wildlife protection

Hi there. You might enjoy this little true story: some wildlife protection people in our area said we should go ahead and kill some foxes that were using our henhouse as a grocery store. We have a small farm here in the mountains, complete with chickens that roam the yard. The past few years we have had foxes, coyotes, owls and other exciting north american predators eating our birds. I really wanted the killing to stop, but couldn't stand the idea of killing the predators. So I called the local wildlife protection group to ask for their help. They came by with traps and gave us all sorts of advice for weeks. Day after day the foxes and others outsmarted us and continued snatching hens. Eventually my flock was down by more than half, and I was pretty upset...the fox did not always kill cleanly, and we were out of business as egg producers.

Those earnest wildlife people gave up on us in less than a month, and said they could understand if we needed to shoot the foxes, etc. I never did kill any, not for lack of trying; Beloved did.

not for squeamish

Is it only a year ago since my Beloved killed his first hog? I was nurse to his surgeon that cold day. Wow, it has only been one year since that milestone. We got so proficient with that ultimate task. I picture a slightly overgrown market hog, maybe 200 or 250 pounds, hanging elephantinely by one elegant rear hoof from a cross beam in our barn, not even swaying, it's so heavy. The carcass is dirty as a pasture-raised pig will be dirty. At the neck, a vertical dark red slash where, post-rifle shot, the farmer forced in the sharp sticking knife, then twisted mercifully, severing the vein. Closer viewing of the great head shows the tiny bullet hole between the eyes. You know, I can't remember if there is usually a dried trickle of blood there or not. I also have never fully watched the sticking part. The slit neck has bled copiously and still oozes by the time we let the carcass down off the chain.