Went camping this weekend with my scout troop. MInd you, this camp is deep in the heart of the Dallas Metroplex, just southeast of downtown Dallas and surrounded by the suburbs of Duncanville. We had just put the boys to bed a half hour earlier and the adult were just sitting around yaking under lantern light. (There is a fire ban in the area due to extremely dry conditions). Happen to glance over and 30 feet away is a couple of racoons trying to lift the lid off the cooler. Smart little critters would have done it too . I was just suprized at their boldness with us so close, not what they were doing. We hollered at them and of course they popped back into the woods. About an hour later I crawled off to sleep on my air-mattress (too hot for a tent and I actually like sleeping under the stars) We hear an ambulance siren going in the background . And then all this wailing and yipping started up. The Coyotes decided to answer the Ambulance, must have been 5 or 6 of them and they were very close, probably over the next hill. Makes the camping much more enjoyable with the wildlife, of course yo don't expect this much at this camp because it isn't out in the wilderness but 10 minutes from downtown Dallas. Interstate 20 traffic can be heard as well at night you can see the glow of the city. Just goes to show how truely adaptable wild animals have become. As to the campout, lets jst say we had a lot of new scouts and their trainig still has many holes in it. They thought it would be fun to torment a good sized paper wasp nest. Thank god no one was stung. That and the usual light the toilet paper with matches fascination.

Sounds like a nice trip. I’m not a camper myself but I do spend a lot of time in the woods. I’m almost always hunting, fishing, foraging, or hiking.
I probably would go camping but my house is already back in the woods. We get every thing from rabbits to deer in are yard. Heck every now and then we even have a bear walk past.
I have picture of some of them if your are interested let me know and I’ll upload them.

I don’t think I could sleep out with the coyotes. But the ones around here are probably more dangerous. There over populated and that has lead to them cutting down the smaller wilde life population and attacking small farm animals. The main problem is the game commission doesn’t agree they are over populated probably because they would have to admit it was a probably there fault it happened.
I’ve even seen them attacking people including myself but this is after being provoked in one way or another.

The reason the animals aren’t spooked by the sounds from the road is that they haven’t “attacked” them. An animal will be nerves around new sounds or objects but unless its sometime the animal already perceives as a threat it usually wont run to far. After a few times it will realize that the sound or object doesn’t attack them or isn’t followed by a threat they don’t worry about it.

Coons are usually not afraid of humans because we usually don’t attack them. But they do learn quickly that we usually have food so they perceive humans as a food source. They are one of the most common forms of wild to enter towns. This also makes them one of the most destructive as they try to get into every thing.
You should know coons can get into anything not locked by a key. Latches, nobs and even straps are nothing for them to get open. I’ve even seen them turning combination locks but I’ve never heard of them getting one open.

Just a little bit of expertise. I don’t know if anyone will find it interesting or not.

And about the toilet paper. I think your have that problem anywhere. When I was in high school we had a paper towel dispenser that some one hade once done that with.

Any way it sounds like you guys had a good time. I hope you continue to have good trips with your scout.

Heck, I get to see coons, and see, and hear, coyotes just driving back and forth to work. It's one of the things I love about living up here. I'm a city boy, and getting to see things like Antelope, Buffalo, Coyotes, Deer, Fox, Wild Turkeys, Racoons, Squirrels, Prarie Dogs, ect, around my house and work is a big deal for me. We've even had email Mountain Lion and Bear warnings. There seems to be at least one Mountain Lion who likes it around the campus at work.

The first time I heard coyotes I was really surprised. They didn't sound at all like they do on old movies. It was late at night at work, no moon, very dark, and just a bit eerie. It took me a while to figure out what they were.

My house is no more than 3 miles from downtown Springfield MA. in a pretty well developed suburban setting. I've had skunk, raccons and opossum (stepped on one once) in my yard, as well as chipmunks, grey, black and flying quirrel. I've seen deer tracks, beaver, snaping turtle and fox within a couple hundred yards of the house. My neighbor's kids have seen coyote between their house and the high school, half a mile away. The small wetland two house lots away is home to a flock of redwing b;ackbirds and is regualrly visited by great blue herron and up to a dozen mallards, especially in the winter. Our electricial, who lives closer to the center of town has seen a black bear in his yard.
Just missed seeing a moose in an industrial park adjacent to a residential setting at the gates of Westover Air Reserve Base a few weeks ago.

You guys are so lucky! The only wildlife we get anywhere near urban areas is birds and blimmin Possums.

I live on a barrier island, so the only way wildlife gets here is fly or swim, or cross several miles of bridge, which is hazardous to their health. If I go on the mainland, I can find bear & wolves as well as more varieties of the "normal" stuff ...

Nonetheless, my backyard is a wildlife preserve and so we get deer, fox, a few snakes, racoon, rabbits (although I think hurricame Isabel in '03 & the foxes have cut these folks to a near-zero population), turtles, otter, nutria, and lots/lots/lots of birds & of course fish, but not in my backyard.

Racoons have figured a way to get up to our "3rd floor" deck (we're on stilts, so 1st floor is empty except for uninsured storage) & rip open the bird seed container -- I have no stairs leading up there or trees that high anywhere near, so I am puzzled.

John

John if your deck is extended past the house some and has wooden or stone cased posts holding it up they could climb that pretty easily. As long as its close to the edge that is.
Just an idea.

Just to show the possible downside to all of this nature being so close I thought I'd share this email I just got.

With Autumn upon us, it is that time of year when Nature's creatures get ready for Winter. This means that rattlesnakes, bears, and other animals are getting ready to den up, hibernate, or go into torpor. HP advises that all of our employees be especially cautious and observant while they are outdoors. Be particularly observant when playing disc golf, hiking or biking on the numerous trails at the HP sites.

HP employees are encouraged not to wear headphones while engaging in these outdoor activities, as the headphones may preclude the wearer from hearing the warning signs that the animals give, such as the buzzing rattle of a rattlesnake when a person gets to close. As the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", and this is especially true if one can avoid a rattlesnake bite by hearing the warning buzz before it is too late.


Among those "other animals" mentioned are the Mountain Lion I spoke of earlier.

Very true, and I've scanned those posts for any sign of marks that might indicate that's how they do it with no luck yet .... I have had noises indicating they are coming from the opposite of the house from the decks but can't figure it out ...

I do know that when caught in the act, they''ll run for it around the front, jump on the seat, the rail, and leap for the tree below .... which accounts for the newly broken branch ...

Anyway, since we've moved the seed container inside, they've quit coming around ... so far ...

BREAK: My Favorite wild animal story.

Living in Kansas with woods & fields behind, we got all sorts of animals. We had 3 beagles who slept in the garage on a big pile of old rugs & things. They had a swinging door out into the fenced yard.

Winter, they'd all snuggle up together & be comfy. One morning I walked out & the usual pile of dogs was there on the pile of rugs, with barely an eye opened to see what was going on. Then I counted FOUR noses -- that ain't right I said, so I looked closer & a possum had come in, joined the pile of warm animals & was sleeping soundly. Soon I had 4 sets of eyes semi-open looking at me, but that was all. I turned around & went back in the house .... never heard a noise, the possum left sometime, dogs didn't care ... so much for watchdogs ...

John