You've seen the bobcat before - he nearly walked into my house two months ago. He purred and acted like he wanted to be a pet. I closed the door.
This blog started with a post about a batch of baby chicks. There were twenty nine months ago and today there are six.
Henny Penny and Harriet, the two remaining hens from a batch brought by the Easter Bunny back in 2004, spent their last two months roosting in a tree and were actually both taken in daylight by a very well-fed bobcat.
Last night we heard hen cackles and found Bob rounding up dinner. He returned twice and came within 20 feet of us. I could have run in to get a gun from our gun cabinet, but it turns out we are a lot of talk around here and still don't have a gun or a gun cabinet. So when all else fails, call Dad.
"Dad, bring your gun. Hurry."
You can see my dad there on the deck with his single-shot 22 rifle. I thought he was pretty confident bringing a gun with only one shot.
"You only get one shot anyway," he pointed out.
Bob didn't return.
The hens are safely locked in their house today but I plan to use them this evening as Bob bait. Dad's coming over for dinner with the 22.
Comments (5)
I am so bored watching for Bob that I came in to report how boring it is to watch for a bobcat.
Amanda
Posted by Amanda Rose | July 3, 2007 7:50 PM
Posted on July 3, 2007 19:50
Good luck. Though I am probably the last person who would want to harm such a beautiful creature; but, I can certainly understand when it is taking what is not his and endangering what you have. I would try opening a can of salmon and leaving it out as bait too. I know I had my five cats trying to climb me like a tree when I was making salmon patties. On a slightly different scale, this reminds me of my pastor. He has having trouble with an armadillo eating his wife's flower bulbs. They could hear him rooting around at night and one night she woke him up and sent him out with the shotgun. I think the armadillo is toast now...and the flowerbed is in full bloom.
Hopefully, when the invader is removed, your chicks will flourish again as well. Again, good luck and tell your dad happy shooting!
Posted by Angela | July 5, 2007 6:32 AM
Posted on July 5, 2007 06:32
Oh, is dad going to have to eat it once it is killed? :) Just wondering...I've never tried bobkitty...just squirrel and raccoon (I grew up in the sticks in Tennessee).
Posted by Angela | July 5, 2007 6:34 AM
Posted on July 5, 2007 06:34
Angela,
Yes, this cat is very striking but just far more brazen than we probably need here with the chickens (much less a child). Another cat will likely replace him but it won't likely come as close to the house. We really need a dog to move the perimeter out.
I thought about posting "My dad may have to eat bobcat for dinner." :) It's the rule -- "you kill it, you eat it." We'll see how that goes.
Amanda
Posted by Amanda Rose | July 5, 2007 8:12 AM
Posted on July 5, 2007 08:12
Bob's still alive and kicking and we're down another hen. Sander missed the memo about keeping them locked up. We've got five hens laying now and purchased seventeen babies last week.
Amanda
Posted by Amanda Rose | July 9, 2007 4:28 PM
Posted on July 9, 2007 16:28