Thanks to my sister and her garden, as of this evening, I now have another 8 pints of salsa in my pantry. We go through a great deal of salsa around here, so I’m very grateful to have her excess tomatoes and peppers.
My garden has been nothing to brag about by a long shot. In the past week, not only did I have to pick all my corn but I’ve had to grab tomatoes when they first start turning… because… SKUNKS!
Everyone up and down the creek has been complaining about them. While I’m usually a “live and let live” girl, once they breach my yard fence and come eat the bounty of my garden, it’s war. I’m also down three chickens. Now I don’t know if the hens have been abducted by aliens, fox, or skunks… but the ones you see get the blame.
I guess I’ve called Bravo off of too many skunks for him to be aggressive with them. He will huff and bluff and bark… and the little stinkers will huff and bluff and let loose. About five minutes ago, another wave of scent came drifting in the window. Ugh.
Two nights ago, I shot two of the little buggers. Bravo alerted me to one, a BIG skunk… and I pressured him enough that he left my yard and was out in the field before I took my shot. Turning to my chicken coop, I packed my .22 along and good thing, too, as another was just outside my gate!
I hoped that was all… but obviously my nose is telling me differently. Since I didn’t hear Bravo huff at one, maybe he won’t be too fragrant tomorrow. I hope not, as we have cow work coming up. He might have to actually ride on the back of a pickup if he’s too bad! Yish!
Find me here!
Word “gets around” among the critters when there’s veggies a-plenty! Good luck!
Here in suburbia we have an assortment of ground hogs, bunnies, squirrels, and deer, but fortunately rarely smell a skunk.
I have to admit I only know skunks from TV. In middle England we’ve recently had a squirrel in the garden but thankfully not by the veggie garden. Despite living in the middle of England, we have seagulls that like to fight off the other birds and boy do they make a noise. There are foxes nearby but as they mostly come out at night we don’t often see them.
Australian here. My (American) ex wife found it hard to adapt to brush-tailed possums. She said that it sounded like pterodactyls were fighting outside our flat!
Your post caused me to google skunks. They are omnivores and will eat eggs and birds, but are prey to great horned owls (have poor sense of smell). You could encourage a great horned owl, but it might like your chickens too much. Not a good trade.
Fighting off the critters for food crops happens everywhere. Here in the city (LA area) we battle squirrels, possums, and raccoons for our grapes and peaches. the feral cat that my daughter befriends does nothing to deter the squirrels and looses points for killing the house finches that visit the feeders.
I really enjoy your posts, Carol. thanks and enjoy the cowboying.