Fascinating bucolic stories gentleman. Thank you kindly. Reminds me of my early life here in rural Oregon back in the '80s when we raised feeder calves, free day old from a Tillamook dairy, fed for 20 months until rendered. After that it has been gardening for personal use and changed the land use to timber land from farm land. We planted 1,000 Douglas fir. The written plan is to wait until mature then harvest for lumber.
Some of you may know that Oregon legalized pot. My lovely wife and I pulled into our remote and isolated driveway, arriving home from a day trip, just the other day closely followed by someone (I can count on one hand the uninvited visitors to this property over the last 30 years so this was very rare). A pot attorney from another state hot to establish a grow business on contiguous property. Introductions were made, and interview was conducted, stories of the neighbor were told and goodbyes were said. We were told that our driveway could be blocked, interfering with our coming and going. And that he would like for us to call him before the law enforcement officials (The grow license must be approved by the authorities and anything like a police visit might cancel approval of that license). Does that sound like a threat to you? Farming is changing in this neck of the woods. Anyone notice the Ohio murder of 8 news where pot was involved? This is a cash/drug business. Thieves stealing chickens probably don't want to do murder I figure.
I was showing my older son's Father-In-Law, retired BLM forest manager, my forest (and my home is in the middle of the property) and man-o-man was he full of terrific suggestions for its enhancement. My younger son was attending. From the back of the property came a very large black Labrador retriever barking wildly while running back and forth on my property. I'm leading, as it came closer I used my alpha dog voice to repel the dog. A fellow from contiguous property enters my forest who appears to have some voice control of the dog. I know this fellow (he rents the land from the owner who I've given written notice to stop using my property, was taking trees, dirt, not bothering with survey markers). I ask him to take control of his dog and he says not his dog. I ask him to exit property and he does. We three start to return to home place, on another part of property, and dog attacks at speed with hackles raised teeth bared snarling with head turned to take in my leg I turn around at last minute and again use my big booming alpha voice and dog cowers and retreats. I had ASP and Buck 830 on me, didn't show or use either. Later call fellow who came on property asked to ID dog owner and said it was his neighbor but did not know neighbor's name or contact information (I wanted to speak with neighbor and try to explain I don't want dog injuring anyone on my property). Law here requires no loose animals in my county. There are probably 1/2 dozen loose animals nearby including dogs and horses. None are friendly, unfortunately.
The drugs and residents without a bit of care or knowledge for property lines or rules or laws or manners or control of their animals/livestock have appeared since I moved here in 1985. The old timers have moved deeper into the country as this type of resident has spilled out of wherever they come from or they have died. I worked as a rural mail carrier for over 5 years and ran for my life many times. I was given dog training several times by talented professionals and think that I can read dogs intentions pretty well. I sure don't want to hurt anyone, anyone's dog. I never did on the 7 different routes I worked all over the place here in the sticks. One woman was killed by a dog btw. The image of having my Achilles tendon removed or bleeding out from a dog bite in my own forest and me crawling doesn't appeal to me much. I can't bring myself to call the county to P/U the dog(s) or horse(s). I suppose if I lived in town the threats would be otherwise but the benefits, well, the benefits..... Fresh Benton strawberries! Oh baby. Worth it. Yes. Worth it.
