Quote:
Originally Posted by cromag
We're having our second very mild winter in a row. That in itself isn't much of a problem, but it appears to have brought about a dramatic increase in the local mouse population -- and they're trying to move in with us. So far my trapping efforts are (just barely) keeping up. Hopefully the local fox and hawk (and snake) populations will expand to meet the challenge soon.
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We have a lot of this "wildlife balancing." We (as may of yo may recall) have coyotes, bobcats, Great Horned Owls, a variety of otherowns, red-tailed hawks and golden eagles, snakes of many varieties (rattlers and kings, the usual sorts, bullsnakes, yadda) and the like.
What we find is that after a mild winter or heavy breeding season, the Senior clan of predators (the mature ones) tend to congregate where the free buffet starts. The bigger the food supply, the larger and fatter the predator class. I already know, from watching what's happening on our property, that we're going to have more coyote pups this year. A bigger litter or two of bobcats. And all that. I can't imagine that it would be any different for you--the foxes, hawks, etc. will all relocate where the All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet is the best.
(When we lived in the city, the coyotes
always looked like half-starved GSD mixes. Up here, they look like they're getting ready to go to the Westminster Kennel Club Coyote show--fat, sassy and shiny coats. Not kidding, really.)
FWIW.
Hitch