- Jan 25, 2008
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I let my ducks out of my barn to go play out on the pond, a normal daily occurance. The flying mallards beating the stampede by winging over the rest of the flock. I start to notice that after everyone gets back together on the pond, I'm missing a mallard.
I scan the pond and see her on the far side of the pond about 10 feet from the shore, I also noticed something moving under the fallen tree on the bank. I ask my husband if he can see what it is, and he thought I was talking about the duck on the water. I told him "No, the thing on the shore under the tree". So the "thing" comes out from under the tree and starts walking along the bank, both Adam and I are stunned. IT'S A BIG RACOON! Out at 12PM in the middle of the day, now I know it's that time of year that they tend to come out more often looking for more food. But, I have yet to see one here before.
Hubby runs for the gun while I stand and feed the ducks on the near bank. The whole time I'm watching the coon, it casually strolls down the other bank and look who's following it. My lone mallard female, I'm rattling the grain scoop and calling, but she's intent on FOLLOWING the coon. The coon stops and eyes this duck that was only 3 ft from him. I just knew that a half-hearted jump and this sucker would have my duck. Both dissapear into the tall grass and I'm standing there in disbelief. I couldn't believe my duck intentionally followed a coon into the tall grass. Hubby comes back with the gun, but the coon is in tall grass now between us and someone's house. We couldn't get a shot off, we did see the coon run down the road passing the guy working on the trees. I hear quacking and the knucklehead mallard flies back toward us and joins the flock at my feet.
I just couldn't believe how bold it was! It saw me and didn't take off running or even tried to hide. The ducks are in the barn with the lights on and a radio going, and I have a leghold trap set down by the pond with sardines and marshmellows. It was empty this mornin'..
Hopefully in the next couple of nights it will get the coon before it decides to screw the fish and have some chicken or duck. *sigh*
-Kim
I scan the pond and see her on the far side of the pond about 10 feet from the shore, I also noticed something moving under the fallen tree on the bank. I ask my husband if he can see what it is, and he thought I was talking about the duck on the water. I told him "No, the thing on the shore under the tree". So the "thing" comes out from under the tree and starts walking along the bank, both Adam and I are stunned. IT'S A BIG RACOON! Out at 12PM in the middle of the day, now I know it's that time of year that they tend to come out more often looking for more food. But, I have yet to see one here before.
Hubby runs for the gun while I stand and feed the ducks on the near bank. The whole time I'm watching the coon, it casually strolls down the other bank and look who's following it. My lone mallard female, I'm rattling the grain scoop and calling, but she's intent on FOLLOWING the coon. The coon stops and eyes this duck that was only 3 ft from him. I just knew that a half-hearted jump and this sucker would have my duck. Both dissapear into the tall grass and I'm standing there in disbelief. I couldn't believe my duck intentionally followed a coon into the tall grass. Hubby comes back with the gun, but the coon is in tall grass now between us and someone's house. We couldn't get a shot off, we did see the coon run down the road passing the guy working on the trees. I hear quacking and the knucklehead mallard flies back toward us and joins the flock at my feet.
I just couldn't believe how bold it was! It saw me and didn't take off running or even tried to hide. The ducks are in the barn with the lights on and a radio going, and I have a leghold trap set down by the pond with sardines and marshmellows. It was empty this mornin'..
-Kim
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