But, the state of California has banned hunting mountain lions now for decades. Lions are territorial, and adults can occupy and hold large swathes of countryside as theirs.
Without hunting, the population has filled the habitat. Juvenile lions have no place safe to go, so they wander down out of the mountains onto the flats, where there are little ranches and farmland.
About 8 miles from me, on Sunday, some folk heard their gate bell ring around midnight. When someone - or something - comes through their driveway the bell is activated. When they looked out the window, they saw and heard a large animal dash across the yard.
Next morning, they found the lion had killed four of their pigmy goats and a chicken. Didn't eat them, just killed them. It jumped a seven foot fence to get at them.
So, it's kind of like living on the Kalahari in Africa. Lions, roaming around seemingly at will. The local paper noted that lions have also been seen over the past few months along the American River Parkway in Sacramento, where hundreds of people bike, jog and hang out every day, and in Roseville, a bedroom community a little to the east. One lady near here, in Wilton, came home one night and her car headlights caught one in her yard by the house as she pulled in.
Here where I live, I'm closer to the mountains. I have a metal building I call a barn a short ways below the house, and I habitually wander down there at night in total darkness (my Man Cave is set up there). Maybe I ought to pack some heat when I do that? Wouldn't want to meet somebody like this out there in the gloom unarmed!
Good thing I've got two ferocious dogs! Kill, boys, kiiiiiiilllll!
Sometimes, you just have to deal with the problem and keep your mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteThe three "S" solution. Shoot, shovel and shut up.
Deleteyour dogs must be like mine, retired. lol. but yeah, best go armed 24/7 even without the lion. in the east we have something called a coy wolf, hybrid coyote, that isn't afraid of people and eats whatever it wants. little wonder my dog "retired".
ReplyDeleteThese dogs were born retired. Naw, they'll bark if someone walks by on the street, or if a deliveryman comes to the door. The Rhodesian especially has an impressive woof, when he uses it.
DeleteLooks like a couple of Democrat voters. Laying around waiting to be fed by their master.
ReplyDeleteThat's about it.
DeleteOne hardly ever sees such bare naked ferocity.
ReplyDeleteThe lion has it, too!
DeleteLooks like California democrats just after the welfare checks got cashed. No insult to the dogs
ReplyDeleteCarry all the time and the three S's.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of any trees between you and the man cave. If one of those drops on you a gun won't do you any good at all.
ReplyDeleteHey CW, I live in Markleeville and 5 years ago a lion took our jack russell right in front of our house. Found the remains the next day and was able to hunt the cat down and dispose of with my .270. Not a problem with fish&game. Never heard from any gov since.
ReplyDeleteCheers
good livin out there on the lions dinner plate. enjoy it boys and girls. you got to expect this kind of thing when you and yours is on the menu. by the way, are the lions keeping down the wild horse population levels on the BLM lands? have to look into that some time in as much as BLM blows $50,000,000.00 a year on "storage fees" for all the horses it rounds up and dont get auctioned off every year. big business in OK and NEB.
ReplyDelete