So..........

[JerryL]

do I go for more peppers or should I try a tomato this morning?

[feldon30]

How about some high-speed lead pellets. j/k

[Adenn1]

I think a groundhog came by and ate all of my snap peas...he lives next door under my neighbors shed. My neighbor wanted to know if he should "take care" of him...but we both decided to live and let live.

[JerryL]

I go by the live and let live philosophy most of the time also Mark.

This year has been really hard on the animals around here. We’re more than 13 inches below our normal rainfall which puts us in a sever drought condition. That in turn makes it hard for the critters to find enough moisture without eating my plants.

I had a good harvest of peppers earlier this year so I’m not too upset over losing a few. I do draw the line at the Aunt Gertie's Gold however.

[Sherry_AK]

That guy looks like he could have quite a large appetite!

Late in the season here a squirrel picked all the red and green toms off my plants on the deck. The perimeter of the deck, including the railing, is lined with half-eaten tomatoes right now. We did get really, really angry though when he ate the little Japanese Maple bonsai. (Not angry enough to harm him, though.)

A couple years ago we had a major squirrel relocation project. We trapped and relocated over a dozen of them. That was the year I used all natural fertilizer and discovered the squirrels loved it more than the plants did!

Good luck protecting your plants!

Sherry

[Worth1]

I have always kept plenty of food and water out for the birds and critters and never have a problem with them.
Just lucky I guess.
Worth

[obispo45]

Mark and Jerry, 9 times out of 10 I belong to the live and let live school of thought and honestly attempt to practice it to the best of my ability. BUT, gotta agree w/ Feldon on this one. That big bad, mamma jamma looks like it possesses a rather large appetite. Time for him to "sample" maybe a Fatalii pepper or three as a deterrant.

[amideutch]

Just catch him in a live trap and take him for a ride to the country. Ami

[JerryL]

Ami,

That’s part of the problem, I’m in the country. Plus I don’t think it would be worth the effort. I’d be spending all my time trapping and driving. He has so many relatives I’d never be finished.

This is the first year I’ve had any trouble with my peppers being eaten. I’m blaming it on the drought. All the animals have to be having a hard time finding any kind of water around our neck of the woods. Creeks and ponds are all dried up. The floor of the woods has NO foliage. If it isn’t watered by man it’s drying up.

So I’ll let them do their thing this year and plan on some fences for next year.

[tessa]

what about leaving out a bucket of water for them?

[Adenn1]

Tough times for all...I was very unhappy about my snap peas...but I can do something about it in the future (small fence). In the end..I just think of it as...it is what it is.

My time now is spent getting beds ready for winter and thinking about next year...I have to remember that I "share" space with many critters and have to live with that...in the end, I will be a better person for it.

[PaulF]

With all the critters and critter problems I had early in the year, I was in favor of rapid onset lead poisoning as the solution. I did put up one of those 7 1/2 foot cheap-o vinyl net deer fences and made sure I staked them securely in the ground. Not only were the deer kept out, but the other 5 or 6 species of varmints who had enjoyed the locally grown produce.

My wife still was upset that most all her flowers were eaten during the night most nights. Don't know what to plan for that problem next year.

The reason given for our influx of animals in the yard and garden was the very late spring hard freeze killed most of the natural food the beasties usually ate, so they ate where they could.

Am I softening in my older years? Maybe, but since I found an easy, cheap solution that is what I will do. Now if the hunters will reduce the deer population and the flowers are allowed to grow we will all be happier.

[Adenn1]

Paul:

Down in your neck of the woods...I would think the hunting season for deer would be pretty good. I grew up in Grand Island...I have fond memories of hunting around there.

[Earl]

Let me know when you get it cooked. Too, don't soak it more than 15 minutes in the salt water or it will leach out all that pepper/tomato taste. :-)


Oriental Groundhog
Recipe By: Hunters Information Service
Serving Size: 4
Preparation Time: 0:00
Categories: Wild Game Groundhog/Woodchuck
Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method
1 Ground hog
2 quarts Water
1/4 cup Salt
1/2 cup Soy sauce
2 cloves Garlic whole
3 Hot chili peppers whole
1/4 Onion
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 bunch Parsley whole
4 Beef bouillon cubes
1/4 teaspoon Freshly-ground white pepper
1 cup Beef or chicken broth
Teriyaki glaze
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut meat into serving pieces and soak in 1 quart water and salt for 3 hours. Transfer meat to 1 quart clear water and soak 4 hours. Drain and dry meat. Place meat in a baking pan with beef broth, soy sauce, garlic cloves, chili pepper, onion, paprika, parsley, bouillon cubes and white pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Baste frequently. Brush with teriyaki glaze while cooking. This recipe yields 4 servings.

[Worth1]

Earl I have a BBQed Armadillo recipe you would just love.

Worth