Bruce's Journal

goats&moregoats

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Bruce, isn't funny how some animals remember things and hold it against you forever and some just shake it off and are loving on you two seconds later. A couple of the goats here are like oh no you trimmed my feet(gave me grain well at it) and checked me over, now I will avoid you so it doesn't happen again. Then Sonny who most likely never saw a milk stand before is all over me as soon as I sit on the stump in the pen. Good luck with your Alpaca's. Hope your feeling better.
 

greybeard

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"DW spotted a small woodchuck. I did too, yesterday morning. Don't know if there is one or two. She saw "her's" just south of the little barn and it took of into the bushes there. I saw "mine" over near the pile of wood in front of the barn."

Target Rich Environment

Now you understand why I'm excited for you.
 

Bruce

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Ah. But, sadly:
  • I don't know that my pellet rifle would take it down at distance. I have a hard enough time hitting the right spot in the head when the critter is in the trap. Takes several shots, single shot break barrel.
  • I don't think the rifle has anything that would be called accuracy. Seems to always hit low and right when I've tried to zero it at about 30' with a target inside the barn no matter how I adjust the dials on the scope. Could be the gun, could be me!
  • The little bastards bug out as soon as they see or hear human activity.
  • Rifle existence is totally the last S in SSS. Can't keep it in the house and hope to get a shot at the varmint.

Looked out this morning and saw one over by the wood. This is bad for 2 reasons.
1) Looks to be full grown, DW said the one she saw by the little barn was small.
2) It wasn't in the trap set not 10' from it.

Sounds like @CntryBoy777 was right, mama and a baby. And in the past, mama's had as many as 5 babies :barnie
 

Bruce

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:hitNo!
Night 1 - chicken feed. The plastic tray on my homemade hanging feeder in the coop has beaucoup teeth marks in it from prior woodchucks raiding it daily. Never had one that didn't hit the trap in the first 2 nights, usually first night, with chicken feed. I've trapped over a dozen of these %$# things over the past few years.
Night 2 - peas. Still there.
Night 3 (last night) - melon. Still there.

Other things to try tonight: cantaloupe (other melon was more like a honeydew), peanuts, string beans. I know the chuck is still there, I startled it yesterday in the weeds near the wood pile where the tunnel is. Didn't see it but lots of scuffling getting back to the tunnel. Of course the "wood pile" is hand hewn building timbers from when the house was rebuilt, not anything I can move to get access to that particular entrance.
 

Latestarter

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Sorry you got chucks again... But at least it gives you something to occupy your copious amounts of free time... Not to mention the secret forbidden pleasure of "offing" them, unbeknownst to the family members who might die of apoplexy if they but knew... ;) Hope you get them quickly :fl
 
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