The Historic District

Bats...

The commercial building a few doors down from me has a huge colony. We used it as a dojo for a few years and then it sat empty for two or three. There were hundreds if not thousands of them when we were studying there. So now a couple of young guys have opened an archery shop there. The upstairs area where we had our mats is now their indoor range. Boy oh boy are they going to be surprised when the weather warms. It looks like a horror movie up there when they get stirred.

We're braced for some of them deciding to try to move over to our place. Lucille the Cat is ready to repel all boarders. Right now she's working on her skills against a little tom cat, all black, that will have a home with us if she ever signs a truce. I'm leaving it up to her to dictate the terms.

Speaking of backyard pests. Anyone else experiencing an increase in the coyote population? We've had lots of missing cats and small dogs lately. You can hear the coyotes howl at night but since we're more or less a suburban area they get no proper hunting pressure to keep the population in check. I'm awaiting permission from a nearby village to start hunting them inside their corporation limits. The one doing the most damage there is extremely large and I suspect not really a coyote at all. More likely a wolf hybrid that someone has dumped. I hate dog dumpers.

Jeepnstein wrote:
Speaking of backyard pests. Anyone else experiencing an increase in the coyote population? We've had lots of missing cats and small dogs lately. You can hear the coyotes howl at night but since we're more or less a suburban area they get no proper hunting pressure to keep the population in check. I'm awaiting permission from a nearby village to start hunting them inside their corporation limits.

I guess you did not read my post before yours.

Yes.

Two years ago I am pretty sure one got one of my cats. Nothing much until lately. Although this is a small town, the coyotes have a lot of area to hide out within the city limits. I read that they cruise down streets because they know cats like to hang out on front porches. Since the missing cat I have farm fenced and provided escapes for the cats. I am also told we are allowed to shoot.

As far as bats go, It was fun to watch early one morning not long ago a bat buzzing my cat as he kept jumping trying to catch it.

Nicholas wrote:

Jeepnstein wrote:
Speaking of backyard pests. Anyone else experiencing an increase in the coyote population? We've had lots of missing cats and small dogs lately. You can hear the coyotes howl at night but since we're more or less a suburban area they get no proper hunting pressure to keep the population in check. I'm awaiting permission from a nearby village to start hunting them inside their corporation limits.

I guess you did not read my post before yours.

Yes.

Two years ago I am pretty sure one got one of my cats. Nothing much until lately. Although this is a small town, the coyotes have a lot of area to hide out within the city limits. I read that they cruise down streets because they know cats like to hang out on front porches. Since the missing cat I have farm fenced and provided escapes for the cats. I am also told we are allowed to shoot.

As far as bats go, It was fun to watch early one morning not long ago a bat buzzing my cat as he kept jumping trying to catch it.

Missed it. Same here. Small enough town for them to thrive with no hunting pressure or heavy traffic.

Jeepnstein, in lot of prairie cities, coyotes have become an off and on problem in the outer fringe suburbs. They thrive in the open spaces between the developments and make patrols onto the streets looking for an easy meal. Just another Symptom of urban expansion. A while back there as a news special from Toronto about a new hybrid coyote. It would seem northern wolves have bred with coyotes creating a larger coyote or small wolf. They have spread thier territory into the Toronto hinterland.
As for bats, every one knows they are beneficial but no one wants them in thier attic. They need a better PR company.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_coyote