We are suffering severe drought at the moment. Most of our cattle have been sold. Only about 25 of our best breeders are left. Even those few need a supplementary ration to keep them going. They already get lucerne (alfalfa) hay and cotton seed, but last week I got 6 tons of grape marc to feed them as well. Grape marc is the material left after crushing grapes for wine - mostly skin and seeds but highly palatable with about 13% protein and some fat (from the grape seed oil). It didn't take long for the freeloaders to move in. These red-necked wallabies were pilfering grape marc just on dark tonight. Yesterday there were 15 of them! The party stops tomorrow. I will put a fence around it.

[Dewman]

In Idaho, I think we would use slightly harsher methods of eliminating the problem! I hope your drought ends soon. California is also suffering one of the worst droughts in almost a century.


Dewman
SW Idaho, USA

[daacon]

Hope you get some rain soon - free food will always been scrounged upon !

[PJ1]

Thanks for the comments. I put up a fence with some steel mesh today. Caused consternation. Storms are forecast for this week, We can only hope ....

In Idaho, I think we would use slightly harsher methods

I use harsher methods on occasion. I do some consulting work in wild dog control and other pest animals.

[Dewman]

Thanks for the comments. I put up a fence with some steel mesh today. Caused consternation. Storms are forecast for this week, We can only hope ....


I use harsher methods on occasion. I do some consulting work in wild dog control and other pest animals.

"Consulting work." I like your choice of words. Each spring, a friend and I do a bit of "consulting" in the high desert country, south of town hereabouts. We feed the birds of prey, so to speak. Their favorite food is ground squirrels and we make their search for a meal much easier! Longest shot to date, 620 yards, measured with a laser rangefinder. I use a pre-'64 Winchester Model 70 in .220 Swift. It sings a pretty song with a 62gr. Sierra bullet helped along with a healthy dose of IMR 4320.

Dewman
SW Idaho, USA

[PJ1]

"Consulting work." I like your choice of words.

No - it's true! I am currently assisting a local government (Gympie Regional Council) to implement their Wild Dog Control Pilot Program. I organise workshops for landholders where we cover all the options (shooting, baiting, trapping, guard animals, exclusion fencing, etc) and do trapping demonstrations. I m one of the trapping demonstrators. Last time I was demonstrating was the first time in my life anyone has ever said "I wish I had your job." (And I am 65 and only stumbled into this role in the last few years). I carry an early model Sako L579 in .308 as my "working rifle" because I am more likely to meet a feral pig than a wild dog when working around my property. The Sako has taken everything from feral cats (overkill) to Rusa deer. For varmint work I have a heavy barrelled Sako A2 in .222 Rem (yes, I'm "old school" which is why I use Pentax).

[Dewman]

No - it's true! I am currently assisting a local government (Gympie Regional Council) to implement their Wild Dog Control Pilot Program. I organise workshops for landholders where we cover all the options (shooting, baiting, trapping, guard animals, exclusion fencing, etc) and do trapping demonstrations. I m one of the trapping demonstrators. Last time I was demonstrating was the first time in my life anyone has ever said "I wish I had your job." (And I am 65 and only stumbled into this role in the last few years). I carry an early model Sako L579 in .308 as my "working rifle" because I am more likely to meet a feral pig than a wild dog when working around my property. The Sako has taken everything from feral cats (overkill) to Rusa deer. For varmint work I have a heavy barrelled Sako A2 in .222 Rem (yes, I'm "old school" which is why I use Pentax).

A man after my own heart! A .222! Yes! I have a Remington 700BDL in .222. The most accurate rifle I own, bar none.... and it's a sporter-weight barrel! Five shots, 100 yards, .19" True story.... I have witnesses AND the target! The .308 is probably the most useful cartridge ever developed. I have three, a Winchester Model 70, a Ruger M77V and a Remington ADL. I used to shoot a lot of metallic silhouette matches with the Ruger back in the day and it was the preferred cartridge until the 7mm-08 came along. Old school, the two of us. I'm 69.


Dewman
SW Idaho, USA