My father just emailed his trail cam video of a buck in his back yard tonight 4 yards from the house. [video=youtube_share;Zw4CiFIvOxE]https://youtu.be/Zw4CiFIvOxE[/video]
I hadnt noticed until you mentioned it. The night before he was chasing a doe in the back yard and doesnt seem to be effected too much but it.
He looks like he was being gentle on that right rear the one time he actualy shifted weight to it. Hopefully infection doesn't set in, odd injury and not one that ever seems likely to heel. If he does make it through it, he'll definitely be leaving a unique set of tracks making him easier to identify.
The bird feed was being emptied in a single evening which seemed odd. Then the feeder was knocked down a couple nights in a row. This prompted him to employ one of his many trail cameras to figure out what what going on. Once he watched the videos he figured out what was happening. Then he bought a motion sensor alarm and a Gamo Whisper elite to address the situation. Since then he has killed 5 coons, 3 possum, 4 skunks and 16 grey squirrels. The coons were damaging the bird feeder and the others were showing up for the spoils. Last night he killed a skunk an hour after the 12 pointer left. The trail cam video. THe deer are now also showing up to get at the spills created by the coons.
Actually no. You are not correct. The bird feeder is in his back yard on his land He desires watching and feeding the birds. The nuisance (unprotected) animals are damaging the feeder so he called the DNR to understand his legal options and rights.. Per the DNR regulations , Unprotected species means mammals and birds that can be hunted year-round without bag limits or hunting hours restrictions. Per the DNR, Unprotected species means mammals and birds that can be hunted year-round without bag limits or hunting hours restrictions., and includes starling, English (house) sparrow, chukar partridge, coturnix quail, opossum, skunk, weasel, porcupines and all other wild mammals not specifically mentioned in the hunting, trapping and migratory game bird regulation pamphlets and not listed as an endangered, threatened or protected species (see “protected species” listed above). A small game license is needed for hunting unprotected species. He bought a small game license even though he did not need to. The regulations state "Landowners do not need a license to shoot or trap unprotected species causing damage or nuisance." Since he deems them to be causing damage and them being a nuisance, he contacted the DNR who sent them this verbiage from the regulations which says "The owner or occupant of any land and members of their family may, without a license and subject to all other restrictions except seasons, hunt or trap on their own property for beaver, fox, coyote, raccoon, woodchuck, rabbit and squirrel year-round, and unprotected species causing damage or a nuisance, and may sell the skins of these species" The bird feeder is his and his desire is to feed the birds. The other critters are causing damage and are a nuisance to his desire to carry out his bird feeding activity. The seed is for the birds. He does not wish to be damaged and nuisanced and bullied by critters out of his desire and passion for bird feeding and watching so he is taking matters into his own hands per the regulations and with the consent of the DNR.
Nothing wrong with knowing the rules and using them to your advantage. I have dispatched plenty of vermin-some of them in my garage.
He has had problems with skunks, etc burrowing under his shed and other critters damaging his container garden aside from the coon damage to his bird feeder. A skunk advanced on my mother while she walked the dog in the back yard. Rather than retreating the skunk advanced. My father went out and killed it. It nearly made back under the shed before expiring. As per the states regulations, there are a long list of unprotected animals, landowners can remove from their land without having to hire a pest control service. Thats why he went to great lengths to contact and discuss his options with the DNR before taking action. To suggest that owning and having a bird feeder to enjoy the birds is a form of baiting was pretty dumb. Thats why I took the time to educate those with such a flawed misunderstanding of the situation.
