Neighbors and wildlife-vent

[Mattemma]

Do your non-gardening neighbors feed and encourage wildlife such as rabbits,squirrels,chipmunks,deer,and so on?

I was just thinking about it the other day as I noticed neighbors filling their wildlife feeders.They love all the above animals and more. I see only 2 other people that garden.One is a young lady.The other is an elderly couple. I know the elderly couple don't really like wildlife getting into their yard/garden. Infact the elder male has mentioned the use of his pellet gun.

I have not shot anything(no gun),but I do yell and chase animals out of the yard.The neighbors say," Oh but they are so fun to watch." To me they are more of a threat due to crop destruction and disease(worms,ticks,fleas). I don't want to come off as a total meanie,but I get upset when I see animals digging up my yard.The neighbors just don't *get it*.

Every year there are more and more animals.The neighbors just keep feeding the same amount,and it results in expanded foraging into my yard.I am frustrated but the neighbors want what they want,and I am left trying to protect my plants with less success every year.

If they had a garden they would understand.

 

[wifezilla]

I have the same issue. The neighbors feed squirrels. Those squirrels then eat my apples, pears, pumpkins, strawberries, etc.... I have a bb gun but the squirrels are so fat and fluffy it just gives them a little sting.

A customer of mine who has a 1/2 acre garden said the best non-lethal thing to do for squirrels is to get a paint gun and hit the squirrels with ORANGE paintballs. For some reason the orange tagged ones don't seem to be able to attract a mate.

Not sure if it was true for all squirrels, but he says it works for him.

 

[Collector]

You should check with your local fish and game dept. Here it is illegal to feed wildlife,it makes them dependant on us for food and shelter. You can have bird feeders and squirrel feeders though.but as far as deer and rabbit and animals like that feeding them is illegal. many people do it but they shouldnt.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I understand. When I lived in suburbia, a neighbor fed raccoons. In a way, I am grateful. Without them getting hurt, my kids got to see how mean, vicious, and dangerous wild raccoons can be. And now that I am in the country, the guy that owns most of the land around here will not allow any deer hunting except for six point bucks or better. I think the deer herd would be a lot healthier if a bunch of the does were thinned out and the deer pressure on my stuff would be less.

I can't control what my neighbor does on his own land. I figure it is up to me to protect my garden and trees from the deer and other wildlife. My neighbor does not make it any easier but here he is within his legal rights. I'm not sure about the lady that fed raccoons in suburbia.

I do enjoy a lot of the wildlife. That is part of why I am out here. But I would prefer it remain wild.

 

[Warthog]

I feel for you.

I enjoy the wildlife on my land too, but fortunately it's big enough to accommodate all of us.

I don't agree with feeding the animals though, as some one already said it makes them dependent.

Maybe with regard to the squirrels and birds and things they feed, perhaps you could encourage them to plant flowers and trees with berries and seed pods the animals like more natural for them and maybe you might stand a better chance protecting your garden

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Fortunately I have no neighbors that like to feed the wildlife BUT I have a big problem with the City of Oakland.

We live next to a creek that runs through the city (we have an urban mini-farm) and the City has designated the creek and all land areas adjacent to the creek as a protected watershed and wildlife zone. So that means all wildlife, including the raccoons salivating for our chickens, opossums snacking on eggs and tomatoes, squirrels, wild ducks, geese, frogs, salamanders, and moths all get free habitat protection.

Mostly we've tried to coexist with them and have come up with different ways to keep them out. Or we place traps in the neighbors yards (which are part of the protection order) and relocate the critters.

 

[kyle]

thumbs up to relocating. I have a lot of frustration with wildlife, but when it all boils down, its their home just as much as our, if not more so. I have little defensive instinct towards introduced species, especially rodents. but native animals deserve the land more so than I, so i opt to try an d defend my land in the nicest way i can think of towards the animals. I am after all intruding on their land and changing it for my benefit, the least i can do is not torture/harm them more than i (or the people previous to me) already have via destroying their home.

give me spots on my apples, and birds in my trees. or however that lovely saying goes.

 

[seedcorn]

Fortunately I have no neighbors that like to feed the wildlife BUT I have a big problem with the City of Oakland.

We live next to a creek that runs through the city (we have an urban mini-farm) and the City has designated the creek and all land areas adjacent to the creek as a protected watershed and wildlife zone. So that means all wildlife, including the raccoons salivating for our chickens, opossums snacking on eggs and tomatoes, squirrels, wild ducks, geese, frogs, salamanders, and moths all get free habitat protection.

Mostly we've tried to coexist with them and have come up with different ways to keep them out. Or we place traps in the neighbors yards (which are part of the protection order) and relocate the critters.

To where? Might want to check into results of doing this.