I moved to the sticks 15 years ago, having lived either in suburbia or the city for my first 35 years. When I got here, I thought beavers were adorable, deer were adorable, bears were adorable...well, you get the picture. !@$@$@$#ing beavers were killing every tree/shrub within 20 feet of my creek, in order to make my entire 2 acre back yard THEIR lake. 2-3 times a week, I'd have to wade into the 55 degree water with a digging bar to break up their succession of dams which these very crafty furry engineers set up to flood my house and yard. While THAT was going on, on any given night, upwards of 15 deer would show up, knocking down or leaping over the 6-foot high protective fencing around wife's garden, destroying everything in sight. (In dead of winter, they come all the way up onto my porch, eating the ivy, which took all year to grow) While THAT was going on, had to take the 1-arm-bandit trash can from the edge of the road around to the back of the house, because the !@#$@$@#%$@#%Ing BEAR was tearing it open, spreading a week's worth of garbage all over the road, to greet me on my way to work any given morning. Later on, the bear got even more brazen, coming right up to the house to dine on my garbage, with the same results--looked like a hand-grenade went off inside the can.... bear even went onto my porch one April, ate/drank 9 2 liter bottles of soda pop, set aside for kid's 16th birthday party (ok..THAT musta been amusing to watch....he apparently was jumping up and down on each bottle, lapping up the Mountain Dew as it squirted out the tooth-holes) NOW, I have to put the damn garbage can in my basement during spring and summer. We killed the damn beaver (neighbor is a trapper), and have killed a half-dozen or so deer over the years (the ones who just WOULDN't TAKE a hint) (Everyone in the neighborhood loves venison) Also have killed an equal number of groundhogs (horse steps in their hole, instant broken leg). Can't shoot the bear...heap big trouble for doing THAT. (Although, I'm thinking one of the neighbors finally popped him). If I had a chicken coop, I'm sure snakes would be on the list too
