Wildlife Identification

[Kid Sopris]

Today while chat'n with Fannie, she related that she never saw a coyote in the wild before. Her only experience was with the zoo. So I thought I would share some pictures with you, taken by me while cruising the wilds of Colorado. And yes, some these were harvested by your's truly. It's how I fed my family.

WARNING: IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY PICTURES OF DEAD AND MOUNTED ANIMALS, PLEASE DON'T LOOK. THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T POST ANY ON THIS FIRST POST.:ty

[Kid Sopris]

Living in Colorado and on the edge of wilderness and wildlife habitat, much like my daughter "Chantilly Lace", provides for interesting experiences.

Here a Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep walks out close to the edge of the house for some early day snack. We lived at the edge of the the Bighorn Sheep preserve for a few years.

[Kid Sopris]

Dear hunting, was a passion much like elk hunting or Cowboy Action Shooting. I don't hunt any more , but the next three pictures will show some Mule Deer bucks, that were harvested and mounted. I harvested does as well, as they were essential to the four food groups.

This is what is referred to as a 4 point with excellent eye guards or brow tines:

[Kid Sopris]

This is a 3 point, but it was so tall, that it had to be captured. He was hiding in some real thick oak brush and all I could see were the white tips of his antlers when he was harvested.

[Kid Sopris]

This next one, an excellent specimen, was hiding along side an old wreck and rusted out car at the bottom of a draw. He knew good armour when he saw it, but not good enough, I am afraid.

[Kid Sopris]

Elk antlers different that from deer, this was a large pair that was worthy of keeping. I didn't harvest this animal, but I was Lion hunting when a sharp point snagged my "Wranglers" and tore them, I dug down to see what was underneath the snow and lo and behold !

[Kid Sopris]

These next two are for Nellie as well, she seems to have some difficulty seperating her "Quack Quack's" from her "Cockadoodle doo's".
Here are a pair of Mallards ducks. Hen on left Drake or right.

[Kid Sopris]

A typical Canadian goose, and Nellie this one makes a "honking" sound, which is different than a honky sound:

[Kid Sopris]

Sometimes when you least expect it, scavengers and opportunity wildlife will come into your environment, actually we invaded theirs, so they are naturally curious.
A Cotote, Male :

[Kid Sopris]

This next fellow attacked my truck early one morning.

[Kid Sopris]

Porcupines, for the life of me, have not given me a single clue why they are here. This one was so big that the taxidermist could not find a form big enough. Another funny thing about them is they have a face like a monkey. (no not the trunk monkey).

[Kid Sopris]

Raccoon's are wildlife natural burglars complete with mask.

[Kid Sopris]

Rock Chucks, or Marmots as they are commonly known as, live in the rocky outcroppings above 7,000 feet. They can stand up to 24" high.

[Kid Sopris]

Last but not least, is a lesson why you do not go into the wilds without survival gear, and yes that includes some means of protecting yourself as well. This was captured by my friend Marty Stouffer of Aspen, Colorado. You might remember him for providing many wildlife documentaries for television. Given that, we never went to the field without a camera and a rifle.

We were not seen by the aggressor in this mounted picture, nor by the prey. However we were ready. This picture hung in my home for many years.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

For a moment there, Kid, I thought you was gonna show pics of the after Bust Out party///////:go :sassmarshall

[Ida Hands]

Here in Southern California you always see coyotes in person (NO, not the ones bringing illegals across the border). Where I live there is a hill behind us. The coyotes used to come close to the house and yip at night. I miss them. You always heard the pups singing with their mothers. NOW, all we have is rabbits! Auuuggghhh! RABBITS! They have eaten my lawn down to the skin! They are running out into the road when I am leaving for work at 4:30 in the morning! They sit on my "lawn" or where it used to be and make my dog bark! (I was told she is part wolf) We need our coyotes back to keep the rabbit population back in check.
Oh, yeah, we have a bandit in the neighborhood too. He comes over my fence and knocks over my dog food bucket. I used to leave him some food in a bowl so he wouldn't have to dump my dog food. My mother got nervous about that so now he has to "help himself". BIG BOY TOO! GREAT PICTURES, KID!

[Nellie Blue]

So it WAS a Rock Chuck that I saw up at Brian Head when we shot there last summer! Good to know!

[Nellie Blue]

So, how would you like to protect your bird feed from this guy?

[Nellie Blue]

When I saw that 1st photo, I thought it was faked...then I saw this one...

[Nellie Blue]

Recon any birds landed on the feeder while this was going on?

[Nellie Blue]

And my mom has fits trying to keep the squirrels and raccoons out of her bird feeders! Guess she'll look at them in a different light! :rofl

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

There sure must have been something good in that feeder! :lool :lool

[Kid Sopris]

And my mom has fits trying to keep the squirrels and raccoons out of her bird feeders! Guess she'll look at them in a different light! :rofl


SHEESH, Now I know where you get your "quacks" and "clucks" screwed up from! Nellie, that is a Black Bear, Better known as :Classification of Ursus americanus, the American black bear: Kingdom: Animal, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Subclass: Theria, Infraclass: Eutheria, Order: Carnivora, Suborder: Fissipedia, Family: Ursidae, Subfamily: Ursinae (all bears except the giant panda and the spectacled bears), Genus: Ursus, Subgenus: Euarctos, Species: americanus. Not a squirrel or raccoon!:lool

[Fannie Kikinshoot]

:fun :gg :fun :lool

[Hugh Damwright]

So, how would you like to protect your bird feed from this guy?


With about a 300 Win Mag. :gg

[Chihuahua Floyd]

With about a 300 Win Mag. :gg
Hugh,
Thats overkill. not to say overkill is a bad thing, but let face it, we're Cowboys.
Ruger Vaquero, 45 Colt, 250g RNL, full case BP
97 Winchester, 12 ga. #1 buck
Ruger Superblackhawk, 44 Mag, 300g RNFP
Almost any 45-70

Axe, (my Grandfather saw it done in South Ga.)

3 dawgs and a large knife (I ain't this brave)
CF

[Hugh Damwright]

Hugh,
3 dawgs and a large knife (I ain't this brave)
CF

How about Bayou Blessing... I hear she's pretty wicked with a knife~ ;)

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Hugh,
This would require one of those Wallaby Jack, I mean Crocodile Dundee, knives. Not BB's lil' pigsticker.
She might kill me with it now that I called it a lil' pigsticker, but, I'm a little pig anyhow.
CF

[DogWoman]

Gee...and I thought it was pitiful watching a 62 lb. lab and 75 lb German Shepherd try to eat out of the bird feeder....

[Four-Eyed Buck]

DW, Whitetail deer are pretty interesting to watch hitting a bird feeder, too.......Buck:lool