[Gsearch]

We had a Bald Eagle soar at low level down our street. People ran screaming to scoop up their Pomeranian pups before the bird of prey made a meal out of them.

SOARING!!! TO THE MOON, BABY!!!!!

[GHung]

With the predator population generally decimated in the lower 48, and a declining number of Americans who hunt (excepting in AK), increasing numbers of game animals is to be expected. That said, Coyote populations are moving into suburban and urban areas and the hybrid "Coywolves" are moving down from eastern Canada and appearing in other places; reportedly, a sneaky cross between clever Coyotes and more powerful wolves: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coywolf

Coyote populations seem to have stabilized here in Western NC, and Whitetail populations have increased. My property has become something of a nursery for deer (we allow no deer hunting other than our own fall harvest of a couple of bucks), and I've managed for forage and cover for a couple of decades. Anyway, I counted 17 does and young in our front pasture the other evening; quite the heard. Yum! I've been eyeing a fine young buck the last few weeks; seems kind of dumb, but fat and happy. He'll likely be in the freezer by Hanukkah. Quite a few other candidate bucks around as well. We don't have "either sex" season for hunting deer (legally) here, yet. Hard to thin the heard without taking a few does.

I noticed that the recent bear hunt in Florida was cut short; too much success. Seems there may be far more bears in FL than the wildlife folks estimated. Maybe they'll eat the pythons, eh?

Then there's the explosion of 'wild' pigs throughout most of the US South. Ours are a hybrid of feral domestic pigs and wild Russian boars which were introduced years ago. Fine source of game food, and no closed season on those here. I have a stout semi-permanent trap set up to catch them when they roam through our property. They can't resist Honey Buns and corn drenched with sorghum syrup. Not hard to know when they're in the area since they tear the crap out of our pastures and woods. Generally nocturnal, hard to shoot, and can be dangerous, especially sows with young. I caught two fine young sows last year; about 150 pounds each. Mean bitches, those.

We have many fat ground hogs around. I hear they're pretty good to eat; maybe if times get tough..... The Coyotes reduced our wild turkey population, but we still have quite a few, and there's always Canada Geese; not so good to eat, I've been told. They've become year 'round residents, and a pain in the ass. Messy, loud creatures, those....

...and for my urban friends, it's been said that rats are a delicacy in some parts of the world. Douse with a little soy sauce, maybe some curry?

[Gsearch]

Does anyone here know what could be causing these trees to get so big, and produce such huge fruit and nuts? And why grass could be getting so much bigger and greener?

[Gsearch]

Seems there may be far more bears in FL than the wildlife folks estimated. Maybe they'll eat the pythons, eh?

They always underestimate the number. And when they see these animals in abundance in wild nature, they turn their head and whistle louder. We're just swimming in wild animals.

This is happening in Japan, too. Sika deer and wild hogs EVRYWHERE. Brown bears EVERYWHERE. Mountain serow EVRYWHERE. China, as they become more capitalist, and South Korea are experiencing it, too! Capitalism is just fucking steroids for the natural world.

[GHung]

Does anyone here know what could be causing these trees to get so big, and produce such huge fruit and nuts? And why grass could be getting so much bigger and greener?

Abundant CO2?

Probably more rain recently. Mast trees (nut and fruit) generally have off/on years. Our walnuts produced nothing last year, but have been dropping nuts like crazy this year. Conversely, the mast of acorns and hickory nuts was huge last year; not much this year. They go in cycles. Grass depends on rainfall mainly, and of course, soil nutrients. Wild grasses will go dormant in times of drought, then explode with abundant rainfall returning. Also, after an area is burned, many wild grasses will return with a vengeance with enough available moisture.

[GHung]

"Capitalism is just fucking steroids for the natural world."

Sure. A driver of evolution and adaptation perhaps, but there are always winners and losers. Far more species going extinct than thriving as a result of human activity. Of course, a simple mind will always accentuate the positive, eh? And "out-of-sight-out-of-mind" applies well to those natural populations we've decimated. What you see is more adaptable species filling vacated niches.

You've probably noticed the same thing at Walmart; more stuff, less variety.

[Gsearch]

Man, if only everbody on this website could be like GHung. He's one of the few people on here who aren't seriously mentally ill.

[GHung]

Don't be so sure.



Sorry......

edited by Tanada
I removed it Ghung, please don't make me do that very often. Consider this an informal warning, children have access to this site and we try and keep the distasteful imagery to the minimum possible in line with free speech.

[GHung]

I came back to edit the post and couldn't access the site (been getting that lately). Wouldn't want anything more shocking than the end of humanity up here. I'll stick to doomer porn in the future.

[GHung]

Yeah. Maw and Paw didn't look so happy

Jr. thought it was kind of cool though. Kids these days!

[penury]

This bullshite is too stupid to form a coherent response.However, to the people who are concerned about the amazing increase in the numbers of Bald Eagles, 1. The food supply for the eagles in their normal habitats is decreasing, so guess what? like the Syrians they are migrating. I could take the time to explain this however, the stupid it burns.

[Apneaman]

pstarr, I'm always relaxed.


Wherever the killer apes go, death will surly follow - it's what we do.


Research backs human role in extinction of mammoths, other mammals

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ ... 102315.php

[dinopello]

Forget the eagles, its the squirrels that are the real threat

[chilyb]

thanks for the laugh, Gsearch.

To the moon baby!

[SeaGypsy]

In Australia we have some serious problems with overabundant wildlife, mainly feral dogs, cats, pigs, goats, donkeys, camels, horses & toads. Wild dogs have hybridised with dingoes & developed a formidable ability to stalk & eat young cattle & sheep, & breed quicker than they can be trapped poisoned or shot. In vast areas of western NSW, Vic & Qld, sheep farming is no longer viable due to these cunning creatures.
Kangaroos are in plague proportion in several regions, with graziers complaining of losing more than half their feed to kangaroos & having to apply & wait sometimes years before a cull permit is issued.

On the other hand, birds across the board are in trouble, along with monitors & native ground mammals, fish, frogs, aquatica in general, altitude specific arboreal mammals, understory rainforest species & the list goes on.

[Keith_McClary]

has anyone else noticed that the population of bald eagles is SOARING all across America? I saw them everywhere in New Mexico

That's incredible. There were 4 breeding pairs a decade ago.
http://www.fws.gov/Midwest/eagle/popula ... wo2006.pdf