We do find unrecognizable dead things up by the pond. We have a raccoon that we call a chupacabra because he's fat and tailless, and a host of possums. The possums are getting fewer. Haven't caught the "chupacabra" out in the open. Found a dying cat by the silo. Sure looked like rabies. So we keep critters away from the house. If they don't learn, the buzzards feast.
The neighbor who drew in the bear also drew in coyotes, foxes, skunks and coons.
We then had a rabies epidemic that lasted 3 years whereas before, no one could even recall rabies being here within living memory.
Three rabid coons were killed either in my front yard or just outside my fence.
One was killed up the hill on the idjit’s property and one night, about 1am, I went out to the truck to fetch something in that I’d forgotten and found myself being watched by a skunk at the end of the lane.
After a few seconds of mutual staring, it started hauling ass towards me at a speed I didn’t think skunks could actually attain.
I got back in the house just in time to see it slipping under the gate after me.
That is *not* normal skunk behavior.
The SPCA came out soon after and told him to vaccinate “his” cats or surrender them.
He let them go and they were all killed at the shelter immediately because they knew that his yard was where “ground zero” was and weren’t taking any chances.
Two years ago, my yard “welfare possum” dumped her litter of 5 in my smokehouse and took off.
We fed them until tey could fend for themselves.
[that’s the *only* thing Beneful dog food is good for]...:))
I really loved going out at night with their bowl of Beneful mush.
They’d get so excited about it.
One after another, they grew up and left “home”.
I was very sad to see the last one, who was the very friendly runt, finally head off up into the mountains for a life of her own.
Their welfare mom is still here, gladhanding and mooching off the goats.