Monday, February 02, 2009

Critter trouble



Last night seemed to be a busy night for animals up around my chicken houses. (Click on the pictures to see a larger, more detailed version.) My husband bought a StealthCam* a few months ago, and we've been "watching" various spots on our property at night. I've captured photos of a large opossum up there in the poultry yard, which I've since trapped and re-located. Last night a younger 'possum came by less than an hour after this huge raccoon. This 'coon his huge. He (or she) has been digging under one of the henhouses trying to get in, and I blocked that up. You can see in last night's pictures that he still shows an active interest in the second henhouse. I think it's a matter of time that he/she will try again to get in there after my chickens.

There are other pictures that were captured last night that did not show an animal. However, it's obvious from the sequence that some animal was messing with the StealthCam. (Motion triggers the camera to take a pre-set series of pictures.) It had to be a large animal since I hang the StealthCam about four feet off the ground. That has me a bit nervous. I'll have to think of another place to hang the camera to try to capture pictures of whatever this animal is. It could be that raccoon coming back a few hours later. I think he could reach that high if he stood on his hind legs.

*Note: Neither I nor my husband are hunters, and we don't allow hunting on our property. We use the StealthCam solely to discover what's going on around our property when we're either asleep or not there. Anyway, it's FUN!

3 comments:

  1. That is one GIGANTIC raccoon. At least by this city girl's estimation! Whoooweee!

    Gives me the shivers...but these are some really amazing pictures. The quality and clarity is amazing!

    Thanks for sharing them!

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  2. Oh my goodness, how cute! I know, they are vermin, but adorable vermin.

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  3. Chicken murderers is what they are. Raccoons can also carry the rabies virus dormant in their bodies for two years without showing symptoms. Nope, I don't like the cute little critters.

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