Well I have a groundhog that has made its burrow in my back yard. I'd just shoot the damn thing but shooting in city limits is appareantly frowned upon. I'd poison the damn thing but it'd most likely go down the hole and die, which would cause a huge stink eventually as it decomposes. I guess I need to hire someone to trap the thing. What do they use for bait I wonder?
I don't want to even get on the topic of spiders. They are EVERYWHERE in the yard and oak trees.
Spiders don't live without food. If you have lots of spiders, you have lots of bugs. Leave them alone or you will notice the increase in other bugs.
For the ground hog, didn't you watch cartoons? Lots of great ideas from Wylie Coyote...
Quote from: Bison on September 03, 2012, 11:28:49 AM
Well I have a groundhog that has made its burrow in my back yard. I'd just shoot the damn thing but shooting in city limits is appareantly frowned upon. I'd poison the damn thing but it'd most likely go down the hole and die, which would cause a huge stink eventually as it decomposes.
If the groundhog goes down his hole and you then fill the hole up I'm sure the stink would be minimal. I've buried several deceased cats over the years (one recently :() and I haven't noticed any strong smell. Just cover the hole with a rock if you're worried about other critters digging him up later. I'm not necessarily condoning poison mind you as it's liable to kill pets and could be dangerous to children.
QuoteI don't want to even get on the topic of spiders. They are EVERYWHERE in the yard and oak trees.
You have my sympathies. I just found a spider under my washing machine lid. He was at
least as big as a fig newton...
I have a good friend who has trapped every type of conceivable varmint. I'll see him tomorrow and ask what he recommends.
From my experience if you cover up a groundhogs hole he will just dig one up somewhere else. I have a resident groundhog who lives at the top of my driveway near my mailbox. He leaves us alone, we leave him alone.
I could make some recommendations but I don't think they'd end well.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.moviefanatic.com%2Fimages%2Fgallery%2Fcarl-spackler.jpg&hash=e8fe523fa28aa67e88db4600945534fbe177b858)
Just remember this -
Quote
A varmint will never quit - ever. They're like the Viet Cong - Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on superior firepower and superior intelligence. And that's all she wrote.
My place is over-run with giant house spiders this year. I've had one in the kitchen sink on 4 occasions in the last week and one in the shower almost every day. I don't have a problem with spiders but man, there are a lot of them and these little guys are fast! Wikipedia says they are the fastest spider known to man.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2F4%2F47%2FTegenaria_duellica.JPG%2F750px-Tegenaria_duellica.JPG&hash=0a8982f4a027784a5309a8324cd9c148c21e882f)
Spiders don't normally bother me, but that is one mean looking arachnid!
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on September 03, 2012, 12:35:19 PM
My place is over-run with giant house spiders this year. I've had one in the kitchen sink on 4 occasions in the last week and one in the shower almost every day. I don't have a problem with spiders but man, there are a lot of them and these little guys are fast! Wikipedia says they are the fastest spider known to man.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2F4%2F47%2FTegenaria_duellica.JPG%2F750px-Tegenaria_duellica.JPG&hash=0a8982f4a027784a5309a8324cd9c148c21e882f)
There is only one solution - exterminatus.
More seriously those orb spinners eat tons of bugs (as noted above). Just be happy with it. Most of them build a web at night and take it down in the morning. They actually make fairly descent neighbors (considering they're spiders).
Folks around these parts just tolerate them. There are probably 30 spiders making a home around my front porch. I can't say I love it, but having gone the route of sweeping them out they just return in a matter of a week or two - and they eat all kinds of insects. Unless they pose a direct problem to getting out of the house I just leave them be.
I will relate that when Daughter #1 was heading off to kindergarten one Fall morning we exited the house and there was a fairly large orb spinner that had build a web between the trees directly in front of the front door. As I start calling out commands to halt she passed directly under the web and cleared it by less than two inches. More concerned for her mental health than any serious bites it still was an unfriendly wakeup call. Needless to say, that spider wasn't treated too gently despite the happy outcome (for us, not it).
Quote from: mirth on September 03, 2012, 12:28:40 PM
I could make some recommendations but I don't think they'd end well.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.moviefanatic.com%2Fimages%2Fgallery%2Fcarl-spackler.jpg&hash=e8fe523fa28aa67e88db4600945534fbe177b858)
Just remember this -
Quote
A varmint will never quit - ever. They're like the Viet Cong - Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on superior firepower and superior intelligence. And that's all she wrote.
I was SO waiting for this.....you never disappoint, Mirth! I knew this one was right up your ally, bro!
Quote from: LongBlade on September 03, 2012, 12:52:46 PM
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on September 03, 2012, 12:35:19 PM
My place is over-run with giant house spiders this year. I've had one in the kitchen sink on 4 occasions in the last week and one in the shower almost every day. I don't have a problem with spiders but man, there are a lot of them and these little guys are fast! Wikipedia says they are the fastest spider known to man.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2F4%2F47%2FTegenaria_duellica.JPG%2F750px-Tegenaria_duellica.JPG&hash=0a8982f4a027784a5309a8324cd9c148c21e882f)
There is only one solution - exterminatus.
More seriously those orb spinners eat tons of bugs (as noted above). Just be happy with it. Most of them build a web at night and take it down in the morning. They actually make fairly descent neighbors (considering they're spiders).
Folks around these parts just tolerate them. There are probably 30 spiders making a home around my front porch. I can't say I love it, but having gone the route of sweeping them out they just return in a matter of a week or two - and they eat all kinds of insects. Unless they pose a direct problem to getting out of the house I just leave them be.
I will relate that when Daughter #1 was heading off to kindergarten one Fall morning we exited the house and there was a fairly large orb spinner that had build a web between the trees directly in front of the front door. As I start calling out commands to halt she passed directly under the web and cleared it by less than two inches. More concerned for her mental health than any serious bites it still was an unfriendly wakeup call. Needless to say, that spider wasn't treated too gently despite the happy outcome (for us, not it).
Like I said, I don't have a problem with them for the most part. They're more than welcome to live outside and even one or two inside is fine, but now that the weather's changing, they're all coming inside. I found 4 in my living room this morning and if I can see 4, I guarantee there are a lot more. I also saw one climbing through the screen on my PC van vent. These guys are just big enough that I'm worried they can damage the PC when I power it up in the morning after they've decided to sleep on off on top of my toasty warm video card as it cools off overnight.
Yeah, that's no good with them making a home in your PC.
I'm happy to live with them outside, but I don't think I'd get an especially warm welcome in their web, and I generally return the favor when they enter my house.
And a new sig is born.
Living in the woods I am at peace with most creatures. Except giant millipedes. Those bastards have to go.
Quote from: Gusington on September 03, 2012, 01:44:22 PM
And a new sig is born.
Living in the woods I am at peace with most creatures. Except giant millipedes. Those bastards have to go.
How long do those things get?
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.crackedcdn.com%2Fphpimages%2Farticle%2F9%2F8%2F2%2F143982.jpg%3Fv%3D1&hash=70dec3fbd768509f6ebdda4e023430b5b64e6030)
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 03, 2012, 01:49:07 PM
Quote from: Gusington on September 03, 2012, 01:44:22 PM
And a new sig is born.
Living in the woods I am at peace with most creatures. Except giant millipedes. Those bastards have to go.
How long do those things get?
Six inches. Give or take. Depends on where you are.
^That thing above is much more cuddly then the horrors I had to deal with.
Really? It's over 10 ft long you know.
Quote from: crackedBobbit Worm
At over 10 feet long, bobbit worms are about the closest thing we have to the sand worm in Dune. They have toxic bristles up and down their body that can cause permanent nerve damage to anyone who touches them, and they feed by grabbing their prey with massive, strong jaws and sucking it down into the sand.
They are ambush predators that wait in shallow waters with only about a tenth of their body poking out of the sand and their mouths stretched completely open. As soon as one of their antennae detects something in the water, they lunge for it, even if it's significantly bigger than they are. Their strikes, it should be noted, are so powerful that they'll sometimes accidentally just cut fish in half while trying to grab them.
To get a sense of how horrifying these worms are, at Newquay's Blue Reef Aquarium in the U.K., they couldn't figure out what was eating all their fish each night. They set up traps with fishing line and hooks, and each morning the lines were snapped and the hooks and bait were gone. After taking the aquarium apart, they found a massive bobbit worm in the sand that had apparently just been digesting the hooks.
Oh, and the bobbit worm, just like us, prefers warm, shallow waters. So we're probably going to have to let them have the good beaches for now.
Hey the thing above is still recognizable as something from Earth. And although bigger than the millipedes I had to get rid of, they are not nearly as icky looking. If they move fast, that's another story. The ones I had were super fast and totally silent.
holy crap - i hate spiders, i would never sleep, sat on the sofa at night with a deadly array of matches and deodorent, bleach and a big yellow pages - jesus, they even give you money in the states?!?!?
^Panic is the first step toward defeat. Don't panic! What would Winston Churchill do?
Dunno. I'm in BC. I'm assuming he's a tourist up from Seattle trying to score some weed.
^LOL!!!!!!
Seriously though, outside, use yellow lights. It cuts down on the amount of bugs drawn to the house. That will cut down on the number of spiders. Inside, make sure your screens are whole, use sweeps on the bottoms of your doors and sticky glue boards along the baseboards. That'll catch a goodly amount of what is roaming around.
As far as the groundhog is concerned, down here, they use pellets. The container is shaped like an ice cream cone. There is a lid at the wide end that unscrews and the pointy end is used to make a whole in the tunnel. How effective they are, I do not know, but I see them in peoples garages frequently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HipedgM3I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HipedgM3I)
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on September 03, 2012, 02:50:57 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HipedgM3I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HipedgM3I)
Yeah, that's good.
Doubly so for us Canucks who grew up watching Hinterland Who's Who vignettes on the CBC. They nailed the voice and tone perfectly.
During a brief time living in base housing on Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, I found a couple of Brown Recluses in my house. Wasn't happy about that at all, so I called Base Entomology to ask them to deal with the problem and was promptly told that I in fact was not sharing my abode with Brown Recluses, that I was mistaken. Knowing action to count more than words, one week later I walked into BE and sat a glass jar with four of the little nasty critters on the front desk, all of which I had captured within our home. That did provoke a more satisfactory response from Base Entomology as they came out the very next day.
^Was the next step to let them out of the jar?
Quote from: Gusington on September 03, 2012, 03:38:36 PM
^Was the next step to let them out of the jar?
Haha, no....but I didn't take the jar home with me either.
Neither would I!!
The issue is not the groundhog so much as he has decided to live within 10 of the kids swingset and in front of my shed doors. Punxsutawney Phil is going to come to the quick realization that Groundhog Day is just a movie. I just need to figure out the method of excecuting the plan. I wonder if anti-freeze works on groundhogs like it does other animals. That might be the cheapest, but not most efficent method of combat. Frankly a 9mm slug would solve the problem in about 10 seconds and I could build a groundhog hunting stand in the nearest oak tree. Damn city ordinances!
Quote from: Bison on September 03, 2012, 04:26:45 PM
The issue is not the groundhog so much as he has decided to live within 10 of the kids swingset and in front of my shed doors. Punxsutawney Phil is going to come to the quick realization that Groundhog Day is just a movie. I just need to figure out the method of excecuting the plan. I wonder if anti-freeze works on groundhogs like it does other animals. That might be the cheapest, but not most efficent method of combat. Frankly a 9mm slug would solve the problem in about 10 seconds and I could build a groundhog hunting stand in the nearest oak tree. Damn city ordinances!
Check your city ordinances. You may be able to use a pellet gun - not the ordinary kind, though. Beeman makes a line of pellet guns that are made to take on small-ish game. They come in a variety of calibers. I've used my dad's to take out a skunk with .177, but it was probably a lucky shot from behind and hit it in the abdomen going forward. Shots to its head appeared to bounce off, so I might suggest something heavier to take on your critter.
Compound Bow? Spear? Framing Hammer?
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 03, 2012, 04:47:04 PM
Compound Bow? Spear? Framing Hammer?
Go big or go home.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hightech-edge.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fmachete-shooting-crossbow.jpg&hash=7b6224bd32ff25dfb86a4d86b436af93c7e6050e)
Quote from: LongBlade on September 03, 2012, 04:52:16 PM
Go big or go home.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YVSXRETml4
The goal is to remove the groundhog not me!
Quote from: Bison on September 03, 2012, 04:59:11 PM
The goal is to remove the groundhog not me!
No risk, no reward.
Ask your local county extension office if they loan you a trap. Then take the critter down by the river and let it go.
Quote from: eyebiter on September 03, 2012, 06:25:31 PM
Ask your local county extension office if they loan you a trap. Then take the critter down by the river and let it go throw it and the trap in.
Fixed that for ya. ;)
I used a simple wire snare to get rid of the ground hog under my shed. Once it's around his neck he can't get too far into the hole so he doesn't die there and stink up the place.
Quote from: eyebiter on September 03, 2012, 06:25:31 PM
Ask your local county extension office if they loan you a trap. Then take the critter down by the river and let it go.
Those things might be equipped with a homing becon. I'd rather not take the risk.
My buddy the trapper has had the most problems when he tries to kill his quarry. When he lets them go, karma deals him a better hand.
Quote from: LongBlade on September 03, 2012, 04:52:16 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 03, 2012, 04:47:04 PM
Compound Bow? Spear? Framing Hammer?
Go big or go home.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hightech-edge.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fmachete-shooting-crossbow.jpg&hash=7b6224bd32ff25dfb86a4d86b436af93c7e6050e)
I see that and raise you:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.siege-engine.com%2Fmistaballista%2Fp6170030.jpg&hash=c6ff67126e5ebe93243e2f97b39b324fa41b1737)
^Clearly you didn't watch the youtube clip I linked earlier...
My trapper buddy recommends getting a no kill trap, using peanut butter or fruit, and then letting the groundhog go afterwards. He does not recommend drowning the trapped groundhog in a barrel. Just fyi.
Quote from: Gusington on September 04, 2012, 08:23:46 PM
He does not recommend drowning the trapped groundhog in a barrel. Just fyi.
I think Bison was contemplating some concrete galoshes. Size 1/3.
What's the barrel story? There has to be a story that involves a groundhog nearly taking his face off or something. They look friendly, but I'm convinced it a decoy to lure you in for carnage.
Quote from: Bison on September 04, 2012, 10:06:56 PM
What's the barrel story? There has to be a story that involves a groundhog nearly taking his face off or something. They look friendly, but I'm convinced it a decoy to lure you in for carnage.
Goundhogs are NOT friendly. Never get closer than 8 feet without a weapon of some kind. :P
He tried killing a skunk in a barrel of water, and it somehow escaped...into his house. So he does not recommend that for any similar critter.
Quote from: Gusington on September 05, 2012, 06:50:04 AM
He tried killing a skunk in a barrel of water, and it somehow escaped...into his house. So he does not recommend that for any similar critter.
Sounds like a scene with Bill Murray in it. I think we'd like him.
what about a bow? Seriously.
With a target head on it you can shoot him even if he is partly down the hole. We shot lots of ground squirrels with a bow and the arrows dont go too far (sit on your roof?)
I have been looking to get a bow for years, just haven't got around to it yet. Bow hunting is pretty popular in my area and I could do it sitting on my deck.
Most of you would love my trapper friend...he is Bill Murrayesque.
Gus ...how about a crossbow (with folding arms for transport / storage, compond material) then ...its bolt is faster then an arrow, and you can sit with it already bended while you don't want to do this with a bow, so less reaction time for the critters... (our Swiss friend Keunert should be the specialist for crossbows -historically ;))
on the other hand ...if you build you bow (and 1 arrow) from scratch improvise some stone-age technologies like in those archaeological museum day/WE courses get teached, the experience of actually hunting down and hitting the target with your handcrafted weapon is more intense i bet
I've never shot a bow outside of the time I did archery merit badge. I'd need a ton of practice to hit a small moving object.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:46:02 AM
I've never shot a bow outside of the time I did archery merit badge. I'd need a ton of practice to hit a small moving object.
If he's in the hole already then his potential axes of movement are significantly reduced...
This might be the one time in my life I have a problem sticking something into a hole.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:46:02 AM
I've never shot a bow outside of the time I did archery merit badge. I'd need a ton of practice to hit a small moving object.
Mike's suggestion of a crossbow is a good one.
I have not bow hunted, but I have a friend who is an avid hunter and a successful bow hunter.
He tells me one of the big challenges is holding a bow. You don't want to draw the bow where your target can see the motion or you'll spook it. So you draw it when it's generally behind a bush or tree. But animals don't move on a conveyor belt, so sometimes you'll hold that drawn string for quite some time waiting for the target to emerge. That's when a crossbow makes life a lot easier.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 08:05:00 AM
This might be the one time in my life I have a problem sticking something into a hole.
Practice Bison-san
When Jim Carrey was in the cast of In Living Color, they did a skit on the TV show, Kung-Fu.
Annoyed that he could never grab the stone from Master, Carrey pulled a .38 out and yelled, "Gimme the damn stone."
Bow hunters (naturally) tell me that bow hunting is the most challenging. Would a crossbow be considered cheating? A crossbow is very Walking Dead. Kill critters and be prepared for the end times.
Quote from: Gusington on September 06, 2012, 09:30:21 AM
Bow hunters (naturally) tell me that bow hunting is the most challenging. Would a crossbow be considered cheating?
Well, there's cheating and then there's cheating.
First, check your state laws to see whether a crossbow qualifies for bowhunting season.
Then check with your bowhunting friends to see if they will think too little of you for using one.
Keep in mind, a decent crossbow can run you almost as much as a gun.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004P4HH8U/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004P4HH8U&linkCode=as2&tag=grogheads-20
I don't know whether that's a great bow or a bad one, but I do know you can easily drop several hundred dollars on one, though it appears there are far less expensive ones, too. Again, chatting with folks who know is highly recommended.
Wow! We went from don't kill it to trying to kill it with a bow and arrow!!! :o
Go here:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/easterly98.html
It will take a couple of setups to get it right but it will work and you won't perforate the neighbor's kid while yer at it. Also safe if you have a dog, too big to fit. If you have a cat.... well I don't like cats anyway.... :P
And it's cheap! 8)
Quote from: Barthheart on September 06, 2012, 10:41:16 AM
Wow! We went from don't kill it to trying to kill it with a bow and arrow!!! :o
Go here:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/easterly98.html
It will take a couple of setups to get it right but it will work and you won't perforate the neighbor's kid while yer at it. Also safe if you have a dog, too big to fit. If you have a cat.... well I don't like cats anyway.... :P
And it's cheap! 8)
I've never valued this groundhogs life over free and unmolested access to my shed!
I need to post a pic, because this things hole is like a fortified bunker. I might need to consider a flamethrower.
A flamethrower or a cruise missile. Just be glad it's not a beaver. They're killers.
QuoteAn 83-year-old Virginia woman was mauled by a rabid beaver Wednesday as she left a lake where she had been taking a routine swim, The Washington Post reported.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/06/it-bit-me-so-bad-says-virginia-woman-83-mauled-by-rabid-beaver
OMG it's a wildlife apocolypse! And all this time we've been distracted by zombies.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 11:36:20 AM
OMG it's a wildlife apocolypse! And all this time we've been distracted by zombies.
The way I see it, rabies is a kind of existing zombie virus. The good news is we have a cure.
Quote from: LongBlade on September 06, 2012, 11:41:09 AM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 11:36:20 AM
OMG it's a wildlife apocolypse! And all this time we've been distracted by zombies.
The way I see it, rabies is a kind of existing zombie virus. The good news is we have a cure.
Unless a bite goes untreated. Once you have the symptoms its too late.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 11:19:16 AM
I need to post a pic, because this things hole is like a fortified bunker..
if the terrain is halfway horizontal not on a hillside? ...i would use physics for a hassle-free silent kill :-D
if you can get access to dry-ice (solid CO2) fill all holes with a spadeful of it when its dark... the cold heavier-then-air gas will fillup the den from bottom up... critters will die peacefull in their sleep ...no cadaver to get rid off, already deep sixed
Quote from: MikeGER on September 06, 2012, 12:43:53 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 11:19:16 AM
I need to post a pic, because this things hole is like a fortified bunker..
if the terrain is halfway horizontal not on a hillside? ...i would use physics for a hazzle-free silent kill :-D
if you can get access to dry-ice (solid CO2) fill all holes with a spadeful of it when its dark... the cold heavier-then-air gas will fillup the den from bottom up... critters will die peacefull in their sleep ...no cadaver to get rid off, already deep sixed
Holy deviousness!
German efficiency ;)
When I was young I would just drop a few firecrackers down their holes each day. They move somewhere else soon enough.
Quote from: MikeGER on September 06, 2012, 12:52:36 PM
German efficiency ;)
I always thought that it was
ruthless German efficiency... ;)
Is there a color that the Germans didn't use to plan an operation? If so I'd like to know, because I need a name for my Case XXXXXXX operation.
Is the CO2 prepared by I G Farben?
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 03:28:07 PM
Is there a color that the Germans didn't use to plan an operation? If so I'd like to know, because I need a name for my Case XXXXXXX operation.
Periwinkle.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on September 06, 2012, 03:34:25 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 03:28:07 PM
Is there a color that the Germans didn't use to plan an operation? If so I'd like to know, because I need a name for my Case XXXXXXX operation.
Periwinkle.
Too close to blue, but I do like the flower.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 03:28:07 PM
Is there a color that the Germans didn't use to plan an operation? If so I'd like to know, because I need a name for my Case XXXXXXX operation.
Plaid?
Fushia?
Goldenrod?
Taupe?
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 06, 2012, 03:43:17 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 03:28:07 PM
Is there a color that the Germans didn't use to plan an operation? If so I'd like to know, because I need a name for my Case XXXXXXX operation.
Plaid?
No, Case Plaid was the little known planned invasion of
Sconny Botland, er, Bonny Scotland.
Case aeneous - (No, this is not a secret project by Azz to hook up with Gus).
Case coccineous - (No, this is not a secret project by Azz to hook up with Gus).
Case flammeous - (No, this is not a secret project by Azz to hook up with Gus).
Case porphyrous - (No, this is not a secret project by Azz to hook up with Gus).
Case testaceous - (No, this is not a secret project by Azz to hook up with Gus).
^The fourth one was actually a secret project to hook up with me but I resisted.
I have photos of the groundhog's bunker which I will soon publish on the intrawebs. However, I've just learned that years ago ibuypower issued me a bunked media card reader. I've never had occassion to use it until today.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 05:17:31 PM
I have photos of the groundhog's bunker which I will soon publish on the intrawebs. However, I've just learned that years ago ibuypower issued me a bunked media card reader. I've never had occassion to use it until today.
Some of the older media readers can't read the newer high capacity SD cards.
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 06, 2012, 05:24:27 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 05:17:31 PM
I have photos of the groundhog's bunker which I will soon publish on the intrawebs. However, I've just learned that years ago ibuypower issued me a bunked media card reader. I've never had occassion to use it until today.
Some of the older media readers can't read the newer high capacity SD cards.
Hmm...That maybe so. However it's easier to focus my rage at a single entity than an entire technological advancement.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 05:28:30 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 06, 2012, 05:24:27 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 05:17:31 PM
I have photos of the groundhog's bunker which I will soon publish on the intrawebs. However, I've just learned that years ago ibuypower issued me a bunked media card reader. I've never had occassion to use it until today.
Some of the older media readers can't read the newer high capacity SD cards.
Hmm...That maybe so. However it's easier to focus my rage at a single entity than an entire technological advancement.
Excellent strategy: divide and conquer.
OK here are some images of the groundhog's fortification:
This is an overview of the surrounding battlefield. Just in front of the shed door is the bunker. Off to the right is the kids play area. Notice there is a perfectly ready to go crows nest in the upper left side of the playset.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi830.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz227%2FBison36%2F116_0890.jpg&hash=243cda43a83a1df6198c3e0418d24b8a1108672b)
The location of the bunker in front of the shed door. It's about 24 inches or so in diameter. The are no built up fortifications surrounding the hole. It's level with the ground but clearly visable.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi830.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz227%2FBison36%2F116_0891.jpg&hash=8e09e1ca60d22e32e8ac24d00ace83fcfa69ddb0)
The interior provides excellent concealment for my foe.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi830.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz227%2FBison36%2F116_0892.jpg&hash=17be3ed728a0083d624c3f7a4fe7362ce919c388)
Here are a couple of images where I used the flash to expose the first 10 to 12 inches of the bunker entrance. I have no idea how deep this thing goes. I do know that I filled it in last week and it was dug out by the next morning.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi830.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz227%2FBison36%2F116_0893.jpg&hash=30ed2834ede23bcb533091168a3763486ba34540)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi830.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fzz227%2FBison36%2F116_0894.jpg&hash=1888f9d349a0d917e27d1812c378c3b3869d0b4e)
I'm weighing my options, but first I need a name for the operation. There can be no operation without a name.
You sure there's none of them ten-foot mantibled megaworms in there as well? You might want to rip up the Geneva convention on this one.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:20:49 PM
I'm weighing my options, but first I need a name for the operation. There can be no operation without a name.
Fall Braun or
War Plan Brown?
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 06, 2012, 07:22:51 PM
You sure there's none of them ten-foot mantibled megaworms in there as well? You might want to rip up the Geneva convention on this one.
If the Groundhog nation didn't sign onto the Geneva Convention do I still need to honor it?
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 06, 2012, 07:24:36 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:20:49 PM
I'm weighing my options, but first I need a name for the operation. There can be no operation without a name.
Fall Braun or War Plan Brown?
I like it. Fall Braun. What's German for fall? Otherwise it sounds like I named the operation after a brand of paper towels.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:26:10 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 06, 2012, 07:24:36 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:20:49 PM
I'm weighing my options, but first I need a name for the operation. There can be no operation without a name.
Fall Braun or War Plan Brown?
I like it. Fall Braun. What's German for fall? Otherwise it sounds like I named the operation after a brand of paper towels.
Fall Herbst? (Case Autumn)
So Fall is Case in German?
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:33:06 PM
So Fall is Case in German?
Yes. "Case" "Event"
I think we'd translate it as "Operation" if we were trying to impart the actual meaning.
You could go all US Army on the VC and try flooding it first.
Then you could go all Tunnel Rat on it and get a backhoe to dig it out to the point where you could go in there with a .357 and a flashlight.
Or you could go get some Quickcrete, mix it up and dump it down there. Then you could dig it up and put it on display in a museum like they do with ant complexes.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1081.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj349%2Flongblade%2F5216.jpg&hash=18450173fa1912a104b390d5efd5152f255899ca)
Yes. Case or Issue or Situation.
NM. LB ninja'd it. :D
I actually considered quickcrete, but I felt like I'd at least need to be carrying a Tommy Gun while I did it. I don't have a Tommy Gun and the issue of removing the concrete block afterward is depressing. Plus that little sucker might be a vampire groundhog and is just sitting down there waiting for someone to release him so he can feed again. Then whoever moved the concrete in the future would have just unleashed hells fury on the Earth.
If it wasn't so close to the house I would suggest several gallons of gas and a match but I think concrete is your best bet, beyond lying in wait and killing the thing.
Many years ago in the Southern California desert, there was a large field where hot air balloonist would gather for their morning flights. Balloons use propane for flame to heat the air in the balloon. Propane is heavier than air. One year there was a heavy infestation of large black ants. One balloon pilot decided to try to deal with them by flowing some propane gas down an ant hole. Then dropping in a match. For quite a distance there were puffs of dirt and flame coming from apparently interconnected openings to the network below. Fortunately no one was hurt and the ants were gone for a while.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 03:28:07 PM
Is there a color that the Germans didn't use to plan an operation? If so I'd like to know, because I need a name for my Case XXXXXXX operation.
Lavender
a Fall Braun exists in 1940 ;)
( it was a alternative to the executed Fall Gelb
the plan was to attack France from the South through the Rhone valley with Heeresgruppe C and +20 Italian Divisions in addition. )
here some more ridiculous color names on the left side ;)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.fjcdn.com%2Fpictures%2FMan_16f8d9_1889115.jpg&hash=0b9cc5402f7993469411f69e30254426c42b3c39)
lesser known names Operation Herbstnebel (autumn mist), Herbstreise (autumn journey), Herbstzeitlose (a flower name) were in use too (am i a Grog, arent i ;-) )
well, in true American tradition it has to be a two word Operation?
how about Operation Bison Stomp
i personally like Herbstnebel (autumn mist) .... think off how the sublimating dry ice generates mist slowly fuming out of the holes and wafting over the 'battleground' like a visit to Yellowstone NP on a cold day ...and what are the prominent animals there... Bisons! 8) (i had the luck to been there and see them :) )
PS: concrete doesnt work , they will dig themself out a 1ft next to the plug and will use it as a sunning porch
NATO used to have rather evocative exercise names.
Ocean Safari were a series of North Atlantic naval exercises, built on the concept of moving carrier battlegroups to the North Cape of Norway.
The one that always got a chuckle was a Mediterranean ASW exercise. Using the gap between Sardinia and Sicily to substitute for either the straits of Gibraltar, or the Dardanelles. Blue was defending the gap and Red tried to infiltrate submarines. Wonder who each side was representing. (The Russkis worked on a six month tour. A squadron of subs, Foxtrots and a Charlie or Victor, with a couple of destroyers running interference, went from Northern Fleet to Mediterranean at half year intervals. When into the sea, the ones that had been there Chopped out.)
This exercise usually included one american carrier with at least six supporting destroyers and cruisers. The Italian Navy had some very nice helicopter cruisers that were great for this type of work (Vittorio Veneto?), while the Greeks and Turks made do with WWII american destroyers that were given to them. The French, naturally, sniffed at mixing with such a mongrel force.
This exercise to detect and track the Soviet subs coming in to the Med was named Operation Fly Catcher.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 07:42:12 PM
Plus that little sucker might be a vampire groundhog and is just sitting down there waiting for someone to release him so he can feed again. Then whoever moved the concrete in the future would have just unleashed hells fury on the Earth.
If that's the case it would irresponsible to just cover up the problem and let someone else find it like a Groundhog Day version of Jumanji.
How about Operation Caddyshack?
I realize it's not a gopher, but it's close to using the same tactics, and you do have a kind of shack where it's sheltering.
Operation Punxsutawney
What's Caddyshack in German? And I want a real translation none of the crap where they just co-opt my wonderful language of English and pretend to make it their own either.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 05:28:30 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 06, 2012, 05:24:27 PM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 05:17:31 PM
I have photos of the groundhog's bunker which I will soon publish on the intrawebs. However, I've just learned that years ago ibuypower issued me a bunked media card reader. I've never had occassion to use it until today.
Some of the older media readers can't read the newer high capacity SD cards.
Hmm...That maybe so. However it's easier to focus my rage at a single entity than an entire technological advancement.
Okay, I now have to use this as my sig. I can't not do it!!
Quote from: mirth on September 07, 2012, 10:29:28 AM
Operation Punxsutawney
Me likey.
Quote from: Bison on September 07, 2012, 11:01:28 AM
What's Caddyshack in German?
According IMDB the movie was released in West Germany under the title
Quoteaka "Caddyshack - Wahnsinn ohne Handicap" - West Germany
Which translates as "craziness" or "zaniness" "without a handicap" - with handicap the obvious reference to golf. Not exactly the zinger title you're looking for.
Case Spackler.
That's it. Combines German and Caddyshack. I'm off to eat some (veggie) brats and get drunk.
Quote from: mirth on September 07, 2012, 03:56:45 PM
Case Spackler.
That's it. Combines German and Caddyshack. I'm off to eat some (veggie) brats and get drunk.
This is the single most horrid story I've read on the forums all day.
Well, how else do you expect them to keep the population in check up there in Them Woods?
Veggie brats??? *puke*
mirth if you're going to eat a brat...eat a brat
Quote from: mirth on September 07, 2012, 03:56:45 PM
Case Spackler.
That's it. Combines German and Caddyshack. I'm off to eat some (veggie) brats and get drunk.
It's amazing how effectively that last sentence completely invalidates everything said before it.
Quote from: Arctic Blast on September 07, 2012, 11:08:44 PM
Quote from: mirth on September 07, 2012, 03:56:45 PM
Case Spackler.
That's it. Combines German and Caddyshack. I'm off to eat some (veggie) brats and get drunk.
It's amazing how effectively that last sentence completely invalidates everything said before it.
One bad adjective and you're toast.
Quote from: Bison on September 07, 2012, 11:01:28 AM
What's Caddyshack in German?
after doing some research about the movie (...and now i got the point, as a running-gag the greenkeeper tried also to get rid of a rodent with all kind off different methods which interacts with the mainstream of the plot in the end)
i would translate it "Geräteschuppen auf dem Golfplatz" or "Geräteschuppen des Platzwarts (im Golfclub)"
or "Geräteschuppen des Zeugwarts" (but 'Zeugwart' is mostly used in Soccer not Golf and about the jerseys & shoes)
i dont play Golf (yet, ...i feel too poor and to young ;-) ) if Caddys have a dedicated separate mess-hall away from their rich customers for breaks having a chit-chat, a smoke and chow? it could be also the "Golfplatz Kantine"
...the building in your picture i would call a "Geräteschuppen" (a nicer one) for sure
Thanks, Mike. It always helps to have someone who speaks the language as a native :)
I'm going to assume that Gerateschuppen means outhouse.
I'm going to Lowe's (a home improvement center) later this morning. I need a new blade for my lawn mover and a bottle of two-stroke engine oil. I'm going to let the mower run over the hole for awhile to put the fuzz ball on notice.
Quote from: Bison on September 08, 2012, 09:38:26 AM
I'm going to assume that Gerateschuppen means outhouse.
an outhouse is a "Plumpsklo" (the historical version of a porta potty) ;)
"Geräteschuppen" i would re-translate into 'tool shed'
concerning the mower ....if it were not so poolitical incorrect for a German, i would say: 'a hose from the mower's-muffler into the hole cant hurt either when the thing hovers at that spot anyway' :o
...but dont let possible PETA neighbours get a fix on it
Quote from: MikeGER on September 08, 2012, 01:07:37 PM
concerning the mower ....if it were not so poolitical incorrect for a German, i would say: 'a hose from the mower's-muffler into the hole cant hurt either when the thing hovers at that spot anyway' :o
ROFLMFAO
OK, that is the best laugh I've had in about a month. Maybe two.
Quote from: LongBlade on September 08, 2012, 01:13:59 PM
Quote from: MikeGER on September 08, 2012, 01:07:37 PM
concerning the mower ....if it were not so poolitical incorrect for a German, i would say: 'a hose from the mower's-muffler into the hole cant hurt either when the thing hovers at that spot anyway' :o
ROFLMFAO
OK, that is the best laugh I've had in about a month. Maybe two.
+1 that was hilarious
Well I let the mower run for several minutes over the hole; I've nicknamed my nemisis Noriega. I need to find a speaker that I can drop down into the hole to start the second phase of the noise assault to drive him out.
I've also decided to call the operation Fall Plumpsklo. It has a good ring to it.
Noriega was hanging just outside the yard fence line while I was grilling this evening. He however ran into the brush before I could snap a mugshot. He's bigger than I thought.
Quote from: Bison on September 08, 2012, 05:33:26 PM
Noriega was hanging just outside the yard fence line while I was grilling this evening. He however ran into the brush before I could snap a mugshot. He's bigger than I thought.
Hang on.
<runs to kitchen>
<pulls book>
<runs back>
I have LL Bean's wild game cookbook.
Wow. And not one groundhog recipe.
I have recipes for hare and rabbit, squirrel, muskrat, beaver, woodchuck, raccoon, and possum. But nothing on groundhogs.
Sorry. Thought I did.
Well, you're in the South now. Best thing I can recommend is the classic southern tradition: fry it.
Just be careful when you finally pick it up. They are normally infested with fleas! Where arm length gloves of some kind.... :P
Quote from: Barthheart on September 08, 2012, 08:03:18 PM
Just be careful when you finally pick it up. They are normally infested with fleas! Where arm length gloves of some kind.... :P
If Noriega insists on the confrontation leading to his demise, I can assure you I will not touch his body without some sort of protective cover. I'll also forge a carcass scooper out of small branches or something.
Quote from: Bison on September 08, 2012, 05:33:26 PM
Noriega was hanging just outside the yard fence line while I was grilling this evening. He however ran into the brush before I could snap a mugshot. He's bigger than I thought.
its a whole new ballgame if that 'big' groundhog turns out to be a badger....
Quote from: Windigo on September 09, 2012, 02:47:09 AM
Quote from: Bison on September 08, 2012, 05:33:26 PM
Noriega was hanging just outside the yard fence line while I was grilling this evening. He however ran into the brush before I could snap a mugshot. He's bigger than I thought.
its a whole new ballgame if that 'big' groundhog turns out to be a badger....
Agreed! If it's actually a badger..... get a howitzer! :o
NM the Howitzer, get Chuck Norris instead...
Quote from: Windigo on September 09, 2012, 02:47:09 AM
its a whole new ballgame if that 'big' groundhog turns out to be a badger....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNr0WXQ3Ho4 ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlicWUDf5MM ;D
(Old, I know but still...)
Get Chuck Norris to fire the howitzer. With his mind.
Badgers can humiliate humans when they want to. They are pretty smart.
It looks like the badgers have established a foothold inside the human zone already. Unless we act fast our days are numbered as a species:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roflzoo.com%2Fpics%2F042010%2Fbadger-invasion-big.jpg&hash=8ac92996d3915f407f94b6dba1fbc3bfcda19dd2)
Holy crap that's a lot of badgers!
Norgiega is not a badger. I know that much for sure.
You could nuke the hole from orbit...
I suggested to the wife that I could nuke the hole with my missile...
Quote from: junk2drive on September 09, 2012, 09:52:59 AM
I suggested to the wife that I could nuke the hole with my missile...
Touche on the double entendre!
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 09, 2012, 09:00:56 AM
It looks like the badgers have established a foothold inside the human zone already. Unless we act fast our days are numbered as a species:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roflzoo.com%2Fpics%2F042010%2Fbadger-invasion-big.jpg&hash=8ac92996d3915f407f94b6dba1fbc3bfcda19dd2)
That is why God created high capacity magazines.
In addition to the badgers it looks like there is also a ghost orb at the top center. Prepare to combat Satan's minions as well. Or something.
Gus, looks like its the full moon so that must be werewulf-badgers then ;)
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 09, 2012, 09:00:56 AM
It looks like the badgers have established a foothold inside the human zone already. Unless we act fast our days are numbered as a species:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roflzoo.com%2Fpics%2F042010%2Fbadger-invasion-big.jpg&hash=8ac92996d3915f407f94b6dba1fbc3bfcda19dd2)
Holy crap - I just spotted a cat in the lower right! Talk about balls.
Hmmm... After a closer I'm suspecting a possible photoshop here. That or there are a lot of image compression artifacts around those badgers, especially their heads. ???
Quote from: MikeGER on September 09, 2012, 12:13:24 PM
Gus, looks like its the full moon so that must be werewulf-badgers then ;)
Not Werebadgers but
Vampire Badgers... look closely.
I don't know but if this is what Noriega turns out to look like up close; I'm running away.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbeatboredom.co.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F12%2Fbadger_killer.jpg&hash=4f9833f219791cbdb9888c3f412e750865611ad1)
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 09, 2012, 01:41:22 PM
Hmmm... After a closer I'm suspecting a possible photoshop here. That or there are a lot of image compression artifacts around those badgers, especially their heads. ???
Quote from: MikeGER on September 09, 2012, 12:13:24 PM
Gus, looks like its the full moon so that must be werewulf-badgers then ;)
Not Werebadgers but Vampire Badgers... look closely.
Ha! I get it.
Ah the moon...my bad. Doesn't mean Satan's minions are not lurking, though.
Don't were-things come out in a full moon?
Yup. Time to call a German priest.
::) Look again...
Quote from: Staggerwing on September 09, 2012, 02:26:42 PM
::) Look again...
Agreed - it's not the moon.
Think: what are the attributes of vampires in pop culture (not Twilight).
I don't get it. The last film I watched on vampires was the Lost Boys.
Quote from: Bison on September 09, 2012, 02:34:10 PM
I don't get it. The last film I watched on vampires was the Lost Boys.
OK, let's go down the list of attributes generally assigned to vampires.
Can turn into bats.
Can turn into a gaseous cloud.
No reflection.
Can hypnotize/charm.
Think about it. What's missing?
Shadows?
Quote from: Bison on September 09, 2012, 02:38:03 PM
Shadows?
Bingo.
Meaning that flash photo is definitely a fake.
But credit goes to Stagger for seeing it first.
Fake? Maybe they really are vampires? Giving up on the conspiracy so easily. Shame!
If Noriega is also a vampire at least Spring will be early...
Quote from: Bison on September 09, 2012, 02:45:10 PM
Fake? Maybe they really are vampires? Giving up on the conspiracy so easily. Shame!
I'm more into zombies at this point. While it would be cool if they're vampires, I'm not holding my breath.
Crikey Bison, whats the SITREP on the OPFOR?
Noriega was back out this morning mocking me with his existance. I attempted to photograph him, but he alluded capture on film. Really need one of those high speed cameras that Mike has to get the photo.
I need to mow again so I'll redouble my audio assault efforts on his compound.
Without a picture how can we be certain he is not a figment of your imagination?
Noriega is real. The lack of a photo is due to the craptacular digital camera that I own. I think he hates me because of youtube.
Why, did you post a clip of Punxsutawney Phil accusing him of being a fornicator?
Harbor Freight 20 bucks
http://www.harborfreight.com/32-1-2-half-inch-l-x-10-inch-w-x-13-1-4-quarter-inch-h-collapsible-medium-animal-trap-9646.html
For bait - apple slices and peanut butter
I can vouch for the effectiveness of apple slices and peanut butter. Almost every living creature loves them.
Noriega made an appearance yet again this morning. I'd not seen him in a week and his hole was starting to be covered over with leaves and spiderwebs and such. I though perhaps he'd broke camp and found a better home. Nope. The little bastard shifted his entrance a few meters and now it exits directly from under the shed. I'm looking at trap options like eyebitter linked. Also I my German Shepard/Plott Hound mix mutt is coming home in a few weeks. Noriega will at least have a constant enforcer eyeing his door.
Quote from: Bison on September 27, 2012, 07:38:51 AM
Noriega made an appearance yet again this morning. I'd not seen him in a week and his hole was starting to be covered over with leaves and spiderwebs and such. I though perhaps he'd broke camp and found a better home. Nope. The little bastard shifted his entrance a few meters and now it exits directly from under the shed. I'm looking at trap options like eyebitter linked. Also I my German Shepard/Plott Hound mix mutt is coming home in a few weeks. Noriega will at least have a constant enforcer eyeing his door.
I was just thinking about good ole Pineapple Face this morning. Your dog should put a serious cramp in his style.
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 11:43:39 AM
Quote from: LongBlade on September 06, 2012, 11:41:09 AM
Quote from: Bison on September 06, 2012, 11:36:20 AM
OMG it's a wildlife apocolypse! And all this time we've been distracted by zombies.
The way I see it, rabies is a kind of existing zombie virus. The good news is we have a cure.
Unless a bite goes untreated. Once you have the symptoms its too late.
That is exactly why you have no choice but get the shots if a vampire bat got you in your sleep.