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War Zone

Muley

Cruisin' Guzzisti
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
182
Location
Twiggs County, Georgia
There I was, trying to have a little peace and quiet and catch up on Guzzi happenings, browsing two forums and occasionally checking e-mail, basically getting ready to retire for the night, and I heard an immediately recognizable furor outside. It was a cat fight:angry: Our former tom cat was lightened about two gonad’s worth in his younger days, and, even though he still has claws, he is lacking an essential fighting hormone. In other words, his ass gets whipped real good, and a vet bill is sometimes the result. Let me just say that I am not a cat person and only allow the beast because my wife likes the critters.

But let me back up just a bit and explain what has been going on nearly every night since it warmed up. Todd and Mike secretly sowed a crop of Texas armadillos up here in Georgia, and they have been fruitful and multiplied. Our pack of dogs (four plus 12 new puppies) cannot seem to catch and dispose of these pests, but they can wake the dead with their barking. Now the wife who likes cats also loves her yard and flower gardens. Let’s just say that one armadillo can cause a tremendous amount of destruction overnight, and the yard looks like it was shot up with a 50 cal. machinegun. Armadillos are expert at digging holes and moving stuff around also. A couple of months ago, one had undermined a 250 gallon propane tank to the point that it collapsed into the burrow and only the copper gas line kept it from rolling out into the yard. I fixed the tank situation and loaded up my 12 ga. to its unplugged max of five shells. I can’t be sure I eliminated the devil responsible for the gas tank vandalism, but there was one less “possum on the half shell” at dawn’s early light. I impaled him on a steel rebar just to ward off others moving in to fill the niche he so suddenly vacated, but the yard-loving wife quickly removed the carcass and spoiled my Vlad The Impaler act. Ah, peace and quiet for a few weeks.:)

Those of you who have studied ecology know that many creatures have territories and when one vacates that territory another one moves in to fill the niche. Armadillos are not beasts to go against the laws of nature, so that for every one you take out, another moves in. Sure enough, just last week when the moon was about half full, I went on a midnight patrol to see what had been rooting up the yard again, and here came the little armored piece of arrogance. Trying to hold a flashlight, shoulder and aim a shotgun, and get barrel and light to line up is problematic at best. I got off one round and rolled him, but he recovered and headed into the yard toward an outbuilding. One of the challenges of yard warfare is to avoid collateral damage to dogs, friendly cats, vehicles and buildings. As he escaped under a building I wisely ceased fire to avoid taking out our well house and Jack Russell terrier who was in hot pursuit. Armadillo 1, Muley 0.

Night before last, another beautiful and clear night with good moon light, the dogs announced an intruder and I got out just in time to see the terrier chase another one under the same building. No time to shoot safely.

Tonight, as I was enjoyed quality Guzzi time at the keyboard, the dog racket started up. Rerun of the other night as the Jack Russell chased one again. OK, fine sez I, I’ll lay the scattergun aside and get out the SKS carbine, outfitted with red/green dot sight and ten round magazine. Again, it is not easy to make the light, this time a headlamp and the gun sights line up at the proper distance.

Back to the cat fight tonight. I stepped out on the back deck, second floor with locked and loaded rifle this time, and, crouched behind a brick wall around our patio was the cat bully. Who thinks cats don’t have nine lives? I froze him with the light in his eyes, put the red dot on his chest and squeezed off a hollowpoint. Pieces of brick flew everywhere as I took the top third of a top brick off the patio wall. Meanwhile the feline felon made his escape into the woods beside the house. Thinking I might have wounded him, and always following up on questionable shots, I traded the rifle for the shotgun again, donned my headlamp and crocs and went outside to finish this. Finally, my light reflected off cat eyes across the highway in the tall grass. In frustration, I peppered the suspect knowing it wouldn’t be lethal – just say it was a warning to stay the hell away from my deballed tom.

Final score Armadillos 2, cat 1, and Muley 1 (unless you count the one I killed with a shovel week before last). If so, then I’m batting almost 500.

All's quiet on the western front at the moment, and I'll try to check out the forums and e-mails again, but both guns are still loaded, and I'm spoiling for another fight.;)
 
Muley,

you need practice

like you I've got problems with vermin - in my case a wombat digging holes through our paddock fences and leaving holes I would fall in and break a leg, let alone our horses. sadly for me the bludgers are protected and our neighbors are greenies, so I have to put up with it.

more importantly, I didn't follow the last part of the story, did you get your cat back?

if not you can get a free one here -
 
Robert said:
more importantly, I didn't follow the last part of the story, did you get your cat back?

if not you can get a free one here -

I haven't been out this morning to find our cat yet, but I'm sure he's around somewhere, probably licking his wounds from last night.:(

Thanks for the kind offer, but I think shipping and handling charges on the cat carcass might be prohibitive.;)

Anyone who thinks it's easy to hit a running armadillo at night while the varmint goes around, toward or between valued real estate and possessions just hasn't tried it. Trapping is out of the question unless steel traps are used that don't discriminate against cats, dogs and small children. We accidentally caught one in a live-catch trap, similar to a rabbit trap, but that was the exception rather than the rule. Armadillo hunting, in the dark, is actually quite sporting, and the prey usually has the upper hand.

Wombats, on the other hand, would be even more difficult to dispose of, especially when a pretty, young lass is holding them:laugh:
 
The infamous, nine banded armadillo, indigenous to the extreme southern US (before the Haven brothers brought it up here).

Do not, under any circumstances, hit one with your motorcycle :woohoo:
 
Thought about not posting on this but I feel too strongly not to, I find the picture of the dead cat very distasteful, although you have every right to post it, their are many pet lover's and owners here and on Wild Guzzi, who upon losing a loved one will post their sadness and pain and the response from our community (read Guzzi) is very heartfelt and warming, be it a faithful canine or feline. Sorry if I offend you but it offends me. The creep who took the time to make up that sign and take a picture must have come out of the gutter that poor cat lies in.
 
draidt posted:
be it a faithful canine or feline


I didn't post the cat picture, but it certainly doesn't offend me. I took it in the spirit it was offered and that was a joke. The cat is dead and there's nothing anyone can do about that. I doubt that the sign painter had anything to do with the cat getting hit, and I assume roblatt is asleep about now so I'll temporarily defend him until he is back on the forum. I started this thread as a little bit of humor, but some folks just can't seem to lighten up.

And, BTW, there is no such thing as a "faithful" feline. Having said that, I fully support all people who love and cherish cats. However, if one keeps coming in my yard beating up on my neutered tom, then I will not hesitate to dispose of him with extreme prejudice. After reading your post, I won't mention it or show any pictures though.:)

PS I just learned of a way to humanely trap armadillos, in case anyone is interested. Use a live catch trap, like a havahart type, and take two bales of pine straw, hay or whatever and construct a funnel, by spreading the straw, toward the trap opening. Place the trap near the den in the armadillo's usual path of travel and, bingo, you'll probably get him the first night he goes out feeding. You can then haul him back to Texas or dispose of him however your conscience allows. An acquaintance caught 32 last year doing it this way !

I'll try this technique tonight so I can either stay online without interruption or get some shuteye, both of which will be preferable to patrolling the premises.
 
There are other ways to persuade cats to keep away besides killing them. Would you appreciate if a neighbour shot at one of your beloved dogs? Or kids for that matter, they can be as annoying as fighting cats and as a biologist I can't see why they'd have more right to do so than any other kind of critter :p
 
Rene said:

There are other ways to persuade cats to keep away besides killing them. Would you appreciate if a neighbour shot at one of your beloved dogs? Or kids for that matter, they can be as annoying as fighting cats and as a biologist I can't see why they'd have more right to do so than any other kind of critter


:huh:
 
Gentlemen,

I did not take the photo. I don't know who did. I AM an animal lover I have had and still have many pets and feed half the wild life in the area against my neighbors wishes (especially the crows who steal said neighbors eggs from the chicken coup. However, I have enough humour in me to at least recognize something clever even if it may be classed distasteful.
Death is a part of life, and no matter how it comes we need to learn to live with it even if it is a pet.


Lighten up, I didn't think the fun police were present here.

And in case you're wondering, I did think about it before I posted it and I did wander about the reaction. Now I know, and I don't feel guilty.

Robert
 
Oca wrote:

This might be of interest to you when you catch a live one:


Oca, I appreciate the recipe link. I am not a squeamish eater by any means and have eaten all manner of wildlife from snapping turtle to gator to mud fish to rattlesnake, but an armadillo might be pushing it just a bit. However, I have set up my "live catch" trap with a "funnel" made up of firewood, and I hope to see results in the morning. Tell you what, if I succeed in catching one how 'bout I send it to you and you can try out the recipe first, then report on this forum.:laugh:
 
I like animals of all types. Friendly cats are welcome. I am however partial to dogs...
 
AAAltered468 wrote:
I like animals of all types. Friendly cats are welcome. I am however partial to dogs...

hotdog.jpg


Brilliant!!
 
Come on Dan. How do you know there wasn't a big chunk bitten out of that little wiener dog just after the pic was taken???:silly:

Glad to see you back in a better mood.;)

PS My oldest dog is 11 years young today, but I'm almost afraid to go downstairs and check on her. She was acting really strange yesterday mostly lying around- just got some bad vibes. Also have to check on my armadillo trap; wife says one was in the yard again last night making another mess. I just slept through it this time.

Bottom line is that animals make life complete - that and Guzzis:laugh:
 
draidt wrote:
Thought about not posting on this but I feel too strongly not to, I find the picture of the dead cat very distasteful, although you have every right to post it, their are many pet lover's and owners here and on Wild Guzzi, who upon losing a loved one will post their sadness and pain and the response from our community (read Guzzi) is very heartfelt and warming, be it a faithful canine or feline. Sorry if I offend you but it offends me. The creep who took the time to make up that sign and take a picture must have come out of the gutter that poor cat lies in.

Whats the big deal? dead is dead. I have had many cats over my 63 years and wept over the loss of every one. One was a fancy Balinese Cat that we spent 6 thousand dollars on when it became ill from a blood disease. We could of had a panther for what we spent on that cat.
When he was put down, I had to take the next day off of work. That one was really special.
The point is that cats get into mischief and bad things happen. We can only love them when they are here and mourn them when they go.
But I think it doesn't pay to get too worked up. Believe me, there are worse losses than a cat.
A buddy of mine in Germany had a heart attack when his cat died. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0995985/
When that cat ate a bird do you all think he (the cat) was weeping at the time?
A much older friend told me about the time they ate the neighbors cat during WW2 in France. His younger sister wept when she learned of what she was eating, and while weeping, finished up every last scrap on her plate. That cat saved their lives.
Yum.
 
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