The sound of freedom

[fried1765]

It's such a PITA to run a gopher trap line - I've done it in previous years. Anybody looking at my yard now can easily tell its been a while for trapping. I just got a new batch of farm cats. I have them penned up in my tool shed until they get bigger - a couple months. The little buggers have already dispatched two field mice they found in the shed. Mice most likely attracted by the cat food and pail of water. I have three young barn cats - they are having a world of fun in the tool shed - the floor is covered with about an inch of cedar chips - they play all sorts of games with and within the chips. I'm hoping to unleash them on my resident population of field mice and pocket gophers this spring.

I've found that even the most persistent cat has a tough time catching a pocket gopher - but they sure put the fear of God in them and will actually drive them back off my lawns and into the surrounding buck brush. Just as good as a kill.

With my new year old Chocolate Lab, Olly and these barn cats - I certainly will not be using any type of poison.

Maybe get Orezok's Marines to drop by. Fire off a few rounds - down on the far end of the 80. I'm sure the ground shaking would, at least, scare the snot outta me.

How about a picture of "Olly"???

 

[oosik]

Jstpssng - Olly knows there is something new out in the workshed - they have not yet met. I want to wait a couple months until the cats get bigger. Even at one year old - Olly is still all puppy. He might just think the cats are some type of chew toy - with serious results on both sides. And even though they are cooped up in the workshed - the young cats are definitely learning about field mice. They have already dispatched two who were apparently attracted to the cat food and water pail. And, obviously, having a barrel of fun playing in all the cedar chips.

fried1765 - two pics of Olly - the brave. The side view is him out on our screened front porch that overlooks my lake. Middle of the night - the "brave" one is answering the howling of a nearby coyote. The back view pic is a new experience for him. We both heard the whop/whop of an approaching helicopter. He, of course, goes wild and must be out there on the porch. He is trying to do two things - look to see what is coming and be so very brave. It was a big military helicopter that buzzed VERY close to the house and VERY low. The copter co-pilot gave Olly a wave as they zoomed past and Olly managed to get off two gigantic barks before they were past and long gone.

I'm exceptionally pleased to see he is reserved in his bravery. It's not the skunks or coyotes he might tangle with - it's the porcupines, badgers & raccoons that can do serious damage.


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[orezok]

OP here. After observing for a while, I realized that they were doing time on target drills. When they get it right, those are the ones shaking the ground. Five 155s (6”) hitting at the same time and location causes a minor earthquake. If they miss the timing, you can hear them in staccato but barely feel the impact.