Although that "bobcat" has an awfully long tail.
Posted on 09/04/2017 12:58:10 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Although that "bobcat" has an awfully long tail.
We don’t need no stinking badgers.
>><<
You’re not kidding.
East side of the Sandia Mtns, Tijeras, Placitas, Estancia, Edgewood etc. wildlife is plentiful. Ever wheedwhack a rattler ? Not fun.
No, but I’ve come close to stepping on one from time to time.
Had a hunter shoot one our place several years ago. Ever so often one shows up on the game camera right behind our electric wired chicken pen. Can’t figure what he wants.
No weedwacking, but dosed one with a 12 gauge awhile back.
That, is a good one.
It looks HUNGRY. Surely it was on the prowl for something to solve that problem.
Around here, they like small dogs. They tend to leave the cats for the coyotes.
> “They tend to leave the cats for the coyotes.”
Professional courtesy, no doubt.
12 GUAGE double loaded with 3” No.4 buckshot.
.........uh, next question?
I see the occasional bobcat out here at the gulch.
A mountain lion showed up on one of the security cameras once, and I have seen lion tracks a couple more times. Even Barbary sheep, badgers and coatimundi twice, each.
But last night there were a couple of ‘ring tail cats’ at my front door. First time I ever saw even one of them, ever, anywhere, unless I saw one before from the back and just assumed it was a regular raccoon.
Thought that was kinda cool.
Coatimundi? Are you in South America?
No. But they range into southern NM, and apparently they go a little farther than expected. I’d seen them in El Paso before, but was surprised to see any this far north (Lincoln County). The first one I saw, was a big one, just for a second, and I actually thought “Chupacabra!?!?!? They DO exist!?!?”.
But then I saw another, for long enough to identify for certain, and then did some research and the Department of Game and Fish website says they are known to come into the Sacramento Mountains.
Out further West (California) I've seen bobcats in Monterey, and SLO Counties. Those Counties are two to three degrees further North latitude. Had an acquaintance that used to trap bobcats in Monterey County (approx. 36 North, on the Coast Ridge) although the winter season there is marginal in regards to bringing out a thick coat of fur.
Setting aside discussion of bobcats ---if I could, I would like to ask about Lincoln County road conditions.
There is presently road construction on US 380 near Lincoln (between Capitan and Hondo)? How much delay could be expected? That part of the road was in sort-of bad shape twenty years ago, if I'm remembering correctly.
Another couple of questions, if you will allow --- is US 380 still like a washboard on the North end of the Missile Range? -- and should I really call ahead to see if there are missile tests (that might cross the road) scheduled, before driving through there?
I may pass through that way in about ten days or so -- but only because (other than that washboard section) I like that middle East-West better than I-10 and I-40 --and it's still early enough in the fall to go over the top (7,800+ elevation) at Pie Town and not worry too much about snow and ice. It takes an extra couple of hours -- and about 50 to 70 miles more (depending on other, multiple variables as for exact route) to go through there, instead of going through Amarillo or Lubbock, to connect with I-40 Westbound from where I'm starting at. In the past I've gone through St. Johns, to Holbrook, instead of Show Low, then North to Holbrook. Made the trip in the other direction, too. One of these days I may go along the Western edge of the Apache Reservation, from Pie Town, to Show Low to Globe, then on to Phoenix area.
I-10 is boring, and it's still a little hot down there...I'd just as soon miss the oil-field worker traffic near Odessa, the crazy drivers in El Paso, and the multiple La Migra road stops on I-10 also -- those can back up traffic for a ways, and on the Northern I-40 route always didn't like dipping down into Albuquerque only to have to climb back out.
The middle Southern US 60 route -- get only a little high, stay a little high -- get higher (at the Divide) come down (Westbound) to about 5,000, maybe lower elevation at Winslow before having to climb again to 6,300 or so at Flagstaff. Then it's like all downhill to Los Angeles -- generally speaking.
I saw online that this coming Saturday, the 9th, is the Pie Town Pie Festival. Wouldn't want to miss that, but I'll have to. Have to admit I've never been to one yet -- never heard of it until recently. Maybe next year, saying that not facetiously, but hopefully. I never tried the famous apple recipe -- but the first time I passed there and wasn't at the wheel, and could not talk the driver into stopping I swore --never again -- if either store is open -- I'm goin' in. How the hell can anybody driving long-distance cross-country, if passing through a tiny little place near the Continental Divide called Pie Town -- NOT stop for pie? If living nearby, or not too far away (like say, in Lincoln County) I could see maybe not stopping -- except that may miss out on visiting with the locals.
Shoot -- give the locals a little business. $5.95 for a piece of pie. I just hope the coffee is good. One time went to the Pie-O-Neer and treated half the joint to fresh roasted premium grade coffee I'd roasted myself while moonlighting as a small-batch 'commercial' coffee roaster, out further West. Not in that biz anymore -- or I'd drop some off with you when I went through. Hell, I drink Maxwell House instant nowadays. No muss no messes -- add a little milk and good enough, even though I used to roast premium arabicas, and occasionally a true "specialty" grade...
Oh, I was talking about Coatimundi being surprising to me to find this far north... Bobcats range all the way into Canada.
"There is presently road construction on US 380 near Lincoln (between Capitan and Hondo)? How much delay could be expected?"
Hmm, if there is any, it must be east of Lincoln. I haven't been east of there for a few months. Last year they were working on a couple of the bridges / culverts on the west side of Lincoln, and the worst delay I had was about 20 minutes. They just finished resurfacing the road between Lincoln & Capitan about a month ago.
I guess they may be working on a bridge at Hondo, but not much info on it:
http://nmroads.com/mapIndex_2017041401.html?
"Another couple of questions, if you will allow --- is US 380 still like a washboard on the North end of the Missile Range?
Seemed mostly OK a couple of months ago when I last went through there... I wasn't really paying attention, but I think it was mostly pretty smooth.
"and should I really call ahead to see if there are missile tests (that might cross the road) scheduled, before driving through there?"
I've driven that road hundreds of times and only been stopped twice. Seems ridiculous that they wouldn't post that info online, but they don't. The number is (575) 678-1178 for a recording , if you don't want to take a chance.
"I like that middle East-West better than I-10 and I-40"
Me too -
I saw that after I'd posted, having missed your mention of ring-tails. It was dumb of me to think you might have thought bobcats limited to Northern Mexico, since we've probably both seen nature films of the things -- in snow. Bobcats stand out brightly when seen in snowy backdrop which makes those sort of films memorable.
I don't think I've seen any ring-tails,....but seem to recall CA Fish & Game listing a kind of ring-tail -- that isn't coatimundi...
Doing a bit of searching I find out (as I thought I had recalled) that ring-tails, a.k.a miner's cats, and coatimundi (and here) seem to be two different species, with there being yet another cat-like, ringtailed creature in Central America named cacomistle in genus Bassariscus. Maybe you saw a "miner's cat" kind of so-called ring-tail? But you could have seen a coati, specially if you recall it having white markings on the snout, and a bit of a turned up, hog-like nose.
At this link; http://www.sfgate.com/mexico/mexicomix/article/It-s-a-raccoon-It-s-a-monkey-It-s-5948259.php there's a good sized, clear and crisp Getty image photo of a coati that shows the nose flaring out to the sides somewhat (instead of being 'upturned', as some textual coverage of the things mentions).
Thanks for the link to the highway info...I'd come across that recently, and as you say there's only limited info. Having seen that very page just yesterday while searching out road info, and then saw you were in Lincoln County was what prompted my initial query. I see now presently no road construction in the area that concerned me. Yesterday it seemed there was, but as you said the info was limited. I had stumbled on to that page -- I don't remember how -- except maybe using Google maps clicked on a 511 Arizona marking (when zoomed in close to Show Low area) which opened up the Western NM area 511 info? Eh, maybe it was by way of searching out NM road conditions -- I think I did that too, using search terms of the road by name and number and the nearby towns. On what I had landed on (that looked just like what's at the link you provided) there are links to road/weather cameras too, in addition to roadwork warnings. Those may only become visible when zooming in close(?). Being able to see what the cameras see could come in handy in the winter, even though there are only a few cameras, and most of those on the Interstates.
Thank you also for the phone number to the White Sands recording. I didn't know it was a recording. Now that I do, I may give it a ring. I wouldn't expect there to be any tests that could potentially cross the road, but would hate to get right on the doorstep, so to speak, only to find out would need to drive US 54 N to NM State 42, to US 60, or else go N on State 41 from near that intersection of 42 & 60, to Moriarity. If had to do all that I'd be far better off just giving up and going through Amarillo, or else Lubbock -- if not giving up even further and taking I-10, any of which I may still decide to do, for other reasons...
At the link you provided; http://nmroads.com/mapIndex_2017041401.html? --which I had come upon when searching NM road info prior to yourself taking the trouble to kindly supply that-- traipsing over to the Arizona side of the map, clicking on the "511" hotlink that is sort-of circled (on the map North of Show Low, and South of Holbrook) opens up an Arizona DOT link ;
showing location of even digital warning signs, in addition to road/weather cameras, and road construction info/local traffic conditions/accident info, lane restrictions, road closures etc., for Arizona.
Much the same is available for TX, OK, CO, UT, but using the Texas link one needs to use the buttons in right-hand window to turn on/off what type of information is being sought. That can help make the screen less cluttered, I suppose, but a person could miss something if not choosing the setting that will include a particular kind of feature. When opening up the Arizona window -- there was "everything", the Texas window much more sparse. Each of the surrounding, neighboring State's "511" info pages accessible from the New Mexico road conditions map page differs in how their 5ll pages are set up. It looks like Utah has cameras EVERYWHERE. Got to keep track of all those in-State NSA personnel would be my first guess, for why so many...
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