| Author | Message | ||
     Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1069 Registered: 5-2015 |
I open the boot of my car and a cat shot out. The cat had been posted locally as missing. The cat crapoed in my plastic battery box cover. It had been in there 5 days. Now I check. Black cat, black boot carpet. I like cats, but don't own one myself, next doors ginger cat visits every day for a fuss. Which is handy they pay for the cat and I get it for nothing suits me fine. The black one won't come near me now after I imprisoned it for 5 days. My middle son seems to be a pied piper with cats. Cats and dogs seem attracted to him. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 382 Registered: 4-2016 |
Robert, Have you made friends with the ex prisoner cat yet? | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1079 Registered: 5-2015 |
No it won't come near me, but the ginger one is now living on my veranda in a cupboard on a cushion. It likes milk shakes and tuna. My garage has an easy exit for cats on purpose due to the cat curiosity. I haven't told the cats owner where their cat was. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 386 Registered: 4-2016 |
LOL I bet he wont be near you for a while  The other one is on a good wicket there Bob. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1113 Registered: 5-2015 |
I tempted the black cat with sardines. He now lives on my veranda with the other cat. Black cat likes peas and carrots in gravy. Also a fox turns up most nights. | ||
| John Beech Prolific User Username: jbeech Post Number: 226 Registered: 10-2016 |
Sardines, eh? Cats are so easy. Never seen a fox other than in photos. Read an article on BBC.com a few months back regarding Soviet researchers working to domesticate them. Fairly quick results but took dozens of generations to have them acting friendly and playful like dogs. And when they ultimately succeeded, they began not just acting dog-like but looking dog-like due to wider heads, more floppy ears, and blunter snouts. You can't make this stuff up. http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160912-a-soviet-scientist-created-the-only-tame-foxes-in-the-world | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1131 Registered: 4-2009 |
fantastic article John. Thanks for sharing that with us. Omar | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1333 Registered: 5-2015 |
Yes I saw the BBC program about Foxes in Russia. Foxes are very common in Dorset. Many a time I have seen a fox in apedaylight waiting for a gap in the traffic so it can cross the road. They appear to be tame but they are wild. Feral pigs change the shape of their heads when they escape from farms. In the woods locally I caught sight of two in the undergrowth so best to go the other way. Feral pigs are dangerous. I have ordered a box of commas from Ebay. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1123 Registered: 9-2004 |
I control them in numbers, this is a young healthy vixen as are most foxes in the country. If not controlled they play havoc with the wild ducks peasants etc . Most urban foxes carry MANGE that can be passed on to domestic animals and I believe human beings. They have been known to eat cats! Badgers IMO are worse than foxes.  | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2472 Registered: 4-2003 |
Foxes and rabbits. Imported into Australia through Victoria in the 1800's by stupid home-sick short-term English aristocrats intent on establishing fox hunting in the colony. These have caused and continue to cause massive land degradation and decimation/extinction of local wildlife ever since. I have no hesitation in applying Rule .22 calibre to rabbits and Rule .222 calibre to foxes for this reason. . | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 705 Registered: 5-2009 |
Foxes are common in the southern USA; my baby brother feeds a couple across the road and watches them when they arrive for their meal. Hunters like to hunt them with baying hounds; also raccoons. I also like cats; I have to be careful not to shut Miss Puddy in the closet when I get ready for work. She had spent the day in detention before, but with not signs of harm. | ||
| John Beech Prolific User Username: jbeech Post Number: 236 Registered: 10-2016 |
I like my old Remington 742 in .30-06 for the feral pigs when they get to rooting for acorns in my front yard because a .223 just doesn't drop a critter like that as easily. Some claim they're inaccurate pieces of crap but I like mine. Anyway, the pigs aren't quite a yearly nuisance but when they're here en mass they can leave a hole large enough to bury a car overnight. Pain in the hind end because I don't own a tractor so I have to borrow a neighbor's to fill it back in. Moreover, since the bucket is invariably not installed, it's on me to mount and dismount it when I'm done. Unfortunately, the 500 acres across from me have been cleared for housing and this will put an end to my using the Woodmaster when the pigs are in the front yard because there will soon be 1000 houses going up. This was the view out my front door until a few weeks ago.  As for the rest of the wildlife, as they have cleared the land they have surely crossed the road to our side - with the exception of the gopher turtles, which I fear they just ignored (killed). The few deer (3-4 is all I've ever seen in the wooded area) I'm certain they've on our side now, also.  - FL white tail deer are small, maybe 125 pounds compared to deer in Alabama that go 200 pounds. Back to the pigs, some neighbors pay a trapper to catch them but I just shoot them out of hand. They're nasty, foul tempered beasts, and as Robert Noel points out, dangerous if you're on foot.  - These pigs only go 100 lbs but the hogs are the dangerous ones at +300 lbs of nasty! Anyway, it's only 250' to the street from my front door. Since they're this side of the oaks, call it ~75 yards so they're an easy head shot with an old 2-7 Leupold. Meanwhile, I have only laid eyes on a coyote once. They were chasing turkeys about a year ago. But I can often hear them at night. Been thinking of buying a night scope just to see what I can see in the dark whilst walking Maggie because she sure thinks she can see something (she can't of course because dogs can't see worth beans at night). Her nose, of course, is another matter so that may be what she's 'seeing' with when she stands and quivers in eagerness for me to slip her leash. I pack a .357 revolver with me on our strolls at night due to concern for the coyotes (I don't know how bold ours are but I've heard of them snatching a dog right off a leash). Me? I figure the Boy Scouts have it right . . . be prepared. Anyway, this is what we have across the street today. Not a pretty sight but what a landowner does with his property is his business (and mine land was once wooded too).  - Cleared to the earth for a new development of homes As for how this all looks from above, there was a good bit of haze this day but the scar to the left of the airport is what they've cleared across from me. The little patch of green at the very tip of the arrowhead is me!  - Cleared to the bare earth for a development of some 1000 homes on postage stamp size lots | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Experienced User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 47 Registered: 5-2016 |
I have 2 border collies who chase the cats, the cats sometimes take refuge in the engines of cars parked in the yard, lately I've had to replace a few ABS sensors and other wires because the dogs chewed them while trying to get at the cats. Many a kitten has been catapulted out by a belt pulley upon starting engines. As for foxes, I've lost a few lambs this year to them, when a sheep is lambing and especially if she has twins the foxes are lurking and ready to grab one and bite it's head clean off and run away with the carcass. A .222 or larger if allowable is next on my list of purchases. | ||
| John Beech Prolific User Username: jbeech Post Number: 238 Registered: 10-2016 |
Sorry for going round the bend yesterday with my long winded post. All I can say is I had a good dose of pretty good medicine and wasn't all there. Anyway, this discussion is pretty much off the reservation in terms of where it started, e.g.a black cat locked in the boot for nearly a week that was bought off with sardines. So with this in mind, let's bird walk a bit further to satisfy my curiosity (before my meds kick in again - Tuesday can't come quickly enough). To wit . . . is the .223 round prohibited in Europe? I wonder because I keep seeing mention of the .222 round, which around here is more expensive than .223 rounds. Anyway, .223 (or .222) is fine for varmit hunting, but if you have to drop something, especially with brush as part of the equation, 180 grains is waaaay more effective than 64 grains. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2473 Registered: 4-2003 |
John, The difference between .222 and .223 probably relates to where the rifle was made; the rifle calibre would be the same at .223 but the conversion from metric to imperial would give .222 due to "rounding off" to 3 decimal places. I used a Czechoslovakian BRNO bolt action repeater with open sights and high-velocity home reloaded ammunition with muzzle velocities around 3500 ft/sec. This gave a flat trajectory for around 250 metres [300 yards] and predictable drop for longer distances. I did not and still do not like automatic rifles for safety reasons plus any more than one shot per kill in the wild is a waste of good ammunition. Open sights are more practical in bush and scrub shooting as you can quickly compensate for range intuitively without wasting time adjusting the sights when a moving target becomes visible which is not the case with telescopic sights which have to be preset for range beforehand [great for target shooting and military snipers though]. Almost all my shooting was for feral animal control on rural properties. The only target I ever encountered that required a larger calibre rifle were feral pigs and we always carried a .303/25 bolt action repeater whenever feral pigs were likely to be encountered. | ||
| Mark Luft Experienced User Username: bentleyman1993 Post Number: 36 Registered: 10-2016 |
I have a tee shirt that says it all. "I like cats, I just can't eat a whole one."  | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1132 Registered: 4-2009 |
This will make you laugh gents........... I had to look up ferral pigs. Of course we don't have any pigs other than the two that are in the zoo. To then know what ferral ones are..... that was a tall order. I resorted to good ol google. Now we all know what these things are. I am glad to say that I can roam around any part of my country and never ever have to worry about meeting any kind of pig - let alone a ferral one. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2475 Registered: 4-2003 |
Omar, A mature feral pig regardless of whether it is male or female is a very dangerous animal in the wild. They are extremely aggressive and have no fear especially if they have piglets close by. In one memorable instance [and the only time we never had a high-powered rifle], I was sitting in the back of the local police Landrover to open and close the holding cage whilst my father and the police sergeant were collecting wild piglets to be penned and raised on food left-overs at the local hospital for later slaughter. A fully grown boar came out of the bush and charged straight into the side of the Landrover lifting one side completely off the ground and leaving a massive indentation in the side of the vehicle. My father had his bank .38 calibre Smith and Wesson revolver, the sergeant had his service revolver and I had nothing. Fortunately for them, they were able to get enough head shots to bring down the boar and subsequently get close enough to shoot to kill. I often wondered what was written in the police incident report detailing the damage to the vehicle and the reasons why as collecting piglets for the local hospital was not in the normal line of duty. The question would have to be asked why the sergeant was trying to apprehend a pig. The reason pigs were kept at the hospital was that it was in a small isolated town in the far NSW outback and the hospital committee raised the pigs on food scraps from the kitchen and left-over meals for later sale to the local butcher for slaughter as a fund-raising initiative. The police sergeant was the Chairman and dad was the Treasurer of the committee in the time-honoured tradition that these positions were always held by the "blow ins" from either the post office, police, the local Court, the bank managers or the school headmaster. * | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1335 Registered: 5-2015 |
Even farm pigs are dangerous a 400lb pig charging at 20 mph will trample you and then come back to kill you. We have had farmers eaten by pigs. A farmer collapsed while tending to his pigs and the pigs killed him and ate bits of him. No such thing as a tame pig. Last night the neighbors ginger cat slept at the bottom of our bed. The temperature was 12c last night, spring is definitely here. Bed room window open. | ||
| John Beech Prolific User Username: jbeech Post Number: 241 Registered: 10-2016 |
Learned a bit about the difference between .222 and .223. The .222 is popular in Europe because . . . this will explain, instead. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.222_Remington | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1125 Registered: 9-2004 |
I use my trusty .22 Anschutz with 33 grains .22 long rifle hollow point[yellow jacket hp. For round the gardens I use sub sonic 29 grains .22 golden bullet. Both types Remington. Anything bigger ie 303 would be a no go due to my proximity with Yeovilton Royal Navy Air Station. Spot the Deer!   | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1126 Registered: 9-2004 |
Yes Bob, Spring is here it seems by the spring flora in full bloom. I just wash the car with no polishing as the paint work is getting thin. Last time it had a good polish was five years ago. Chrome is cleaned and polished twice a year.  | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1252 Registered: 4-2016 |
Not many wild animals to be shot near my place luckily. Just a few wild Kangaroos trying to keep cool. We have just finished Summer with temps recorded being the highest on record for 120 years. My house (below) recorded 47 degrees in the shade at its peak a few weeks ago. I have done a lot of work with my lawns this year after neglecting them a bit of the last couple of years. My car was parked out last Friday, so I snapped this pic. Patricks beautiful shadow parked on his beautiful lawn inspired me. They say Blue & green should never be seen. But I think they look great together.  | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1339 Registered: 5-2015 |
Cor the silver and the blue car are simply lovely. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1254 Registered: 4-2016 |
They look good against the bright green lawn Robert don't they | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1129 Registered: 9-2004 |
And I thought it was red and green should not be seen. That sheen does wonders to the cars superb finish. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1255 Registered: 4-2016 |
And its cheap Pat. Thanks for the kind words. Just don't get to close, the old girl has some blemishes  Ill have to check that saying. | ||
| Randy Roberson Grand Master Username: wascator Post Number: 708 Registered: 5-2009 |
Beauties for sure. Wild hogs are a problem in the Sourhern USA as well; they tear up land and are known to be dangerous. They are bad in Texas and landowners want people to hunt them out. | ||
| Robert Noel Reddington Grand Master Username: bob_uk Post Number: 1340 Registered: 5-2015 |
All Shadow 1 are 40 years plus old and blemishes are par for the course. If one squints ones eyes then blemishes disappear. A bit like the wife. | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1257 Registered: 4-2016 |
Whoa Robert. That will get back. But yes, it works!! | ||
| John Beech Prolific User Username: jbeech Post Number: 242 Registered: 10-2016 |
Weak eyesight as we age is God's way of keeping our wives looking as good as when we met them, don't you know? | ||
| Patrick Ryan Grand Master Username: patrick_r Post Number: 1260 Registered: 4-2016 |
Gents, There is no way I'm going there LOL I was referring to the blemishes on our cars | ||
| John Beech Prolific User Username: jbeech Post Number: 244 Registered: 10-2016 |
I don't know Patrick, I tried Robert Noel's advice and squinted at my wife . . . she did not disappear. |
