Chit Chat in VOLTVILLE Thread #2 :)

[Renolizzie]

Good morning, Voltpeeps,

I say we all meet at the Wuzz homestead...it is closer and cheaper Plus Wuzz runs a smoker.

The canoe trip was so horribly funny, Raven. Geez, you wouldn't have gotten me in that canoe. Maybe I can just view the gators from the shore.

Celt - Sounds awful, Celt. Maybe you can just stay inside until the ice melts.

How's Penny, SandySu? Did you go see her?

Housecleaning and grocery shopping today. It's going to be a long day.

 

[Renolizzie]

Hope you all warm up a bit, Celt, Raven, Terry, and the whole lot of you. Have a great day!

 

[Wuzznt Me]

That's the big disadvantage of warmer climates, alligators and bugs. I hate a roach that's the size of a rat.

Yeah, those small ones can get under foot and trip ya.

It would be amazing to live so close to the Myakka. For those of you that never read my Florida blog: I went canoeing there with four other artists in two canoes. The canoe that I was not in got rammed by a gator when we came around a bend too fast. The canoe sank. After they got back to the shore, that's when they realized that they'd have to go back into the water (with the gators) to retrieve the rented canoe. It was great! And you're right, Wuzz. Those gators were virtually wall-to-wall.

On any given day you can see a dozen guys out there wade fishing with fly rods and about 10 gators circling around hoping to take their catch away from them lol. A tap on the nose with a fly rod keeps them at bay. Never heard of one getting hurt but I'm sure it's coming. There's a little creek in the park that drains into the river and always a bunch of tourists feeding them marshmallows and schtuff. They sure are surprised when they get a ticket and threatened with jail time.

Say that as you try to outrun a gator, LOL.

I don't run from them. I run toward them. Dinner on the crawl. They really aren't that bad if you know how to handle them. I've grown up with them but I can see how somebody from somewhere else views them as a threat.

 

[awsum140]

I just have a hard time viewing a large carnivore with a mouthful of big, nasty, teeth and a very powerful bite that is perpetually looking for fresh food as anything but a threat. It's kind of like people up here that feed the bears because they are so "cute" then wonder why they get mauled. What part of wild animal isn't clear to them?

 

[SandySu]

How's Penny, SandySu? Did you go see her?

Yes, I braved the cold yesterday and visited Penny. She's fine, but for a while now, she has been reluctant to lift her left hind foot so I can clean it out. I don't know what's wrong, and I wonder if she hurt herself when she was tangled in the vines. Sunday morning, the farrier came to trim her hooves, and I asked him about it, and he saw exactly what I meant when he tried to lift her foot to trim it. It's weird, because after a while, she will lift it. He suggested rubbing her hind legs to warm her up. He said to wait and see if it goes away when it gets warmer and she moves around more, grazing. Right now, they are in a small area, and they don't even roam around that much, since they stand at the piles of hay most of the day. I did see a spot away from the hay where someone had either laid down to sleep or to roll. It was a big, flattened-out area. And they were standing over near that spot, not eating hay, when I arrived.

 

[SandySu]

I don't run from them. I run toward them. Dinner on the crawl. They really aren't that bad if you know how to handle them. I've grown up with them but I can see how somebody from somewhere else views them as a threat.

What happens if you run toward them? Do they then turn tail and run away from you? Since this discussion started, I read up on them a bit. Apparently, feeding them makes then unafraid of humans, and that's when there's trouble. Have you encountered one of those? Would running toward one who is used to humans work? Please share your alligator lore.

 

[Tritium]

Where's Tritium? He hasn't been around since Tuesday morning, at least here in Voltville.

Last I heard, Trit was going to go get a helmet. I sure hope he's OK. Trit, are you out there? Report in!

I am here.

 

[3mg Meniere]

I don't run from them. I run toward them. Dinner on the crawl. They really aren't that bad if you know how to handle them. I've grown up with them but I can see how somebody from somewhere else views them as a threat.

Do you eat 'gator meat regularly? Is it available in restaurants? Seems like controlled hunting would do well for population control, like deer-hunting around here.

 

[rave]

Say that as you try to outrun a gator, LOL.

Yeahhh - I'd probably be singing a different tune if I'd been in the canoe that sank. Just sayin'.

Good morning, Voltpeeps,

I say we all meet at the Wuzz homestead...it is closer and cheaper Plus Wuzz runs a smoker.

The canoe trip was so horribly funny, Raven. Geez, you wouldn't have gotten me in that canoe. Maybe I can just view the gators from the shore.

Celt - Sounds awful, Celt. Maybe you can just stay inside until the ice melts.

How's Penny, SandySu? Did you go see her?

Housecleaning and grocery shopping today. It's going to be a long day.

Hope you have a good day, Lizzie. Doesn't sound like much fun.

Yeah, those small ones can get under foot and trip ya.



On any given day you can see a dozen guys out there wade fishing with fly rods and about 10 gators circling around hoping to take their catch away from them lol. A tap on the nose with a fly rod keeps them at bay. Never heard of one getting hurt but I'm sure it's coming. There's a little creek in the park that drains into the river and always a bunch of tourists feeding them marshmallows and schtuff. They sure are surprised when they get a ticket and threatened with jail time.



I don't run from them. I run toward them. Dinner on the crawl. They really aren't that bad if you know how to handle them. I've grown up with them but I can see how somebody from somewhere else views them as a threat.

Oh, fly fishing amidst those things sounds like a bad thing waiting to happen. The only fatality that I heard about at the park was the gal who decided to go for a swim in the pond up near the food stand. At least ... I think that's where it was. CRS! Gators feed at night. We were warned to stay away from the water after sunset.

I can just envision you running toward a gator instead of away from one. That ... just suits you.

I just have a hard time viewing a large carnivore with a mouthful of big, nasty, teeth and a very powerful bite that is perpetually looking for fresh food as anything but a threat. It's kind of like people up here that feed the bears because they are so "cute" then wonder why they get mauled. What part of wild animal isn't clear to them?

That's exactly right. The more a wild animal is fed by humans, the less fear they have. That makes them bolder and far more dangerous. Even wild animals raised in captivity from birth still have the instincts of a wild animal and are still quite dangerous.

I am here.

You okay?

 

[Wuzznt Me]

I just have a hard time viewing a large carnivore with a mouthful of big, nasty, teeth and a very powerful bite that is perpetually looking for fresh food as anything but a threat. It's kind of like people up here that feed the bears because they are so "cute" then wonder why they get mauled. What part of wild animal isn't clear to them?

Up until a few years ago bear attacks on humans was very rare in Fl. Last year a woman got mauled in her garage in a neighborhood that's loaded with bear and other protected specie due to developers building houses where they have no business being. Like right next a game preserve with about 70% of Florida's black bear population. Come to find out one of her neighbors had been feeding them and trying to make friends for some time. As long as you're feeding them their fine but when you have no more food they start viewing you as lunch. Same with gators and almost any other wild predator. Leave the dang wildlife alone!

What happens if you run toward them? Do they then turn tail and run away from you? Since this discussion started, I read up on them a bit. Apparently, feeding them makes then unafraid of humans, and that's when there's trouble. Have you encountered one of those? Would running toward one who is used to humans work? Please share your alligator lore.

Most of the time you have to sneak up on them to get close enough to catch them. One that has lost it's fear may not be so quick to turn tail and run. When they went on the endangered list years ago, due to poachers selling hides, the FWC started relocating the ones people complained about. They'd buy a house on a creek, lake or river and feed them and it was really fun to take photos and send them to the folks back home until....they watched in horror as the gator swam away one day with their dog in his mouth or their kid got attacked. They relocated a bunch of them to a national forest that was a popular deer hunting area and made it illegal to come anywhere near the gator. Down here we hunt in swamps and bays a lot. The first year the gators were running hunters up trees and sent more than a few scrambling to get away from them. At that point shooting one, even in self defense, could get you jail time and huge fines. In the early 60s you could average about $1,000 for a couple of nights work down in the glades but not with a gun. It was poaching even before the law made it impossible. The hunting method was with a hatchet and a lot of intestinal fortitude as well as knowing a lot about gators. They finally figured out they couldn't catch all the poachers since the money was so good back then so they made it illegal to sell Florida alligator products. The gator population slowly came back to the point of nuisance gators not only being relocated but a hunting season opened by permit only. I'm not sure but I don't think they relocate anymore. Humans have cost more than one innocent gator his life.

 

[rave]

Up until a few years ago bear attacks on humans was very rare in Fl. Last year a woman got mauled in her garage in a neighborhood that's loaded with bear and other protected specie due to developers building houses where they have no business being. Like right next a game preserve with about 70% of Florida's black bear population. Come to find out one of her neighbors had been feeding them and trying to make friends for some time. As long as you're feeding them their fine but when you have no more food they start viewing you as lunch. Same with gators and almost any other wild predator. Leave the dang wildlife alone!



Most of the time you have to sneak up on them to get close enough to catch them. One that has lost it's fear may not be so quick to turn tail and run. When they went on the endangered list years ago, due to poachers selling hides, the FWC started relocating the ones people complained about. They'd buy a house on a creek, lake or river and feed them and it was really fun to take photos and send them to the folks back home until....they watched in horror as the gator swam away one day with their dog in his mouth or their kid got attacked. They relocated a bunch of them to a national forest that was a popular deer hunting area and made it illegal to come anywhere near the gator. Down here we hunt in swamps and bays a lot. The first year the gators were running hunters up trees and sent more than a few scrambling to get away from them. At that point shooting one, even in self defense, could get you jail time and huge fines. In the early 60s you could average about $1,000 for a couple of nights work down in the glades but not with a gun. It was poaching even before the law made it impossible. The hunting method was with a hatchet and a lot of intestinal fortitude as well as knowing a lot about gators. They finally figured out they couldn't catch all the poachers since the money was so good back then so they made it illegal to sell Florida alligator products. The gator population slowly came back to the point of nuisance gators not only being relocated but a hunting season opened by permit only. I'm not sure but I don't think they relocate anymore. Humans have cost more than one innocent gator his life.

Whoa!!

 

[Wuzznt Me]

Do you eat 'gator meat regularly? Is it available in restaurants? Seems like controlled hunting would do well for population control, like deer-hunting around here.

Not all that regularly. You can get gator in limited resturants and fish camp resturants. Usually gatorburgers. Controlled hunting is what we have here now. A short season. I'm too old, weak and slow to catch anything over about 4' now. There are some guys on tv that show how it's done. Don't know what state they're in or what channel they're on. I think they've got a gator farm and are licensed trappers. The show is called "Gator Boys" if I recall.

 

[Wuzznt Me]

Sorry Rave. I know you don't like reading about killing animals. I don't like much of it myself unless it's for food. Never hunted for hide or trophy in my life. I have great respect for nature and hate seeing some of the things humans do to it.

 

[tmcase]

Had a great time with Terry Wednesday and Thursday. It's not that easy to find a female friend that enjoys doing the same things that I do.[/COLOR] Like woodworking. We learned how to use an electric hand planer for one of her projects and I'm working on a small mod holder for my studio. She also was subjected to her first Sketchup lesson. And, I did some mat cutting and framing for her.

Thursday morning, I made her homemade donuts. Made from the kind of bisquit dough that you buy in rolls. It doesn't sound good, but they are really yummy. It was a family tradition for me to make them over the campfire before we moved here. Donut day was always special.

Ditto what she said. I couldn't use the planer very long because of my broken hands but I can work on it a little at a time when I go up there. Here desk riser is really cool. The pic doesn't do it justice. You should see the matts she put in a few of my drawings. They are textured suede and gorgeous. I was going to post a pic but the color and texture didn't show up.

We designed a project that I want to make on Sketchup and it turned out pretty good but she makes it look so easy. And the donuts were great! [/QUOTE]

 

[tmcase]

I can bring my own tent and camping gear. I love camping in Florida. Especially in February when it's not so danged hot. Hmm ... we could all go to the Myakka River and canoe with the alligators!! I'd love to do that again. Ahhh, just blue-skying.

Sounds like fun except for the alligator part.

 

[awsum140]

Bears are protected here like the gator in Fla. I am all for protecting wildlife and understand that we humans have encroached on their territory. On the other hand there is a thing called evolution and survival of the fittest. We do have an unfair advantage in those departments though. Makes for a tough balancing act. In the mean time the bears are moving south every year and should be present, state wide, in another couple of years. I am glad we have a big, strong, protective dog. At least he will provide a warning.

Getting a fine for killing an aggressive animal in self defense just seems a little over the top to me.

 

[Wuzznt Me]

Bears are protected here like the gator in Fla. I am all for protecting wildlife and understand that we humans have encroached on their territory. On the other hand there is a thing called evolution and survival of the fittest. We do have an unfair advantage in those departments though. Makes for a tough balancing act. In the mean time the bears are moving south every year and should be present, state wide, in another couple of years. I am glad we have a big, strong, protective dog. At least he will provide a warning.

Getting a fine for killing an aggressive animal in self defense just seems a little over the top to me.

You got that right but that's the way it was back then. The choice was simple. If you can't abide by it, don't go hunting there. It was a National Forest.

 

[rave]

Sorry Rave. I know you don't like reading about killing animals. I don't like much of it myself unless it's for food. Never hunted for hide or trophy in my life. I have great respect for nature and hate seeing some of the things humans do to it.

Oh no, Wuzz. I understand. There's a time and place for everything - including hunting. When the natural order gets outta whack because predators have been too far reduced or invasive species take over, I understand it. I've seen deer starving in Cook County, Illinois because there was no hunting allowed and no predators available to keep them under control. I can't understand cruelty towards animals. That's where I draw the line. I only said "Whoa!" because I couldn't imagine going up to a gator and taking it out with a hachet! That would take some serious ... um ... confidence. Yeah, let's say "confidence".

 

[JerryRM]

Good morning, Volties. !!!!!

 

[JerryRM]

Oh no, Wuzz. I understand. There's a time and place for everything - including hunting. When the natural order gets outta whack because predators have been too far reduced or invasive species take over, I understand it. I've seen deer starving in Cook County, Illinois because there was no hunting allowed and no predators available to keep them under control. I can't understand cruelty towards animals. That's where I draw the line. I only said "Whoa!" because I couldn't imagine going up to a gator and taking it out with a hachet! That would take some serious ... um ... confidence. Yeah, let's say "confidence".

Naw, that's not the right word, Raven. I think that "insanity" might be a better word.