Critters and wildlife in your area - post your pics

[strykerdobe]

We had one last year.
Some how she got a front leg caught between 2 trees. She ended up breaking it. So the police came out and shot her for us.
We and the dogs enjoyed it. Lots of burgers, back straps, bones for the boys.

 

[GennyB]

View attachment 65071 ÔView attachment 65070 View attachment 65069 We have plenty of deer!

Doesn't everybody? It seems like every year there is a different municipality around here that is in an uproar about what to do about the deer. One side says catch them and relocate and the other says bring on the sharp shooters.
We see them all over the place, including walking right down the street in the middle of the day. Yup, I'm guessing that it won't be long before the city I live in would be battling it out. They have been hitting some if the landscaping pretty hard in the frontyard. Time to look at swapping out some plants for less deer friendly ones.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

We have bag worms everywhere down here. Some houses will have hundreds attached to the pillars. I tried pressure washing them off but it didn't work. I had to pull them off by hand.

I want to start using the term "bag worm." Terms like "A-hole" are just too common.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

They have been hitting some if the landscaping pretty hard in the frontyard. Time to look at swapping out some plants for less deer friendly ones.

That is what we deal with down here along with the iguanas. The Key Deer are protected so you are not allowed to remove them or put up fences that inhibit their normal grazing habits. Most of the "deer proof" plants are now being eaten by the deer. It's an ongoing battle to keep the landscape intact because of the deer. They have started eating anything they can get or they rub their antlers on the plants and break them to the point of killing them. No one wants to keep all their plants blocked with hardware cloth (wire), it is unattractive and difficult to keep weeds out of the plants.

 

[GennyB]

That is what we deal with down here along with the iguanas. The Key Deer are protected so you are not allowed to remove them or put up fences that inhibit their normal grazing habits. Most of the "deer proof" plants are now being eaten by the deer. It's an ongoing battle to keep the landscape intact because of the deer. They have started eating anything they can get or they rub their antlers on the plants and break them to the point of killing them. No one wants to keep all their plants blocked with hardware cloth (wire), it is unattractive and difficult to keep weeds out of the plants.

This is the first year I have had any problems with the deer. At my old house...that was a different story. Of course that house was on much more property and far less population. The deer still weren't as big of a problem as the opossums and raccoons... those 2 are just a**holes....make that bag worms.
I went to Costco and bought a big old box of Irish Spring, cut each bar into 4 pieces and tucked the pieces under the plants, mostly hosta's, and the deer are leaving everything alone.

 

[JanS]

I went to Costco and bought a big old box of Irish Spring, cut each bar into 4 pieces and tucked the pieces under the plants, mostly hosta's, and the deer are leaving everything alone.

Interesting. I've heard of it, but that's one I've never tried. The deer hear leave things alone in the summer (helps to have the garden fenced) but in the winter when their food supply dwindles they hit things hard.

 

[Tropicalbri's]

@GennyB I also tried the Irish Spring route and the deer nibbled on the soap, are the plants and crapped in the flower beds. I tried the dried blood containers that mount on spikes and that didn't deter them. I finally went with the liquid garlic spritz that you can spray on food. That kept the deer away but it smelled like garlic toast which was an overwhelmingly sickening smell for the flower beds in this heat.
I tried coyote urine that Leg Up puts out to deter deer. That was some nasty smelling stuff that didn't work either. It made Tom cat urine smell refreshing. Gag!!!
3 strands of hot wire 18" apart seemed to be the only thing that slowed them down, slowed me down too. Lol

 

[Oh Little Oji]

That is what we deal with down here along with the iguanas. The Key Deer are protected so you are not allowed to remove them or put up fences that inhibit their normal grazing habits. Most of the "deer proof" plants are now being eaten by the deer. It's an ongoing battle to keep the landscape intact because of the deer. They have started eating anything they can get or they rub their antlers on the plants and break them to the point of killing them. No one wants to keep all their plants blocked with hardware cloth (wire), it is unattractive and difficult to keep weeds out of the plants.

Is that just if your property is in a certain area known to be a grazing area for the key deer? Or is nobody allowed to have fences around their yards at all because of the silly deer?

I imagine if one's dog barks and scares a key deer you could face charges?

 

[JanS]

I tried the dried blood containers that mount on spikes and that didn't deter them. I finally went with the liquid garlic spritz that you can spray on food. That kept the deer away but it smelled like garlic toast which was an overwhelmingly sickening smell for the flower beds in this heat.
I tried coyote urine that Leg Up puts out to deter deer. That was some nasty smelling stuff that didn't work either. It made Tom cat urine smell refreshing. Gag!!!

LOL, that should almost be in the "good smells, bad smells thread". I love the smell of garlic but I would hate to have something like that ruin it for me.

 

[GennyB]

@GennyB I also tried the Irish Spring route and the deer nibbled on the soap

Thankfully it is doing the trick....so far. The first night I put it out, I watched them come up to their buffet and bend down for a bite. Up pops those heads and they moved on. I probably have a neighbor or two pissed because they moved to their house.

Interesting. I've heard of it, but that's one I've never tried. The deer hear leave things alone in the summer (helps to have the garden fenced) but in the winter when their food supply dwindles they hit things hard.

This is the first year we have had a problem. It's funny, I don't know where they go in the winter. I see them other places but not in my neighborhood.

 

[NikiL02]

Ive seen one deer in the little waterway by my house. Its not big enough to call it a stream or a creek in my opinion but its apparently enough for some wildlife.
Looking down the waterpath

Had to zoom to see the deer.

 

[JanS]

We see them up close and personal. I took this from the lower level window. They come and pick up scraps from under the bird feeder hanging on the deck.

 

[Gelcoater]

Never seen deer at home.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

Yesterday at the house next door.

In the top picture – at the bottom of the pic – you can see the top of our aluminum fencing we have around our veggie garden. Due to my wife's silly desire to be social we went with 4' height. Not nearly enough to keep out deer, but for some reason none have jumped the fence yet. It must look too tight inside the garden for them to feel like making the jump. I am gonna be major ticked off the first time I see damage to the fence from a deer jumping or trying to jump it.

 

[JanS]

Aww the fawns still have spots. They probably won't come to your side of the fence between Oji and the fact they have a buffet over there.

 

[Gelcoater]

Yesterday at the house next door.

In the top picture – at the bottom of the pic – you can see the top of our aluminum fencing we have around our veggie garden. Due to my wife's silly desire to be social we went with 4' height. Not nearly enough to keep out deer, but for some reason none have jumped the fence yet. It must look too tight inside the garden for them to feel like making the jump. I am gonna be major ticked off the first time I see damage to the fence from a deer jumping or trying to jump it.

View attachment 65120
View attachment 65119

You guys have a Home Owners Assc?

 

[Oh Little Oji]

You guys have a Home Owners Assc?

No, no HOA, thankfully. Why?

 

[Gelcoater]

No, no HOA, thankfully. Why?

So there's no HOA rules forbidding you from skinning and dressing a deer in your driveway on any given day?

I know several things here.I know your wife doesn't want you to have a gun.
I know you like to eat healthy.
I know a large freezer chest of lean,healthy meat just litterly walks right onto your front lawn.We're talking wild fed,no growth hormones,no antibiotics,lean muscle mass.
I know there's no HOA to bitch about it.
May I present...

I wonder if there is a law against firing a crossbow in city limits?

Like killing to birds with one bolt
Home protection weapon,and stealthy quiet.
Bag groceries for days on the front lawn.

Start training Oji to track deer blood now in the event you don't drop it on the first fling.

 

[Oh Little Oji]

So there's no HOA rules forbidding you from skinning and dressing a deer in your driveway on any given day?

I know several things here.I know your wife doesn't want you to have a gun.
I know you like to eat healthy.
I know a large freezer chest of lean,healthy meat just litterly walks right onto your front lawn.We're talking wild fed,no growth hormones,no antibiotics,lean muscle mass.
I know there's no HOA to bitch about it.
May I present...View attachment 65132

I wonder if there is a law against firing a crossbow in city limits?

Like killing to birds with one bolt
Home protection weapon,and stealthy quiet.
Bag groceries for days on the front lawn.

Start training Oji to track deer blood now in the event you don't drop it on the first fling.

Ooh, crossbow! I guess I haven't been forbidden from getting one of those! Yet.

I might rather like to do Ted Nugent proud and use a traditional bow. But in terms of stealthiness and home defense, a crossbow would be the way to go.

I'd love to off those vermin.

 

[NikiL02]

I have a bow. Unfortunately it's illegal to shoot in my town. But that's probabaly the best considering the idiots that live here.