Searching for Torn Ears antlers
Since this January has been teasing us with March like weather, almost all of our snow is gone. So we took this as an invitation to go looking again, for Torn Ears antlers. We managed to spot one of Pokeys in the front yard, which I am so glad we did. It's adorable, so small. We have searched on three separate occasions since Torn Ear dropped his antlers on New Years Eve but have been unsuccessful at locating them. We know most of the deer bed down around our pond in the junipers in full view of the house in most places. The pond in front of our house is about 10 acres in size. We walked halfway around and found tons of deer sign and lots of beds, but no antlers. We found some intestine and ribs in one of the deer beds, with Coyote or wolf tracts leading onto the ice. Apparently one of the deer fell pray to a hungry coyote in the area. The coyotes have been acting up more than usual lately and are getting more courageous as their hunger starts to get to them. We spotted one almost in the front yard yesterday, at noon. Further inspection of the recently fallen snow showed that this particular wolf, or very large coyote had been all over the farm. Judging by the distress Manny the llama was in, he had been around their enclosures as well. I was surprised to find out he walked right up to our house. Rarely are they this gutsy.
Late this afternoon we were in the bush hauling in some firewood, when this same animal (he has a VERY distinctive voice) began howling right at our house. In a panic I rushed home since our goats and sheep were still outside since it was only 3PM, and they don't go into the barn until 4:30. Thankfully everyone was O.K. at home, but the coyote was close. He was watching. Although it feels like spring with the warm temperatures and melting snow we are reminded the animals in the forest are still trying to keep themselves alive throughout the long and difficult winter months.
I still hope we will come across Torn Ears antlers so we can have them to remember him by. We will continue to search and hopefully we will stumble across them before they are too destroyed by mice and weather.
Ah, and finally after four years it appears two beavers have moved into the pond in front of our house! Marvin Muskrat and over 100 geese call it home in the spring, summer, and fall months. I spotted the new cleaned sticks on top of one of the muskrat houses on latest hike. The next morning Kevin spotted them with the binoculars working on their house in front of ours. For two years Kevin has been the beaver that keeps the dam filled so the pond doesn't drain, and now it looks like he'll have some help.
Late this afternoon we were in the bush hauling in some firewood, when this same animal (he has a VERY distinctive voice) began howling right at our house. In a panic I rushed home since our goats and sheep were still outside since it was only 3PM, and they don't go into the barn until 4:30. Thankfully everyone was O.K. at home, but the coyote was close. He was watching. Although it feels like spring with the warm temperatures and melting snow we are reminded the animals in the forest are still trying to keep themselves alive throughout the long and difficult winter months.
I still hope we will come across Torn Ears antlers so we can have them to remember him by. We will continue to search and hopefully we will stumble across them before they are too destroyed by mice and weather.
Ah, and finally after four years it appears two beavers have moved into the pond in front of our house! Marvin Muskrat and over 100 geese call it home in the spring, summer, and fall months. I spotted the new cleaned sticks on top of one of the muskrat houses on latest hike. The next morning Kevin spotted them with the binoculars working on their house in front of ours. For two years Kevin has been the beaver that keeps the dam filled so the pond doesn't drain, and now it looks like he'll have some help.
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