Fear Not

Deer hunting season - rifle version - was over December 17, and so the goats got moved around this week.

During rifle hunting, we keep the goats low on the hill and closer to the barn, just to be careful.

I am confident in the precautions taken by the hunters that we give permission to use our woods.  Its the trespassers that we can't be sure of.

As you can see, everyone looks good. They do not want me to show you the other goat pictures I have. Yep! Its udder watching time again. Kidding will start in the next two or three weeks.

We're watching carefully.

Another Family Moves In

Here comes the moving van.Our driver Brian gets ready to unload.
What a smart uniform he wears.
Ah! Its actually our new Game Warden.

VIDEO OF PHEASANT RELEASE

A new family of birds again no less.
These birds are ready to nest and are part of the Pennsylvania Game Commission's breeding and hunting program. We are not a regular place for them to stock, but it seems there were some spare birds, and we have a suitable spot for them to nest. Lets hope for some happy pheasant families to join the robins.This is the male who seems to have claimed the left side of the hill. This fellow has the right hill, and I think the majority of females.
They flew and ran so quickly I lost count, but I think eight females were with the two males.There were a few eggs in the crates although they are slightly damaged.
If the membrane is still okay, I wonder if we can incubate them.
Twenty one days from now we could really confuse the hens with baby pheasant.

Last Day of Rifle Season

Just when I was trying to get some of the trickling sounds of water, this scene ran in front of me...

It is the last day of hunting season, with rifle anyway. There are a couple of trucks parked near our field in the direction from where the deer ran from. The deer were definitely running away, not just running.

VIDEO OF TWO DEER RUNNING ACROSS THE FIELD FROM HUNTERS.

Its been a wet, bitterly cold two weeks for the hunters, and today might be the nicest day to have one more chance at some venison for the year.

I wish the hunters luck. I feel the deer are competing with my goats for pasture now, and they spread disease and parasites that are transferable to my ruminants. The deer insist on browsing inside the fences, when they have the other 50 acres to themselves.

The game warden has given me some tips on teaching the deer how to respect the fences. I haven't practiced them yet, but maybe this coming spring we will give it a try. Some peanut butter on foil plates on the hot lines supposedly will teach a lesson. I'm collecting pie tins this holiday. Save them for me. We'll go all out if we do this!

As an aside, we got a call this morning asking if we had a loose horse. Apparently there is a horse running along the power lines up along the ridge. The hunters called a neighbor up the hill to try and find the owner before it got shot. I hope it got home.