I Hate Rabbits

As a boy scout in Troop Eight, one of the gems of woods-wisdom that we passed on to the youngest scouts was that one could make the smoke from a campfire change directions by chanting "I HATE rabbits.".

Given that the breeze at ground level is never steady, it appeared to work fairly well.

I HATE rabbits

 

These trimmings have been on the ground for a week.  I don't mind when they chew on these.

I do mind when they chew on one of my grafted apple trees.  

Close up of the damage.  The only part of a tree's trunk that grows is a very thin, very delicate layer of cells between the "bark" and the wood.  That layer will dry out and die unless I can protect it.

Who said the Main Stream Print Media was non-value-added?  I refuse to comment on the content (I did not read it), but the actual news paper is of deplorable quality. It tears very easily.

I saw a raccoon foraging for food.  He climbed this tree before I could snap his picture.

He was grubbing around in this spring when I first saw him.  He was one sad looking specimen.

This winter has been brutally hard on most of the local wildlife. I finally got a clue regarding what the wild turkey are eating.

I saw a big flock (30-50) working a field where a dairy farmer had recently spread cow manure.  I don't know if they were picking undigested corn out of the poop or if they were just filling up with poop because they could get some calories out of it.  It is certainly too cold for there to be many bugs in the poop.

Our next significant warm spell is likely to be March 9.

I still hate rabbits

Revenge is a dish best served cold.