Wild hogs, coyotes and cormorants

This is fishing season. But I give pause to sinking corks and spawning bass to acknowledge outdoor devils among us. No, not big goo fish that eat hit our expense crank baits break them off on a stump, nor the sneaky slithering snakes that come out this time of year.

I’m talking of wild hogs, coyotes, and cormorants. Apparently the wild hog population is out of control. Area farmers, especially those planting corn, are having to put out night patrols to keep the big pigs from digging up their freshly planted seeds. I’ve been told by more than one that they will walk right across a big pile of corn on a turnrow just to dig up individual seeds and wreak havoc on a perfect row of recently planted corn. That’s just wrong. Even with NAVY seals and night vision goggles, you can’t hardly put a dent in that population.

And then the cormorants. They seem to have made one last ditch feeding frenzy and many of them are heading back where they came from (I say its the gates of a place below, but that isn’t biologically confirmed).

And finally coyotes. They are getting more and more brave, coming into residential areas as well as causing havoc in the woods. I got the following story from a friend, Tommy,  who has personal experience with them at his cabin in the woods, but has lost his secret weapon in the fight. I’ll let him tell the story….

“Yes, we were invaded years ago by coyotes.  They spread rapidly across the rural countryside causing major losses to domestic barnyard fowl and reducing the feral game population.  Worrisome problem for a while.  We frequently saw them around our wooded property.  —  And then ….  And then ….  Along came Badger; low walking Badger.  You will remember Badger as the wonder dachshund who resided with my wife and me for 16 years before his demise in late 2010. 

Most of the neighbors’ dogs — chows, German shepherds, pit bulls, and Dobermans — stayed close to their respective home bases, tails tucked.  Badger watched the coyote packs become bolder and bolder as they lay siege to our community.  His plan was genius in its simplicity.  Using tunnels, most of which he dug himself, meandering between the armadillo burrows and skunk dens he constructed a labyrinth of guerilla attack positions from which he grabbed coyotes one by one until the terrified survivors fled never to bother us again.   —-  I sho nuff miss ole Badger.” — TOMMY

See, I’m not the only one that can embellish a worthy tale…