I'm a big fan of Owls personally...

[mi650]

LOL, I'm joking (slightly) but yeah- who doesn't love a good bear gun argument. Just been pitching that the Marlin SBL would fit awfully nice above the fireplace mantle (you know, just in case ).

Family is protected, I get a new (albeit slightly ridiculous rifle) under the guise of necessity that harkens back to our forefathers that colonized this great country...

Anywho that's the story I'm selling, wife isn't buying it but dollars to doughnuts, the very 1st night we have a bear in our backyard, it's going to be my "fault" that we don't have a "bear rifle" at the ready to protect (not us) but our 4 legged pets. Not joking about that either, once the trash can gets flipped and the wife is watching it happen, yep it'll be "bear rifle time" for the exact same reasons I was pitching already.

Any other married fella's out there- help me out with a nod that I'm speaking the truth.

-LD

A few years ago, 150 yards behind our house:

Coincidentally, I'll be using a 45-70 for deer.

 

[Makinchips208]

Deal owl in the road this morning.
I don’t know my owl types real well, but I think it’s dead. They got some serious claws, talons, graspers?

 

[Slash0311]

My back yard this summer.

 

[Baron23]

I live in what is definitely the suburbs in a small townhouse community...very nice townhouses but nonetheless with wild woods right behind me that are part of a city park. I've been hearing an owl hooting outside for last 2 years. When I hoot back, it seems to fuck it up for a bit...then goes back to hooting. lol I've only seen it in silhouette and have no idea what kind. But this is in Maryland so pretty sure its a smaller common owl type.

In any case, no more little bunnies or chipmunks and I used to see quite a few. Also prob due to red fox I've also seen prowling around. Too bad the owl can't take down one of these &$(%* deer that keep eating our landscaping. They are so use to not being threatened (shoot one where I live and its a long time in jail) that you have to honk your horn out them to get them to move out of the damn way.

 

[TexPatriot]

My old place had a big oak out back with a breeding pair of bald eagles that nest in it.

A land clearing company out here clearing off property for more developement supposedly dozed down a hollow oak den tree that had been used by many generations of Great Horned Owls. They said they found small dog and cat collars, some with vet tags dating back years.

Fucking serial killer owls. Seriously, Great Horned Owls are some apex predators.

 

[101st]

Glad someone mentioned the screech owl. They don't get very big, but man do they make one hell of a racket. Like someone screaming. Old timers say someone about to die if you hear one.

 

[akmike47]

A land clearing company out here clearing off property for more developement supposedly dozed down a hollow oak den tree that had been used by many generations of Great Horned Owls. They said they found small dog and cat collars, some with vet tags dating back years.

Fucking serial killer owls. Seriously, Great Horned Owls are some apex predators.

Yeah they give zero shits lol

The craziest part is how silent owls are flying, they can go right over you and you don’t hear shit. They have serrated wing tips that break up vortices

 

[Mongo68]

We have a nasty group of town-crows here that behave like a gang of angry barking dogs. During “open window season” they start in about 4:00-5:00 am and sporadically throughout the day. While outside working and enjoying a peaceful summer morning, they like to pretend to be 1%ers heckling a lone jap-bike rider….

Having tried a variety of recorded predator bird sounds, I have found owls sounds best to scare them off. Usually a few runs and they decide to party and smash bottle elsewhere.

I have on occasion accidentally called owls into the area, which can be heard peacefully hooting throughout the night. The neighbors always are grateful…..

My parrot mimics the local murder of crows now.
We do have at least one owl too. My little dog would refuse to do her business at night if he was out and about.
And we’re in the middle of suburbia.

 

[akmike47]

We have a nasty group of town-crows here that behave like a gang of angry barking dogs. During “open window season” they start in about 4:00-5:00 am and sporadically throughout the day. While outside working and enjoying a peaceful summer morning, they like to pretend to be 1%ers heckling a lone jap-bike rider….

Having tried a variety of recorded predator bird sounds, I have found owls sounds best to scare them off. Usually a few runs and they decide to party and smash bottle elsewhere.

I have on occasion accidentally called owls into the area, which can be heard peacefully hooting throughout the night. The neighbors always are grateful…..

I had a bunch that would sit over my old deer stand raising hell so I bought a predator call with crow calls. They’d haul ass when I’d set off distress calls.

 

[TexPatriot]

Yeah they give zero shits lol

The craziest part is how silent owls are flying, they can go right over you and you don’t hear shit. They have serrated wing tips that break up vortices

I've been varmint calling on moonlit nights and had them pass right over head, no sound just a black shadow. Creepy AF.

 

[LuckyDuck]

In the past 8-10 weeks I've only seen one squirrel and that was 3 weeks ago. I reckon that these apex predators are doing the lord's work at night and keeping all the critters at bay.

-LD

 

[BAMAboy18]

I live in what is definitely the suburbs in a small townhouse community...very nice townhouses but nonetheless with wild woods right behind me that are part of a city park. I've been hearing an owl hooting outside for last 2 years. When I hoot back, it seems to fuck it up for a bit...then goes back to hooting. lol I've only seen it in silhouette and have no idea what kind. But this is in Maryland so pretty sure its a smaller common owl type.

In any case, no more little bunnies or chipmunks and I used to see quite a few. Also prob due to red fox I've also seen prowling around. Too bad the owl can't take down one of these &$(%* deer that keep eating our landscaping. They are so use to not being threatened (shoot one where I live and its a long time in jail) that you have to honk your horn out them to get them to move out of the damn way.

Motion activated sprinkler!

 

[OkieMike]

Owls are cool. They can have their downside if you have pets or chickens/ducks.

They also tend to be... Curious. Not sure that's the right word but it will do.

There's a spot I would night fish years ago. And we would build a fire if it was cool or run a Coleman lantern when it was warmer. The light would attract the owls... And we would entertain ourselves hooting at them and listening to them reply.

Screech owls aren't as fun. The noise they make isn't pleasant... Especially when you're walking in the dark and not expecting it. Talk about crap your pants.

Mike

 

[LuckyDuck]

“There are great horned owls were I live. Possums, rats, small dogs, and cats get carried away quite often. There’s just nothing they can do. The owl is a silent hunter, almost impossible to detect before you feel the talons in your back.

Say an owner takes their pet outside to relieve themselves, hears the phone ring and goes back inside (leaving the pet outside). There’s no promise that pet will still be there when they come back. I have a big dog, so he can’t get carried away, but I sure don’t let my cats go out at night.

It’s a death sentence.”

*posted on another popular website.

 

[LuckyDuck]

Got this dang cat back in the house. My legs are all cut up and he got a flea bath much to his chagrin but oh well. He looks like a drowned rat but at least he wasn't scooped up by one of the owls.

-LD

 

[Devildog]

I have a pair of these guys on my place, are feral cats disappear as fast as crab rangoon’s at a Chinese buffet!

 

[LuckyDuck]

These Screech Owls are absolutely bonkers to listen to at night.