[Spartan]

we have em all on the farm. The cats stay hidden. the bobcat got in a staring match with my doberman but slunk away. The raccoons take a chicken or two once in awhile if Im not diligent. The doberman will tree them. He just sits at the base and stares at them. Saw him sit still and quiet for about 45 minutes but most times it just takes as long as it takes for me to load up a round and finish em off. Once they are dead the doberman isnt interested, he just wants to chase and kill.

The cougars remain pretty thinned out due to the sheep farmers who actively trap and kill any problem cats. The bears stay hidden. Once in awhile I'll see one ducking into the bushes at night on the road.

The turkeys travel in heards (flocks? gangs?) of about 15 to 20. They avoid the farm during the day but at dawn they fly up into the trees along the fence line to roost.

During hunting season Ive got a buck (3points on one side and two on the other) who hangs out on the property. He's safe because hes healthy and with the neighbors putting out food and licks most of the does are kind of ratty. My theory is thst to have a healthy population cull the sick and wounded. Either way he knows when the shots are being fired to stay here. If I go wandering around at night he will watch me and occasionally let out a HUFF. He been around since he was a yearling so when he does bite the bullet i'll be a little sad.

My biggest fear for the kids is the rattle snake. I've educated them as to where he lives and the range of his territory and they go around him but its really just a matter of time till he gets surprised and angry. He stays out of our way and we stay out of his...besides he rarely ventures to our side of the fence anymore since we got rid of the rockpile...

Lots of critters are a sign of a healthy ecosystem. Something becoming more rare here in the west with mono-culture industrial tree farms coating the land. I always enjoy watching the wood ducks frolic in the pond, not so much the bull frogs which are invasive to this region. That and they eat my trout minnows. Gigging at night has become a fun game for the kids... we'll never get em all tho...

Really the only thing on the farm i actively eradicate is the raccoons and the gophers. Damn those gohpers...