where the wild things are

[JPKeenan]

Grabbed a ride home with a friend of mine last night. He lives less than 10 mins away from me.

Bouncing around on various subjects of conversation. One was what sort of critters would start to become dominant if humanity went bye bye. Dogs would do good (good deal of deer around here) so would cats (lots of small game here), coyote, fox and the like.

I mentioned Black Bears in Pa coming in. He said last year he saw a bear by where he lives.

We're not out in the boonies. But we're out a bit more in the styx than I was used to living in Philly.

So has anyone else noticed more and more wild things out in the 'burbs?

 

[dkpate]

Yes. We have what we call "town deer". They have always been there, there just seems to be an abundance of them this year lol. Doe's usually have twins every Spring and sometimes have another set in the same year. They are SOOOO cute! But we also have skunks, coyotes, raccoons, cougars, bears etc. Been a lot of bears in town this year too. I have to be careful when I let my dogs out at night too because of the skunks, and I don't feel like giving my dogs a bath at 3am lol! I have also noticed a ton of grouse and turkeys this year too. I dunno what is going on, but it was pretty green this summer compared to normal, and we only got to 100 deg a couple days.

 

[WhiteDevil]

town deer= bad specimens.


Ohio there is urban hunting which is Freaking awesome but yes we have deer,turkey,pheasant,coyote,rabbit,fox,ect here, **** where Im from we shoot cougars in the city.

 

[JPKeenan]

I was shocked that bear are this far out. I did see my first wild turkey this year. I have been seeing a lot of foxes. I have heard of people seeing and hearing coyotes but have never seen any myself.

I'd still classify where I live as suburbs, even the "city" is more suburb than city. To me city means 20+ buildings that are 5 stories or taller. 15 mins south and I am in far country, 30mins south and I am in rural areas.

The one fox I saw was less than 100 yards from my apartment. S/He either just snug a rabbit or was picking up roadkill. The street goes from 2 lanes to 4 lanes. I caught movement on the other side of the street. Bugger was half way across the street.

 

[dkpate]

What do you mean town deer are bad specimens? I think they are pretty dang smart lol! No shooting in town and there are a billion apples and clover to eat!

 

[JPKeenan]

Think I mentioned it in another thread. State Park I lived by in Pa was in a yuppy neighborhood. They were all against hunting the deer in the park.... until one goes through the windshield of their BMW.

Also had deer around the Philly Airport. Lack of grazing would limit their size, they would only get a hand larger than a German Shepard.

 

[dkpate]

Our little airport here had to put a fence up cause the deer kep running in front of the planes lol. The deer here are pretty big. I have hit 2....Not a good time and does a lot of damage.

 

[JPKeenan]

I can't really remember seeing chipmunks around before but I have caught one running around my place. Not much out front of my apartment. Neighbor had some tomatoes and peppers growing, the woods have grapes.

A lot of the chemical plants and other manufacturing plants have closed up. We've been hit hard in the rust belt here. Thing is it seems like how the wild things rebound. Mt Saint Helens, Chernobyl, and other place the wild things come back if things are just left alone.

 

[cwt]

acck, don't mention deer... this is the time of year when they get all crazy and start hitting my car... until hunting season. heh

I haven't seen as many chipmunks as I used to, but then I've seen a lot more predatory birds here in town (and by town I mean Columbus)... we have virtually everything else too. Except bear. I have never seen a bear in Ohio.

 

[dkpate]

We have had a lot of deer hit this fall too. Someone just shot one in "city" limits and got a fat fine LOL! I almost had to run off the road the other day on the way to work to dodge a chipmunk. There are so many at my father-in-laws, that you can put crackers on your lap and they will come up and eat them. The babies are SOOOO cute! We had a pet squirrel once too who we could actually pet for a bit before she got nervous. I made the mistake of trying to pet one of her babies when it looked just like her. Needless to say, I got kung-fued in the hand....LOL! And it's on camera....

 

[Lynae]

Raccoons?...

 

[JPKeenan]

Makes me wonder if all that "ecology stuff" (what we geezers used to call it) is working or if we are just moving more and more into their territory so they are returning the favor.

Chipmunks, deer, rabbits, ground hogs (which I have seen) and the like all make good in the suburbs with the gardens and trash bins. The scavengers (racoons and partially coyotes) move in too, and the hunters coyote and foxes cause then want to go where their prey is.


This year haven't seen any huge flocks of birds but the past few years I have been seeing flocks that have 25%-75% larger than I remember seeing a s kid.

 

[dkpate]

We have those here too lol! Night before last, I heard this HORRID screecing noise out back, jumped up and, the flashlight and shone it out the window. I didn't see anything, but my nose was suddenly assaulted by skunk stank! My dogs had dug a hole under the garbage shed the day before and the skunk was using that as an access hole to the garbage! I had put some rocks in the hole so they would stop digging, and the skunk wouldn't be able to get in there. Well he must have gotten his paw or something stuck between the rocks, (or maybe he was just SUPER mad and yelling at me lol), when he was trying to get back into the garbage shed. Anyway, I put more rocks in the hole and buried it back up! Skunks are the reason I am leery about taking my dogs out to the bathroom at night because I don't feel like giving a tomato bath and having my house stink....I hope "Flower" was scared away and will not be back.
I was outside last week, and I saw a wild cat, "Flower" in the next driveway, and 3 deer in my yard eating my grass. And I live in "city" limits! LOL!