PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Okay wildlife experts, is there a prairie dog living in my garage? Here are the photos my wife took of the rodent after my kids lured it out with a piece of peanut butter toast. Here's a link to the best, most detailed image. Please don't tell me that it's a gopher. If this is a prairie dog, why is it in my garage by itself instead of living underground in a colony? I know that it's eating the bird seed that falls out of our bird feeder, which hangs on the garage. The seed in the garage is in a plastic bucket with a heavy brick on the lid. So I know that it can't get into the mother lode. As far as I can tell, this animal is living between the outside wall and the inside fiberboard wall. Besides driving Sunny the beagle nuts, the rodent is pooping and peeing all over the garage. I'm thinking the best course of action is to have the city animal control personnel trap it and take it to a nearby colony. If it is a gopher...well...the Fourth of July is almost here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diggler Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Just hang a couple of these: The little guy will choke on the bird seed and leave your garage hanging his head in shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxalum22 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 That my friend would be a prairie dog, I believe. Prairie Dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxmama Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 I believe it's a Flickertail gopher. Sorry. PCM. I lived in Devils Lake most of my life and went to Sully's Hill on numerous occasions, and I don't think thats the same thing I saw at Prairie Dog Town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IowaBison Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Siouxmama is absolutely right (learned from NorthDakotaBison's days as a young Devils Lake resident as well). It's a Richardson Ground Squirrel, aka the flickertail. Although you've been the Sioux for almost eighty years, I'd think a UND fan would recognize a flesh and blood version of a by-gone moniker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 It's a Richardson Ground Squirrel, aka the flickertail. Really? I thought they were mythical creatures that lived under Lake Agassiz. Well, at least it's not a gopher. This has to be a plant. I wonder if Doreen Yellow Bird has been seen hanging around my neighborhood lately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Well, at least it's not a gopher. Not so fast; when the locals go out to hunt "gophers", they are essentially hunting these critters, which are actually ground squirrels. A true gopher, the pocket gopher, is much uglier( basically sightless and doesn't show its face in daylight), more arrogant, and has but one move when it tries to get by you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 Not so fast; when the locals go out to hunt "gophers", they are essentially hunting these critters, which are actually ground squirrels. While it's on my property and living in my garage, it's either a ground squirrel or a flickertail. I'd never rent to a gopher. A true gopher, the pocket gopher, is much uglier( basically sightless and doesn't show its face in daylight), more arrogant, and has but one move when it tries to get by you I noticed that in pictures of true gophers, they were ugly compared to the creature in my garage. True gophers have big claws, too. But nobody's answered this question: why is it living in my garage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 But nobody's answered this question: why is it living in my garage? Because your kids have peanut butter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdahl Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 But nobody's answered this question: why is it living in my garage?Gary is visiting every Sioux name supporter, one by one, and dropping off a flickertail. You're lucky they didn't go with the original plan of sending a "sundog" to each of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 Gary is visiting every Sioux name supporter, one by one, and dropping off a flickertail. You're lucky they didn't go with the original plan of sending a "sundog" to each of us. Maybe I got the flickertail because I already have a Sunny dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDog Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 While it's on my property and living in my garage, it's either a ground squirrel or a flickertail. I'd never rent to a gopher. I noticed that in pictures of true gophers, they were ugly compared to the creature in my garage. True gophers have big claws, too. But nobody's answered this question: why is it living in my garage? If your wife took pictures of me and your kids gave me peanut butter toast, I'd live in your garage too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katohtr Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Just hang a couple of these: The little guy will choke on the bird seed and leave your garage hanging his head in shame. I'm still laughing at this one....HILARIOUS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 I'm still laughing at this one....HILARIOUS!!! Maybe if I wave my team-autographed Holy Cross practice jersey at the garage, the sudo-gopher will get the message and go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxmama Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Good Luck getting rid of it. This year I have seen more of these around than ever before. Behind my office building they have taken up residence and the maintenance guy said he has tried numerous times to get rid of them, they just keep coming back, and they bring buddies. We have lots at the lake, too, but I refuse to feed them my peanut butter bread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 We have lots at the lake, too, but I refuse to feed them my peanut butter bread! We don't purposely feed it. The peanut butter toast was bait to lure it out for pictures. We'd caught brief glimpses of the animal, but weren't sure what it was. We knew from the poop and pee in the garage that something was living there. We just didn't know what. Now we know. Maybe it's time to get rid of the bird feeder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jloos Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Just use a garden hose, that will get rid of him. If not try dynamite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 If not try dynamite It'd get rid of my garage, too, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 It'd get rid of my garage, too, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Make sure you get one of those licenses from "the Government of the United Nations" before you try any of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 What's the place smell like? This should work, if you have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sioux-cia Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Gary is visiting every Sioux name supporter, one by one, and dropping off a flickertail. You're lucky they didn't go with the original plan of sending a "sundog" to each of us. OH $HIT!!!!! I must have a colony in my garage by now!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 I must have a colony in my garage by now!!!! I just got off the phone with the police department. They said that this is such a problem all over town that they've run out of traps. So I guess I'm on my own in dealing with the little critter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxmama Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Just use a garden hose, that will get rid of him. If not try dynamite What is Bill Murray trying to do to Greyeagle? I'm not seeing the love there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82SiouxGuy Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 I just got off the phone with the police department. They said that this is such a problem all over town that they've run out of traps. So I guess I'm on my own in dealing with the little critter. I could bring a .22 over and try hunting it. I used to be pretty good when I lived on the farm. You don't think the police would mind hunting in town do you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 I could bring a .22 over and try hunting it. I used to be pretty good when I lived on the farm. You don't think the police would mind hunting in town do you? Now you're sounding like my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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