Cougar

 The deer have made themselves scarce lately.  The neighbor down the road with the horse reported six deer within the horse pastures yesterday morning, most likely because they feel safe there.  While cutting fire wood near the cabin, I notice deer nearby, probably to come feed on the foliage from the cut trees after I leave or maybe knowing it is secure around friendly humans.  Our cats have that cautious look when walking around the place, only a few are bold enough to venture off into the forest.

 

The cougar is gone for now.  I wonder how many times I have walked through our forest with the cougar watching me and doing me no harm.  The neighbor at the bottom of the hill reported a cougar just sitting in the open about 20 feet away from him, while he was piling brush near his house.  He started up his chain saw to scare it away.  He said the cougar just slowly walked off.  Cougar sightings are common in this county and the local newspapers always have reports on sightings.  The government trappers are provided by the USDA Wildlife Services, a branch of the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service.  Their primary job is to protect humans, livestock and wildlife when possible.  Like the local dog catcher their job can be most unpleasant.  This morning there was nothing in the trap and hopefully never will be.  For me, walking through our forest will never be the same. 

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Trapper visits

 Government trapper showed up this morning with hounds to track down cougar.  Dogs immediately picked up scent and off they went toward the west, trapper followed using GPS, soon dogs stopped, so we thought they had it up a tree, but a few minutes later the chase was on until dogs reached the highway and trapper called a halt.  He returned to the site of the dead deer, which had been buried and set a trap.  My job to monitor it and report what happens.  Saw some interesting places to the west of here, especially the property west of Charlie's--place looked like something from the old movie Deliverance.  Even the trapper was shocked, and he has seen many ugly places in the county.