Comments on: Symbiosis With The Funky Butte Ranch Owls

By: OrgoCowboy

OrgoCowboy — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:26:17 +0000

Wow. The Rodenator. Somehow it’s relieving to know that there’s an entire municipality as concerned with the squirrel onslaught as I am. Although I generally think “beware when massive overwhelming force is used on a non-lethal problem.” Cats seem to be a more proportional weapon — mine get some. But I sure have a prolific squirrel population. They reproduce like squirrels.

By: Al Larabee

Al Larabee — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:17:17 +0000

Hi Doug;
I enjoyed meeting you in Seattle. I’m waiting for your alaska book to arrive from Amazon.
One thing I remember from my trips to Alaska was the billboard outside of Talkeetna that said”Welcome to Alaska ladies! the odds are good,but,the goods are odd!”
On the ground squirrels- Spokane has begun to use a device called the Rodenator to eliminate them.A mix of propane and oxygen is piped into the tunnels then detonated with an electric charge.
I don’t have that problem. I’ve a number of feral cats on my acre that supplement their diet with moles and ground squirrels.
Al Larabee

By: OrgoCowboy

OrgoCowboy — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:11:57 +0000

Jules-
I think the Funky Butte Ranch owls might be available for lease. I’m sure they’d be open to eating exotic, lawn-fed squirrels. Next time I’m hiking up the Butte, I’ll ask them.

By: Jules

Jules — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:52:39 +0000

Owls! Ah-ha! Maybe that’s the ecofriendly solution to the squirrels eating my fruits and veggies. I live in a resort community that frowns on things like shooting squirrels and deer for food. A reasonable objection given the close proximity of houses and plethora of children running about. Instead, we pay tax dollars to have the deer captured and transported out of the area. (There is SO much more to that story, but let’s not go there.) Squirrels, however, have free rein to devour everyone’s landscape like a salad bar. They especially love my yard. I’ve always been into gardening. Since moving here, I’ve worked hard to figure out ways to “landscape” with food-producing plants. Totally doable. Yes, even in a community that has restrictions on what you can park in your driveway, you can grow veggies, herbs, and fruit in an attractive enough way to not piss off the Code Enforcers. The squirrels, however — for no reason I can discern — have started wiping me out. In years past, my yard was open to the whole neighborhood for kids and adults to come pick pears, berries, peppers, and tomatoes. Now, suddenly, all that’s gone thanks to The Great Squirrel Explosion. Hmmm, so how do I encourage more owls and/or hawks to move into the area???

By: pin

pin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:31:05 +0000

hi,..^^i come from asia..and i have read ur book.u have good humour.. ..thanx for ur sharing..em..in fact,asia is hard to do wat u have mentioned in the book..maybe in the future…we can do wat u have done..however,i really appreaciate ur sharing..it brings a lot of fun n healthy life style ..included mental health..thanx

By: OrgoCowboy

OrgoCowboy — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:07:36 +0000

Oh, yeah, it’s diverse all right. Just in rattlesnake varieties. At this time of year, the cricket symphony has begun. I have to rescue at least one from each solar-heated shower.

By: Rodney Hampton

Rodney Hampton — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:51:14 +0000

It sounds to me like you’ve got a real _American_ community Doug…lots of diversity. That’s what it’s all about.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:42:45 +0000

I love your blog posts, and I loved the book. Keep it up!

By: OrgoCowboy

OrgoCowboy — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:08:48 +0000

Jim — Two important things: eat their eggs and listen to them quack. They make good vibe music.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:25:32 +0000

What do you do with ducks?