Page 84 - October Sun Rays_Oct 2015
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PHOTO BY TONY BAYLIS
Female deer, called does, can give birth to as many as three fawns at a time. Fawns are born odorless, and mothers will
often leave their offspring alone for several days to avoid attracting predators.
Continued from the previous page RIVER OTTER BY NANCY OHLENBUSCH Last year the CA added a Pond Man-
processed in state-licensed plants and agement Committee to monitor and
their meat donated to the Austin Area Fortunately, vultures are migratory, maintain a vegetation balance in its two
Food Bank because its sale for profit is arriving in the fall and moving on in fishponds. Berry Creek, a state water-
prohibited by the State. Other communi- the spring or summer. The other good way, requires a fishing license, and is
ties have become overrun with deer and news is that vultures eat carrion, thus stocked primarily with catfish because
spend hundreds of thousands of dollars helping to keep our environment clear they are more immune to going over the
annually trying to achieve the balance of dead animals. dam. It also has bass and sunfish. The
we enjoy. Cowan Creek pond, stocked with bass,
does not require a license and is a “catch
The Federally protected vultures that and release” location.
choose Sun City as a roosting site are an-
other wildlife management challenge for “If they don’t pose an immediate threat
which Warren’s expertise is invaluable. to human beings, let ‘em be,” Henry
He currently holds a permit to discharge Schuessler, CA Wildlife Committee Chair,
a firearm within Georgetown city limits says of our wildlife. Feral hogs wreaked
and is able to selectively “dispatch” a havoc on our golf courses and yards. Over
number of vultures each year to disrupt 70 of them were captured with snares,
the flock. He makes himself available to by shooting, and in portable traps two
residents to discuss other management years ago, and there have been no feral
remedies, such as the use of air horns— hog sightings reported since. While the
after notifying neighbors in advance. committee actively pursues remedies to
82 | SUNRAYS OCTOBER 2015 ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG
