Outdoors Julie Harris | BDN Sassy, a Brittany owned by Julie Harris of Hermon, always reigns as queen of the mountain of snow that results from having to push snow from the flat roof of Harris' garage. By Julie Harris, BDN Staff • January 16, 2019 7:59 am Updated: January 16, 2019 10:10 am The cold, snow and ice of winter could turn bird dog owners into couch potatoes, but that’s not to be. The dogs’ busy nature isn’t muted by the weather. Keeping your bird dogs fit during winter can be a challenge because of ice and extreme cold, but the enthusiastic dogs love to accompany their owners in whatever the winter activity might be. My dogs have accompanied me cross-country skiing, ice-fishing, snowshoeing and walking. But some people skijor and dog sled with them, too. These activities require some common sense to keep the dogs safe from frostbite, hypothermia, cracked pads, pulled ligaments and other cold- and ice-related hazards. Coats, booties and … [Read more...] about How to keep your bird dog fit during the winter months
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How to Attract a Killer Tigress? Try a Man’s Cologne
Sections SEARCH Skip to content Skip to site index Asia Pacific Subscribe Log In Subscribe Log In Today’s Paper Advertisement Supported by ByJeffrey Gettleman Oct. 8, 2018 PANDHARKAWADA, India — Do man-eating tigers like Calvin Klein cologne? Indian authorities are about to find out. For the past six months, forest rangers in a wet and bushy patch of central India have been chasing a cunning female tiger suspected of killing 13 people. They have thrown just about everything they have at the tigress: hundreds of foot soldiers to comb the jungle, bulldozers to clear it, sharpshooters, jeeps, camera traps, a thermal imagery drone and five Indian elephants in hopes of surrounding the tigress so the veterinarians riding the elephants can dart her. No luck. So the rangers plan to deploy a new weapon: a bottle of Calvin Klein Obsession cologne. “I know, it’s really funny,” said Sunil Limaye, one of the … [Read more...] about How to Attract a Killer Tigress? Try a Man’s Cologne
How to coexist with nature, when bears and coyotes move to the suburbs
You don't need to visit a wildlife refuge to get a look at black bears, coyotes and deer. These days, Erie County's suburbs are where the wild things are. Early summer's Great Black Bear Hunt highlighted just how much nature and civilization overlap. And the decision by Amherst police to shoot an injured bear stirred up strong emotions. It's part of the larger conversation over how the public can coexist with wildlife, especially in suburban neighborhoods where development pushes into animal habitats. "More and more, we're seeing these conflicts arising," said Barb Haney, director of wildlife for the SPCA Serving Erie County. Animal advocates say they've seen an accepting attitude toward animals in recent years. More residents and governments want to let wildlife go about their way, they said, in place of defaulting to lethal responses after an up-close encounter. That means using dogs to scare off geese, or loud noises to drive off coyotes, instead of shooting them. But towns and … [Read more...] about How to coexist with nature, when bears and coyotes move to the suburbs
Garden tips: How to bring trendy Royal Purple into your garden
By Joan Morris | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group June 7, 2018 at 2:00 pm Pantone’s 2018 color of the year, Royal Purple, has already swooned its way into home decor and fashion, but now is the time to bring it to the garden. Shawna Anderson, head of Orchard Nursery and Florist’s custom container department in Lafayette, says there are many options for purple blooms and foliage. Here are 9 plants to try. Calibrachoa ‘Cabaret Purple’ This is a new series of Calibrachoas, commonly known as millionbells. Keep it a bit on the dry side for more bloom. Large flowers of deep purple with yellow centers bloom in the summer and fall. Sun or light shade. Celmatis ‘Vancouver Danielle’ This plant has large flowers — 6 to 7 inches across — with overlapping petals of rich, velvety purple-blue with reddish central bars. Excellent for trellis, fence or containers. Blooms on new growth May to June. Sun for the flowering part of … [Read more...] about Garden tips: How to bring trendy Royal Purple into your garden
How to keep ticks out of your yard and off your body
Homestead James Gathany | AP In this undated file photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a blacklegged tick - also known as a deer tick, rests on a plant. The extended winter of 2017-2018 on the East Coast doesn't seem to have done much to impact ticks, whose numbers are expect to be similar to last year. By Aislinn Sarnacki, BDN Staff • May 4, 2018 6:00 am As ticks multiply and spread throughout Maine, people are looking for ways to protect themselves and their loved ones. For many, the battle begins in their own backyard. In response, an increasing number of lawn care and pest control businesses throughout the state are offering services aimed at lowering tick populations in outdoor living spaces. “It’s just something we all have to catch up on,” said Ed Mercier, who owns the Bangor-Auburn location of Mosquito Squad, a national company that offers mosquito and tick management services. For Mercier and other … [Read more...] about How to keep ticks out of your yard and off your body