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[firefly_ris]

Our cows are also being tormented by something in the pasture at night and had us up from 2-3am as they went through the temporary fence (we split a big pasture into smaller ones to control the grass they are eating) in a stampede. (17 mommas and babies). I did finally get a glimpse of what sets them off and it appears to be a coyote. The first time I spotted it last week, I caught eyes in my flashlight but they disappeared over the hill quickly. Last night, it stood and watched me for a while and moved twice across the pasture. Still not close enough to get an exact look but the movements have me leaning that direction. I guess they will be taking their nights locked in the barnyard until further notice. While we were bringing them in last night, I saw a big fox posing on top of a pile of rock at the edge of the barnyard. Pretty cool to see, but I would rather be asleep then seeing creatures of the night in their habitat.

Our friends got a donkey that protects their cows and chickens from the coyotes. Not sure if that is any sort of possible idea for you but just a thought. He does a really good job.

 

[dalmatian7]

Our friends got a donkey that protects their cows and chickens from the coyotes. Not sure if that is any sort of possible idea for you but just a thought. He does a really good job.

Oh we have a donkey. When this started a week ago we put him out with them, two hours later they are freaking out again and he is standing off to the side eating. .

 

[barkley]

we are surrounded by coyotes-at night it sounds like 'the twilight bark' from 101 Dalmatians. our neighbors tend to get them in much closer proximity to their physical houses but i suspect it's b/c they have small dogs, outdoor cats and chickens. i don't mind them since the keep their distance from us, love it when we get moose close up but DETEST raccoons-they are nothing but trouble and have caused a number of neighbors to either lose chickens or have entire flocks with ptsd (in which case they no longer lay eggs).

they can't be used with cows but some folks down the way from us have goats and aquired some alpacas for their protection-it's amusing to drive by and see them, they all resemble napoleon dynamite

 

[bluezy]

We live in a neighborhood of single homes on about 1/3 -1/2 acre. One night years ago, we had a skunk walk up to our sliding door and look in for a looonnngggg minute. So glad we had the door closed and not just the screen door there.

I've seen a skunk about 20 ft. from our house, but never right up against a door!! Yikes!!! We did have a deer on our front porch one time. We didn't actually see it, but we saw the footprints in the snow the next morning. I would have flipped out if I had actually seen it on the porch -- worried that it might have tried to jump through a window. One time I was afraid one was going to go in the garage. The way our driveway and landscaping are situated, I don't have a full view of my garage door coming up the driveway, but I still push the garage door opener button when I'm about 2/3 of the way up the driveway so the door is open by the time I get there and I can drive right in without having to stop. One night I made that last little turn at the top of the driveway to go in the garage and there's a deer standing right in front of the garage...and the door was open already. I was afraid to do anything because I didn't want the darn thing to turn and run in the garage. I turned off my lights and sat there for a minute and the deer just casually walked down the sidewalk towards the front door. Whew!

 

[jo-jo]

I've seen a skunk about 20 ft. from our house, but never right up against a door!! Yikes!!! We did have a deer on our front porch one time. We didn't actually see it, but we saw the footprints in the snow the next morning. I would have flipped out if I had actually seen it on the porch -- worried that it might have tried to jump through a window. One time I was afraid one was going to go in the garage. The way our driveway and landscaping are situated, I don't have a full view of my garage door coming up the driveway, but I still push the garage door opener button when I'm about 2/3 of the way up the driveway so the door is open by the time I get there and I can drive right in without having to stop. One night I made that last little turn at the top of the driveway to go in the garage and there's a deer standing right in front of the garage...and the door was open already. I was afraid to do anything because I didn't want the darn thing to turn and run in the garage. I turned off my lights and sat there for a minute and the deer just casually walked down the sidewalk towards the front door. Whew!

A few years ago, on Christmas Eve we were driving around looking at lights. Up ahead, it was dark but you could see movement. I thought mechanical something but owner didn’t turn on lights. We start to drive past,and it’s a bunch of deer eating a bush. I tell DH, go very slow…..didn’t want to startle a bunch of deer.

 

[QueenIsabella]

A few years ago, on Christmas Eve we were driving around looking at lights. Up ahead, it was dark but you could see movement. I thought mechanical something but owner didn’t turn on lights. We start to drive past,and it’s a bunch of deer eating a bush. I tell DH, go very slow…..didn’t want to startle a bunch of deer.

Pro tip from someone who lived rural--the deer you see WON'T be the deer you hit. It's the second deer (crossing the road) that will jump right in front of you. I've actually had 2 deer hit ME when I was driving--and had the dented driver doors to prove it.

 

[nw6675]

This reminds me of the time I hit a dog that was notorious for chasing cars. I was so upset about it, but it was NOT a place to get out and check on him.

Darn if the next day, there he was chasing my car like nobody's business.

 

[QueenIsabella]

This reminds me of the time I hit a dig that was notorious for chasing cars. I was so upset about it, but it was NOT a place to get out and check on him.

Darn if the next day, there he was chasing my car like nobody's business.

Slow learner, I guess! At least you knew he was okay.

 

[dalmatian7]

I've seen a skunk about 20 ft. from our house, but never right up against a door!! Yikes!!! We did have a deer on our front porch one time. We didn't actually see it, but we saw the footprints in the snow the next morning. I would have flipped out if I had actually seen it on the porch -- worried that it might have tried to jump through a window. One time I was afraid one was going to go in the garage. The way our driveway and landscaping are situated, I don't have a full view of my garage door coming up the driveway, but I still push the garage door opener button when I'm about 2/3 of the way up the driveway so the door is open by the time I get there and I can drive right in without having to stop. One night I made that last little turn at the top of the driveway to go in the garage and there's a deer standing right in front of the garage...and the door was open already. I was afraid to do anything because I didn't want the darn thing to turn and run in the garage. I turned off my lights and sat there for a minute and the deer just casually walked down the sidewalk towards the front door. Whew!

I did the same thing at our old house, except it was a skunk in front of the door. I watched as he almost walked into the garage (and in that house would be the entire basement it wasn't separate) and at the last minute turned and went along the side of the house. I always wait not until I can see door.

Slow learner, I guess! At least you knew he was okay.

I had the same thing happen. $1200 in damage to the car, the dog shook it off and walked away.

 

[bluezy]

Pro tip from someone who lived rural--the deer you see WON'T be the deer you hit. It's the second deer (crossing the road) that will jump right in front of you. I've actually had 2 deer hit ME when I was driving--and had the dented driver doors to prove it.

Yes! I always stop when I see a dear run across the road in front of me. They rarely travel alone and there are usually some "friends" who will come running out of the woods/field even after that first deer is across the road.

I've also had a deer hit me on the driver's side. I never saw it (it was a very dark area) until I heard the thud and saw her face smashed up against my window (no deer had run across the road...she must have been the leader and the others turned back when they heard the thud). I seriously thought I hit a person. The deer managed to hit the car where the driver's door and front quarter panel meet and then rolled/slid down the side of the mini-van hitting the sliding door and rear quarter panel. All but the rear quarter panel needed to be replaced. I was in such a panic when it happened (thankfully my teenage son was with me and he calmed me down) that I didn't even stop the car at first (there were no other cars around). I drove down the road a little ways to a well lit parking lot to observe the damage. The car looked terrible but was still drivable. I then turned around and went back to where the collision occurred so I could check if the deer was laying on the road so I could call someone to move it. The deer was nowhere to be found. Either she was not severely injured and managed to run into the field, or someone came along right after it happened and picked her up.

We've had several deer/car collisions in this house....including some near misses in our driveway.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Yeah, the first time it happened to me was similar--late, dark, lonely road, my oldest (then 5) asleep in the back. I didn't stop. I hate to waste the venison--we were both in the fire department, back in the day, and first arrived at a scene = first dibs on the venison, if the car driver didn't want it. That deer flew over my car. Scared the snot out of me.

The second deer just loped into the woods. For all I know, it collapsed 300 yards in or something, but I didn't stop to check.

 

[princesscinderella]

Where I live the most prolific wildlife we have are iguanas. I just had to get a dead one out of my back yard the other week before my dogs started eating it or rolling on it and getting stinky. When we have our very few cold snaps they will fall out of the trees because they become paralyzed by the cold, but when it warms up they will start moving again. They will actually issue a falling iguana alert on the news.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Minor update on my autistic son and his trip to England:

He's having a great time! He's "more popular than he thought he'd be"--aside from the autism, anxiety, and depression, we were told "in a room full of introverts, he'd be the most introverted". So, him getting along with people is a big deal. Today they visited a court, and tomorrow they're doing a prison escape room type thing. It sounds like a lot of fun to me, and I'm glad he's doing so well!

 

[Sheree]

we are surrounded by coyotes-at night it sounds like 'the twilight bark' from 101 Dalmatians. our neighbors tend to get them in much closer proximity to their physical houses but i suspect it's b/c they have small dogs, outdoor cats and chickens. i don't mind them since the keep their distance from us, love it when we get moose close up but DETEST raccoons-they are nothing but trouble and have caused a number of neighbors to either lose chickens or have entire flocks with ptsd (in which case they no longer lay eggs).

they can't be used with cows but some folks down the way from us have goats and aquired some alpacas for their protection-it's amusing to drive by and see them, they all resemble napoleon dynamite

we've had a coyote roaming ther neighborhood. about a week ago during the day it was in my yard. my DH was out for with our 2 dogs, the jack russell and our 10 lb poodle/chihuahua chamsed him with his tail between his legs to our neighbor and her 2 65 lb dogs chased it out of their yard to the main road. hasn't been seen again since!

 

[princesscinderella]

we've had a coyote roaming ther neighborhood. about a week ago during the day it was in my yard. my DH was out for with our 2 dogs, the jack russell and our 10 lb poodle/chihuahua chamsed him with his tail between his legs to our neighbor and her 2 65 lb dogs chased it out of their yard to the main road. hasn't been seen again since!

Little dogs can be more fierce than big dogs

 

[froggibabey]

I'm just popping in because I accidentally clicked on this thread and then saw animal stories
One night I let the dog outside, and we had cats that just.. preferred to be outside. So the dog and I are walking over to her runline, and there's a cat just rubbing against my legs, so after I hooked the dog up, I was walking back towards the door, and I leaned down to pet the cat. Keep walking and scritching the cat, until I get close enough to the door that I can see.
Ya'll. I was scritching. a wild. skunk. A skunk. There was a SKUNK winding around my legs and begging to be pet. A SKUNK.

I just kept petting it in increasing panic until I got to the door, then I collapsed on the stairs and had to listen to my husband laugh hysterically at me.

 

[princesscinderella]

I'm just popping in because I accidentally clicked on this thread and then saw animal stories
One night I let the dog outside, and we had cats that just.. preferred to be outside. So the dog and I are walking over to her runline, and there's a cat just rubbing against my legs, so after I hooked the dog up, I was walking back towards the door, and I leaned down to pet the cat. Keep walking and scritching the cat, until I get close enough to the door that I can see.
Ya'll. I was scritching. a wild. skunk. A skunk. There was a SKUNK winding around my legs and begging to be pet. A SKUNK.

I just kept petting it in increasing panic until I got to the door, then I collapsed on the stairs and had to listen to my husband laugh hysterically at me.

That’s an awesome story thanks for sharing

 

[dalmatian7]

That’s an awesome story thanks for sharing

oh my goodness! how did you ever keep your cool?
I have had numerous close run-ins with skunks but never that close.

To add another topic to this thread, my nephew will be going on a kayak trip down a river this summer. Any ideas on a good gift for this birthday that he could use on this trip? Maybe something that you wouldn't think you needed but did? All the equipment will be provided, but I was thinking about personal items? I thought about a few of those dryfit type longsleeves for extra sun protection. And a cooling neck gaiter? Thoughts or ideas welcome if anyone has ever taken one of these trips.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

I'm just popping in because I accidentally clicked on this thread and then saw animal stories
One night I let the dog outside, and we had cats that just.. preferred to be outside. So the dog and I are walking over to her runline, and there's a cat just rubbing against my legs, so after I hooked the dog up, I was walking back towards the door, and I leaned down to pet the cat. Keep walking and scritching the cat, until I get close enough to the door that I can see.
Ya'll. I was scritching. a wild. skunk. A skunk. There was a SKUNK winding around my legs and begging to be pet. A SKUNK.

I just kept petting it in increasing panic until I got to the door, then I collapsed on the stairs and had to listen to my husband laugh hysterically at me.

That is a great story

 

[barkley]

oh my goodness! how did you ever keep your cool?
I have had numerous close run-ins with skunks but never that close.

To add another topic to this thread, my nephew will be going on a kayak trip down a river this summer. Any ideas on a good gift for this birthday that he could use on this trip? Maybe something that you wouldn't think you needed but did? All the equipment will be provided, but I was thinking about personal items? I thought about a few of those dryfit type longsleeves for extra sun protection. And a cooling neck gaiter? Thoughts or ideas welcome if anyone has ever taken one of these trips.

dh and ds do white water rafting and those dry fit type shirts have been great to protect against sunburn. i've also found that good old 'water babies' sunscreen is the BEST waterproof sunscreen (ds is balding and it has saved his head from many a nasty burn). only other item i can think of that they've appreciated having with them is cheap water shoes. they may not end up wearing them in the rafts but when they pull over to to eat a meal it's nice to have foot protection.