Eerie, creepy and scary (well almost)

[infernalis]

One of the perks of living in the middle of nowhere is an abundance of wildlife.

I just took my dogs out for a middle of the night wee wee run, and out back on my property I was treated to nature in action.

A pack of wild coyotes just took down a deer, the screams coming from that deer as the pack did its work on it were downright blood curdling.

Personally I hate coyotes, but they have their function, population control and thinning out the week links in the prey species they eat.

[Nafun]

It's a shame we drove the mountain lion to extinction in most of the country =/ Same purpose, but infinitely less likely to show up in your back yard and disembowel a family member or pet. Also cuter.

[infernalis]

Coyotes ate two of my cats, including the coolest feline I ever new. Felix was a dog trapped in a cats body.

Folks were always amazed that I would go for long walks and Felix was always right at my feet, even if I walked miles, he was always there.

But he had a wild streak to him, and keeping him indoors at night was impossible, he would drive me nuts to let him out.

Bubbles was a sweetie, but she too drove us all nuts wanting out at night.

My only remaining cat stays in the house at all times, No more outside cats for me.

My 3 cockapoos (dogs) are only allowed out with supervision, never allowed to free roam, heck the seldom are out of my sight..

The coyote packs are thick here. There is even a open season for hunting them so man can keep the coyote population in check.

[Nafun]

I have a cat that thinks its a dog.

It fetches, and "barks".

If I walk into a room it meows loudly and forcefully like a bark, until I come pet it. If I call him, he runs in meowing at the top of his lungs.

[Freebody]

i have a ferret that thinks its a dog, when i feed the dogs goes from bowl to bowl and takes some of each,dogs dont mind they just move their head out of the way so he can get a little, when people come to the door he runs over to greet them with the dogs, he follows them around cleans their ears and licks their faces clean, he gets them to play chase and sneaks up on them and scares them and runs off makeing this kikiki sound he does , such a funny little guy, probly so nice becaue hes only in his cage at night other than that hes got full run of the downstairs.

[Feebo]

Blimey, that`s mad. The largest carnivore over here is a badger! lol They eat worms, the screams aren`t quite as blood curdling...

[Nafun]

Blimey, that`s mad. The largest carnivore over here is a badger! lol They eat worms, the screams aren`t quite as blood curdling...

Large wooden ones?

[infernalis]

Blimey, that`s mad. The largest carnivore over here is a badger! lol They eat worms, the screams aren`t quite as blood curdling...


Worms go down quietly..

Now a white tail deer being taken apart alive, that is just chilling to hear at 80 meters away.

That poor thing let out some "screams" and it was silent in under a minute.

[shaunyboy]

Worms go down quietly..

Now a white tail deer being taken apart alive, that is just chilling to hear at 80 meters away.

That poor thing let out some "screams" and it was silent in under a minute.


i used to do a bit of hunting when i was younger (we always ate what we got).it was that exact sound that put me off it for life.a wounded deer imo screams like a human child would sound.as said it was enough to put me off for life...!!

also as has been said it is just mother nature doing her thing.the wolves have to eat.
cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

Blimey, that`s mad. The largest carnivore over here is a badger! lol They eat worms, the screams aren`t quite as blood curdling...

What about the black panthers?? Beast of Bodmin and Beast of Brassknocker (in Bath!!)

AND dont forget the Lions of Longleat!!!


:)

[shaunyboy]

What about the black panthers?? Beast of Bodmin and Beast of Brassknocker (in Bath!!)

AND dont forget the Lions of Longleat!!!


:)

we had a mysterious big black cat up blair adam forrest (4 square miles of local pine woodlands) as well mate.there were rumours it was a puma or a panther escaped from a private collection.you get a lot of these kind of reported sightings all over the uk.wouldnt fancy bumping into one if it turned out to be true.the locals up here called it " beasty bob the rezzie monster " rezzie refering to the old water reservoir that sits at the centre of the woods.
cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

LOL Shauny - there are a LOT of mysterious wild animals that have been sited around the UK - i like to think that they are really out there somewhere (as long as they dont come near me!!!)

[emseeKAY]

now i know its no coyote eating a dear but has anybody seen films in HD slow motion of Great Whites surfacing and jumping out of the water to catch seals? its absolutely amazing, or bottle-nose dolphins literally surfing 2 inch waters to catch fish they have chased down? its amazing lol i digress ive never been hunting but wouldnt mind going to experience it, dont think i could take down a deer though i'll stick to turkey or something lol

[Lankyrob]

There is a primal thing about hunting - only ever taken rabbits, pheasants and ducks myself - but is strangely instinctual.

[infernalis]

I went deer hunting once when I was a lad, I shot a deer and mortally wounded it, but it was still alive when I walked up to it.

I knelt down and the deer looked at me with those big pie plate eyes, I started crying, I held the deers head on my lap as it died.

I have never hunted again since. I just can't do it.

[Nafun]

I shot a frog when I was 12. I still feel guilty about it today. It was the last time I killed an animal other than insects, arachnids, and feeder animals.

[infernalis]

Now if any of us made these posts most anywhere but on an animal lovers forum, we would probably get laughed at.

[Feebo]

A big wooden what Nafun? Yep, I`ve seen a black cat at the box tunnel Rob, there wasn`t any mistaking it really, it was just sat there, then it ran across the hill at a crazy pace. Figured it wasn`t worth reporting, I`d just look a tit, I know what I saw though.....
Yeeeeeah I used to shoot rabbits but I couldn`t do that these days for that reason Wayne, I`m just not a killiing fan really. Bad Karma....

[shaunyboy]

I went deer hunting once when I was a lad, I shot a deer and mortally wounded it, but it was still alive when I walked up to it.

I knelt down and the deer looked at me with those big pie plate eyes, I started crying, I held the deers head on my lap as it died.

I have never hunted again since. I just can't do it.


that was the part i left out mate.the deer i spoke of did not die when shot.my grandad made me finish it off.(dont want to go into it too much,kids could be reading this).those big sad eyes and the sound.i never used a gun again.:no:

[shaunyboy]

feebo i was puzzeled by that too

NAFUN what wooden ones ?

wooden badgers ???

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

I never used a gun again.:no:

I keep a 20 gage shotgun and ammo for self defense and to protect my property... I can shoot plastic bottles all day long.

Skeet and trap are great sports too, but I will never point my gun at a living thing again without provocation.

If the Coyote pack had one of my dogs or even worse a member of my family cornered, heck yeah, I would open fire in a second.

Also I did use it to "put down" a rabid raccoon that showed up in my yard a couple summers ago, it was in advanced stages of rabies at the time, so I really did that coon a favor.

[Nafun]

You are both from the UK and NEITHER of you got my reference to a wooden badger?
YouTube - Monty Python- The Wooden Rabbit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2PdyxMtiYM)

[shaunyboy]

I keep a 20 gage shotgun and ammo for self defense and to protect my property... I can shoot plastic bottles all day long.

Skeet and trap are great sports too, but I will never point my gun at a living thing again without provocation.

If the Coyote pack had one of my dogs or even worse a member of my family cornered, heck yeah, I would open fire in a second.

Also I did use it to "put down" a rabid raccoon that showed up in my yard a couple summers ago, it was in advanced stages of rabies at the time, so I really did that coon a favor.


i should have explained that better mate.i have never used a gun to hunt ever again.i do however enjoy shooting clay pigeons (small clay disc's) out of a trap.my dad has a trap for firing them.we just buy the clays then go down to a scrap car yard my dads friend owns and fire them off.we go through 2 or 3 hundred in an afternoon.

i fully understand your need for a 20 guage for defensive purposes mate.i would have one too if i had wolves or rabid animals around where i lived.do you have bears as well mate ? (excuse my ignorance)

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

We have a fair population of black bears.

perfectly harmless, unless you mess with the babies or corner one, they all run away when people are present.

Last summer one ran through my back garden in broad daylight.


Not my picture...stole from web.

http://www.ccuri.org/images/black-bear-0012.jpg

[shaunyboy]

We have a fair population of black bears.

perfectly harmless, unless you mess with the babies or corner one, they all run away when people are present.

Last summer one ran through my back garden in broad daylight.


Not my picture...stole from web.

http://www.ccuri.org/images/black-bear-0012.jpg

wow .....!!! youve got them running through your garden.thats just another totally amazing thing you've got going on my friend.im sitting in total awe,pretty sure rob and feebs will be the same.as feebs said the biggest thing we have is badgers followed by foxes.up in scotland we have 3 types of deer.the red deer bieng the largest.you've probaly got those big moose if all the rests anything to go by,haha
cheers shaun

[infernalis]

Well Britain was well populated before you all started migrating this way ;)

Prior to my visit to the UK I had never seen a city block that was one continuous wall with a dozen doors on it before in my life.

Then we went to Whales, it was like a whole different planet.

I am very fond of our place here, and anytime you want to fly over, I will pick you and your clan up at the airport.

I am surrounded by 10,000+ acres of protected forest.

[shaunyboy]

You are both from the UK and NEITHER of you got my reference to a wooden badger?
YouTube - Monty Python- The Wooden Rabbit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2PdyxMtiYM)


you got me there mate.seen the holy grail but didnt remember the badger.for that matter i didnt even remember the rabbit,ha,ha.that was a quality piece of old style humor.life of brian was a good one too.been years since ive watched any monty python.
cheers shaun

[shaunyboy]

Well Britain was well populated before you all started migrating this way ;)

Prior to my visit to the UK I had never seen a city block that was one continuous wall with a dozen doors on it before in my life.

Then we went to Whales, it was like a whole different planet.

I am very fond of our place here, and anytime you want to fly over, I will pick you and your clan up at the airport.

I am surrounded by 10,000+ acres of protected forest.


many thanks for your kind offer mate.i am afraid hollidays are on hold till further notice.my wife and i muck and lend a hand with the grandkids on a daily basis and theres a fourth on the way.were building quite a clan here.especially when you take into account i was the last male in the riach family.thankfully i have 3 sons and 1 grandson so far to carry on the family name.if not our particular line of riach's would have ended with me.my father was also the only male riach until he had me.think the name originated in the 1700 around the inverness area.

i read in one of your post you have wallace blood in your family.he's probaly one of the biggest national hero's we have over here.

for such a small island the uk has very diverse landscapes.wales has some of the best.i am glad you enjoyed your visit.next time you'll have to come stay at ours and see a bit of scotland.

also you can get to ireland quite easy and its also a very beautifull country.the people are so welcoming and have an imense sense of humor.
cheers shaun

[emseeKAY]

I've always wanted to travel to scotland, i have quite a bit of family up there as my mum is from paisley in fife i believe, i think its northwest of glasgow, and for some reason st.andrews rings a bell but im not sure of the significance of that, my girlfriend moved here from england 5 yrs ago and still has quite a bit of family and friends over in the uk so maybe a trip is on the way after college is done? lol who knows, but i wouldnt mind seeing where my mums ashes were scattered in glasgow

[infernalis]

The farthest north I made it to was Sundeland, Tyne and Wear.

Closest to Ireland was in a charter boat off the coast on a fishing trip, Most expensive single mackerel I ever seen. ;)

Sadly I never knew my uncle was of Wallace bloodlines until the funeral service when it was told in his eulogy.

[shaunyboy]

I've always wanted to travel to scotland, i have quite a bit of family up there as my mum is from paisley in fife i believe, i think its northwest of glasgow, and for some reason st.andrews rings a bell but im not sure of the significance of that, my girlfriend moved here from england 5 yrs ago and still has quite a bit of family and friends over in the uk so maybe a trip is on the way after college is done? lol who knows, but i wouldnt mind seeing where my mums ashes were scattered in glasgow


imo and according to the newspapers paisley is one of the roughest places in scotland mate.dont get me wrong there will be a lot of good folk in paisley but imo it would be a scary place to move to.its in strathclyde mate not far from glasgow (glasgow has been the murder capital of europe the last 3 years running).fife stops at the river forth,famous for the forth rail bridge which was started in 1883 finished in 1890.still in use today.paisleys over the fourth on the opposite side from fife.if you ever make it to scotland mate pop in to mine.im about an hours drive from paisley.even if you were to visit your girls folks in england you could always pop up to mine for a few nights and i could take you through to paisley for a visit.

st andrews however is in fife.a really quaint old village.the home of golf,the st andrews course is one of the worlds most famous.a normal 3 bedroom house with a view of the 18th hole and clubhouse just sold for a record 4 point something million.it was some rich golf lover who bought it.its a really beautifull place st andrews.its also where prince william heir to the british throne went to college.

the further north you go the better scotland gets.the west coast also has pretty amazing scenary and a lot of islands.
cheers shaun