eggs. Hard on quail and turkeys (both of which nest on the ground). Feral housecats are probably just as bad on the bird population and they get the same treatment.

I have quail for the first time in several years and I want to see them flourish.

[Catshooter]

Oh, feral housecats. That's how I got my user name and we have a real problem with them in my town.

[J35]

They're fun to watch, as they seem to flow around things rather than walk. I had one around a campsite years ago that I was trying to bait with bits of sandwich just to get a better look. Either it was smarter than me (which is entirely possible), or they can teleport.

They flow thru the trees as well.-----------J