Found one of my young ewe lambs today. the area I found it in was a pig wallow last year, and is pretty soft. Either the sheep was chased into the mud and got stuck, or it got stuck and then something started eating it.
When I found this sheep it was still alive; the spinal cord had been chewed through halfway down the back, and the right lung was punctured. you could hear the breath going in and out of the sheep. I looked carefully at the wound and then went and got the rifle.
I looked at the mud carefully, hoping to figure out what had done this. There were no distinct prints. There also wasn't enough of the sheep eaten to call it a coyote attack,and no sign that the sheep had been dragged -- no marks on the neck or head, which is usually how a coyote drags it. After looking at it for a half hour, I believe that this sheep got stuck in the soft mud, and some sort of bird started eating it. Maybe a vulture or an eagle, or
a red tail hawk, all of which are in this area. It just doesn't look like a canine predation scene.
On the husbandry side, I'm going to have to
fill this hog wallow in. It's clearly a deadly sheep trap.
I'm at a bit of a loss for how to respond to this. From your previous comments your dad farmed for decades -- but you don't. you have strong opinions on farm operations - but you don't operate a farm.
ReplyDeleteI'm open to criticism in general, but I think that this comment is uncalled for. I'd like an apology.
It' sounds the the ewe was chased into the wallow after being attacked somewhere else.Coyotes,and cougars bring down their prey grabbing the neck or along the back. And what ever chased it in there was smart enough not to go in there after it. I would get your high powered ready rifle ready. You have a possible problem on your hands.
ReplyDeleteBruce,
ReplyDeleteMust have me confused with someone else. Never claimed my dad farmed for decades; never stated that I don't farm!
The comment is not uncalled for; just a mere observation based on what you post on your blog.
As for an apology, for what?
Friend
I take that back. It was not my intent to call you an "idiot" on your blog; that part was a thought; shouldn't have been typed. I'm sorry.
ReplyDeleteFriend
I'm open to discussion of anything I write here. But a personal attack crosses the line.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't see that line, I'm going to ask you to not comment on this blog, as I don't appreciate or condone that sort of behavior.
You're in maryland. what sort of farm do you operate?
And apology accepted. No hard feelings.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was Bigfoot who tried to kill your ewe. Doesn't he live out that way?
ReplyDelete