Kill All Wolves - Or Take Personal Responsibility

So I stumbled across this video on Facebook yesterday evening, (been doing a lot of stumbling!) and took a moment to watch and listen to the guy.

> Video Here <

"so here is the story. we are pissed to say the least. we find a nice cat track this AM. Turned out our jump dog (our pride and joy=sadie) I put sam on a lead and a buddy brings his young dog in as well. Sadie goes in a 1/4 mile and starts really hammerin down the track. so we get about a mile from the truck and things start heating up so i let sam go to sadie and my buddy cuts his loose. sam gets in with sadie they make a circle and screaming, i figured its jumped but my buddys dog didnt really go witch is weird for him. all of sudden treed. i told nick something is wrong sam don't bark like that. all of sudden sadie takes off and moving. so we run twards sam cant hear him, nicks dog comes to us screaming like ive never heard out of dog. Then the wolf right on his ass he gets to twenty yards and turned and belined. So now i go to sam and he is completey dead. Sadie is 230 yds and still barking and moving so i run to her leashed her up(still chasing the cat) then realize there is wolf tracks all a round her. she is one very lucky dog i don't know how she got out alive and no scratches. we did see a glimpse of one more in the brush. I brought sam out dead and i was gonna take into the DNR office and through him on the desk and tell then to deal with it...."

The basics, as explained in his little note, is that he went out hunting with his dogs for bobcats. They were trailing a cat track when his dogs were allegedly jumped by "timber" wolves and the younger dog was killed. He then videos the dead dog, with the other dog still calling and tracking in the background, and bitches about how his dog was killed, and how all wolves need to be killed. How he and his buddies should just be able to enjoy a bit of sport without having to worry about their dogs getting killed.

I just sat there and blinked for a moment. So . . . let me get this straight?

You went out hunting, to kill, a predator. And then your dog gets killed by another predator, and suddenly it's a big ordeal?

Look, I don't have a problem with hunting. I support responsible hunting. I don't have a problem hunting with dogs either. It is indeed a great sport, and very exciting. But it's also a risky sport. Shit happens. You are sending your dogs out into the "wild" and putting them against dangerous predators.

Is it really so surprising that once in a while, an incident like this happens?

Many people know that I have extensive experience handling exotic mammals, including wolves. I like wolves. They are absolutely fascinating creatures. But there is also a huge amount of misinformation out there about them. So much "research" was done on captive bred packs, which tainted the findings and has led to romanticizing the wolf.

These wolves no doubt saw a threat to their territory, and did what wolves, and many other wild predators, do. They dispatched the threat.

Is it unfortunate that the dog died? Absolutely. But the response by the hunters just blows my mind. The solution is not "kill all wolves." The solution is to take responsibility for your actions. You sent your dog out to hunt a dangerous predator in the territory inhabited by other dangerous predators. The risk of injury or death to your dog is something you have to accept. You cannot turn around and blame a wild predator.

Don't like the risks? Don't hunt in this fashion. Don't waste your breath blasting the DNR because you chose to go out and take the risks.

Personal responsibility people. Get some.

Special thanks to Theresa B. for accidentally pointing this article out to me.

Recipe Post - Rabbit Legs and Rice

Nothing beats a recipe post, does it?

Tonight we have rabbit legs over fried rice.

You'll need:

Rabbit thighs (hind legs)
Rice
Butter
Garlic
Soy Sauce
Eggs
Seasonings to Taste



In a hot pan, throw a couple cloves of smashed garlic in with butter. Melt the button. Then season the thighs with your seasonings. Garlic salt or just general seasoning salt works well. Keep it simple. Sear the legs on each side until they are nicely covered. Remove from pan and place in baking dish with juices/melted button. Cover and place in preheated oven at 350. They'll need to cook about thirty minutes.

Prepare your rice. Deglaze the frying pan you used to sear the rabbit with a splash of soy sauce. Pour the rice in, fry. Push to the side and cook two eggs, then mix in with the rice. Add salt to taste.

Remove rabbit legs from oven. Let rest - use juices to mix into the rice for more flavor. Place rested legs atop rice. Enjoy!

A note on the FHOTD post:

I was really pleased at how well that went! There was lots of good debate, with well-presented opinions on arguments on each side, and very little insulting, which of course is good for nothing. To all of those who wandered over here to check things out, welcome! You'll find a random lot of everything here, from recipes, to posts about self-sustained living, and plenty of posts about goats, horses, and anything else that crosses my mind. From time to time I'll rant about something, and occasionally post a bit of my art or writing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Just how Safe is Safe?

Today while I was browsing the internet, I stumbled across this article.

Quote:

"A horse lover was left with a wheel emergency on her hands - after her pony Smila got trapped inside a huge tractor tyre.

Marlene Schmidt, 30, from Limmer, Germany, believes the horse had been trying to graze on fresh grass under the tyre when she slipped and fell head first into it.

The unfortunate animal was left trapped inside the tyre with one of her hind legs poking out and her head pushed into the ground."

Okay, I admit. I laughed. The things ponies will get themselves into. Obviously this is a pony kept in a dry lot to prevent the reoccupation of founder. So of course, the pony must find some way to get into trouble.

So what do you have in YOUR pasture that is not safe? I've heard time and time again that these tractor tires make safe hay feeders, if turned inside out. I personally have never had the chance to look at one in person and decide. Just about anything can be turned into a danger though, if a pony or other critter tries hard enough.

So what can you do to maximize the safety of your livestock? Use your brains! If there is a way an animal can get hurt on it, most likely, eventually they will have a go at it. And usually your only really nice, expensive, stock will do that. Just seems to be the way things go.

Be sensible. Don't leave junk in your pastures. Pick up any loose metal or any foreign objects you find. Take the time once in a while to walk around in your pastures and look for anything that has been unearthed. I once found an entire window pane in my pasture that the goats has discovered while grazing.

Don't leave bailing twine loose for your animals to inject or get tangled in. Make sure fencing does not have any sharp ends poking out to scratch delicate eyeballs. Same with feeders and water sources. Look for deep holes that have opened up, or thin ditches. Fill them in if you find them.

Make sure your fencing is in good repair and pulled straight. If you use electric fencing, be sure it's hot and correctly tensioned. We use electric here, and I can't begin to explain how often I have to go outside and adjust it, straighten posts, or check for bad spots.

If you have t-posts, invest in t-post caps. It can save your horse from a dangerous impalement. Although some ponies delight in pulling them off.

You cannot wrap your livestock or pets in bubble wrap, but you sure can do everything in your power to minimize their chances of getting hurt.

The Little Lost Goat - A Children's Story

Once upon a time, there was two sister goats who lived in a herd of goats in a big pasture with a lovely red barn. Their owner, a kindly lady, would come out every morning and give them delightful things to eat.

One day, a new person came to the farm and looked at all of the goats. The sister goats were shy and hid behind their older friends, but it wasn't enough. They were picked out from all of the other goats and loaded into a strange truck.

One sister, a red and white little goat with long ears, said sadly to her sister, "We're surely going somewhere strange."

The other sister, a gold goat with tiny ears said, "We are going to a new home indeed."

The sister goats didn't much like leaving their herd and pasture and little red barn. They especially did not like leaving their kindly owner. However, they knew from their older goat companions that sometimes goats went to new homes. It was just the way things were.

They arrived at their new home and were put into a little pen. Stranger goats came up to the fence and demanded to know who they were. Giant strange creatures with long noses and hairy tales and solid hooves snorted suspiciously. The sisters cowered against the other side of the pen, so sad they were to be in this unfamiliar place.

The red goat hung her head and maa'ed, "Oh Yumi my friend, we are not in our nice pasture anymore."

Yumi, the gold sister, shook her head, "No we are not, Gypsy. But we don't have to stay here."

Gypsy looked at her sister in surprise, unsure of what she meant.

Yumi jumped onto a little house and proclaimed, "We will have babies in the spring, this much I know. Let's get out of here and see the world, instead of being stuck in this strange place."

And with that, she leaps over the fence and into freedom!

Gypsy perked up her long ears and scrambled to follow her sister. They stood in the yard for a long moment, then turned their noses to the wind and ran, their long legs bouncing through the short grass.

"Where . . . oh where shall we go?" Gypsy exclaimed.

Yumi flicked her goat tail, "Follow me. We shall have many adventures."

They ran and ran, almost a whole mile. Here there was a long road and strange houses. They were standing, deciding which way to go, when suddenly some strange dogs ran out, barking at them!

They cried out in fright and sprang to run, going across the road. The dogs were very big and mean, not at all like the dogs at their original home. Yumi and Gypsy became seperated, and the dogs chased poor Gypsy and trapped her within a little garage.

Yumi hid in the woods, trembling, and watched in horror, certain that her sister would be eaten alive in front of her eyes. But luck was with little Gypsy this day. A man came out and rescued her and carried her away to a little pen where she was safe from the big dogs.

Gypsy cried for her sister, but Yumi was too afraid to go close; the dogs were still there and very scary.

She hid in the wooods for some time, finally falling asleep under the leaves.

She was awoken by more barking! The dogs had found her and were coming for her again!

Yumi jumped up and raced away, heart beating fearfully hard, afraid at any moment to be caught by the big mean dogs and bitten.

She ran and ran and ran without looking back. She crossed roads and ran past houses. She did not stop until it began to rain. Once the rain came, Yumi found a bush to hide under, breathing hard and looking around. The dogs had gone and she was safe . . . for now.

She was getting terribly wet from the rain, and she hated it. She missed her nice red barn. Even the little house in her new home would have kept the rain out of her fur. And her poor sister! Yumi hoped that she was staying safe out of the rain. What would happen to her?

It rained for much of the night and part of the next day, so Yumi stayed under the bush and tried to sleep.

The sun finally peeked out again, and Yumi ventured out and nibbled on some leaves. To explore the world, you had to stay strong and eat well. She wandered here and there, looking for the best plants to eat.

It was nearing nightfall when she stumbled across some wild pigs feeding on acorns in the woods. They snorted angrily at her, and one large one even chased her! Running away, Yumi exclaimed in dismay, "Oh, how cruel this world can be!"

Suddenly the little pen with the little house didn't seem so bad after all. Yumi galloped across a wide road, narrowly being missed by a loud vehicle, then stopped on the other side, shivering. She very much wished she could return home, or even to her new home, but she did not know which way to go.

She picked a direction in the hopes of being right, and walked that way.

She walked and walked for many days, stopping here and there to find good things to eat, or a sheltered place to sleep. She was alone and frightened. What would happen to her babies if she never found home again? Would she ever see her poor sister?

Yumi lost count of the days and nights she wandered about, going steadily in one direction. It rained several more nights, and often she found herself soaked through the fur and shivering. Never before had she suffered so, and she was terribly afraid of catching a cold. Who would take care of her if she was sick?

Then came the worst night of Yumi's life. She was hiding under a little tree, exhausted from a day's travel, when she heard a frighting noise. It sounded much like dogs, but she could smell something that made her very bones tremble. She shrank as much as she could, holding as still as possible. What new horror could this be?

The strange dog-like creatures walked by, tan colored fur thick against the cold. There were three, much larger than Yumi and smelling of the Wild unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She dared not make a single peep, for if they discovered her, she was certain it would be her demise at long last.

The coyotes, for surely that was what these creatures must be, continued on their way. By some miracle, they had not scented poor tiny Yumi on the wind, and she had not moved or made a single sound. She escaped their clutches, but how long could her good luck last?

Yumi knew now that she would never find her home on her own. She had to seek out help. But who could she trust?

It was early morning when Yumi finally ventured out of hiding and approached some tiny people, children, playing in a yard. She put on her friendliest face and maa'ed at them, "Please help me, I am lost!"

The children petted her, and she closed her eyes with happiness. How wonderful it was to find such kindness! They said many things to each other, and then brought old an older person, who picked her up and placed her with some chickens. She gazed through the fence at him imploringly, and was rewarded with a handful of grain.

She bleated her thanks. "Please, please help me find my way home!" she begged.

Night came and went, and the gentle man gave her more feed, which was very good to feel in her stomach. The chickens were interesting, but said nothing that made sense to her. How sorely she missed her sister and other goats.

Suddenly, her tiny ears caught a familiar sound and she ran to the fence. Could it be true? Was that really her new owner, who had taken her to the new home? It was!

The new owner patted her gently and put a rope around her neck, then placed her in the same truck she had rode in before to go to her new home. Yumi's heart swelled with joy, and she called out, "Thank you, thank you!"

It was quite a long ride home! Yumi marveled at how far she had come, obviously in the wrong direction. When her new home came into sight, her little legs trembled. Oh how wonderful it was to see now. It may not be her home pasture and little red barn, but it was her new home, to be appreciated now in a way she could not before.

Yumi's new owner carried to back to the little pen, and she yelped in joy as she spotted none other than her sister!

"Yumi, Yumi is that really you?" Gypsy hopped up against the fence for a better look.

"Gypsy, I'm so glad you're here!" Yumi was set down on the ground and she ran to her sister, sniffing her long ears with happiness.

Gypsy danced a little goat jig and exclaimed, "We never thought we would see you again! Our owners have been terribly sad, searching and searching for you!"

Yumi looked a little embarrassed, and shuffled her hooves, "How did you get back home, sister dear?"

"The man who saved me from the dogs must have brought our new owner over to see me, and she brought me back home. It's much better here, safe from dogs and the rain, and the goats here really are quite nice. Even the ponies are okay. There is good food and much room to run. It is a good place."

Yum lowered her head and said softly, "I agree. It was foolish to run away. I am grateful to be here now, and I hope our babies love and appreciate it too, when it is time for them to be born."

The two sisters slept together that night, and every night afterward, content in their new home.

Adventure Goat

Yumi has been FOUND!

Can you believe it? She went missing nearly three weeks ago. I had honestly given up all hope of finding her, had spent hours searching, putting up posters, posting online. There are so many coyotes, stray dogs, wild pigs, and of course, the dangers of people themselves. I felt that surely Yumi had fallen victim to one thing or another and was terribly sad.

So imagine my surprise when I got a phone call this morning telling me they think they have my goat!

She apparently came up and tried to play with an older man's grandchildren over the weekend.

He caught her and penned her up with his chickens, unsure of where she came from. He saw my poster at the Post Office this morning and gave me a call.

She was found over *ten* miles away. Astonishing. Especially for a goat, since goats don't tend to wander far. I wish she could tell me all about it!

She appears to be in fairly good health and unhurt. I've put her with her sister and she settled right in, eating hay and snoozing in the sun. I wonder how her adventure will affect her pregnancy, but I suppose we will find out in the spring. She is due March/April. I hope, being so early on in her pregnancy, she will not abort, but it's always possible of course.

On another note, I have been featured on Fugly Horse of the Day. I submitted several posts, and currently two of my most offensive horse slaughter related posts are being discussed. I'm certain the more rabid followers of FHOTD will have themselves twisted into knots over it, so I'm sure the comments will be fun for all of you to read! I personally may not read the comments past what I have already peeked at, for I have no interest in reading ignorant insults.

Have a great week everyone!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to all of my readers. I do hope you are all enjoying them.

I personally do not celebrate Christmas, so I spent the day getting things done. Yesterday I cooked a ham and potato salad so that we would have some nice leftovers today and I wouldn't need to cook.

I played with the ponies and goats a bit, checking feet and making sure everyone is feeling fine. We've been having a lot of RAIN lately. I'm ever so grateful for it, even if the mud is starting to get a bit deep! Our grass is trying hard to grow. I've got half the pastured section off from the horses. I'm hoping if I keep them off of it into Spring, it will grow back and turn into pasture again. Fingers crossed!


After I came inside, I decided to go ahead and process some of the rabbits, since the wind had died down. I did three: the older male and two of the younger females, leaving an older female and young female to do possibly tomorrow.

I set them in cold salted water for a couple of hours, then removed the hind legs and set them aside to freeze, and put the bodies in the freezer. Can't wait to cook one!

If you wish to see the processed rabbits, click > Here <.

I've gotten a lot of painting done here lately. I finished a commission piece and have one other half way done. A couple of orders waiting on models and I'm doing some personal pieces: Apple and Spyder. Lots of fun!

Looking forward to the New Year. Be sure to check back soon!

Dinner Doesn't Always Come Packaged

At least, it doesn't if you're resourceful!

Say hello to Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. (Snacktime and Brunch are in the pen above them) They are young rabbits.

Looking at them, and after showing them to my friend who shows rabbits, we've decided they are Standard Rex rabbits. They sure are cute, aren't they?

Sometimes your food IS cute. But food it remains.


These five rabbits will be processed most likely this weekend. They are from a lovely older lady in the next town over who has become a little overwhelmed with rabbits and wants to make sure they go to good use. I stopped by her place today and had a lovely chat and made a new friend, and she gave me these rabbits to process and feed my little family. They will not go to waste, that's for sure!

I know it can sometimes be hard for some people to wrap their minds around this way of life. Is that bad? Not currently, but I have this vague feeling that it will become a negative thing. More people need to expose themselves to the truth of where your food comes from. Once it breathed and moved and lived and had a face. It didn't show up wrapped in plastic and foam or in a box. It WAS alive once, it DID have to die to feed you.

Not everyone has the stomach to process their own meat. For those who did not grow up in that kind of life style, the process that goes into it can be difficult to acclimate to. Someday, perhaps not in my lifetime or the next, I have a premonition that these skills will be very important.

There are many meat animals that can be raised humanely with good quality of life in small areas. Rabbits, quail, chickens. Then you move upwards to things like goats, sheep, turkeys, and more.

You don't need a ton of land to raise your own food. You just need enough. Grow a little garden. Raise a little pen of quail (Coturnix are popular) or keep a pair of rabbits. Find someone to help you process, or use the Internet and research.

You CAN do it. And who knows. Someday you might HAVE to.

Check back after this weekend to see the processed rabbits.

To update on things around here. Yumi has still not been found. I'm not really optimistic at this point, but I did put up a few more signs. We've done some repair on the run in and dewormed the horses. Secret is starting to pick up, slowly, but surely. I can't wait to see her once Spring rolls back around.

To all of those who celebrate the holidays, have a good one!

And he sent forth the pasta strainer and verily said...don't overcook the macaroni please.