NIGHT CRITTERS

[Matejka]

I usually am up by 2 a.m.
Get coffee and go outside and sit on bench under live oak. I love the quiet, listening to the night sounds. I usually have a strong flashlight, and i am watchful.
However, lately it seems, the night critters are bolder, closer, more abundant. A while back, it was an armadillo about 2 foot behind me.
This morning.......
I was headed to bench, coffee in hand, flashlight in pocket-not on, and i see movement in front of me on sidewalk. I stop, and just look.
SKUNK, I've heard they have poor eyesight, now I believe it. He (it was a he, i was that close) was dancing/hopping along towards me. I thought Pepe La'Phew from cartoon. I start slowly backing up, he keeps coming, he gets about a foot away frome me before he sees me. Stare off.
He finally turns around and moves away, slowly, back the way he came.

 

[CluckerFamily]

That was so close!!

 

[DouglasB]

 

[centrarchid]

Skunks and armadillos here seem not to be all that aware. I can walk up quietly on the former with ease and the latter do not always run from flashlite.

 

[swampfox440]

It's when they pump their back feet on the ground and stand on their front feet that's when you start running as fast as you didn't know you could !

 

[Matejka]

Skunks and armadillos here seem not to be all that aware. I can walk up quietly on the former with ease and the latter do not always run from flashlite.

Same here

 

[cmom]

I had a issue with skunks a few years ago. We are rural on a dead end road and someone was catching them and releasing them in our area.They were digging up my yard. I put live traps out and in around two weeks I caught around a dozen skunks. One night I got two skunks in one trap. Another night I went out to check on the chicks because I had forgotten to close their pop door. When I went out there was a skunk attempting to dig under the gate to their pen. Somehow the pop door was closed just enough that some of the chicks couldn't get in. I stomped my feet at the skunk and it turned towards me and stomped it's feet at me. I went into the house and got my rifle and went back out and attempted to scare the skunk off and again it stomped it's feet at me, it seemed persistent. I shot it and put a bucket over it until I could deal with it in the morning. I was able to let the chicks in their coop.

 

[ackie]

I cant imagine starting my day at 2am haha. I'm more likely going to bed then.

 

[Matejka]

I had a issue with skunks a few years ago. We are rural on a dead end road and someone was catching them and releasing them in our area.They were digging up my yard. I put live traps out and in around two weeks I caught around a dozen skunks. One night I got two skunks in one trap. Another night I went out to check on the chicks because I had forgotten to close their pop door. When I went out there was a skunk attempting to dig under the gate to their pen. Somehow the pop door was closed just enough that some of the chicks couldn't get in. I stomped my feet at the skunk and it turned towards me and stomped it's feet at me. I went into the house and got my rifle and went back out and attempted to scare the skunk off and again it stomped it's feet at me, it seemed persistent. I shot it and put a bucket over it until I could deal with it in the morning. I was able to let the chicks in their coop.

Rural, dead end road also. We, that live rural know, a gun is a tool just like anything else. It has its uses. Most people run own at least one. My tool of choice is an old single shot .22 I have sat shot and regular shot. Depending on what I am trying to achieve, I use rat to scare critters off and reg to dispatch critters.
Your comment about shooting skunk and putting bucket over it, could cause a huge flurry of negatives, especially from safe, protected city people, that have no idea about the real world.
I would have left skunk lie (without bucket) coyotes gotta eat too.

 

[swampfox440]

It's when they pump their back feet on the ground and stand on their front feet that's when you start running as fast as you didn't know you could !

I don't know how some critter can be so cute but stink so bad!!!!! A couple years back two of them got in a fight and sprayed each other . Dang ! the air was so thick it made a persons eyes water !!