It looks as though we are having a so-called old fashioned winter. We have seen some of our coldest temperatures in recent memory. As this is being written, it is all the way up to 23, and it seems like a warm spell, even though it is a bit windy. As can be seen in photographer Jodie Beabout’s photo, the river is totally jammed with ice. We can only hope that this doesn’t lead to problems as it sometimes does.
By the time you read this, it will be almost February, the shortest, yet longest seeming, month of the year. It is also the month when people with outdoor pets need to be on their guard. Why? February, as well as sometimes late January, is the mating month for a number of wild predators.
One of the most noteworthy of these is the great horned owl, also known as hoot owl. These are the largest of our owls, measuring about two feet in length. Great horned owls have been seen incubating eggs while covered with snow. Needless to say, before long, there will be ravenous baby owls to feed. This means that mama owl has to set about some serious hunting. The typical prey involves rabbits, squirrels, geese and even turkeys. The problem is that these can be hard to find at times in the dead of winter. This emboldens the birds to hunt closer to humans, where pets like cats and small dogs can find themselves on the menu. My friend Dave Lewis once saw a great horned owl take one of his adult cats. Despite these tendencies, these are beautiful, even magnificent creatures. They have to eat, the same as every other creature.
This is also mating time for coyotes, which have become rather common in Pennsylvania. During this time, male coyotes become bolder and more aggressive than usual. They really like to eat cats. In fact, they will eat a cat, then return to eat the cat food until the owner figures it out. The photo, which I came across on the Internet a few years ago, shows a cat that met its demise in the jaws of a coyote. I featured it a couple of years ago. Some folks found it disturbing, but I think it is worth another look. Coyotes have also been known to attack domestic dogs, especially during their mating season.
Next up, we have bobcats, which are also heading into their mating season. While they are not likely to eat pets, male bobcats will wantonly kill male domestic cats. They will also mate with female cats, producing rather neat looking kittens. Dave Lewis also has experience with these critters. He has found several of his male farm cats that were killed by a bobcat. Also, a male bobcat obviously mated with one of his female cats, and she had a kitten which he named Bob.
Please don’t make the mistake of viewing the aforementioned predators as somehow being evil. They are not. They are just “making a living.” They are a vital part of the ecosystem. It is up to pet owners to protect their pets.
On another front, January 20th was a happy day for the nation’s law abiding gunowners. We must, however, not allow ourselves to become complacent. The anti-gunners may be keeping a low profile for awhile, but they are still out there. As General John Buford said at Gettysburg, “Keep a clear eye!”
Email: salmonangler1@gmail.com
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