Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[Opa]

Woke this morning to find a coon in one of the traps I set yesterday. It's a shame that I have to dispatch it but the population has grow to unbelievable proportions. The leading cause of the parvo virus in dogs comes from coon feces.

Saw one indisputeable harbinger of spring today. About 20 turkeys were in the yard as usual and several of the toms were strutting. I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching them dancing. The last couple of years before my father passed he spent alot of time watching the birds at his feeders. He would have been thrilled to have had turkeys in his yard. This come within a foot of the house to peck and scratch at the grass next to the house foundation.

 

[ranchhand]

Too bad about the coon, I am knocking wood daily that the only one I've seen here was dead in the road.

Well, the lovely springlike weather has gone away again. 40F and steady rain! The heater kicked in, so it must have gotten even colder overnight. Thunderstorm season is just starting, then in May hurricane season starts.

I really dread the storms! I shouldn't snivel about the cold though, not compared to most of you!

PK, glad to hear you have gotten friendly with math!

Well, time to go slog through the cold mud, have a great day, all!

 

[texasgal]

Quote:
Lucky you ... I can't get one these days.. I guess the one's that are left are so freakin' smart. bait is gone .. trap is tripped .. no coon

They can't get to my chickens .. but I hate that there are footprints all over my coop every night.. it must be horrifying to the little chooks ...

I told DH I want to start skinning them ..

 

[Terri O]

Just read a few pages of your thread Opa. Nice camaraderie here! I just wanted to put my two cents in about spring...agreed that it is taking soooo long to arrive this year! I am so anxious to get my garden started and the barns cleaned out. A good sign yesterday though--I spotted a clump of 4 crocuses coming up in the rock garden!

That has GOT to mean spring cant be far away now right? Have a fantastic day...I am canning beans. Terri O

ETA: Darn racoons! My trap is set...but still empty!

 

[Opa]

Last spring I caught a few coons in live traps and then all I did was feed them. Could seem to catch anymore. The bait would be gone. Sometimes the trap would be turned over, other times it wouldn't even be sprung. I knew I had to change something.

Like a dummy I decided to sell all of my traps a few years ago. Told Hope she could put them in her yard sale. Unfortunately I didn't price them so she did and they sold quickly. More accurately she basically gave them away. Four dozen #1 long spring traps, 2 dozen #110 conibear, 1 dozen #220 conibears, a couple dozen hide stretchers and she sold all of that for $25.00.

A very effective and selective trap for coon can be made with a conibear trap inside a plastic bucket. Slots are cut in the pail to hold the set trap the it is mounted at the top of a sloping board. The coon climbs the board, sticks its head in the bucket and is caught.

I was going to order a couple of 220 conibears when I saw these.

I wound up buying a 1/2 dozen and have placed them around my property with good success.

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Quote:
Opa...congrats on catching the coon!

As of yesterday, we are unable to get up our road to the house...the wind has been blowing so hard it has drifted about 3 feet of hard, wet packed snow over our road.

Had to wear my hardhat with the little head lamp on it to hike up the hill after work last night.....I WANT SPRING!

Nothing in terms of flowers coming up here, unless they can grow under 3ft of snow!

And to top it off, it is snowing......

 

[Ec_Prokta]

Good morning!

Opa, I hope your raccoon hunting goes well.
Harlan, I'm sorry that it's still snowing. Darn it, weather!
Ranchie, please be careful!

to all!

 

[Opa]

When I first retired I briefly considered moving to Pole Bridge Montana. After reading Harlan's post I'm sure glad I didn't.

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Quote:
Not sure were Pole Bridge is Sam, but this has been an unusual winter. We have broken many records for this area, really not typical!

That said......I am so DONE with winter!

 

[Opa]

Polebridge is west of Glacier National Park. In fact the back border of property I considered was the Flathead River and directly accross the river you would be in the park.