Wildlife Paradise

[Dave]

It seems that I have moved to a wildlife paradise. About every other day I see something different and I have not been out looking. And with our current fire danger I haven't been riding the quad around in the hills. Just critters that I happen on. In a month on my property or the BLM allotment I have seen; deer, elk, bighorn sheep,weasel, rabbit, squirrel, coyotes, assorted ground squirrels and gophers, turkey, chukars, pheasant, quail, Hungarian partridge, 3 different species of ducks, assorted hawks and owls, turkey vultures, a large assortment of song birds, bull snakes, and a couple rattle snakes (one who is now headless). I have cleaned enough beaver chewed sticks out of the irrigation canal to know there is a healthy population of them somewhere up stream. A lot more critters than there are people.

 

[Jogeephus]

It seems that I have moved to a wildlife paradise. About every other day I see something different and I have not been out looking. And with our current fire danger I haven't been riding the quad around in the hills. Just critters that I happen on. In a month on my property or the BLM allotment I have seen; deer, elk, bighorn sheep,weasel, rabbit, squirrel, coyotes, assorted ground squirrels and gophers, turkey, chukars, pheasant, quail, Hungarian partridge, 3 different species of ducks, assorted hawks and owls, turkey vultures, a large assortment of song birds, bull snakes, and a couple rattle snakes (one who is now headless). I have cleaned enough beaver chewed sticks out of the irrigation canal to know there is a healthy population of them somewhere up stream. A lot more critters than there are people.

Sounds wonderful.

 

[Txpiney]

You're living the dream. That's the reason I moved where I am. Very few people for miles and abundant wildlife. Not many people = lots of wildlife .

 

[Dave]

I forgot the doves. And there is a road killed badger just down the road a short ways.

 

[greybeard]

You're living the dream.

Not yet...he didn't list a mountain lion. Gotta be a mountain lion mentioned to be livin the dream. ;-)

Just kidding Dave. If push comes to shove, you'll never starve there. I'm guessing you have somewhere to fish too?

 

[Caustic Burno]

I forgot the doves. And there is a road killed badger just down the road a short ways.

Only seen one in my life in the wild, he had me completely convinced he was bad to the bone.

 

[greybeard]

I forgot the doves. And there is a road killed badger just down the road a short ways.

Only seen one in my life in the wild, he had me completely convinced he was bad to the bone.

Closest I came to seeing one alive in the wild was right after someone ran over it with about a '49 Ford....near Sweetwater Tx of all places.

 

[Dave]

You're living the dream.

Not yet...he didn't list a mountain lion. Gotta be a mountain lion mentioned to be livin the dream. ;-)

Just kidding Dave. If push comes to shove, you'll never starve there. I'm guessing you have somewhere to fish too?

I haven't seen one yet but they are most certainly here. One of the miners showed me a video he took of the last full moon. The moon was no big deal but he had the sound on. It sounded like a big cat purring. He said the next morning he found big lion tracks on a dirt mound about 40 feet behind where he had been standing.

Trout in the river that runs through the pastures. There some places on the river that look like there would be fun fly fishing. Upstream 25 miles or so at the reservoir there is trout, perch, crappie, and small mouth bass. The reservoir on the Snake 30 miles +/-, there is lots of crappie, catfish, trout, steelhead, salmon, and supposed to be world class small mouth fishing. Actually tomorrow I am going back to Goldendale to pick up my boat. Once it is here I may have to try out the fishing at some of these reserviors.

 

[Bright Raven]

I know you are in badger range. They were abundant in Wyoming and Montana. They love prairie dog towns. I hunted prairie dogs for shooting sports. Often would run up on them when walking through the towns. Most of the time they run off but now and then they stand their ground. As CB indicated, they act like they are as big as a grizzly bear. They are a pleasure to encounter.

 

[greybeard]

There used to be lots more of them out in West Texas. I saw a few around San Angelo and there is supposed to be a big colony up near Lubbock, but nothing like there once was.
Vernon Bailey recorded that at the turn of the century an almost continuous and thickly inhabited dog town extended in a strip approximately 160 km (99mi) wide and 400 km (248mi) long on the high plains of Texas. This "city" had an estimated population of 400 million prairie dogs.

Vernon Bailey

 

[Nesikep]

I forgot the doves. And there is a road killed badger just down the road a short ways.

I #%%$$%ing hate doves and pigeons

 

[Caustic Burno]

There used to be lots more of them out in West Texas. I saw a few around San Angelo and there is supposed to be a big colony up near Lubbock, but nothing like there once was.
Vernon Bailey recorded that at the turn of the century an almost continuous and thickly inhabited dog town extended in a strip approximately 160 km (99mi) wide and 400 km (248mi) long on the high plains of Texas. This "city" had an estimated population of 400 million prairie dogs.

The one I saw was west of San Angelo thirty years ago deer hunting. After thinking on it closer to 40 years ago.

 

[Silver]

No badgers here, but every so many years I get to see a wolverine.

 

[Dave]

The wife reminded me that we saw a fox. He wasn't actually on the place but just a few miles away.

Back when I was trapping two times I caught a badger in coyote traps. There is actually a badger season in Washington and season was closed. So I had to turn them loose. Over the years I turned loose one smallish mountain lion, a couple bobcats, and two small bears. Those badgers were by far the most "interesting" things I ever turned loose. All of the teeth marks in my release pole are from badgers. Nice cuddly animals that they are.

 

[Silver]

I used to trap when I was a kid. Some critters where a little intimidating. Fishers and marten put on the biggest show. Lynx tended to be pretty calm. Never caught a wolverine, I believe they are smarter than me!

 

[Bestoutwest]

I forgot the doves. And there is a road killed badger just down the road a short ways.

Best kind of badger. I hate those little devils.

 

[Dave]

We had a community meeting last week with the sheriff about wolves. They caused major problems about 40 miles north of here last spring. That is one form of wildlife I don't need in the neighborhood.