Life off the grid in the SW Texas desert. An experiment in sustainable living. NUMBERS AT THE END OF EACH BLOG POST: temp at 8PM,high temp,low temp,rainfall,wind conditions(CalmBreezyWindyGusty). YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFieldLab
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That is certainly a nice thought but not really the way it works for rabbits. I would suspect that this is not the mother as their were several rabbits nearby when I took this photo and none of them seem to show any particular affinity for one another. By the time they reach this age, they are on their own and the mother has little to do with them as they are only protected while still in the nest.
Looks like two stuffed rabbits waiting to chow down on all that rabbit food they found on the ground of John Wells place! They don't normally find such easy picking in that desert!
I guess there are no feral cats out there. They probably couldn't survive absent Mr. Wells' provisions. Aren't those rabbits vulnerable to eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls ? Or is there negligible habitat for such raptors ? I just don't know that much about Terlingua Ranch area; I have only passed through several times. Thanks for all your efforts to capture and share the zeitgeist; or is it the leitmotif ?
Hey Sam Keith - you left off some of the more dangerous rabbit predators - like rattlesnakes, coyotes, mountain lions, badgers, etc. And one of the most dangerous of all - men hunting with a shotgun. Rabbits are high on the dinner list for most animals that eat meat! One has to admire the jack rabbits & cottontail rabbits for surviving - in great numbers -on the Terlingua Ranch - despite all the other animals that kill & eat them!
Thanks to Mr. Mahan for citing the reptilian and mammalian predators. I actually saw a dead badger up on Hwy 90 between Alpine and Marathon; couldn't believe it ( I have a vacation house in Marathon ). I did not know that there was much mountain lion activity out side of Big Bend park and ranch. To me, The wildlife is one of the reasons the whole area is so satisfying.
Thanks to Mr. Mahan for citing the reptilian and mammalian predators. I actually saw a dead badger up on Hwy 90 between Alpine and Marathon; couldn't believe it ( I have a vacation house in Marathon ). I did not know that there was much mountain lion activity out side of Big Bend park and ranch. To me, The wildlife is one of the reasons the whole area is so satisfying.
Hey Sam Keith ---- I have killed several badgers that threatened to eat my valuable hunting Labs - near our Mahan Hunt Camp. And I saw a really large mountain lion on Cedar Spring Creek - near the West Road creek crossing. Fact is - that Mountain lion hunting near scare water in the desert - convinced Don & I we should build a water resource - for wildlife on our ranch property. Worked out just great - now wildlife visits us for 50 weeks a year for water - and we have lots of game to hunt during our two week annual hunt. And a nice bonus - we do not have to haul water from the Lodge every week! Putting in a water catchment & guzzlers was the best thing we ever did to improve our Hunt Camp.
P.S. - And I want to assure our friends that that the Terlingua Ranch does have some excellent wildlife food for hungry visitors. Our favorite:
Grilled Dove & Quail breasts - cooked on our stone fireplace.
Stuff the breasts with small strips of jalapeño peppers & Monterey Jack cheese - and wrap the stuffed birds with some good bacon. Secure the bacon with some pre moistened toothpicks to prevent loss of food into the coals. Season with spices to taste - then grill over a bed of hot desert Juniper wood coals. Serve with good Mexican beer (Dos Equis is our favorite) - along with a salad & some beans. And enjoy some of the best food found on the Terlingua Ranch!
That's the classic for dove. I have fixed many that way over the years; but people who have never had them before them All! All this positive info is making me want to get some rough land in Terlingua Ranch. Thanks Mr. Mahan.
P.S. --- the remainder of the birds are chopped up fine & used with diced onions, peppers, and garlic to make dirty rice. This also goes great with the grilled birds. Yum yum!
God's gift. How precious. And I bet the mother wants to protect the bunny.
ReplyDeleteThat is certainly a nice thought but not really the way it works for rabbits. I would suspect that this is not the mother as their were several rabbits nearby when I took this photo and none of them seem to show any particular affinity for one another. By the time they reach this age, they are on their own and the mother has little to do with them as they are only protected while still in the nest.
ReplyDeleteI don't know ... could pass for Big Clone and Little Clone.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLooks like two stuffed rabbits waiting to chow down on all that rabbit food they found on the ground of John Wells place! They don't normally find such easy picking in that desert!
ReplyDeleteI guess there are no feral cats out there. They probably couldn't survive absent Mr. Wells' provisions. Aren't those rabbits vulnerable to eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls ? Or is there negligible habitat for such raptors ? I just don't know that much about Terlingua Ranch area; I have only passed through several times. Thanks for all your efforts to capture and share the zeitgeist; or is it the leitmotif ?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if you have trouble with hawks?
ReplyDeleteI know there are Vulchurs there. They provide a service here.
ReplyDeleteHey Sam Keith - you left off some of the more dangerous rabbit predators - like rattlesnakes, coyotes, mountain lions, badgers, etc. And one of the most dangerous of all - men hunting with a shotgun. Rabbits are high on the dinner list for most animals that eat meat! One has to admire the jack rabbits & cottontail rabbits for surviving - in great numbers -on the Terlingua Ranch - despite all the other animals that kill & eat them!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Mr. Mahan for citing the reptilian and mammalian predators. I actually saw a dead badger up on Hwy 90 between Alpine and Marathon; couldn't believe it ( I have a vacation house in Marathon ). I did not know that there was much mountain lion activity out side of Big Bend park and ranch. To me, The wildlife is one of the reasons the whole area is so satisfying.
ReplyDeleteThanks to Mr. Mahan for citing the reptilian and mammalian predators. I actually saw a dead badger up on Hwy 90 between Alpine and Marathon; couldn't believe it ( I have a vacation house in Marathon ). I did not know that there was much mountain lion activity out side of Big Bend park and ranch. To me, The wildlife is one of the reasons the whole area is so satisfying.
ReplyDeleteHey Sam Keith ---- I have killed several badgers that threatened to eat my valuable hunting Labs - near our Mahan Hunt Camp.
ReplyDeleteAnd I saw a really large mountain lion on Cedar Spring Creek - near the West Road creek crossing. Fact is - that Mountain lion hunting near scare water in the desert - convinced Don & I we should build a water resource - for wildlife on our ranch property. Worked out just great - now wildlife visits us for 50 weeks a year for water - and we have lots of game to hunt during our two week annual hunt. And a nice bonus - we do not have to haul water from the Lodge every week! Putting in a water catchment & guzzlers was the best thing we ever did to improve our Hunt Camp.
P.S. - And I want to assure our friends that that the Terlingua Ranch does have some excellent wildlife food for hungry visitors. Our favorite:
ReplyDeleteGrilled Dove & Quail breasts - cooked on our stone fireplace.
Stuff the breasts with small strips of jalapeño peppers & Monterey Jack cheese - and wrap the stuffed birds with some good bacon. Secure the bacon with some pre moistened toothpicks to prevent loss of food into the coals. Season with spices to taste - then grill over a bed of hot desert Juniper wood coals. Serve with good Mexican beer (Dos Equis is our favorite) - along with a salad & some beans. And enjoy some of the best food found on the Terlingua Ranch!
That's the classic for dove. I have fixed many that way over the years; but people who have never had them before them All! All this positive info is making me want to get some rough land in Terlingua Ranch. Thanks Mr. Mahan.
ReplyDelete.....EAT them all.
ReplyDeleteP.S. --- the remainder of the birds are chopped up fine & used with diced onions, peppers, and garlic to make dirty rice. This also goes great with the grilled birds. Yum yum!
ReplyDelete