Now I know who ate the Bear's Breeches, and my tulips. These were taken today around 1:30 in the afternooon. The closest I got was about 20 feet.
This was a deer going into my neighbours back yard.
Deer & cougars (nothing bad to look at)
this was one of them eating the current bush just outside our front door
2 deer eating the current bush
the young male, is the wrong photo, sorry it's duplicate.
This message was edited Mar 28, 2007 2:27 PM
trying for the young male again
This is from one of our friends that live in Cooble Hill, just over the Malahat here on the island.
"thought you might like to see these pictures of 2 cougars that were caught and tranquilized in our back yard at the weekend. The mother had died and the babies ( about 6 months old ) had come down into civilization to hunt because they had not learned to hunt for deer etc. Sadly, they caught several cats in the neighbourhood including one of ours ( Basil for those of you who know are crazy household of animals!) so that was hard to take. However, there was great excitement in the area and all our neighbours came out to watch. They are hoping to send them up north to a shelter where they will be raised until they are old enough to go back into the wild."
more of the cougars
This family has 2 dogs and 2 (now) cats, as well as some deer that come to visit.
last one
You could send them here .
We have lots of food for them .
That's a great photo ginger. I bet they can do some damage to the yard too.
Hey Linda. I haven't seen our deer around for awhile, so maybe they have migrated to your place!!!!
I have found something that seems to keep them from eating my tulips, at least! In the blender, I mix up milk, an egg or two, and some garlic. Let it sit for a few days and it smells really bad! It doesn't seem to hurt the plants in any way, but make sure you are downwind when you spray it!!! I spray anything I don't want them to eat and it has worked so far. Unfortunately, I didn't spray the crocus and hyacinths(which they are not supposed to eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Crocus got completely cleaned off for the first time since we've been here.
My approach now is to try and plant smelly things, and things with fuzzy leaves. I will be glad when it warms up and I will start frequenting the nurseries!!!
Good thing the deer do not like the brugs!!
Glenda
MG , We don`t have a problem with them in the Garden .
Jack & Zorro see to that . lol
MG - sorry about the loss of pets to the cougars, but happy they will be sent to a place where they can be eventually released back into the wild.
Ann
I am such a softy. I look at your deer pictures and see how skinny and hungry they look. I look at the pictures of the cougar cubs and read the story and feel so sorry for them having lost their mother at such a young age, all while wishing they hadn't found your friend's cat and thinking how sad I would be if it were mine.
We've had a resident rabbit for about three years now who lives under our shed. The first winter she (I know this for sure - she graced us with some cute little baby bunnies last year) trimmed all my variegated willows for me. The second winter she must have found a better restaurant to eat in - no damage. This winter she was very active and not too nervous of me. When the snow and cold finally hit with a vengeance I felt so sorry for her I started leaving food out for her. Oh, and not just any food! LOL I give her carrots and some deluxe rabbit food I purchased just for her.
Like I said - what a softy. But Mabel is looking sleek and healthy (yep - I named her too) :-)
Sorry - I didn't mean to go off topic :-(
--Ginny
Ginny, you're in good company LOL. So glad that Mabel is dong so well, do you have photos of her? I don't have the heart to shoo away the deer, their wild areas are becoming so small that they do come to the city. We live near a fairly large nature wooded park, so there's lots of deer around. Hopefully now that there's more to eat with all the new Spring growth, they will put on some weight.
Our friends that had the cougars visit them, I'm sure are sad they lost a cat. She just raised a batch of kittens that she fostered from the SPCA, by bottle feeding them and carrying them around in one of those snuggly style baby holders. The good news is that is wasn't their 2 year old grandson that the cougar caught.
Glenda, I can just imagine how bad that concoction would smell! Glad it works for you.
I'm pleased as well that the cougars will be sent up north, I think it's near Smithers that the refuge is, and they will eventually be let out to the wild again.
Ohhh Ginny, feeding rabbits is a slippery slope...we were visited by an adorable young white-tailed prairie hare last year (we live on the western edge of the city). I felt sorry for him and fed him a few carrots and some lettuce. THEN he started munching on my brand new roses, my brand new weeping carragana and anything else that met his fancy. (I watched him stand up on his hind legs to reach the carragana foilage). He suddenly was much less adorable. My DH managed to catch the little critter in a cardboard box and released him in a farmer's field a few miles from our house. Then we finished our fence & gates off to make sure no more came in.
No, I don't have any photos of Mabel yet Linda. She always seems to show up after dark and when I least expect to see her.
I know about the slippery slope thing Joanne. Just the other day I was standing there watching Mabel chow down and I found myself looking from Mabel...to the wintersown containers a scant 10 feet away from her...Mabel...containers...Mabel...containers...and thinking, "I'm gonna have to keep feeding her at least until June so she doesn't nip all my new little plant babies when I take the tops off of the containers!" Now I'm thinking that won't even be enough probably. I think I'll frame netting around them too just in case. But you know what? I couldn't make myself not feed her if I tried - hard core softy here :-)
I do have a secret weapon though - my kitties Tipper and Smokey. They just *LOVE* to chase rabbits when I let them outdoors once again in the spring.
We've had the same problem with a cougar killing pets in our area for about a month. He was caught and killed about a week ago. It's such a shame.
I wouldn't mind if the deer would munch on the bushes, but I HATE it when they chew the heads off of my tulips! Grrrrr.
This is a shot of my cat telling one to take a hike! LOL!
Wow it is nice to know we are not the only ones feeding a bush bunny.We have had Mama for 3 years now and she is definetly a resident. I mean why would she leave when my hubby buys rolled oats for her and of course she gets fresh apple and carrots also LOL. So far other then nibbling my Wild Melba every year she has never done any damage at all..Now the Jacks that is a different story..We have to put every shrub and plant behind wire every winter..Them I can do without..
Apparently a tablespoon of "Bloodmeal" positioned every few feet will keep the deer away from the area. Be aware that cats and dogs like it, so do it behind their backs.
Ginny I always name my deer by their flavor. 'Sirloin' bush wacker, 'Tender back straps' bush wacker, 'One who simmers' bush wacker, and I tell them what their names are when they try to come in the gate. Hopefully they get the message. How anyone who gardens can see their value in the garden does not have deer. Yes I love how beautiful they are in "your garden" and see the value of their creation. Just take 2 years to dig fence post holes and build the fence and their beauty diminishes. this buck got in the fenced in area and rubbed ten + trees with his antlers in just one night. You know that was out of spite. In the wild they might do that in a year.
LOL Now, that isn't very kind Sofer! Doesn't seem to be working well either :-)
--Ginny
You need to close the gate Steve. That makes the fence more effective.