Deer

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
They can sure be a problem and extremely smart but nothing compared to those new wolfs they introduced according to my friends in Idaho and Montana. It sounds like even the ones who introduced them are realizing they under estimated them
 
Just recently heard and seen photos of a moose here in the west where they haven’t been for many years and was told they are being driven by the wolfs so we probably have them here already.
 
Coyotes come in all different colors, My taxidermist at the time I shot mine had a rack of tanned pelts everything from light gray to almost black. He had about 40 or so hanging according to shade of fur, organized light to dark. I was amazed.
He showed me this because I had just brought mine in to have the hide tanned . I told him I shot this one because he looked to me like he was about to jump me. I know this sounds crazy but I was sitting in full camo almost dark in October of1980 I was 17. I was sitting close to an old apple tree out back here waiting for grouse to show up. I had taken the day off to bird hunt and was on my way back home about 15 minutes away. I had a brand new Mossberg 500 12ga pump had not even been fired it yet.
Anyway I am sitting on an old rotten pine stump and I heard a noise just before dark and saw movement off to my right, at first I thought it was a small deer as they cross the road in that area a lot specially just at dark. Well it was this medium large dog that came out instead he crossed the road about 50' away from me then turned left and trotted down the ditch line towards me. I had the shot gun resting on my knee pointing out in front of me when he got right opposite me on edge of the tote road he saw me and froze stiff and started to snarl low deep in his throat. At this point I thought it was a domestic dog, I had never seen a coyote in real life I knew they were around but never had actually seen one.
He immediately turned head-on to me and crouched down with his front legs and began a little treading with his rear feet. I was already pointed in his direction and when I was pretty sure he was going to jump I squeezed the trigger. Winchester No.6 High Brass bird shot its what I had in the gun. He never moved again, I got up and searched his neck for a collar but bound none, he looked to me like a cross between and German Shepard and Husky. I headed home to get a spade to bury him with at that point I figured I shot someone's dog. When I got home a neighbor and friend of mine was in the driveway, just leaving he came looking for me for some reason wanted to borrow a tool I think?
So, I told him the whole story and he wanted to see the dog. So I took him and my spade back to the dog so he could look at it. He said that is the biggest Coyote I have ever seen and told me ,"take that to cousin Rymond " Rymond was and is still a taxidermist , "and have him skin and tan the hide for you." I did just that "Rymond Grignon's Art and Frame" now in Pittsfield Me, award winning taxidermist at that time and likely still is. He weighed the dog and it was 52# the largest he had ever seen. I was very happy to find that it was indeed a Coyote and not someone's pet that is for sure. I felt bad for what happened but I was pretty sure he was startled to see something so close to him all of a sudden and all cameoed up. I know he had no idea what I was but knew he may be too close to flee best to fight is what I think is what he was thinking . Oh yea and Rymond told me after I went in to get the tanned hide that he found the shotgun shell wadding at the base of the Coyotes neck , he was so close to me that even the shell wadding went through him, He was 12 feet away when I fired full choke "2 &3/4 inch shell" I had that hide on a fir stretcher here on the wall for about 35 years then the hair began to fall out and I tossed it.
 
The deer around here hang out only where it is illegal to hunt, and I only ever see the does out of season. A small herd of does travels through our property twice a year and I'm hoping by putting out corn when they pass through I can get a buck to hang around. According to the MDIFW a doe can lead to at least eight bucks, so not worth going for a doe even if I am just looking to fill my freezer. I'm also pretty sure that if I harvest a member of the herd they may never pass through our land again.
 
Coyotes back in TN ate the cats of the neighbors. They had 15, and they pooped under my deck, so I welcomed the coyotes :)
 
Ashful’s friend looks like a red fox to me.

Friday night , on my way north, I finished off a coyote that was hit by the car in front of me. I tried to steer over him laying down on the interstate. At the last moment I saw him pick his head up, looking the other way. Then I felt the slight impact, I imagine from the frame under the engine, The truck was unhurt.
 
Same here, we presently have a 9 lb. dog coming up on her 20th birthday. Completely deaf and blind at this point, we now have to carry her from food bowl to back yard, and back. Amazed the hawks have never taken her, they've taken our some of our chickens easily larger than this dog, let alone coyotes.

View attachment 299302 View attachment 299303

The deer standing near the dog is pretty normal, they ignore each other. Once I found the dog standing literally UNDER a deer, they were both happily eating fallen mulberries out of the grass, neither worried about the other until I came along.

To top it off, based on your photo, I'm beginning to wonder if the "enormous fox" I see crossing my back yard most days is actually a coyote. I had never realized how similar they look to a fox, other than length of legs. I will need to inspect him with re-educated eyes, next time we cross paths.

View attachment 299301

... and in keeping with the post at the top of the thread, this little'un watches me make my coffee, most mornings. Mama and sibling are usually within a dozen yards, if not looking thru another window into an adjacent room.

View attachment 299300
Red Fox, the animal,... not the comedian
 
Red Fox, the animal,... not the comedian
;lol Good one! I believe he used two d's: Redd.

But I still smile every time he calls Lamont "dummy", or pokes at Esther's good looks. ;lol That show is still fun to watch, which is more than you can say about many half as old.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ispinwool
Our Chihuahua mix is over 22 years old now, so I understand the feeling about watching out for hawks, etc. My alpacas have taken a liking to her and will make alarm calls if they think something could be stalking her while she is outside doing her business.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ispinwool
Our Chihuahua mix is over 22 years old now, so I understand the feeling about watching out for hawks, etc. My alpacas have taken a liking to her and will make alarm calls if they think something could be stalking her while she is outside doing her business.
You should call Guinness! If you can pin down the birth date, there's a good chance your dog is the oldest presently alive. The oldest they have on record is just 22-1/2 years old.
 
You should call Guinness! If you can pin down the birth date, there's a good chance your dog is the oldest presently alive. The oldest they have on record is just 22-1/2 years old.
Unfortunately she's a rescue, so no way to know the exact date, we just know it's 2000-ish. Allegedly she could make it to 25 years. Her vision and hearing are pretty diminished, her back legs are very stiff, and her few remaining teeth are in pretty rough shape. We tried to get the rest of her teeth removed a few years ago, but the vet was afraid the dog was going to die during surgery and aborted right before starting. Otherwise she's in pretty good health and has a good appetite.
 
Unfortunately she's a rescue, so no way to know the exact date, we just know it's 2000-ish. Allegedly she could make it to 25 years.
Sometimes mixes do outlive purebreds, so maybe you have a chance at it! According to Google, the oldest Chihuahua on record for many years was Megabyte, who lived to only 20 years and 265 days. However, TobyKeith looked set to break that record by at least a year, when there was a quick rash of news stories on him this spring. I can't remember if he is/was an actual Chihuahua or a mix, which might explain why Google ignores him. The only reason I remember TobyKeith is that he was the oldest living dog at the time, and our mini Pin wasn't too far from the same age.

25 years is rarified air, for dogs. Good luck! There is a record of one living to age 29 in Australia, but that was almost 100 years ago, I think.
 
Sometimes mixes do outlive purebreds, so maybe you have a chance at it! According to Google, the oldest Chihuahua on record for many years was Megabyte, who lived to only 20 years and 265 days. However, TobyKeith looked set to break that record by at least a year, when there was a quick rash of news stories on him this spring. I can't remember if he is/was an actual Chihuahua or a mix, which might explain why Google ignores him. The only reason I remember TobyKeith is that he was the oldest living dog at the time, and our mini Pin wasn't too far from the same age.

25 years is rarified air, for dogs. Good luck! There is a record of one living to age 29 in Australia, but that was almost 100 years ago, I think.

Our Chihuahua is actually a "long haired" chihuahua, which means she has some amount of rat terrier ancestry, not a "pure bred". This morning as I type this she is eating kibble out of our GSD's dog bowl, so I feel like she still has some left left in her. She was born some time in the summer of 2000, so just a touch less than the current oldest living dog. I just wish she would stop trying to jump down from the sofa to the floor, we have tile and sometimes she doesn't stick the landing very well.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Ashful
Coyotes hold their neck and head differently than foxes.

I think that's a fox.

I've seen many coyotes (and a few bobcats)at night crossing in front of my car on a reservation closed to the public in TN. They are more like a muscular German shepherd (slightly smaller than one, but same attitude).

The tail of this one is bushier, and the leg length seems off for a coyote. It is big tho for a fox.
The only one I've ever been semi close to reminded me exactly of that. I was too convinced it was a dog to shoot it. It looked very similar to my now German Shepherd.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpaceBus
And just to stir things up a bit cyotes and wolfs due inter breed . Around NY state they have a pretty good population some other areas as well. First impression of pic was red fox -real nice coat on that one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: stoveliker
The only one I've ever been semi close to reminded me exactly of that. I was too convinced it was a dog to shoot it. It looked very similar to my now German Shepherd.
We have a black and white GSD and he looks just like a coyote when he's in the woods. I try to keep an orange bandanna around his neck just to be on the safe side.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ispinwool and Shank
Had this guy walking after his lady friend past my kitchen window last week... Considered nailing him, but my rifle wasn't ready... and I would have broke a few laws LOL

thumbnail_image0.jpg
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: Ashful and SpaceBus
Considered nailing him, but my rifle wasn't ready... and I would have broke a few laws LOL

Had a buddy take a deer from inside his house, about ten years ago. I can't remember his weapon of choice, probably 12 gauge slug, as most of our local counties are shotgun only (no HP rifle). He described a moment of panic after firing, believing he must've blown out every window in the house, but all were fine in the end.

In this case, he had a fruitless first morning of deer season, went home to shoot some pool in his basement den, when he saw the deer wandering past his walk-out basement door. He grabbed his gun, opened the door, and fired from the den.

It's been more than 35 years since I took my hunters' safety course, but I cannot remember any law at that time, that he would have been breaking. It is illegal to fire a gun within so many yards of an occupied building in PA, without permission of the owner, but he was the owner.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpaceBus
Had a buddy take a deer from inside his house, about ten years ago. I can't remember his weapon of choice, probably 12 gauge slug, as most of our local counties are shotgun only (no HP rifle). He described a moment of panic after firing, believing he must've blown out every window in the house, but all were fine in the end.

In this case, he had a fruitless first morning of deer season, went home to shoot some pool in his basement den, when he saw the deer wandering past his walk-out basement door. He grabbed his gun, opened the door, and fired from the den.

It's been more than 35 years since I took my hunters' safety course, but I cannot remember any law at that time, that he would have been breaking. It is illegal to fire a gun within so many yards of an occupied building in PA, without permission of the owner, but he was the owner.
It really depends on if it's legal to fire a gun in the zone/district he lived in. In most states you can harvest whatever you want whenever you want on your own property, so long as it's not a protected species. However, if you live in town/city limits, there may be additional laws that supersede the legality to harvest game on your own property. I know someone that lives in an area that is dense with deer, but he's only 1,000 ft to Main St. Technically he could legally harvest the deer, but can't use a bow or firearm, so not really possible. Moose are protected in most states and require a special license to harvest.
 
In Alberta it's illegal to discharge a firearm within 200 meters of an occupied building or occupied land. Or cause a projectile to pass within 200 meters of an occupied building or occupied land.

This doesn't apply if it's your own land, but any neighbors and it's a no go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RomanW
Had a buddy take a deer from inside his house, about ten years ago. I can't remember his weapon of choice, probably 12 gauge slug, as most of our local counties are shotgun only (no HP rifle). He described a moment of panic after firing, believing he must've blown out every window in the house, but all were fine in the end.

In this case, he had a fruitless first morning of deer season, went home to shoot some pool in his basement den, when he saw the deer wandering past his walk-out basement door. He grabbed his gun, opened the door, and fired from the den.

It's been more than 35 years since I took my hunters' safety course, but I cannot remember any law at that time, that he would have been breaking. It is illegal to fire a gun within so many yards of an occupied building in PA, without permission of the owner, but he was the owner.
This is awesome. I probably would have reacted the same way.

Up here I'm not allowed to fire a firearm within 75 yards of a building or road. Also rifle season starts Nov.1... getting reported isn't fun lol
 
In Alberta it's illegal to discharge a firearm within 200 meters of an occupied building or occupied land. Or cause a projectile to pass within 200 meters of an occupied building or occupied land.

This doesn't apply if it's your own land, but any neighbors and it's a no go.
Is it 200 meters? I'll have to check that again. For some reason I remember it being 75 yards.
 
We have a similar 75 yard rule, but I was recently told by state police it that it specifically states, “… without permission of owner.” I didn’t personally verify, but according to that officer, you can fire right next to an occupied residence in PA, with owners permission. Commercial property has other restrictions, I believe.

Now, as to why the state police were at my house discussing firearm law, that’s a good story I haven’t shared in awhile. Maybe I’ll post it when I have a few free minutes later today.