# War is on



## ropensaddle

I have not had huge amounts of time but managed to have a great year on cantaloupes and my watermelons was looking good too. I came up my drive seen 5 crows fly off in 6 hours they had mutilated 8 cantaloupes and 2 watermelon's! I started to harvest night before but thought they would be sweeter today


----------



## hseII

1 Coyote, of all things, got 2 of the nicest watermelon this week: the watermelon were about 5 days from being ready to pick. 

It's game on around here as well.


----------



## chuckwood

My corn is just about ready and the raccoons have just found out about this. They ate some last night. They pull the stalks down by climbing on them and then eat the corn. Hopefully there will be enough for all of us and lord knows there are enough raccoons around here. Never heard of coyotes eating watermelons, did you catch 'em in the act?


----------



## ropensaddle

chuckwood said:


> My corn is just about ready and the raccoons have just found out about this. They ate some last night. They pull the stalks down by climbing on them and then eat the corn. Hopefully there will be enough for all of us and lord knows there are enough raccoons around here. Never heard of coyotes eating watermelons, did you catch 'em in the act?
> 
> View attachment 516585
> View attachment 516586


Your too calm man, get them turkey killing coons


----------



## ropensaddle

You just reminded me, the crows ate all my sweet corn seeds as well


----------



## blades

Lead poisoning delivered via air rifle- - course with the crows ya got ta get the look out first. Squirrels gray , red, ground- rabbits are the main culprits here. Racoons been keeping their distance since I eliminated a couple can raiders in early spring. Rabbits and Ground squirrel populations are now fairly low () currently. Red and grays have been staying out of harms way for the most part. Its a challenge in an urban setting- don't want alert neighbors and then get a visitation. Hence the air rifle, fairly quite vs more potent items. A long barrel and CCI quite zone rounds are not to bad either for the larger raiders.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

blades said:


> Lead poisoning delivered via air rifle- - course with the crows ya got ta get the look out first. Squirrels gray , red, ground- rabbits are the main culprits here. Racoons been keeping their distance since I eliminated a couple can raiders in early spring. Rabbits and Ground squirrel populations are now fairly low () currently. Red and grays have been staying out of harms way for the most part. Its a challenge in an urban setting- don't want alert neighbors and then get a visitation. Hence the air rifle, fairly quite vs more potent items. A long barrel and CCI quite zone rounds are not to bad either for the larger raiders.



loosing produce out of the garden sure can be frustrating!! I am never happy to see a green tomato on ground in front yard when garden is in back... or bites taken out. for tomatoes have resorted to using used sandwich baggies. put hole in bottom to let rain water drain out. this season, I still found a green tomato on ground relocated. but significantly reduced issues from the varmints. been very effective. perhaps if feasible watermelons could be put into plastic sack when week or so from harvest time. out of sight out of mind sort of thing. maybe if would be too hot, some cardboard could reflect off sun's rays. or a wrap of tin foil mite be helpful. not sure how to deal with the corn on the cob varmints. guess they can smell that sweetness... sometimes just have to plant like in old days... _one for me, one for the animals..._

Gardener's Quote: _A garden is always a series of losses set against a few triumphs, like life itself._


----------



## chuckwood

blades said:


> Lead poisoning delivered via air rifle- - course with the crows ya got ta get the look out first. Squirrels gray , red, ground- rabbits are the main culprits here. Racoons been keeping their distance since I eliminated a couple can raiders in early spring. Rabbits and Ground squirrel populations are now fairly low () currently. Red and grays have been staying out of harms way for the most part. Its a challenge in an urban setting- don't want alert neighbors and then get a visitation. Hence the air rifle, fairly quite vs more potent items. A long barrel and CCI quite zone rounds are not to bad either for the larger raiders.



Same deal with me, neighbors too close by. My raccoon problem used to be much worse years ago, and I dealt with it by trapping and relocating them. They are interesting once trapped in a haveaheart cage, some get real hissy and ugly when you carry them around in the trap, put a finger through the mesh and you just might loose it. The removal of coons left a gap in the little ecosystem here and foxes moved in. They are great to have around and do no damage unless you have chickens. My worst garden damage has happened with groundhogs. I've planted beans, lettuce etc. and get them up to about 8 inches high and a groundhog enters the garden in my absence and mows the entire row down, leaving 3 inch stumps. My theory is the foxes keep them in control by eating up the little groundhogs. My golden retriever takes care of the adult groundhogs. My dad used to have a hazelnut orchard and he was real disappointed most of the time because the gray squirrels just couldn't get enough of those hazelnuts.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> Same deal with me, neighbors too close by. My raccoon problem used to be much worse years ago, and I dealt with it by trapping and relocating them. They are interesting once trapped in a haveaheart cage, some get real hissy and ugly when you carry them around in the trap, put a finger through the mesh and you just might loose it. The removal of coons left a gap in the little ecosystem here and foxes moved in. They are great to have around and do no damage unless you have chickens. My worst garden damage has happened with groundhogs. I've planted beans, lettuce etc. and get them up to about 8 inches high and a groundhog enters the garden in my absence and mows the entire row down, leaving 3 inch stumps. My theory is the foxes keep them in control by eating up the little groundhogs. My golden retriever takes care of the adult groundhogs. My dad used to have a hazelnut orchard and he was real disappointed most of the time because the gray squirrels just couldn't get enough of those hazelnuts.



true true... true! maybe that is one reason garden fresh tastes so good! hard to imagine something _actually_ makes it to the kitchen counter... lol


----------



## blades

Groundhogs protected here( state regs) but what they don't see.......... course there is a clause in the regs about farms and the interaction there of. But that will not apply to your little garden in Urbanna. Had a problem with them at a different home many years back- air rifle, bow or .22 depending on where I spotted one and the distance to it. Still remember my daughter being in tears- scared by one in the garage when she went to get her bike out. Think she might have been about 6 or 7 at the time. Did not leave garage under its own power. Got the whole family by the end of summer. Had some problems with possums as well (ugly things) Kids were still very young no quarter there either. Got no problems fox or weasels- coyotes & skunks they are on the bad list.


----------



## chuckwood

blades said:


> Groundhogs protected here( state regs) but what they don't see.......... course there is a clause in the regs about farms and the interaction there of. But that will not apply to your little garden in Urbanna.



I don't understand the point in protecting groundhogs - I wonder who wrote up that policy and why. There will never be a shortage of them and if there are no predators after them they'll do a lot of damage. An urban gardener might have to cope with the hassle and expense of fencing in a backyard garden. I know a gardener that had a four hundred dollar vet bill when her dog had some trouble while killing one. Nasty critters!


----------



## Del_

Opossums will get cantaloupes, too.

There are no protected species in my garden.

Either I shoot them with a 22lr or catch them in a Hav-a-hart trap and drown them in a 55 gallon barrel, trap and all. Yeah it's mean but the effort I put into growing is not going to be wasted if I can help it.


----------



## chuckwood

Del_ said:


> Opossums will get cantaloupes, too.
> 
> There are no protected species in my garden.
> 
> Either I shoot them with a 22lr or catch then in a Hav-a-hart trap and drown them in a 55 gallon barrel, trap and all. Yeah it's mean but the effort I put into growing is not going to be wasted if I can help it.



I caught a skunk once in a havahart trap and didn't know what to do at first I cautiously approached the cage and put a sheet over it so the skunk couldn't see me. Then I let the door down and was surprised that it didn't immediately jump out. The skunk had feasted on peanut butter and apples that were meant for groundhogs. It seemed to be quite happy in there and left a couple minutes later, slowly moseying on out. I don't mind having them around unless they spray my dogs, and the dogs have pretty much learned the hard way to leave them alone.


----------



## Backyard Lumberjack

chuckwood said:


> I don't understand the point in protecting groundhogs - I wonder who wrote up that policy and why. There will never be a shortage of them and if there are no predators after them they'll do a lot of damage. An urban gardener might have to cope with the hassle and expense of fencing in a backyard garden. I know a gardener that had a four hundred dollar vet bill when her dog had some trouble while killing one. Nasty critters!



fat lil things....


----------



## amberg

chuckwood said:


> My corn is just about ready and the raccoons have just found out about this. They ate some last night. They pull the stalks down by climbing on them and then eat the corn. Hopefully there will be enough for all of us and lord knows there are enough raccoons around here. Never heard of coyotes eating watermelons, did you catch 'em in the act?
> 
> View attachment 516585
> View attachment 516586



Trap them. Coyotes love watermelons,


----------



## Country bumpkin

chuckwood said:


> My corn is just about ready and the raccoons have just found out about this. They ate some last night. They pull the stalks down by climbing on them and then eat the corn. Hopefully there will be enough for all of us and lord knows there are enough raccoons around here. Never heard of coyotes eating watermelons, did you catch 'em in the act?
> 
> View attachment 516585
> View attachment 516586


I've had the same problem with coons. What I did was put (I know this sounds funny but works) a honey bun in cage traps & placed them in the rows. I caught 5 this yr. & no more coons! Been using that or peanut butter to trap coons for years in my garden & barns.


----------



## amberg

chuckwood,


ropensaddle said:


> I have not had huge amounts of time but managed to have a great year on cantaloupes and my watermelons was looking good too. I came up my drive seen 5 crows fly off in 6 hours they had mutilated 8 cantaloupes and 2 watermelon's! I started to harvest night before but thought they would be sweeter today



Shoot one crow and hang it on a post, or throw it on the ground in the middle of the patch and that will fix that problem!! Post is better!! They won't be back. Always try to kill the first one that comes by you, or they may not come back. Use a electronic crow caller, Will be the most fun you ever had!


----------



## amberg

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> fat lil things....
> View attachment 516698



Damn pests, Ha, Ha, You know us farmers hate those critters!  But they are cute.


----------



## ropensaddle

amberg said:


> Damn pests, Ha, Ha, You know us farmers hate those critters!  But they are cute.


Very cute until the 223 hits em square in those choppers


----------



## chuckwood

Backyard Lumberjack said:


> fat lil things....
> View attachment 516698



Groundhog Recipes

You can use woodchuck meat in virtually any recipe calling for small game and in many other dishes as well. My favorites, though, are pie (our traditional Groundhog Day fare) and stew. Here are the directions for making both.
Woodchuck Pie

1 woodchuck
3 medium carrots
3 potatoes
1/4 cup of butter or margarine
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons of flour and piecrust dough

Quarter the woodchuck and place the pieces in a large pot with enough cold water to cover the meat. Boil it for 10 minutes, then discard the water, refill the pan, and bring the liquid to a boil again. Lower the heat and let the contents simmer for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add the carrots and potatoes and continue cooking the stew for about another 30 minutes ... until the meat is tender and separates easily from the bone. By this time, you should be able to pierce the vegetables readily with a fork.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/groundhog-day-groundhog-recipes.aspx?PageId=2


----------



## blades

Got new reinforcements to the vermin catagory- Bald faced hornets- big old nest 15 or so yards off back door about 12 ft up- Normally a 20 gauge & #8 shot would fix this. I got new neighbors with a ton of kids so that ain't gona fly. Can't get close enough with a spray can either. Them suckers post guards night and day. Been putting a few holes though the nest with the air gun. I don't know if my pressure washer, if I can get it started, will toss a strong enough stream from a safe distance to cut it out of the tree ( toss some soap in the injection port at same time). I can get bigger holes through it with a sling shot ( think 50 cal balls or 32 cal wad cutters) I think but got to find new bands. suckers a good 18" long didn't have camera try to remember tonight.


----------



## chuckwood

blades said:


> Got new reinforcements to the vermin catagory- Bald faced hornets- big old nest 15 or so yards off back door about 12 ft up- Normally a 20 gauge & #8 shot would fix this. I got new neighbors with a ton of kids so that ain't gona fly. Can't get close enough with a spray can either. Them suckers post guards night and day. Been putting a few holes though the nest with the air gun. I don't know if my pressure washer, if I can get it started, will toss a strong enough stream from a safe distance to cut it out of the tree ( toss some soap in the injection port at same time). I can get bigger holes through it with a sling shot ( think 50 cal balls or 32 cal wad cutters) I think but got to find new bands. suckers a good 18" long didn't have camera try to remember tonight.



Years ago I had a hornet's nest about that size in thick hemlock shrubbery that was lining the driveway. People, including myself, were driving right by this nest and at times even walking right past it, it was maybe six feet from the edge of the driveway. They never attacked but obviously had to go. One neighbor told me what to do. A long pole with a flaming rag on the end of it lit the whole nest on fire, and the fire burned most of their wings off as they were trying to escape. We got rid of it and nobody got stung.


----------



## hseII

chuckwood said:


> My corn is just about ready and the raccoons have just found out about this. They ate some last night. They pull the stalks down by climbing on them and then eat the corn. Hopefully there will be enough for all of us and lord knows there are enough raccoons around here. Never heard of coyotes eating watermelons, did you catch 'em in the act?
> 
> View attachment 516585
> View attachment 516586



I'm relaying the very accurate eyewitness account. 

Contact has been made with the Mechanic to iron out the current issues with the 300BO, and adjustments will be made to ensure this is better managed in the future.

# It's Hard to kill A Coyote @ 65yrds in the dark while holding a flashlight with a G19.


----------



## hseII

blades said:


> Got new reinforcements to the vermin catagory- Bald faced hornets- big old nest 15 or so yards off back door about 12 ft up- Normally a 20 gauge & #8 shot would fix this. I got new neighbors with a ton of kids so that ain't gona fly. Can't get close enough with a spray can either. Them suckers post guards night and day. Been putting a few holes though the nest with the air gun. I don't know if my pressure washer, if I can get it started, will toss a strong enough stream from a safe distance to cut it out of the tree ( toss some soap in the injection port at same time). I can get bigger holes through it with a sling shot ( think 50 cal balls or 32 cal wad cutters) I think but got to find new bands. suckers a good 18" long didn't have camera try to remember tonight.



You Need Bee Booper. 
https://www.medco-athletics.com/Supply/Product.asp?Leaf_Id=38006M


----------



## hseII

ropensaddle said:


> You just reminded me, the crows ate all my sweet corn seeds as well



2 years ago,
The Crows pulled up about 2 acres of week old corn. [emoji30][emoji30]


----------



## hseII

amberg said:


> Trap them. Coyotes love watermelons,



Now that's an idea.


----------



## blades

hseII said:


> You Need Bee Booper.
> https://www.medco-athletics.com/Supply/Product.asp?Leaf_Id=38006M


 not enough range, dealt with them before, they have a perimeter any thing inside that all hxxx breaks loose. Been about 5 years since one was this close to the house. Where's a flame thrower when ya need one ( circa WWll ) sides you ever try to move a 30+ foot pole around


----------



## hseII

blades said:


> not enough range, dealt with them before, they have a perimeter any thing inside that all hxxx breaks loose. Been about 5 years since one was this close to the house. Where's a flame thrower when ya need one ( circa WWll ) sides you ever try to move a 30+ foot pole around



Then for the safety of the neighbors kids, a shotgun.

Explain the situation to the neighbors and ask for them to maintain their curtain climbers while you dispatch the vermin.


----------



## blades

Discharge of firearm - prohibited by local Gov. rules- couple of the gov. around here have it worded as discharge of any single projectile or fire arm. Yep that includes sling shots and Bows.


----------



## ropensaddle

blades said:


> not enough range, dealt with them before, they have a perimeter any thing inside that all hxxx breaks loose. Been about 5 years since one was this close to the house. Where's a flame thrower when ya need one ( circa WWll ) sides you ever try to move a 30+ foot pole around


223 or 270 ought to stretch out furnuff


----------



## blades

Too many to pick off one at a time My 10 gauge loaded with # 8,s would turn the whole shebang into a dust cloud. Course then I would end up in one of special places courtesy of the local gendarmes.


----------



## esshup

A buddy in Va. was going to pick his sweet corn patch and can them all. A bear beat him to it, wiping out his whole patch in one night.

Wasps/hornets get sprayed with Perm-Up in a pump up sprayer. 4 ounces in a 2.5 gallon sprayer kills them so fast then drop right to the ground and don't fly away.

For vermin, I have multiple choices. regular live traps or dog proof traps for coons, Conibear 220's for woodchucks, rat traps for squirrels, snares or foot hold traps for 'yotes and if those fail high speed lead poisoning always works.

I have heard of people using poison for coons too, but I hate using it as it isn't as target specific as I like.


----------



## blades

Well I have pumped a couple hundred .20 an .22 pellets through the Hornet nest, there is one big ugly hole on the off side from my launching sight. And side facing my position is a bit of a sieve now. Will try the the sprays again. That perm -up is expensive in the 35 or better % class + it seems ya need an Lic to get your hands on it. I have 410 tubes for the 12ga cuts the noise quite a bit using the 30" single but still a pretty good pop. air rifles take care of the small vermin and cci quiet (.22 sub sonic) zone in a long barrel ain't much louder. I have some high power air rifles that are as loud as a .22 rifle with a reg load. more than capable of taking coons , yotes also with proper shot placement. Technically not a firearm depending on local ordinances. Got to get some of those gopher smoke bombs though. little buggers are in an area I can't get a shot at ( without neighbors getting all bent out of shape) and they figured out the rat traps. Heck I even had the seeds glued to the trip plate. Can't put poison out due to roaming neighbors muts. Sure miss that Weasel family from a couple years back and haven't seen any fox since the new neighbors moved in with the full soccer team. Too dxxn crowded around here for me now days.


----------



## blades

Hornets Zero, Me WIN. I actually blew out about a third of the nest with the airgun. Raid finished it off. The spectradcide I tried the first time was in-effective. No activity this morning 6am.


----------



## blades

Did a tour around the house yesterday, hmmmmm new holes by foundation- gophers by the look. Can't use the lead poising system in that area so got some of those smoke bombs- Hope the neighbors don't call the fire department this evening. ( I got one that gots to stick it's nose in everybody else's business) tried rat traps before to no avail. even glued the seeds to the trip plate.


----------



## hseII

blades said:


> Did a tour around the house yesterday, hmmmmm new holes by foundation- gophers by the look. Can't use the lead poising system in that area so got some of those smoke bombs- Hope the neighbors don't call the fire department this evening. ( I got one that gots to stick it's nose in everybody else's business) tried rat traps before to no avail. even glued the seeds to the trip plate.



Cross bow FTW.


----------



## chuckwood

Last week, I finished harvesting and freezing my corn. The coons got some, but to be honest, I got tired of picking, shucking, cutting, stuffing freezer bags, etc. By the end of it all, I didn't begrudge them the bushel or so that they ate up. I got 13 bushels and that was enough. As far as I know, we've only got one or two coons left in the neighborhood, my traps and my dogs seem to be doing a pretty good job of discouraging them.


----------



## mohick

Don't whine about loosing stuff if you don't use a really HOT electric fence around stuff!!!!!!!!!


----------



## blades

have a crossbow pistol 80#- works pretty good up to about 20 yards- but ya got be real sneaky with it otherwise the gophers dive out of the way of the bolt.


----------

