- Joined
- Aug 27, 2003
- Messages
- 595
Update on page 4: 8 months later.
Just lost one of the best dogs we have ever had. Jackson was a five year old, 70 pound Border Collie who became the heart of our farm. He was constantly on the move checking on "his" livestock and being the protector of everything on the place.
He got himself eaten by a mountain lion
- the only thing he was ever afraid of. Several years ago when the cats became bolder Jackson stopped his solitary adventures that took him too far away. At night he had a special bark that alerted me to the presence of a big cat close to the house and delighted in the HID light and noise I used to send them on their way. He hated firearms except when there was a cat nearby, and then he would jump up and down and head off on the trail to get it.
Whenever one of us was out with him he felt invinceable and ran farther afield figuring we could protect him. Well, my wife and I were checking on a dam in a pasture behind the house to see if the flooding from the snowmelt was overtopping it. The big newfie stayed with us while Jackson harassed rabbits and birds. We saw him running south at top speed in the adjacent corn field after a pheasant and yelled that he would never catch it. Never saw him again.
At first I thought he went down by the river that was just reaching flood stage. I walked 1 1/2 miles of the native grass strip along the bank and saw no tracks through the deep soft snow. This meant no cats came out of that area either so I was somewhat relieved. Yesterday I decided to walk out in the corn stalks some more and came across fresh mountain lion tracks 100 yards south of where we were looking at the dam. He probably got nailed within minutes of us taunting him about his pheasant chase.
It is now hard going outside and not feel his nose nuzzling our hands as he comes up behind us. The farm cats are wandering around looking lost without their buddy and protector (any cat that wanders out of dog range never comes back). The goats always beat Jackson up when he was a puppy and he regularly chases them as payback. They really seem to miss the sport. Munch our Newfie still looks for him and has now taken on the role of our guardian when we go outside. Jackson would always accompany my wife on her walks and made her feel safe when going through the wooded trails.
Sorry for the long post - I'm sure not many will read through this but it makes me feel better saying it. Need to quickly get another dog before all our other animals disappear. Also spring calving is coming up and we lost one calf to the mountain lions last year even with Jackson out there. We found that one dog looks like a snack but two are perceived as a pack and are avoided. Seriously considering some Irish Wolfhounds. Had one years ago and liked her a lot. Still not a match for a big cat but would be more of a deterrent and wouldn't range so far afield.
Thanks for your time reading about my lost friend.
Lloyd
Just lost one of the best dogs we have ever had. Jackson was a five year old, 70 pound Border Collie who became the heart of our farm. He was constantly on the move checking on "his" livestock and being the protector of everything on the place.
He got himself eaten by a mountain lion
- the only thing he was ever afraid of. Several years ago when the cats became bolder Jackson stopped his solitary adventures that took him too far away. At night he had a special bark that alerted me to the presence of a big cat close to the house and delighted in the HID light and noise I used to send them on their way. He hated firearms except when there was a cat nearby, and then he would jump up and down and head off on the trail to get it.Whenever one of us was out with him he felt invinceable and ran farther afield figuring we could protect him. Well, my wife and I were checking on a dam in a pasture behind the house to see if the flooding from the snowmelt was overtopping it. The big newfie stayed with us while Jackson harassed rabbits and birds. We saw him running south at top speed in the adjacent corn field after a pheasant and yelled that he would never catch it. Never saw him again.
At first I thought he went down by the river that was just reaching flood stage. I walked 1 1/2 miles of the native grass strip along the bank and saw no tracks through the deep soft snow. This meant no cats came out of that area either so I was somewhat relieved. Yesterday I decided to walk out in the corn stalks some more and came across fresh mountain lion tracks 100 yards south of where we were looking at the dam. He probably got nailed within minutes of us taunting him about his pheasant chase.
It is now hard going outside and not feel his nose nuzzling our hands as he comes up behind us. The farm cats are wandering around looking lost without their buddy and protector (any cat that wanders out of dog range never comes back). The goats always beat Jackson up when he was a puppy and he regularly chases them as payback. They really seem to miss the sport. Munch our Newfie still looks for him and has now taken on the role of our guardian when we go outside. Jackson would always accompany my wife on her walks and made her feel safe when going through the wooded trails.
Sorry for the long post - I'm sure not many will read through this but it makes me feel better saying it. Need to quickly get another dog before all our other animals disappear. Also spring calving is coming up and we lost one calf to the mountain lions last year even with Jackson out there. We found that one dog looks like a snack but two are perceived as a pack and are avoided. Seriously considering some Irish Wolfhounds. Had one years ago and liked her a lot. Still not a match for a big cat but would be more of a deterrent and wouldn't range so far afield.
Thanks for your time reading about my lost friend.
Lloyd
