Sunday, February 24, 2013

What happened to my goose babies

Bobcat. 

Gone are Affie, Baby Girl, and my big bitey jerky gander Bitor. I really loved him, for all that he was a bitey jerk. He had one hell of a personality. Sweet Girl passed a couple months ago, and we couldn't find a mark on her.  We figured there must have just been something wrong with her, but perhaps that had been a bobcat too.

Took precautions, weren't good enough. Damn cat came within 30 yards of our house. Don't know why it went after the geese instead of the ducks.  We ended up moving what fowl were left (the 3 ducks) to the pen next to the house.

Hubby went out and bought a furtaker's license and a bobcat card.  We'd determined it was a bobcat due to pics on game cams we'd set out.  Over the first weekend he had it, he got not one... but TWO freaking bobcats.  Both females.  @$#%@#$%#$  A friend of ours is a rather good hobby taxidermist, and we're gonna get his help to cure the pelts. 

I've decided that I won't have any more farm critters that are "pets".  We can't make our critter areas absolutely impenetrable.  Don't ask why or berate that I don't.  It's just not currently feasible, and I'll leave it at that. 


RIP my little goose babies.

 
 



4 comments:

Miriam said...

Rotten news! Your geese we lovely, and I can understand why you became so attached. We're always so hard on ourselves, aren't we, when something goes wrong. But all we can do is our best, and even then that's no guarantee...

LindaG said...

*hugs*
A lot of people are losing livestock to predators.
My hubby told me that food doesn't get a name, so I don't have a problem with you not naming your birds.
I also understand that I may become attached in spite of hubby's best intentions.

Hope you have a better week. ♥

Paula said...

I've read about geese imprinting on humans- more than a couple of folks have written about the special bond with a goose. Or gander, as the case may be. So-

I'm really sorry. Such a tough lesson.

Hensdeep is almost done. I know you know why I'm going to the lengths I am. And I know why you can't.

Really sorry, kiddo.

Stoney Creek Homestead said...

Ah! That is a bummer! :( Sorry for your loss.