Love in the Springtime

[Bwana]

Apparently this is the season when more cottontails are made, either that or my yard is to rabbits as the Playboy Mansion is to humans.

Yesterday morning while brushing my teeth I hear two loud noises that seemed out of place. A quick inspection found my 16 yr old trying to take out a couple of cottontails he saw in the back yard while eating breakfast. He ended up getting both of them, two bunnies down.

Fast forward to last night's supper. We were just sitting down to eat when my daughter says, "Dad, there are two MORE rabbits in the yard." Well, by the time I grabbed the shotgun and some shells they had disappeared into the shelter belt. A few minutes later they were back and this time I was ready but I only got one before the other ducked back into the trees. He would have been safe there but he decided to check on his buddy, two rabbits down. I thought the fun was over but as I was putting my supper plate in the dishwasher I noticed another rabbit near the last one I had just killed and though I can't be certain it appeared to be eating his dead buddy just like gophers will do. (maybe it was a zombie-bunny?) Anyway, a quick shot and bunny number 3 was down. Not sure what was going on yesterday but I do know there are 5 less cottontails we will have to worry about munching on our garden this summer.

[HideHunter]

I didn't have rabbits in the yard for years because I had an old lab that made it her life's mission to keep them out. She's been gone a couple years now and the old springer only bothers to chase them if he trips over one. Had 4 rabbits and three squirrels in the yard yesterday morning. That would have never happened on
Sage's" watch. ;) I did have a 'first" yesterday. Like you Bwana, I heard a noise, but this was coming from the river; bunch of thrashing, splashing and squealing. I slipped down over the bank and finally spotted two huge otters really going at it. Took me a bit to figure out what their intentions were but I finally decided it was indeed a battle between two males. They were moving so fast it was hard to tell if anyone was actually getting "bit" or just making a lot of commotion. This went on for several more minutes before one decided he had a pressing engagement somewhere else. He headed west and the other never even gave chase, just headed downstream like he was on a mission. He was. Within a minute he had run a smaller otter up on the sandbar and it became immediately apparent this wasn't a fight. Otters breed somewhat like cats. He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and proceeded to have his way. It went on for about a minute when my dog came running up the bank and she spotted him. She jumped up and ran off with no obvious effort, even with a much larger male still attached firmly to her back and completely oblivious to me, the dog or why she was leaving. Been a big year for me - pheasants, turkeys, deer, coyotes, rabbits and now otters - voyeurism is my thing. ;)

By the way, do you eat those rabbits Bwana? Love me some fried rabbit.

[Bwana]

Otters huh? That would be cool to see, the fight that is as I'm not the pervert you are. ;) Though there apparently are some here in ND, I have yet to see one.

As for the rabbit outbreak, the oldest boy told me that yesterday morning after the previous day's slaughter of 5 cottontails he saw another one sitting in the yard when he left for school. Guess I've got some more hunting to do.

As for eating them, I've eaten rabbit prepared by others but have never tried it myself. Obviously the other day would have been a great day to give it a try but never really thought about it. Maybe next time?

[Thumper]

That would be cool to see, the fight that is as I'm not the pervert you are. ;) Though there apparently are some here in ND, I have yet to see one.

You've never seen a pervert in ND? ;)

[Bwana]

I hadn't until that day I saw you at the truck stop. :)

[Thumper]

See there ... you fibbed! ;)