Injured Owl

[J. T.]

My wife and I came across an injured owl on the side of the road on Sunday. I wasn't prepared to handle him, but I wanted to do what I could so I covered his eyes with a bandana. I tried to get him into a canvas tote bag that my wife had in the truck and in the process I experienced the business end of a sharp set of talons. It felt like I had a large treble hook on my hand that was powered by hydraulics. I came to respect the power of birds of prey. We took him to Oak Mountain State Park Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Birmingham. Turns out he was a juvenile Great Horned Owl. They gave him a good prognosis. He had a broken wing but seemed alert and strong. Hope he makes it.

 

[Jogeephus]

JT, you did a good thing there. My sister did something similar to this. She saw two guys shoot a hawk. They ran when they saw her. She put the hawk in a pillow case and we doctored it for a couple of months. We then let it go. Everyday when my sister came home from her teaching job the hawk would follow her and lite in the tree by her house until she got in the house. This went on for more than a year. The second year, the hawk came back with its mate. They stayed close but not as close. Third year the hawk did not return.

 

[jka300]

JT, you did a good thing there. My sister did something similar to this. She saw two guys shoot a hawk. They ran when they saw her. She put the hawk in a pillow case and we doctored it for a couple of months. We then let it go. Everyday when my sister came home from her teaching job the hawk would follow her and lite in the tree by her house until she got in the house. This went on for more than a year. The second year, the hawk came back with its mate. They stayed close but not as close. Third year the hawk did not return.

That must have been something! About 5 years ago, I was cutting hay when I seen about 4 little rabbits run out of the standing clover. I didn't think much of it until I came back to that spot. Right by the swath laid a little jack rabbit, its one leg was broke ( don't know if I did it or not). I felt sorry for the little thing ( can't kill a defenceless bunny, right) and took care of it for about a year. We let it run around in the house but like I said after a year we let it go. And to this day it is still on the yard, the only thing is, its leg is starting to bother it again.

 

[Jogeephus]

That's probably arthritis from the injury. 5 years is a charmed life for a bunny. Ya'll did good.

 

[jka300]

That's probably arthritis from the injury. 5 years is a charmed life for a bunny. Ya'll did good.

I am sad to say that it died yesterday. Poor little thing caught something and was very sick. It was a very sad day :cry2:

 

[Jogeephus]

I found a baby grey fox the other day. It had climbed up in the engine of a fella's truck and when he stopped to get gas it took off and hid by the trash can at the pump. That fella didn't want him so I took him. He was nearly dead of dehydration so I took a straw and dripped water in his mouth. Once he looked hydrated I put him in a box and layed it in the shade so I could take him home later. When I came back he had climbed out of the box and was no where to be found. I guess I got him feeling better anyhow.

 

[jka300]

I found a baby grey fox the other day. It had climbed up in the engine of a fella's truck and when he stopped to get gas it took off and hid by the trash can at the pump. That fella didn't want him so I took him. He was nearly dead of dehydration so I took a straw and dripped water in his mouth. Once he looked hydrated I put him in a box and layed it in the shade so I could take him home later. When I came back he had climbed out of the box and was no where to be found. I guess I got him feeling better anyhow.

Talking about under the hood; my brother had come out to the ranch in his truck, did some work, and then headed back home. On the way home his truck petered out. He lifted the hood and found a broken wire, He twisted it back together and kept going. He got up the next morning, got in the truck, it wouldn't start. Broken wire again (different wire). Fixed it and went to the auto parts store to see if he needed a new harness. My brother and the store clerk lifted the hood and they saw a large rat up near the engine chewing on wire. The got his BB gun out from the truck and starting shooting at this thing and here they were out in the parking lot. They finally got rid of it. Apparently it hitched a ride from the ranch.

About a year ago, my grandma stopped by our place for a visit. We got to talking when she said that her car was making a funny growling sound when she drove it. So I went outside and took a look. I was thinking that the cover over the fan had broken off again, but boy was I supprised to have 2 eyes and large teeth look back at me . A badger decided to make its home in my granny's car! And try to get that little bugger out, I lost count how many time I tried. All I know is that it took all afternoon before I used a stock prode. That got him to pack his bags and leave. :banana:

 

[mnmtranching]

Had something digging in my garden. Set a live trap, caught a big ol' skunk. Blasted it with a #4 magnum 12 at 10 feet before I released it.

Truly sorry about that.

 

[Jogeephus]

Jka, are badgers as mean as they say?

Mnmtranching, you are lucky you didn't get sprayed. I think 10 - 12 foot is in range. I caught it once as a kid. (gonna catch me a pet) That is the awefullest smell in the world.

 

[hillsdown]

A couple of years ago something was getting into my garbage can by the house, a coupe of weeks go by and I here a noise outside (the dogs and kit cat are in the house) call the hubby and to look ..Well the can was knocked over and what crawled out?????a huge @ss skunk :help: ,,hubby thought he would leave foot prints on my back but I was wayyyyyyy ahead of him and in the house... :lol:

The strange part??? the skunk didn't spray us and it had a collar on >>>>>> :???:

I called the fish and game and they said if it comes around again we can shoot it but thankfully it never did..maybe it went back to the ding bats that ,made it a pet.. :roll:

 

[Jogeephus]

..maybe it went back to the ding bats that ,made it a pet.. :roll:

Watchit now. Just cause you have a pet skunk don't make you a ding bat. ;-) :lol: :lol: Well maybe it does. ;-) My dad was a vet and I ended up with a bunch of different weird animals. Most we saved from euthanasia because "their pet became too wild" and they couldn't handle it. :roll: I had three skunks in my life. Never cared for them much. They were cute but they stunk with musk and man could they bite. Made a cat bite feel like you were getting a hicky. :nod:

 

[mnmtranching]

Joe, It wasn't that the skunk didn't try, it's aim was off. Mine was purty good.

How do you get that skunk smell out of the garden?

 

[Dixon_Club_Calves]

we used to find abandoned skunks and keep them for pets, them things are awsomely fun for you and kids....until they learn how to spray lol

also one time i had a pet possum, found it one night goin through my drawers... :stop:

 

[spoon]

I too had a pet skunk as a child. Cool animals.