Archive for the 'Animals' Category

From what I understand, Moose are at least as aggressive as bears and much less prone to flee the presence of humans.  And they can stomp you to death.  Those are huge animals.

Swarmed by a pack of nine Coywolves!

A Swampscott [suburb north of Boston], Massachusetts, resident was surrounded by a pack of nine coyotes on Friday night and was only able to escape after police responded and scared the animals off.

Swampscott police said they got a call around 9:30 p.m. from a resident who said they were walking their dog on Rockyledge Road when a large group of coyotes surrounded them and wouldn’t back down.

When police arrived, they said they saw at least nine coyotes. The coyotes were scared off by the arrival of the police cruisers and the stroble lights. Officers escorted the resident and their dog back to their home without further incident, but police are now warning residents to be aware of their surroundings when walking at night when coyotes are most active.

[P]olice suggest yelling and waving your arms as you approach the animals. They said the simplest method of scaring off a coyote involves “being loud and large.” They suggest standing tall, waving your arms and yelling at the coyote. Police suggest bringing homemade noisemakers, a small air horn, squirt guns or pepper spray while walking your dog. They also stressed that it is important not to run away from a coyote.

And what happens when the highly intelligent beasts begin to determine that guns only have water in them? Isn’t using a water pistol the same thing as running away, proverbially speaking?

This isn’t the first report of aggressive coyotes in Swampscott. Back in July, coyotes attacked people in at least two separate incidents. Aggressive coyotes were also reported in other parts of Massachusetts over the summer.

Via WoG

I don’t think this guy would have had time to unholster a firearm, at least initially.  But when the bear came back around on him he could have had a firearm trained on it.  I think I would have.

I suspect cubs are somewhere in the mix.

Mountain Climber Fights Off Bear (2022) pic.twitter.com/70DTpPsfSL

— Billy (@Billyhottakes) October 17, 2022

Here Kitty Kitty:

A 42-year-old-man was hunting Elk in Idaho when a mountain lion emerged from the wilderness and began stalking him.

Jared Erickson – from Paradise, Utah, just south of the Gem state – was lucky to get away with his life after the encounter with the lion in which he was forced to fire his gun twice.

After the second shot he was able to scare off the mountain lion, which then returned into the wilderness disappointed.

Erickson pulled out his pistol and phone upon noticing the big cat. With his left hand he filmed the lion as it moved menacingly towards him, one slow stride at a time.

In his right hand Erickson holds a Glock pistol pointed at the lion, prepared in case it chose to strike.

During the video Erickson can be heard breathing heavily as he moved backwards with the gun in hand.

‘Get back,’ he can was heard warning the lion firmly.

The lion begins to increase its pace until once about 20 feet away it lurches forward with both front legs extended. At that very moment the Erickson fires a singlehanded shot with the gun in his right hand.

Its unclear whether it was a warning shot or Erickson was aiming for the cat, but it dashes a few meters before turning back to face Erickson once more.

The article concludes that Mountain Lion attacks are rare.

There are photos of the cat at the link. Here’s the video. There’s a lot we could say about the mindset of Mr. Erickson and his use of the weapon. Ugh, that is the word that sums it up best.

The cat is being territorial and not hunting him! It could have kittens, but it’s very late in the season. Perhaps it has a kill nearby.

Via WoG.

Dean Weingarten at AmmoLand:

On Tuesday, August 30, at about 6:50 p.m., James Little settled into campsite 674 in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). His youngest child was a few feet away.  His youngest cried out, and James grabbed the child and took a couple of steps, uncertain of what had happened.

Then his oldest yelled, “Bear!” and James turned around. The bear was about six feet from him. It had been within 3-4 feet of his back when the child was startled. This was the start of the remarkable incident. In James’ words:

Just finished a trip to Horseshoe that should have been three nights, but turn to one. (Campsite 674) Had a bear walk right into camp and within four feet of my youngest! Nothing would discourage him till I fired a couple of rounds.  We packed up and bolted to an open site (campsite 677) a half mile away on the other side of the lake. Weren’t there five minutes and was pulling up the food bag and my wife screamed. There was another bear fifteen feet away heading to our canoe with our kids in it. I had to fire another round before he would be deterred.  Left that site and unexpected BWCA.com member Ausable and his crew took my family and me in for the night. (Campsite 672) Early the next morning, we broke came and headed out. My family had had too much. Across from the portage from Caribou to Lizz, (campsite 645) the campers there had their breakfast intruded upon by a bear who would not be deterred till he had taken their food bag.

This correspondent talked to James, who reported the incident to the BWCA authorities.

James used a North American Arms mini revolver, the Wasp model in .22 magnum, with a 1 5/8 inch barrel. The revolver was loaded with Speer Gold Dot defensive ammunition.

Read the rest at the link.

Here Kitty Kitty:

Oct. 11 (UPI) — Multiple witnesses have reported mountain lion sightings in Madison County, Iowa according to local police.

The Madison County Sheriff’s office posted video of a mountain lion roaming through the woods outside of St. Charles along with a photo taken from a trail cam near New Virginia in Warren County. It’s not known if the images show the same animal.

The video evidence comes after multiple eyewitnesses reported seeing mountain lions in the area. The sheriff’s office doesn’t think the mountain lions are a threat to the public because the sightings have been away from populated areas.

Mountain lions do not have any wildlife protections in Iowa, but the Department of Natural Resources does not encourage people to kill the animals. Instead citizens are encouraged to report sightings to the Department and to frighten the animals away by making loud noises, throwing objects, and slowly backing off.

I can assure you that cats are not frightened by people slowly backing off. It’s like a comedy sketch that goes on too long:

If attacked citizens are encouraged to use sharp objects to attack the mountain lion’s eyes, though the Department of Natural Resources emphasizes that attacks on humans are very rare.

Bullets, those are sharp!

Via Instapundit

Video:

Well hello there!

A bear seems to have made itself at home in a Chatsworth neighborhood and one homeowner captured some of its antics on video.

Dr. Alon Antebi told FOX 11 the bear has wandered the neighborhood since Labor Day.

The bear was seen cooling off in the pool and even hopping into the jacuzzi.

But Dr. Antebi says the bear also raids their outdoor kitchen and spills beer from the fridge.

There’s also concern that the bear is getting more aggressive.

“Yesterday we were having morning coffee and he came up literally three feet away from our glass door, our dogs started barking so he ran off, went into the pool, then jumped the fence.”

Animal control has told Dr. Antebi since he lives in the bear’s natural habitat there’s not much they can do unless the bear becomes more aggressive.

“Unless the bear becomes aggressive”!?! So sorry, once you’re dead, we’ll come to help you.

One article said it was a Grizzly. But in LA? Despite the color of the bear being light brown to tan, the body type is not that of Grizz. Blacks can range in color. Size can be deceptive. What do you think: Ursus americanus or Ursus arctos horribilis? Or maybe the Mexican Grizz isn’t really extinct?

Via Instapundit.

Here Kitty Kitty:

Wildlife officers on Wednesday were tracking a mountain lion that attacked a 7-year-old boy and prompted the closure of a sprawling Southern California park, authorities said.

The child and his father were walking up stairs at Pico Canyon Park near Santa Clarita around dusk on Monday when a cougar emerged from brush and bit the boy on the buttocks, said Capt. Patrick Foy with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

That’s a classic ambush. Walking up steps takes attention and wind; fleeing is also difficult. Smart kitty. The attack occurred at dusk; cats are crepuscular. Though they may hunt at other times they hunt at dawn and dusk almost daily.

Foy said the father, who was walking behind, heard his son cry out and charged toward the big cat. “The lion let go and retreated back into the brush,” he said.

The boy was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Foy said.

“It was a pretty traumatic episode for him, but he’s expected to be fine,” he said.

Wildlife officials sampled the bite wound to confirm that a mountain lion was responsible and to obtain a DNA profile of the animal.

The father said the cougar didn’t appear to be wearing a GPS collar from the National Park Service, which tracks and studies big cats in Southern California. The park service said it doesn’t have a collared mountain lion in the area and the park is outside its research zone, according to Foy.

You knew it was coming: “rare.”

Mountain lion attacks on humans are rare. Around 20 confirmed attacks have occurred in California in 110 years of record-keeping, he said.

That number of 20 is a bald-faced lie. That’s the “official” “confirmed” by the “Fish and Wildlife authorities” number, is my guess. Note how it wasn’t ‘confirmed’ to be a lion until the saliva sample was analyzed, as though a 7-year-old and his father don’t know what a cat looks like.

Fish and Wildlife officers surveyed the area and set up baited boxes to try and trap the mountain lion at the park in foothills about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The park remained closed Wednesday.

Baited boxes? Wait, weren’t they “tracking” the mountain lion? They have no fool idea where the cat is, and neither does AP, the source of the story, know what words mean.

I still want to see one in the wild.

H/T Instapundit

These are normie web pages, and all of them seem to shy away from food slaughtering and processing specifics. A family I know is researching Kiko’s for food. FYI, goats and dogs don’t always get along; even herding breeds of dogs sometimes maul or kill goats. Does anybody raise goats?

This page isn’t great, but the two embedded videos are helpful.

Raising Goats – A Beginner’s Guide has tons of information. It’s probably a little more in-depth than only for beginners.

How To Shear Goats

1. Wash the goats and treat them for any parasite infestations a couple of weeks prior to shearing the herd.

2. Goats must always be clean and dry for shearing. A wet goat’s mohair or cashmere will get tangled in the shears causing the animal pain and the shearer to spend a lot more frustrating time attempting to get the task completed. Even light rain can cause the goat hair to become too damp for proper shearing. For best and painless results, do not shear a goat that has been wet at all during the past 24 hours.

3. Use an air compressor hose or hairdryer on the lowest heat setting to blow away as much debris and dirt as possible from the goat fleece before shearing. Never position the air straight downwards to the goat but angled at the side to prevent pushing tiny debris deeper into the mohair or cashmere. Blowing air downward or holding the pressurized air too close to the goat will cause the fine hair to tangle and cause problems and potential injury when shearing.

4. Start the shearing of a goat by trimming a single strip from along the backbone onward in the direction of the withers.

5. Now, shear down the other side of the goat along the backbone, as well. But, this time keep the blades on the shearing tool parallel to prevent them from cutting the skin of the goat as you do along the animal’s side.

6. Shear the shoulder area in an up and down motion instead of going from side to side to avoid nicking the thin flesh that surrounds the bones and runs between them.

7. Take special care when shearing the hind legs of the fiber goat to prevent hitting the tendon in the legs.

8. When shearing the underside of the goat, go slowly and pay close attention when trimming hear the testicles, penis, udders, and teats. Before starting to shear near these sensitive areas, make sure you have enough light and have positioned the goat high enough of a shearing – milking stand to ensure you have a complete view of the entire shearing area.

9. If any of the fiber goats possess wattles, use extra care when shearing around the animal’s neck and chest.

This article comes with a helpful video and many great tips, including:

Best Milk Goat Breeds:

• Nubian: This popular breed is a medium-large goat. They can produce up to 2 gallons of milk but average about 1 gallon each day. They have the highest milk fat content at about 5% fat. These goats are louder than other breeds, but their milk is ideal for soaps and cheeses. They can be milked all year long.

• Alpine: From the French Alps, they are very hardy to cold temperatures. These medium-sized goats average 1 gallon of milk a day. They are originally from France and are durable and steady. They have one of the longest lactation cycles. Their fat content is about 3.5% milkfat.

• Toggenburg: These bearded goats are good breeders. It produces about 3% milkfat. It is often bred with meat goats for dual purpose goats.

• Saanan: This is one of the largest milk goats. It produces a lot of milk, up to 3 gallons of milk each day. Average production is around 1.5 gallons a day. The Saanen milk fat content is about 2.5-3% so it isn’t as creamy as other dairy breeds. This breed is very calm and mild-mannered. These goats get to 200 pounds.

• Nigerian Dwarf: These goats are half the size of average goats. They are great for smaller lots. They produce about 2 pints of milk a day, but they have a high-fat content. Their fat content is 6.1% of the milk. They are wonderful breeders and will have many kids. They are also very mellow and often used as pets. They will even be walked on a leash.

• LaMancha: These funny-looking goats don’t have any ears! But, they are very hardy animals and very friendly. They can produce 1-2 gallons of milk a day. Their fat content is 4.2% of the milk.

• Oberhasli: Originally from Switzerland, these goats are well-suited for colder climates.  These goats don’t produce milk year round but will produce about 1 gallon of milk a day. Their milk fat is about 3.5%. They are small and ideal for smaller spaces.

Best Meat Goat Breeds:

• Boar: Native to South Africa. It has a fast growth rate and is very fertile. It has short horns. Boars come in red, red-white, or brown colors. They are disease resistant and used to hot dry areas. They are ready for slaughter as early as 90 days after birth and will grow to around 200-340 pounds for the bucks and 190-230 pounds for the does.

• Spanish Brough: This goat was imported to the New World by the Spaniards. They have been raised for meat for hundreds of years. They do very well in most climates. They also breed more often than annually. They are also called bush goats, briar goats, wood goats, and scrub goats.

• Kiko: This white goat is very hardy. It thrives in cold climates. It is fast-growing and can reach up to 300 pounds. It has spiral horns. The nannies are good mothers and low maintenance.

• Pygmy: These goats are fertile. They breed every 9-12 months, which allows for more batches of kids. They are often used as pets because they are smaller goats. They grow to between 50-75 pounds.

• Rangeland: The majority of the commercial goat meat comes from rangeland goats. They are generally low maintenance and thrive in dry conditions.

• Kalahari: This goat is from South Africa and does its best in dry hot conditions. The meat is more tender than other varieties. They are reddish-brown and can kid multiple times a year. They are also disease resistant and durable.

• Nubian: Good milk and meat goat. The males reach 175 pounds. They can be bred with boars for even larger offspring.

• Black Bangle: This goat is used for meat primarily in Bangladesh. It is easy to feed and care for. It can have kids multiple times a year and usually has 2-3 kids twice a year. They are ready for reproduction at 15 months old. They are dark with medium-sized horns.

• Verata: These goats are found mostly in Spain. They are durable, healthy goats. They do well in hot and cold climates. They are really good foragers and adapt easily. They are ready for meat at about 45 days. The does also provide a good amount of milk.

Mr. Weingarten explains several drills that can be used to prepare for a bear encounter.

AmmoLand:

Realistic bear defense drills can help prepare gun owners for actual situations.

The success of Eli Dicken in stopping a mass murder in the early stages, with excellent marksmanship at a claimed 40 yards, has engendered a plethora of people creating and executing some form of a “Dicken Drill” of ten shots at 40 yards.

There have been a number of “bear defense” exercises, usually arranged to simulate a worst-case scenario. I know of one such scenario, as it was related to me, by the inventor/trainer who ran it for a major agency.

The “bear” ran on a cart, as I recall, starting 10 yards away.  Speed was determined by the person who ran away from the shooting line, pulling the bear, which also moved up and down on the terrain, toward the trainee shooter.

I’ve seen a video of a drill similar to this.

The trainer prepped the trainee, to be tested, thus the trainee was armed with a pump shotgun with a sling. There were rounds in the magazine, but none allowed in the chamber. The shotgun had to be slung on the shoulder, with the safety on, and the bolt locked forward.  To engage the target, the trainee had to unsling the shotgun, disengage the bolt lock, work the action, disengage the safety, then shoot.  Alternatively, the trainee could unsling the shotgun, disengage the safety, dry fire the shotgun, which would disengage the bolt lock, work the action, and then shoot.

Once preparation to do the drill was ready, the trainer would engage the trainee with a question or small talk. When the trainee’s attention was off the “bear” the trainer would give the secret signal to start the bear charging at the trainee. Unsurprisingly, few trainees managed to get off a shot and hit the “bear”.

Trainers can create a drill to obtain the effect they want to establish.

A bear’s brain is reasonably close to the size and shape of a 12-ounce beverage can. To build confidence in shooters concerned about bear defense, I suggest these drills, taken from actual bear defense situations. The 12-ounce can should be oriented close to how it would be in a bear.

I have serious reservations about going for a headshot with a grizzly or even a black. Their skull is pretty thick. Large caliber hits at center mass seem like the best option. He explains The Ralph Fletcher Drill, The Dusel-Bacon Drill, The Cecil Rhodes Drill, and The Tanner Allen Drill.