Wildlife in Delaware (Dover, Newark, Middletown: neighborhood, live, suburban)

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by beachliz

I seriously need to remember to bring my pepper spray all the time, but I do forget it sometimes.

Yes, you do!
The spray has saved me countless times. I wear it around my neck on a chain now. Hopefully, I won't trip, fall, and spray myself! LOL
Hubby wasn't so lucky recently, attacked pretty badly by a loose, pit bull (no shots, no license), and I couldn't get to my pepper spray quick enough. Besides, once he was down, there was the danger of spraying him, as well as the dog. Quite an experience!

[Legendof302]

Originally Posted by beachliz

So far, my scariest encounter in the woods has been a handful of fox sightings.

Same here, I have seen some really big foxes recently. My dog (lab) went chasing after one that had me really worried.

Also, When I was on a trail last weekend right after seeing a very big fox a giant raccoon startled the **** outta me.

[DelawareLiz]

My husband gets on me all the time about hanging out in the woods alone and forgetting my pepper spray. I'm going to make an extra effort to remember it. And wow..sorry to hear about your husband! That's awful. Why people let their dogs run loose, I'll just never understand.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by beachliz

My husband gets on me all the time about hanging out in the woods alone and forgetting my pepper spray. I'm going to make an extra effort to remember it. And wow..sorry to hear about your husband! That's awful. Why people let their dogs run loose, I'll just never understand.

Thanks, Liz. Hubby is tough and had some choice words for the animal. Hub's got some bad scars on his arms and legs.

I get my pepper spray down the street at a law enforcement store. I'm a good customer and I really do use it quite often. That incident taught me to keep it more accessible, though. If you have to fumble for it, it's too late. So, Liz, get one of those ribbon things that goes around your neck and clips to the ring on the pepper spray.

[Legendof302]

rdlr where was the pit bull?

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by Legendof302

rdlr where was the pit bull?

In a subdivision near Rt. 1, Dover
Me
Husband

[doctorjef]

Just as coyotes have inexorably extended their range throughout North America, I wonder if cougars and black bears will stage a comeback in areas like Delaware, where they had previously been driven out. Obviously the black bear population in NJ has grown enormously in recent years. DE could get them coming in from PA and MD. Perhaps we are seeing natural selection at work, with a returning population of animals that are more adapted to foraging in close quarters with humans and living in habitat that they would not previously have favoured.

[Legendof302]

Originally Posted by beachliz

James420--I agree, too many fox. I have seen countless fox since moving to Ocean View. One attacked my son's friend right in Ocean View about nine years ago and he had to receive rabies shots and has some serious scarring from the attack. I've had fox look right at me and not even try to run away. One came in our backyard one day a few years ago (looking for the rabbits, most likely) and my husband felt threatened by it so he chased it with a rake. I often hear their cries at night, although now I am hearing coyote howls as well.

There really are some tuff looking foxes up here in Wilmington also....

Please don't scare me beachliz...

[rdlr]

Warmer weather than usual has allowed earlier planting of soybeans. The groundhogs were ready and waiting, and i've seen plenty munching on the young plants.

[latenightworker]

Last Night 10/23/2012 at 0:05 AM while on my way home from work at 299 and Route 1 enterance ramp south, a cougar crossed the road in front of me, just after I entered the ramp. He then turned and went up the ramp pass my car on the left hand side. He was about 3 1/2 to 4 foot long and about 2 1/2 feet high, with a 3 foot tail.