Monday, August 11, 2008

Collateral Damage


  The pastures and woods are dry and the vegetation has switched over from the ferns and grasses of spring to the heat-resistant and dry weeds and grasses.  Half the standing grasses are dead, some withered and dead.
  The circle of life stuff is cutting close for the Raccoons.  First a big healthy adult, suckered in by catfood, then a big boar who followed his nose early, then when the adults start thinking the kits rush in.
  It's a disgusting process.  Three days of killing and I'm sick of it.  Ready to turn it off and quit, but if I quit too soon I just have to fire it up again when the deer are moving into rut.  Better to push through to the end.
  But it's not a "price war" or a "flame war."  It's a real war with real victims.  It's not a feat of arms.  It's work to accomplish a distinct end.
  A caution to those who fantasize about shooting-them-in-the-head-and-rolling-the-bodies-into-a-shallow-grave.
  I'm not sure I could shoot prairie dogs.
  Next I expect an empty sprung trap with the catfood dug out from the sides.  We'll see.

Update: No doubt the social arrangement is in disarray after losing a big male, a big female and two kits.  Raccoons have a herd pecking order and some divisions between males and female groups this time of year.  I bet they wonder where folks have gone and are trying to adjust.

Update II: It's raining and 9:30 Central time.  I'm sure the trap is spring.  Pistol by the door in a sack.

Update:  This is Part IV of the Coon War.  Down below are the other parts.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have the same problem with groundhogs. If they cross the DMZ into the pasture they are fair game but I don't take a pleasure from it. Possums in the barn, same thing.

I turn off the hunting shows when the nimrods start shouting and high five-ing each other. I've hunted from the Artic to Mexico and never thought I needed to act like I score a touchdown at a high school football game when a made a good stalk or shot.

I enjoy the blog. Keep up the posts

Fletch said...

Good post.

I've been thinking of getting into hunting, but have been turned off by the stories and youtube videos of high five-ing hunters scoring a touchdown at a high school football game (good analogy Anon).

Good to know some folks take killing seriously.

Robert Langham said...

Hunting brings you into direct contact with elementary forces. Nothing like cooking part of a deer you had to hunt, shoot, butcher and store yourself. Always reminds me of what a momentary existance we all share.
Plus, it's free range, low fat and all that.