We live in the country here in my part of southern Litchfield County, CT. With all the beautiful vistas that nature has provided comes real live nature right into your own back yard. Wild animals that is.
From cute little bunnies to bears, possums, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, deer, all manner of mice and such, bobcats, an occasional moose, and there are many residents of Connecticut who swear they have seen mountain lions. Of course this is a big battle between residents and the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. The DEEP insists there are no mountain lions in CT, yet many a credible witness has claimed to see one and described it to a "t".
It doesn't really matter. HEY, we live in the woods, and they were here first!
Being smart will go a long way for you and your pets and property.
- Make sure you keep your dogs and cats up to date with their rabies vaccinations!
- Bird feeders attract bears. If you are feeding birds you may want to wind down for a few months. You can put your bird feeders back up in December. Actually the DEEP suggests that you NOT feed birds from late March through November because this is when bears are most active. Of course if you are looking for a photo op with a bear, continue to feed the birdies!
- Don't leave garbage outside, wait until the morning of your trash collection. If you leave your garbage on a porch with a screen door only, you are liable to find the screen in pieces and your porch invaded overnight by a very large creature! Store your garbage in a shed or garage, something with a sturdy door. They also suggest a few capfuls of ammonia to the trash bags. These ideas also help to keep the raccoon's and such out of your garbage too. Boy can they make a mess, and you really don't want to entice them close to your house.
- Don't feed your dog or cat outside. All manner of wild beast will thank you if you do continue, but that is probably not your goal.
- Never put meat or any sweet smelling fruit rinds in a compost pile. They also suggest sprinkling lime on your compost pile to help disguise the smell.
- Clean up fruit from the ground that has dropped off the fruit trees. (Although, there is nothing like watching a group of deer as they eat those fermenting apples, staggering from tree to tree.)
- Never leave a dog tied up outside unattended. Coyotes can attack. It is a bad idea all the way around.
- If your cat is an indoor outdoor cat, bring it in at night. It would seem my cats ran into a bobcat the other night, they are still in a panic. We were a bit lax at bringing them in at night, but now have them in at dusk.
- Keep a chimney cap on your chimney. You will thank me later. You don't want any critters gaining access to your house via the chimney.
And don't panic if you run into a bear, bobcat or coyote. Of course if you do see a mountain lion, take a picture and send it in the DEEP. Expect an argument, after all, they are quite sure we do not have mountain lions here in CT.
A few observations from the DEEP about close encounters on the wild side
- Bobcats will stay away from you, they tend to hide from human contact. They do like kitties, bring yours in at night.
- If you run into coyotes, make noise! Act aggressive. Again, your cat is at risk with coyotes.
- If you notice raccoon or any other wild animal acting "weird" in your yard, call the police department, local animal control officer or the DEEP. And stay away from the animal! Weird as in... unprovoked aggression, over friendly, lack of coordination, etc.
- And if you see a bear... well... my first conversation with the DEEP about a bear that was being fed by someone at one of my listings... they told me to greet the bear. (No thank you) Better suggestions seem to err on the side of caution. Move slowly, don't climb a tree, don't turn your back...get to safety asap. They rarely attack, but best to be safe.
Now don't get me wrong, I am not trying to scare you. We co-exist with the wild animals very well here. Smart practices will keep you and your pets safe and happy. For some more good tips (except about mountain lions because they are not in Connecticut, remember?) check out the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. They have some really great information on wildlife in Connecticut.
And if all else fails, if that woodchuck has moved in under your deck, or the raccoon's have taken over your garage, give a wildlife removal specialist a call! For a list of licensed professionals in Connecticut, click here.
Remember, they were here before we were!
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