Domestic and wild animals have been a massive part of my life. Born in a logging camp in Minnesota, neighbors such as bears, deer, moose, coyotes, and bobcats were a fact, not a fear or foe.
Then, we moved to North Dakota, where my sister and my playmates were no bigger than a quarter, little brown toads, and many more than just a few. Our mother would caution us to “turn the toads loose before dark, or they’ll all be frozen by morning.” Thank heavens, I don’t ever remember that happening.
Finally, Oregon has been my home for more than six decades. No, there was no logging camp this move, but I’ve since spent thousands upon thousands of hours exploring the state’s backcountry. My primary goals were always the same: to spot and watch wild animals; size did not matter.
With a few exceptions, Oregon and Minnesota share very much the same animal species: bear, deer, elk, and moose. I just found out that Oregon has a small moose population in the Blue Mountains of northeast Oregon.
Even at 77, every chance I get to “run away” will find me away from town. And that is where and how I came up with the idea of ‘giving back’ to the environment that has given me so much.
What do animals spend a significant portion of their time doing? Looking for food. What if, in his search, a deer came across a tree with apple slices hanging from its boughs? Or a bear who suddenly caught a whiff of something incredibly sweet? He would undoubtedly follow the scent until he found the source. What if the source was a bottle of molasses poured liberally over an old, half-rotten stump? Or, can you just see a chipmunk scampering through the underbrush, coming across enough nuts and seeds to fill his cheek pouches to max capacity?
So that is what I decided to do … to give back to those fantastic creatures who give so much pleasure, asking nothing in return. I would place small mounds of tantalizing treats throughout the woods. I would do it close to Christmas. The animals wouldn’t know it was a present, but I would. I have missed very few years in the last two decades, even if I could only get to a local woodsy park. Elijah Bristow State Park near Pleasant Hill is a great example. There are plenty of opportunities with all the foothills surrounding Creswell, Cottage Grove, Springfield, and Pleasant Hill. You probably will not see a bear, but it’s better not to draw them close to populated areas.
So, what do I take on my epicurean outings? Fresh, unsalted vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and sometimes COB, a mixture of corn, oats, and barley. Occasionally, I’ll take a package of frankfurters for the carnivore section—only a few… too much sodium and additives. I scatter the food over a large area so as not to create competition or arguments.
The following is a list of conditions I try to follow:
• Do not leave too much in one place. You don’t want to distract the animals; they become easy prey.
• Do not leave treats close to a main road. We don’t want any injuries.
• Cut the food into smaller pieces so even the littlest critters get some: no candy, cookies, chips, or other human snacks. Apples are great! Scatter handfuls in the underbrush for moles and voles, mice and rats.
• Make sure you do not leave any wrappers. If an odor comes from a wrapper, it may get eaten. Not a good outcome.
• I do not take salt or protein blocks or anything long-lasting. It could make an animal predictable and vulnerable.
This column invites you to pack your little snack bag and head outside. Something, somewhere out there, will be very happy.
Merry Christmas!
Contact Norma Gavick at [email protected]
