Busy spring!

[wshytle]

Yesterday Barney found this 5 foot blacksnake down in the basement stairwell. This house was built in 1900 so things still have "yesterdays" signature so to speak. I do wish those rock walls could talk. Anyway, I thought about catching it and releasing it away from the house but it slithered under the door uninvited before I could bat an eye. I wondered if I should have let ole Barney learn a lifes lesson and approach the snake but he's a 18lb male and might have hurt the snake....who knows?? This ain't my first dance with ole blacky either. I had a 6'+ friend show up in my bathroom one night while I was watching the tube. I caught it and went for a good walk. I also remember in January of '99 I was replacing some water lines in the basement and saw a wod of blacksnake coiled up I assume hibernating. He was in a void in the rock foundation about 5 feet from where I had been working. At one point I walked out to the shop to get something and when I returned the "wod" was gone. The good news about all of this is I don't see copperheads near the house. Those I will dispatch for the sake of the cats. They (cats) love to catch snakes.

This morning I was going out to look at the garden and saw this doe in the front yard. Can you see her in the pic? I know you can see the 1650 tiller and please excuse the mess. It's garden time. She was playing head games with the cats and wouldn't leave. When I walked outside she took off right down my 1/4 mile long driveway. Cows are on both sides and were running towards her as she ran. I might see her taking a long nap on the side of the road...bad time of the day for traffic.

I'm now waiting for armadillos. I've heard they are already in the southern portion of the state. I guess they will show up on the side of the road first.

.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Wayne, when I first looked at your top photo, before reading any of your text, I thought the snake was a crack in the concrete. Do those Black Snakes bite? If so is there any danger with them?

Yep, I see the deer. Is that pole with the "steps" for feeding squirrels? Or is it for cats to climb? Or?

 

[wshytle]

Kraig-

Yes, blacksnakes have a nasty bite. I was bitten when I was around 12 years old and I had to pick snake teeth from my hand. I've heard they can make you sick even though they are nonpoisonous. I've never witnessed any sickness by myself or anyone else for that matter. One other snake story is the time my black lab (named Medic) brought me what I thought was a frisbee. It was about dusk and he was coming from the woods. It turned out to be a big blacksnake that was coiled up and looked to be enjoying the ride. I couldn't believe it. The snake was not harmed and I let it go up in a tree.

The steps are for the cats to access the top layer. I put that up a couple of weeks ago and had no takers yet. I put Millie on the top level and she stayed there for a couple of hours just watching the world go by. When she decided to come down she just jumped onto the table top instead of climbing down. They have no respect for my feelings/efforts.

And I forgot to mention I have a skunk apparently moving into the area. I've seen it 4 times in the past couple of weeks. Good times!

.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Wayne, I'm glad we don't have much for dangerous snakes up here...

Do cats ever do what we think they will do or what we want them to do?

Skunks! Oh what fun. Last one that I had around my place I didn't fully think through my plan to get rid of it.

 

[wshytle]

Kraig-

I have a hav-a-hart trap but I thought about what I had to do once it's trapped.

What did you do?

.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Wayne, I used a .410 shotgun and just shot it through the cage. No damage to the cage but the skunk was finished off.

 

[mfrade]

I caught one like that and since we lived in town I couldn't shoot it. So I filled the trash can with water and tossed in the whole deal. Dang barrel smelled awful for months after.

 

[mgwin]

Wayne,

I know you already know it, black snakes are a good thing.
As you mentioned,they keep poisonous snakes away and they also get rid of mice.

I would rather have black snakes, than to have mice getting up in my vehicles.
They love making nests on the cabin filter and peeing on it!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Mike F., one of my neighbors has used that techniques with raccoons.

 

[wshytle]

I was out in the yard this morning and saw where it (yard) was attacked last night by what appears to be that darn skunk. There are small holes all over the place and I just mowed it yesterday. That probably just made it easier for the little varmit. From the amount of area it covered it must have been there all night. I did some reading and found that's exactly what they do. I know very little about skunks because they haven't been around before now (that I've seen).

And last Saturday I decided to take a neighbor some extra cucumber seedlings I had. As I approached her house there was a giant black snake stretched across my lane in the road. There was a car behind me and I had to swerve to miss the snake then stopped. I waived my arms hoping they wouldn't hit the snake and they didn't. I got out and caught the snake like Steve Erwin. The car had stopped in front of my truck and some Mexicans got out interested in the snake. This snake was probably 6 1/2 feet long and was quite heavy. I think the Mexicans thought I was crazy especially since the snake was trying to strike/bite me. It couldn't though at arms length. The ditch was very thick with vegetation so I just let it go right there. I really hate to see an old animal that's made it through the years get killed on the road. This snake didn't move at all as I was swerving around it and it was stretched about 2/3 the way across my lane with it's tail still in the grass.

.

 

[mfrade]

Kraig, It really just came to me! It was one of those moments that I really hadn't thought through! LOL.. I tossed a sheet of plastic over myself and then shuffled over to the cage. The skunk was spraying almost non stop and I couldn't get a full breath of air. Hours later, at work, even showering multiple times.. everyone knew I tangled with a skunk!!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Mike,

I had heard that if you approach a skunk with a blanket or something that hides you from it's view that it will not become alarmed and spray. I tried that but got within about ten feet and the skunk started to get a bit agitated so I backed off and used plan B, which was the .410.

Wayne, I think I would have to agree with the Mexicans, you are crazy.

Having written that, I agree that one shouldn't kill snakes as they are mostly beneficial. If a poisonous snake is hanging out around my yard, all bets are off then as the hazard outweighs the benefit. IMO

 

[sblunier]

I recently shot a skunk on the run at the farm from about 25' away and didn't get an instant kill.......that's too close and ended up in an immediate trip to the shower and laundry for me!!!! He didn't spray me directly, just the "area", but it is strong stuff and gets on you quick.

(BTW, no more full choke 16ga. at running skunk from that range......might as well have used the rifle.....have a cylinder bore 12ga with some #6 shot on duty at the farm now!!!)

Kraig,

Smart move sniping the stationary skunk for a safe distance!!!

 

[mfrade]

I hadn't ever heard about doing that Kraig. But I was still getting sprayed even tho' I was covered and he/she/it couldn't see me. So I have no faith in that tale.

I would've gladly done the more humane thing but the neighbors get kinda sketchy when there's shooting going on! LOL..

 

[kmcconaughey]

Mike, I think THIS is where I read about it. Yeah, I don't buy it either.

 

[ekincaid]

There’s nothing more disconcerting than walking it ones chicken coupe to put the girls to bed and seeing that they have a caller I think Pepe lepew came a courting.i didnt notice him at first until he moved from behind my straw bin I just slowly backed out of the coupe and filled a squirt bottle with white vinegar,I went back to the coupe and gave the little bugger a good dose to the face.he waddled off at a good clip after that stinky didn’t like vinegar in the eyes I guess

 

[mfrade]

Way to go Ethan!!! Do you know how he / she got in?

I read that paragraph Kraig. I am NOT buying what they're selling. They say to hide and don't be seen but to "talk" soothingly so you don't startle the critter!?!?! Best thing I can think of now is to have the cage covered when you do the setup, that way you can approach with no fear of a direct hit!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Mike, good idea on covering the trap ahead of time.

Perhaps slipping it into a heavy duty plastic garbage bag so it's completely covered except for the entry door end would be the best protection for whomever gets to dispose of the critter...

If I ever set it for a skunk again I'll likely do as I did and just shoot it from a distance, it worked OK but then I don't have any close neighbors that would complain or freak out over a gun shot.

 

[dgregg]

I have caught several skunks in live traps in my machine shed over the years. 5 in one summer alone.
I have always took a large sheet of black plastic and holding it up in front of me slowly walked to the trap and covered it with it. Then slowly pick up trap covered with the plastic and carefully carry it out to the edge of the field. Then I slowly pick the plastic back up in front of me and slowly back away. I then go get the 22 and shot it about 5 times to make sure it is dead. Been lucky so far I guess.

 

[nqueensland]

I always use a live trap that's small enough that the skunk can't raise its tail, never had one spray in a trap that small. Was told by an old trapping buddy that they can't spray if they can't raise their tail. Takes a lot of courage to walk up to the trap and pick it up the first few times!