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Animals:.....White tail and Mule Deer, Elk, Moose, Black Bear, Wolf, Coyote, Fox, Badger,, Porcupine, Skunk, Marmot, Ground squirrel, pine squirrel, chipmunk and River Otter a few times in the creek. The ones I see every day are the Deer, squirrel and chipmunks.........the most infrequent are: wolf, Moose and black bear, the rest can be every week, or every month.........depends on the season and the weather...........On the way out to my mail box 1.5 miles out at the county road, I do frequently see Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Sand Hill Cranes and Turkey Buzzards and severel species of Hawks.
Birds:.......i have never bothered to list the various species of birds..........but at least 5 specie of woodpeckers including the Pileated, 4 specie of Owls including great grey and great horned, and probably 30 specie of "song birds".
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Upland Game Birds:......pheasant, quail, doves, grouse, huns, wild turkeys(which are a real pest), wild duck and geese.
Being in my 86th year, I get a great deal of enjoyment from all my "Wild Friends"!!
I am a "lucky guy"!!!
I live in northern New England, and I see most of the same critters in my yard (no elk, badgers, golden eagles, buzzards here though) and I had to look up marmot...I think we call those "woodchucks." We also have fishers, bobcats, raccoons, rabbits, beavers, otters, minks, muskrats, and a lot of other waterfowl like Canada geese, loons, cormorants, kingfishers, great blue herons, and occasional lost seabirds that I can't identify. A mountain lion has been reported by neighbors although I personally haven't seen it.
I love watching them all and I have a game camera in my yard to see who visits at night.
You ARE lucky, enjoying all that wildlife for years!
Great post....
(I live 25 miles from grocery etc., and can't see neighbors either).
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Montana Griz
I sometimes hesitate to list the wildlife that I have seen inside the fenced 14 acres that I have lived on for almost 40 years because some folks cannot believe the numbers and variety that I truly have repeatedly seen mostly within 200 yards or much closer from my windows and deck. I sense that you are truly interested, so I will honestly list them for you.
I should first give you some background info that will partially explain why I am so fortunate to see this variety.
These 14 acres that I bought in 1976, fenced with smooth wire in 1979 and built my house in 1980, are on a 40 foot wide creek and are 5 miles from the closest town of 946 people and 46 miles from Missoula.
The closest neighbor (now) is approx 1/3 mile away through the woods and cannot be seen. When I built my home in 1980, closest neighbor was 2 miles away. I do not let my dog run free.... when out side alone he is in his 12 x 24 foot cyclone fenced dog run.
The 14 acres are approx 70% various Pine trees and Larch,, brush, alder, various Berry Bushes and aspen and 30 % wild field grass.
Animals:.....White tail and Mule Deer, Elk, Moose, Black Bear, Wolf, Coyote, Fox, Badger,, Porcupine, Skunk, Marmot, Ground squirrel, pine squirrel, chipmunk and River Otter a few times in the creek. The ones I see every day are the Deer, squirrel and chipmunks.........the most infrequent are: wolf, Moose and black bear, the rest can be every week, or every month.........depends on the season and the weather...........On the way out to my mail box 1.5 miles out at the county road, I do frequently see Bald Eagles, Golden Eagles, Sand Hill Cranes and Turkey Buzzards and severel species of Hawks.
Birds:.......i have never bothered to list the various species of birds..........but at least 5 specie of woodpeckers including the Pileated, 4 specie of Owls including great grey and great horned, and probably 30 specie of "song birds".
.
Upland Game Birds:......pheasant, quail, doves, grouse, huns, wild turkeys(which are a real pest), wild duck and geese.
Now bear in mind,: .....all of the above I have seen INSIDE the fencing of my 14 acres.........they are not hunted or disturbed and have abundant wild food and water and safety..........I do not provide any food of any type for any of the wildlife!!!!!!
Being in my 86th year, I get a great deal of enjoyment from all my "Wild Friends"!!
I am a "lucky guy"!!!
Thanks, I really needed to know...those and alligators I'm terrified of...we have feral hogs here but never seen one. Yet.
][/b][quote=TrapperL;49727566]You can't out run one. They can go from zero to thirty in 2 steps. Incredibly quick for their size. Stand your ground and if you 're walking, take a good strong walking stick. You can hold one off with just a stick. Done it too many times. Hogs are basically blind but they can hear and smell real good. Capitalize on their weakness. They won't go after anything they can't see. Their sight is limited to just a few feet. If a hog comes your way, escort him around you with the stick by pushing on him. But don't move your legs or feet. If he comes at you with his mouth wide open, use the stick to push it down his throat like a spear. But whatever you do, do not run, stand your ground or expect to be lunch. Most often, they'll take a run in your direction looking for something to move/run. Then they run back into the brush.[/QUOT
I have game cameras too...don't want to miss any visitors
Need to get back to thread...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KCZ
I live in northern New England, and I see most of the same critters in my yard (no elk, badgers, golden eagles, buzzards here though) and I had to look up marmot...I think we call those "woodchucks." We also have fishers, bobcats, raccoons, rabbits, beavers, otters, minks, muskrats, and a lot of other waterfowl like Canada geese, loons, cormorants, kingfishers, great blue herons, and occasional lost seabirds that I can't identify. A mountain lion has been reported by neighbors although I personally haven't seen it.
I love watching them all and I have a game camera in my yard to see who visits at night.
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
2,308 posts, read 4,120,376 times
Reputation: 5025
Quote:
Originally Posted by KCZ
I live in northern New England, and I see most of the same critters in my yard (no elk, badgers, golden eagles, buzzards here though) and I had to look up marmot...I think we call those "woodchucks." We also have fishers, bobcats, raccoons, rabbits, beavers, otters, minks, muskrats, and a lot of other waterfowl like Canada geese, loons, cormorants, kingfishers, great blue herons, and occasional lost seabirds that I can't identify. A mountain lion has been reported by neighbors although I personally haven't seen it.
I love watching them all and I have a game camera in my yard to see who visits at night.
Interesting that you folks don't have buzzards...........we seem to have a lot of "road-kill" of various animals that are "cleaned up" by the buzzards and the eagles after the coyotes have had their fill.
Perhaps you could give me some advice about selecting a particular game-camera. I have thought about getting one, but just haven't followed thru.
I think that I probably have a very good general location, considering: quite close to the creek; no dogs running in my area; lots of Aspen, brush and other types of bushes for shelter and food. And lots of "quiet"!
I think I might be surprised as to what "nighttime" visitors i have but have only seen their tracks in the snow.
Theft by others I don't think would be a problem since I am on 14 fenced acres, back in the woods and on a dead-end lane.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Oh, and buying it over the internet would be preferred.
FWIW TYPE info:.......my location in the valley is at 3564 feet elevation approx 2400 feet from the edge of the Bitterroot Mountains....... we are considered to be SEMI-ARID........with approx 16 inches of TOTAL precipitation per year...........
Thus my being on a year round creek does have some advantages. This past summer was very dry.........we went from mid June to late August with no measurable rain.
Last edited by Montana Griz; 10-08-2017 at 01:34 PM..
Interesting that you folks don't have buzzards...........we seem to have a lot of "road-kill" of various animals that are "cleaned up" by the buzzards and the eagles after the coyotes have had their fill.
Perhaps you could give me some advice about selecting a particular game-camera. I have thought about getting one, but just haven't followed thru.
I think that I probably have a very good general location, considering: quite close to the creek; no dogs running in my area; lots of Aspen, brush and other types of bushes for shelter and food. And lots of "quiet"!
I think I might be surprised as to what "nighttime" visitors i have but have only seen their tracks in the snow.
Theft by others I don't think would be a problem since I am on 14 fenced acres, back in the woods and on a dead-end lane.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Oh, and buying it over the internet would be preferred.
FWIW TYPE info:.......my location in the valley is at 3564 feet elevation approx 2400 feet from the edge of the Bitterroot Mountains....... we are considered to be SEMI-ARID........with approx 16 inches of TOTAL precipitation per year...........
Thus my being on a year round creek does have some advantages. This past summer was very dry.........we went from mid June to late August with no measurable rain.
No buzzards, but crows here clean up a lot of road kill.
Google "choosing a game camera" and you'll find some sites that address this. Look at type of flash, MP's, trigger time, audio/video ability if you want those. Bushnell and Browning have pretty good reputations. Get some small bungee cords to set it up rather than the supplied straps, and spare SD cards.
No buzzards, but crows here clean up a lot of road kill.
Google "choosing a game camera" and you'll find some sites that address this. Look at type of flash, MP's, trigger time, audio/video ability if you want those. Bushnell and Browning have pretty good reputations. Get some small bungee cords to set it up rather than the supplied straps, and spare SD cards.
Locally, I'm afraid of copperheads and Brown Recluse spiders..and anything rabid that's coming after me.
Ditto on the BR spider, I've been bitten.
Otherwise known as banana spiders, they are quick and merciless.
Very painful bite, the poison works its' way inward/becomes infected.
Did you have residual problems after the bite? Knew a guy who could not go back to being surgeon after bite on hand...
ps I should be scared of them...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunbiz1
Ditto on the BR spider, I've been bitten.
Otherwise known as banana spiders, they are quick and merciless.
Very painful bite, the poison works its' way inward/becomes infected.
Did you have residual problems after the bite? Knew a guy who could not go back to being surgeon after bite on hand...
ps I should be scared of them...
The nickname(along w/several other poisonous species)originated from crates of Central/South American bananas, their mode of original transportation to the US. I had a friend in Florida requiring 2 surgeries after he was bitten.
Without proper treatment, you can lose a limb. He almost did.
I used a salve to suck out the venom, even then my hand was throbbing and swollen for several days.
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