Do mules hate raccoons?

Winter is finally starting to loosen its icy grip on us here in the mountains. We have switched from sub-freezing nights to torrential rains and -for today anyway-warm and sunny. If you can believe the computer, though, it's supposed to start raining again on Tuesday.

There is so much standing water on the ground that our poor mules and horses were up to their knees in mud. Our mare, Miss Kelly, looked like a pickup that had been out 4-wheeling in a bog. We decided it was time to put them out in the pastures, even if the ground was still spongy. We put the grown-ups out on the 7 acres and brought Princess Tiger Lilly (our 2-year old mule) and Gunner (a pretty yearling paint) to the field by our house.

Now, everyone knows that mules don't like dogs, so a side benefit of having Princess around is that the neighbor dogs that are let loose by their irresponsible owners to roam the neighborhood are giving our place a wide berth - Yay! no more dog poop to deal with.

I was surprised, however, the other morning. I saw what I thought was a cat coming across the neighbors field -hard to tell exactly what it was when people let their grass get over a foot tall. As soon as it crossed over into our field, though, Princess exploded. She raced across the field and tried to stomp it into the ground. The two of them zigged and zagged across the grass until the smaller animal finally had the presence of mind to throw itself through the far neighbor's split rail fence. It circled back around and finally came back toward the house, being careful to stay on the neighbor's side of the fence. I then realized it was a raccoon! He was out in full daylight at nine o'clock in the morning - highly unusual for a night-dweller. I finally figured out that our mule had kept him at bay the night before so he couldn't get to the leftover catfood on our deck - a nightly ritual on his part that will wake you from a dead sleep with the racket he makes. He was making another desperate attempt to get supper so he could bed down for the day, but Princess wasn't going to let it happen.

I guess the moral of the story is that having a mule will help you keep the dogs, the cougars and now the raccoons out off the property they patrol. Another reason to honor the under-appreciated mule.

Union County Oregon Hunting Report:

TURKEY season is open. Opening day reports suggest that many hens are being seen by hunters indicating little nesting activity and toms that are less receptive to calls. Early season hunters will increase their chances of success by staying out in the field all day. Walking into hunting areas that are not reachable by vehicles can produce enjoyable, uninterrupted hunts. Snow may limit access in the early part of the season.

SPRING BEAR hunting season is open. Look for bears on open South slopes. Hunters should watch bears carefully before taking a shot, to be sure that a sow with cubs is not taken. Cubs are quite small in the early spring and may be hard to see. Early scouting should include checking access to hunting areas that may be snowed in. Many forest roads will be soft with early snow melt, take care not to cause unnecessary ruts. Remember the new rule this year: successful bear hunters checking-in must present an unfrozen skull; otherwise tooth collection and measurement is difficult. Biologists recommend propping the bear’s mouth open with a stick after harvest; it makes for easier tooth collection and measuring.
COUGAR hunting is open. Warmer weather and a rise in snow levels will make tracking more challenging. Hunters should focus there efforts near deer and elk winter range. Setting up about 150 yards downwind of a deer/elk kill site during the twilight hours can be productive. Cougars are attracted to turkey calls; however turkey loads are not legal for harvesting cougars. A shot size of #1 buck or larger or slugs are required for the legal take of cougars with a shotgun. Hunters with cougar tags are advised to carry slugs or buckshot while turkey hunting. Always prop the mouth wide open on harvested cougars and bears, this saves time when biologists pull a tooth. Hunters bringing in frozen heads with the jaw shut will be asked to return at a later date with the jaw open.
COYOTE numbers are strong throughout the county. Using predator calls as a lure and moving call sights after 20 minutes is an effective method for harvesting coyotes.

Remember a lot of land in Union County is owned or used by farmers and ranchers. You need permission to hunt and should always be careful not to damage fencing or leave gates open!

Attention Fishermen: The ice is melted off Wallowa lake, the creeks and rivers are full and fast and it's time to start thinking about trout.

GRANDE RONDE, WALLOWA, IMNAHA RIVERS AND TRIBUTARIES: steelhead, trout
Steelhead angling in the Grande Ronde, Wallowa, Imnaha, Umatilla and Walla Walla rivers is closed as of April 15. These streams will open for trout angling on May 23.

This is truly an amazing wildlife area that few people know about yet. Every time I drive by this wonderful reserve I see new and beautiful birds. For my first post, I wanted to make sure that everyone interested in Eastern Oregon was made aware of this event next week.

The fourth annual Ladd Marsh Birdathon will take place May 8 – 10 at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area located 6 miles south of La Grande, Oregon.
Commemorating International Migratory Bird Day, the event is scheduled at the height of spring migration and nesting in the Grande Ronde Valley. Few, if any, places in Union County have a more diverse bird population than at Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area. Over 200 species of birds either visit or live permanently at Ladd Marsh.
ONLY ON THIS WEEKEND will birders have the opportunity to explore areas of the wildlife area generally closed to the public, providing increased opportunities to see an abundance of ducks, geese, swans, raptors, shore birds, and passerines.

Here is the Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife link for the event: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/viewing/events/index.asp