Offiial 2024 Gunsnet Random Photo Thread

[JTHunter]

[weevil]

Oh the humanity!!!

[Nobeard]

Not real happy about this, but it had to be done.

We lost 2 chickens in the last week and our neighbor lost one as well.

Started checking around the tanks (that's a pond for you city folks) and found the tracks...
Knew was a medium sized bobcat with a crippled front paw.

Got into position early this morning with a scoped rifle before the boys let our chickens out.
They had just finished scattering feed and turned to head back to the house when the fur-ball started doing a belly crawl toward the coop from the tree-line.

I was about 75 meters out at a 30º elevation. I did a 'squirrel chirp', it looked right at me and froze.
Literally saw that 'oh...SHIT' expression on the poor bastards face as I pressed the trigger.




Put my carry pistol (HK P-2000) as a size reference.
Didn't take the pelt, she was skinny and wouldn't have made it through the winter.

RIP little fur-ball.

[alismith]

Not real happy about this, but it had to be done.

We lost 2 chickens in the last week and our neighbor lost one as well.

Started checking around the tanks (that's a pond for you city folks) and found the tracks...
Knew was a medium sized bobcat with a crippled front paw.

Got into position early this morning with a scoped rifle before the boys let our chickens out.
They had just finished scattering feed and turned to head back to the house when the fur-ball started doing a belly crawl toward the coop from the tree-line.

I was about 75 meters out at a 30º elevation. I did a 'squirrel chirp', it looked right at me and froze.
Literally saw that 'oh...SHIT' expression on the poor bastards face as I pressed the trigger.




Put my carry pistol (HK P-2000) as a size reference.
Didn't take the pelt, she was skinny and wouldn't have made it through the winter.

RIP little fur-ball.

She is just the right size for a house cat. You should have started feeding her and had her cozy up to you. After a while, you could have taken her in your house, taught her to use a cat pan and she's have been your best buddy, too.

You passed up a big chance on that happening...

[Nobeard]

Nice thought, but NO, couldn't do that.

Wild is supposed to stay wild, and trying to tame wild just leads to big problems.
Take into account that they grow to TWICE the size of a large house cat...

If it had gone after Julie or the boys? I could never forgive myself.

Even if we found abandoned or orphaned bobcat kittens, they would go to someone that could raise and release them.

[weevil]

She is just the right size for a house cat. You should have started feeding her and had her cozy up to you. After a while, you could have taken her in your house, taught her to use a cat pan and she's have been your best buddy, too.

You passed up a big chance on that happening...

That's city folk talk there...Nobeard is right these animals can be very dangerous.

When you have to deal with wild or feral animals, you learn real quick they're not cute cuddly little stuffed animals come to life...they can be mean and aggressive and most aren't particularly fond of humans. Oh sure they may play nice to get a handout, but don't turn your back on them.

Wild animals need to be in the wild and if they've lost their fear of humans they are very dangerous and possibly rabid.

[JTHunter]

It is sad that this had to be done, but that is the "operative phrase" - had to be done.
Considering what Nobeard said about the cat's condition, that defective paw is probably why it turned "chicken killer" - it wasn't able to hunt normal wild game effectively and was slowly starving to death.

Nobeard mercifully ended its suffering.

[alismith]

That's city folk talk there...Nobeard is right these animals can be very dangerous.

When you have to deal with wild or feral animals, you learn real quick they're not cute cuddly little stuffed animals come to life...they can be mean and aggressive and most aren't particularly fond of humans. Oh sure they may play nice to get a handout, but don't turn your back on them.

Wild animals need to be in the wild and if they've lost their fear of humans they are very dangerous and possibly rabid.

I was joking.

I've tried to tame baby wild animals and the only success I had was with a baby squirrel. No other wild animal came close to being tame after it reached puberty. I learned quickly to not mess with wild animals, except snakes. I usually had some type of snake in the house until about 5 years ago, when I got rid of all of them.

Now, I have no pets at all and only feed the two foxes that come around after dark.

[weevil]

I was joking.

I've tried to tame baby wild animals and the only success I had was with a baby squirrel. No other wild animal came close to being tame after it reached puberty. I learned quickly to not mess with wild animals, except snakes. I usually had some type of snake in the house until about 5 years ago, when I got rid of all of them.

Now, I have no pets at all and only feed the two foxes that come around after dark.

Yeah I kinda thought you were...but like I say that's city folk talk. And your touchy-feely big city libs really do think like that.

[alismith]

Chicagohenge.

[alismith]

Autumnal Equinox 2024

[alismith]

Coming our way.

[Nobeard]

It is sad that this had to be done, but that is the "operative phrase" - had to be done.
Considering what Nobeard said about the cat's condition, that defective paw is probably why it turned "chicken killer" - it wasn't able to hunt normal wild game effectively and was slowly starving to death.

Nobeard mercifully ended its suffering.

Thanks, the right front paw was permanently curled up with a callous where she had been walking on it.
Not sure what happened, maybe it got broken, snake bit or fight with another animal?
Best guess on age was a year old, maybe two at most. The incisors and canines appeared to be fully formed but not worn down or chipped.
Another sign was the serrated teeth at the rear of the jaw, that they use to chew through bones, were in good shape.

Still going to admit, I was a little depressed over having to put her down.

There's a little town to the west of us (as in population under 1,000) that has a really good Mexican food restaurant...
Julie suggested we load up and head over there for an early supper on Saturday.
(She knows I've got a soft spot for critters and thought that would make me feel better)

There's a thicket of trees across from their parking lot that runs north to south...

On the east side as we were leaving:


On the west side - fawn that still had a few white dapples and a gray squirrel on the tree


Yea, eating some enchiladas and seeing the wildlife got me to feeling better

[JTHunter]

Nice pictures Nobeard. Scenes like that would be nice to see.

The street I'm on runs basically N-S with a sizeable strip of woods on the east side behind the houses. Three or four years ago, one of the neighbors on the WEST side of the street had put food out for the birds because of the rather heavy snow. The neighbor 3 doors uphill (south) of me had deer tracks on BOTH sides of her house where the deer had gone across the street to eat that food as well. It was a small HERD as there were 2 bucks and 5 does! And the bucks were still antlered! But, IIRC, it was only late December to mid-January that I saw them, so that may be why they still had their racks.
We have also seen coyotes, red foxes, possums, groundhogs/woodchucks, doves, squirrels (gray & fox), hawks, vultures (turkey buzzards), songbirds galore, and, on the lake, ducks & geese.
We are fortunate to live on a dead-end street in an "unincorporated" (non-city) part of this county.

[weevil]

[alismith]

[Nobeard]

Just some random stupid, to brighten your Sunday afternoon.





Oh yea! Shake em you sexy thing!

[JTHunter]

Grand Canyon vistas.

[Krupski]

Is Ferd back?

[Full Otto]

Speakin' of who's back glad to see a post from you
Hope all is good we've been wondering

here he is