Last year I wrote about the wild boars that roamed the southeast end of Skaneateles Lake. It was hard to believe that these great monsters could be out there in the hills.
On Friday, I believe, one was shot and killed, his picture in the Sports section of the Syracuse Post-Standard. All 270 pounds of him!
And he was taken not on the south end of the lake, but on the west side just two miles from the village. No! Yes!
The farmer chased him down Hencoop (there are a couple lovely homes for sale on the road, by the way...) and finally did him in with his third shot. Hencoop!
These piggies grow to be 400 pounds. Since they're wild, I bet they don't like to be harassed. The DEC requests politely that you don't harass these babies because they are trying to catch them and relocate them. Relocate where? And who is out there making their lives miserable?
We have a friend who thinks he saw one crossing Franklin Street Road where it intersects with County Line. It wasn't a dog, it wasn't a deer, and it rumbled.
So here's my question: What do you do if you confront one? I am picturing myself out in the woods wearing my fluorescent orange. The pig thinks I'm a day-glo pumpkin and decides to investigate. Boo - all 85 pounds of him in his fluorescent orange vest - and Koko in her SU orange sweater are with me. We're unarmed (duh!) except for Boo's lead which I use to keep him from visiting his French bulldog girlfriend named Alex on our way home. I digress.....
So there we are, on the hill above the cornfield, and this boar wants to make our acquaintance. What do I do? What would Boo do? Koko's too old to see or hear it, so she would probably miss everything.
I had two dogs in Seattle years ago. They started barking furiously one Sunday afternoon, then stopped as suddenly and slunk away. I looked out the window. A wolf had gotten loose from the Woodland Park Zoo and was wandering down the street with an entourage behind her, waiting for the sedative to take effect. My dogs wanted nothing to do with her, as if they recognized this was no ordinary canine. I digress again....
So someone tell me, please! I know my blog is linked to www.syracuse.com and their blogs. Maybe someone reading this will know. What should we do - besides run like hell! There are tree stands in the woods - do I climb one with Koko and leave Boo to fend for himself? Scream - cry - charge the pig? Help!
Another sighting was on the border between Skaneateles and Elbridge - just over the hill. I think I need to know, and soon!
