Friday, March 20, 2009

Santa Rosa Neighborhood Notes

This is the spot to talk about current issues in Santa Rosa Valley, upcoming events and happenings! Just click on the comments and they will appear!

72 comments:

  1. Rosemary,

    Can anyone give the residents info on rattlesnakes and any other type of snakes. ie. How likely they are to strike? When does the season end? How deadly or dangerous is a rattlesnake bite?

    I was running on the horse trail that runs south of Santa Rosa Rd between Hidden Meadows and Camelot and had to jump over a rattlesnake. It was a long straight line right across the trail. My husband said they can't strike if they are not coiled. It doesn't seem safe to be on those trails. Does anyone know the answer?

    Thanks,
    Joanne

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  2. From Pradera resident, Lynn Scheck:
    My sister’s dog was killed last night by a pack of coyotes at our house on Pradera. The bite marks indicate a very large animal. Due to the complete gutting and that the dog remained on the property rules out a mountain lion (I hope). The dog that was killed was an English bulldog weighing about 65 pounds. Not a small dog. Please warn people about this.

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  3. Dear Neighbor

    May I express my sorrow at the loss of you family's dog. I am a dog lover and I feel
    deep sadness when one of our beloved animals is killed in this manner. I am rather skeptical
    as whether or not coyotes killed your dog. Your dog was heavier than most coyotes and
    that kind of dog breed is a formidable scrapper. The coyote population is down considerably
    in the valley from years past. I am A Santa Rosa Valley resident and rancher for all most 50 years. Coyotes
    have taken many of our cats over the years, but no animal as large as your dog. Like you,
    I hope that there is not a killer pack running loose in the valley, but I suspect a larger animal.

    Sincerely, Bob Wilson

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  4. Rosemary,this is heartbreaking. I am so sorry and hope that maybe you will let Lynn's sister know how sad it is to read this e-mail.
    Amy Wolfram

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  5. I too want to express my sadness over the loss of this loved family pet. So tragic. I also live on Pradera (the culdesac side) and have not heard any coyotes lately which also makes me lean to another animal attack. However, none the less it is a horrible thing to have happened to a family pet I have six dogs and this has always been of great concern for me. I hope we all can be on the lookout for all predatory animals in our neighborhood and warn each other with any sitings.
    Carole Hunter

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  6. MY NAME IS TRICIA FARMER, I LIVE ON PRADERA RD.
    THE DAY AFTER FATHER'S DAY MY LITTLE 5 POUND YORKIE WAS EATEN ALIVE BY A VERY LARGE HAWK OR OWL.

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  7. Hi Rosemary,
    I understand that Lynn Scheck believes that her dog was killed by coyotes. However, We have reason to believe that a much more vicious animal is roaming the area and attacking larger dogs. Rusty and Kandi Stewart (who live on Suvida), recently had 2 possible attacks by an OCELOT (ALSO KNOWN AS A PAINTED LEOPARD). This is not a theory, this is what the vet told them when they took Nalla, their 100 lb Golden Retriever with “HUGE BITE MARKS ON HER BACK”, to him. The Vet believes that this cat has escaped captivity by a resident of this area and is “looking for food”. I understand that animal control (in Ventura County) does not get involved with Coyotes. However, do you think you could raise their eyebrows if the animal in question is not a coyote? Incidentally, after their Vet visit with their large dog, their much smaller dog, Shelly, was found killed (much like the way Lynn’s dog was killed), at their back door steps a few days later.
    We all know coyotes are out in full force at the moment, but what is attacking larger dogs does not seem to be coyotes anymore.
    Thank you for your help
    Kathey Corona

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  8. In regards to the dog attack on Pradera road, the department of fish and game will be at the scene tomorrow a.m. to determine whether or not it was coyote or cat. Keep your fingers crossed!
    There was a question about our fencing around the property. We have a block wall and hog-wired, three tiered PVC fences and some super tall hedges and an electric gate. That should keep out some goats or donkeys or a giraffe or something!!!?? I'll keep you posted (no pun intended).

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  9. Fish and game determined the animal that attacked and killed our dog was a lion. Please keep your kids and pets supervised.

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. Regarding hiking in rattlesnake areas:

    We got some citronella spray, called DirectStop. You use it like pepper spray, but it's only citronella, so it won't hurt a pet or person. We got it to stop occasional dog fights, but it also works to repel rattlesnakes.

    I couldn't post the link here, but search for "direct stop" on Amazon.com.

    It says it works for deterring many kinds of aggressive animals.

    Sincerely,
    Corkie the Dog

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  12. Hi Rosemary, I live on Pradera Rd., across the street from Lynn. I called Lynn as soon as I read your e-mail. I do not let any of my pets out since a large hawk swooped down and took my pet chicken, Phyllis. About 2 years ago Helena Sweitlow, that has the flag lot behind us, called and told me that there was a cat sitting on our back wall, not a house cat, a bobcat. Her front door faces our back wall so she has a perfect view of it. we could not see it, as there is a row of trees inside our wall. It sat there the whole day, then left at dark. we would never have known about it had Helena not called and told us. She said it appeared to be a young one. no one has seen it since. We occasionally see dogs running loose on our street, so please be very vigilent with all pets. p.s. does anyone want any free zebra finches, mine had babies and I don't want them to inbreed ! Nancy Bryie

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  13. From Santa Rosa Resident:
    As heartbroken as we are about the dog killed by a mountain lion, these cats are one step down from being an endangered species. There are very few left in our surrounding hills, as well as in the National Parks. As their wildlife corridors are being closed by development. (Which is exactly what happened with the building of an 8,000 sq. ft. property in the Mont Clef Ridge area (above Hidden Meadows) which was built directly in the middle of a Wildlife corridor). These mountain lions, deer, coyotes, bobcats and other animals are losing their habitats and have no way to cross back or migrate into the National Forests or National parks to return to their natural living habitat and food sources.
    Thank you for the wonderful prevention information. We do not ever want to lose our pets to a predatory animal. But we also must remember, we are infringing on the land which was theirs for hundreds maybe thousands of years. It is OUR job to obtain the knowledge to keep our precious dogs, cats, bunnies horses, goats, sheep, chickens, and other animals safe. They are only doing what is natural to them when they are displaced and hungry.
    Thank you for the information, we will be getting higher fences and stronger motion sensor lighting soon.

    Anonymous resident & multiple pet owner

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  14. We have just learned from an expert that this particular cat is probably young and is establishing its residence in this neighborhood. It will kill again. If any resident has an animal killed and the remains are found, immediately call the department of fish and game/or me. Try not to disturb the area. Time is of the essence. The animal must be found (and trapped). The manner of killing is different than that of a coyote. Total evisceration at first. The heart and lungs will be eaten. The lion would most likely have dragged the victim away and tried to cover it with leaves, etc. (In the event of our Mack's attack, the lion ambushed him on the front lawn then dragged him into the garden, 50 feet away, because it failed to lift him over our fence). The lion will then return by the next night to feed again. You will probably not hear anything- as opposed to the boisterous manners of a coyote. If you have small children, monitor them when they play outside. Keep your pets inside at night. We do live in a rural area where vigilance is necessary. We need to realize that we are sometimes vulnerable.

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  15. Hello Neighbors:
    I live at the West end of Presilla. In the past year, we have seen, on at least 5 occasions, 3 bobcats/mountain lion, and on one occasion a bear, on or near our property.

    As bobcats don't run in packs together, it is assumed one is the mother with her 2 offspring. The sighting of the 3 bobcats was last summer. Therefore, they are most likely living separately by now. (Which ties into Lynn's post that the cat is young and establishing itself.)

    The mountain lion has lived (and been sighted as early as 4pm in the evening) between our side of the hill and the Moorpark side since we moved here in January, 2001, that being our first sighting.

    Early last summer, our neighbors' dog was attacked by what we thought were coyotes. As we tried assisted our neighbor in getting the 90# German Shepherd back up the steep hillside where it had been dragged, we ultimately called the Moorpark Fire Dept. and they came with a large tarp and dragged the dog up the hillside. The vet determined it was a mountain lion that attacked from the rear of the dog, tearing the dogs flesh from his midsection to his hips, down to the spinal cord. Unfortunately the dog had to be put down.

    About 1 1/2 months ago, my husband sighted a brown bear near the end of Presilla, presumably the one that was spotted just on the other side of the hill that morning in Moorpark. We called Animal Control and they came out to try and track the bear.

    We lost our cocker spaniel to coyotes, a kitten to a huge owl during the daytime and a few chickens and ducks over the years to the bobcats/lions/coyotes. This is definitely country living...

    Lisa S.

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  16. Does anyone know if there were any tracks from the recent attack? Would seem that that would be one highly accurate method of determining what the animal was (provided there were tracks and someone to look at them who knows them). -Mark

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  17. As all of us live and raise our childrena and animals here in the Valley, we need to be watchful and also observant of our surroundings.

    When a rouge animal is present and now effecting the safety of our animals and children (which can easily happen small child up to adult sizes, remember what just happened in Irvine last year with the mountian lion) This animal must be removed at all costs without fail. Maybe even the MAC can help?

    The poster here who doesn't want to disclose their name, you would have a very different attitude if your beloved pet or even a child in your family were attacked or killed. It's funny when it happens to you, your opinion changes quickly and the preservation attitude evaperates.

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  18. I'd still like to have some additional verification as to whether or not it was likely a cat. What I hear from friends who have had various interactions with Fish & Game makes me pretty skeptical about any of their quick assessments on such a matter. Not that it couldn't have been a cat, just that I'd like to find some additional opinions by folks who know these animals well.

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  19. Mark it is a well known fact that Lions go after the vitial organs first and later come back for the rest after a later time. Check habits of the mountian lion on google. {:-)

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  20. Lynn has been getting bombarded with questions from different people, please urge people to log onto to this blog for more information.
    The warden from the department of fish and game came over and inspected the area, used the pictures that were e-mailed to him by my husband, and determined with a more than 90% surety that it was a lion. He has been the warden in Ventura County for more than 20 years. Then, with the help of my husband’s good friend, who is an expert on wildlife and who has been retired from his life long position of manager for the Lake Piru recreational park, and the fish and game warden, we were referred to an expert tracker from the Maricopa area. He brought his dogs here and determined that the trail was stale, having been almost three days. We did find muddy prints of a large cat on the top rail of a white PVC fence right next to the scene of the attack. Because we had not considered any other animal besides a coyote or bobcat, the area around the scene of attack was trampled and sprinkled on or was hard clay. We need people to come forward with their stories of their killed pets. Maybe someone has had a recent attack and hasn’t said anything. Any evidence of a footprint, droppings that ‘don’t quite look like’ coyote or maybe a dog or cat, who usually balks at being inside at night, wants to go in and stay in. The strange thing about this event is that it happened on the fourth of July. We let off loud, whistling fireworks in our yard that night, (right next to where Mack was taken). So did a whole bunch of our neighbors. It was pretty loud. That would have sent the cat to the hills? Maybe it initially came from Moorpark which had its firework celebration the night before? It still doesn’t explain why it was hanging around what it might’ve initially been afraid of. Did you know that mountain lions are drawn to children? I’ve got three kids and Henry doesn’t weigh more than 45 pounds which is 20 pounds shy of what Mack was. If this is a young rogue lion that is looking to set up “house” in an urban neighborhood, we are in trouble. An urban neighborhood is easy pickings for food. It’s a bountiful smorgasbord. The fortunate thing about the Santa Rosa Valley is that, unlike Simi Valley, our urban sprawl is minimal. There is lot’s of wild land around us (and we should try to keep it that way). If a single mountain lion has a territory of 100 miles, I don’t think it should be too dependent upon domestic pets, or our children. The question is... Do you want to take that chance?

    If an attack does happen, please call me or the department of fish and game a.s.a.p...If you call me, I will want to come over and take a picture so that I can e-mail it to the tracker. Time is of the essence! I respect this tracker and don’t want him bombarded with queries from concerned people. I would like to keep him anonymous for now.

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  21. It appears to me that there is some question still as to whether or not it was a coyote attack. I showed the pictures to two vets whom I know who specialize in exotic animals and another master falconer friend who has had experience with some of his animals getting killed by cats. All three said what they saw was totally consistent with other coyote attacks that they have seen. Plus, I know that another neighbor close to the attack site said she head coyotes the night in question. I have seen a good sized coyote coming out of someone's front yard just about 2 weeks ago on Pradera, just east of Via Zurita. Either way, it was clearly a horrible situation. I'm just not convinced of the cat hypothesis.

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  22. If the trapper comes here how will he catch the lion and will it be killed? I am wondering why nobody ever live traps mountain lions and transport them to a remote area away from people?

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  23. Rosemary,
    COYOTE ATTACK
    Our dog was attacked at 6:45 PM in front of our kitchen window while my daughter, friend and wife were in the house. My daughter heard the shriek of the dog and ran outside to find the coyote with his jaws on the neck of our dog. Our daughter chased the coyote off our dog. The coyote ran up the hill and cleared the fence and then proceeded to just watch.
    No doubt they are brazen and fearless. Our other dog was not so lucky. In October, the sister to this dog in the picture was killed.
    You can't leave them for a minute.
    Power Johnson
    Bridlewood resident

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  24. Anybody know why the Fruit/Vegetable stands on Santa Rosa Road are always closed ???

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  25. About 2 weeks prior to Max the Bulldog's death at 6 a.m., I saw a coyote at the of my property eating baby rabbits. Although it didn't look like 100% coyote. His head and neck looked like Anabus (a jackel); black and more sharply pointed than a coyote. His body was definitely coyote. He appeared to be a young animal, still filling out. He was completely aware of me and the horse and mules. He must have eaten 3-4 rabbits, swallowing them whole, head first. I was close enough to see one of the baby bunnies little feet kicking wildly before he swallowed it down. He stayed for 5-10 minutes and then moved on. Neither the horse nor the mule seemed concerned about his presence so he must frequent the area.
    I have also, during the past 3-5 months found a number of dead rabbits on my property, fully intact. The gardner (who raises chickens and rabbits) said he believed the rabbits had been poisoned. We may not like them eating our gardens but I certainly don't want my dogs to get ahold of a rabbit with poison in its system.
    Just a thought.

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  26. Dear RickR:
    I think the stands are seasonal. I was hoping someone would have your answers though. I noticed that there is a new for sale sign on the lot so I am wondering if they have decided to stop growing produce there. Does anyone know?

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  27. Last week, an older dog that weighs approximately 55 lbs. started acting very odd. It would run out into the yard and then run back with its ears down and tail down. The owners who were not on this email list were not aware of the mountain lion that has been killing animals in the neighborhood and thought that their dog had health issues that affected its behavior. They even tried leaving their rear yard lights on all night so that it wouldn't yelp, thinking their dog was afraid of the dark. Their next door neighbors also had a dog that was acting strangely.
    Unfortunately, Monday, the older dog was found with its vital organs removed with the same kill pattern as MACK who was at Lynn Scheck’s home. Unfortunately, the owners did not know to contact the tracker until a couple of days later and by then the trail is too old to track.
    Lynn Scheck called the tracker today to let him know about the attack and he really seems concerned. She asked him how long until the cat is hungry again and he said now.
    The lion tracker’s name is Leo. He has asked me to post his number with the hopes that somebody will call immediately after a killing. According, to Leo, there will be another as the cat lives here now. (Helena, another neighbor in the area thinks that it is one of the two cubs born a couple of years ago from along the base line trail).
    If you are unfortunate and have a pet killed and you see the remains, DO NOT TOUCH IT!!!
    Lynn states, “I cannot stress to you how important this is! Leo will be talking to Chris at the department of fish and game (Chris is the person everyone should ask to speak with) to see about setting up a trap.
    In order to set a trap for this lion, we need a place to put it!
    According to the information that Leo gave Lynn, “Somebody on the Bridlewood / Rancho Santa Rosa side needs to come forward with some land to set up this trap. Whoever this is cannot have children living there or adjacent to them”.Otherwise Lynn would do it!
    Lynn stated further, “What Leo would do is shoot a coyote and put the carcass into the trap and wait. (If we are lucky he’ll shoot that grodey, whole bunny swallowing jackal thing that Wendy sees). This is the best chance we have. I am sure that everyone would sleep easier when this mountain lion is caught!”
    Leo, the tracker can be contacted at: 661-345-5031
    Although the email list that I have covers almost 800 residents of the Santa Rosa Valley – it is NOT complete. When there are situations like this one, everyone needs to know what is going on. I am asking you to speak to your neighbors, some don’t use email – please let them know what is going on! Also, when you see your neighbor next, just ask them if they receive my emails and tell them about the information you receive from them. Having a complete communication system is vital to this area for the disbursement of emergency information updates, local crime situation updates, current events and neighborhood news.
    Keep informed and stay on top of this issue!
    Information on mountain lions from the internet:

    How to Protect Pets From Mountain Lions
    Mountain lions are exceedingly dangerous once they attack. They are a relentless predator who is always on the hunt for food. Unfortunately, pets, especially domesticated dogs and cats, make for easy prey. Here are some tips about how to protect your pets from Mountain lions.
    Instructions
    Step 1
    Avoid feeding other wildlife. Whether this is in your backyard or at a camping site, feeding other wildlife such as deer or birds will attract mountain lions. They will wait on the outskirts of the area and pounce when their mark is unprotected.

    Do not hike at dusk or dawn when mountain lions are most active. Avoid hiking alone. Groups offer greater deterrent against attack.

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  28. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  29. From Santa Rosa resident:
    Our 100 lb German Shepherd was killed 2 years ago by a mtn lion,and we live on Presilla.

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  30. Just found this website... 5 of our 6 chickens were killed this morning (after I let them out of their coop at 5:30 am) by a coyote on our property. I saw the coyote heading south from our property towards Green Meadow Nursery. Please be careful. We live on Duval Road.

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  31. My friend who's a master falconer and long time senior person at the LA Zoo has volunteered his time to trap the mountain lion/coyotes/chupacabra. He suggested that we purchase 3 game cameras and 3 traps, which he believes will provide evidence as to exactly what is doing the killing, and also capture it. He's local living in Thousand Oaks, and said $600 should cover the cost. Also, if we bought the equipment, then we would have it to use the next time such a situation might ensue. Please let me know if anyone has interest in splitting the cost, and I'll get him on it. -Mark Moon mmoon@tensegritycapital.com

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  32. July 20, 2009.

    I received this email this evening from another Santa Rosa Resident to whom I had sent the photos of the dog that was attacked as well as the fresh paw prints that were found yesterday. That resident sent these photos to another tracker that lives out of state.

    The tracker had some insightful observations regarding the attacks. After looking at the footprint photos, he said the cat was definitely a cougar and not a bobcat because of the size of the dog and the amount eaten. He also came to that conclusion because of the way the fur on the dog was "licked" back and that the cat obviously went for the internal organs. Also the absence of much blood as they have a tendency to lap that up right away.

    He at first suspected a female because of the size of the tracks (3" is small for a cougar) but said the kill didn't look right to be a female. He said females typically try to cover their kills in order to keep them hidden and bring back their cubs to feed on it. So he feels it's a small male. He said if it's a female, she either got scared off before burying it or she has very small cubs that she's still nursing and wouldn't have the need to cover it to bring them back to it.

    He said according to the frequency and location of the kills, the cat is getting bolder and there is no indication of him leaving anytime soon with this much easy prey around. The more kills he makes, the more he will claim this area as his territory and the less likely he will leave. He also said that with him gaining courage and boldness, there is a much higher risk of him eventually (sooner rather than later) attacking a human.

    When I told him about the nervous/scared dog that was attacked during the night, he said the cat was probably either on the roof of the house or up in a nearby tree at that time and the dog knew it. Also the fact that the cat killed the dog with the porch light on is testament to his increasing boldness.

    He was quite alarmed at the frequency of the attacks and the boldness. He's of the opinion that someone needs to be actively tracking the cat to find it's daylight bedding area and not waiting for another kill.

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  33. Hello all,
    I know that we are all thinking about the mountain lion..but the coyotes are sure getting bold. As some of our neighbors know, our puggle dog named Puppers went missing while we were in Europe.We are now back.I just wanted to relay a little story about the boldness of the coyote. My brother-in-law and nephew decided to take a night swim, around 11:00 pm. At one point, my 11th grader nephew noticed something on the grass.He said to his father, "Oh look-a baby deer." It was not a deer..but a coyote, about 40 feet away from the pool , casually lying in the semi-dark grass.The dogs( now just three in number) were on the opposite side of the pool, hanging out on the putting green.The dogs gave chase and the coyote took off, but not without boldly visiting again the next night. In an earlier post, someone had written that the creature eating baby rabbits looked like Anubis, the Egyptian jackal-headed god of the afterlife. It is not suprising that my nephew thought that what he initally saw was a baby deer.Like the jackal, there is a more elongated neck, with upright pointy ears. I don't know what variety of coyote is out there..but it is very bold.

    Additionally, I have just heard from friends about their small dog acting strangley next to a fence that separates a grove of avocados, at about 9:30 am. Our friend went to inspect.. and wrote this: ( She)started barking and slowly going towards the fence (she couldn't see whatever it was, and she was really cautious, not like with a rabbit or lizard). I walked over to her because I could tell she was concerned/afraid and I could head something walking away through the leaves in my neighbor's yard - walking, not running. It sounded from the crunch of the leaves like it at least had to be as big as a large dog, and it could've been a person, except that I would've seen my neighbor. By the time I got down to the fence, whatever it was had vanished into the weeds and avocados. I've never seen it like this. You don't hear any dogs barking at night now. ( they have lost 10 cats to coyotes over the years, and a cat on the night that our dog Puppers went missing).

    Please be careful..especially with your kids.Our youngest weighs about 53 pounds..and that has me very concerned.
    Cathy Warburton

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  34. My friend says that right now (this time of year) the coyote pack is at its maximum size, as the babies are now large enough to eat good amounts of food, but not mature enough to leave or get booted out of the pack. Thus, pack requires more food now than at any other time. This might explain why they're most bold right now. -Mark

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  35. Hi All,
    Wondering why there has been no news of the mountain lion in the Ventura County Star? Me, too.Spoke to one of the folks in charge over there. and she sounded rather bored by the whole thing. Does anyone have any numbers on how many animals have been killed? The reporter covering our area is Ken Maryanski. His email is :kmaryanski@VenturaCountyStar.com. Hopefully people will write to him.
    Cathy

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  36. Hi nieghbors,

    I would like to express my deepest sympathy to all of you who have lost a pet. My heart truly ache's for all.

    Does anyone know if horses are in danger of mountain lions. I can't seem to find any information on this.

    Since moving here 2 years ago, it still shocks me as to how fast people drive. As everyone knows, this is a horse community. Please have the common sense/courtesy to slow down when you see riders.
    I am very concerned that an accident is waiting to happen on Redondo. On 3 separate occasions I have nearly been plowed into while on my horse (crazy enough, in the clearly stated horse crosswalk). It is at an incline however, there is no reason to floor the gas pedal just to make it up the hill. We would all be devastated if a tragedy should occur.
    Shawna

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  37. Has a permit to kill the supposed mountain lion been issued by Fish & Game? If not, I don't know why only one other resident was interested in my offer to set up game cameras to get evidence of what is in our neighborhood. Seems like there should be more than 3 people interested in chipping in for the $600 required. -Mark

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  38. According to where the kills have occured, it may be that the cougar may be "living" in Spook Canyon. It's just isolated enough, plus there are enough rim rocks, under brush and fresh water to make that the ideal hiding place for him. People should be aware of the potential danger and it is a good idea to caution people about horseback riding or hiking in that area until we know it's bedding location for sure.

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  39. I did some research on HOW THE LAW DEALS WITH MOUNTAIN LIONS. I found this article by Dave Dick (Fish and Game Department)
    The procedures to deal with problem mountain lions are spelled out in Chapter 10 of the Fish and Game Code of California a 600-page document covering all manner of wildlife laws. This legal framework resulted from the June 1990 passage of Proposition 117, which declared the mountain lion a "specially protected mammal" -- the only California species so designated.

    "The department (of Fish and Game) may remove or take any mountain lion, or authorize an appropriate local agency with public safety responsibility to remove or take any mountain lion, that is perceived to be an imminent threat to public health or safety," reads Section 4801 of the Code.

    The law also allows a person whose "livestock or other property" has been damaged or destroyed by a mountain lion to report the incident to Fish and Game and request a permit to take kill the offending animal. Once such a request is made, the law requires "immediate" no more than 48 hours after receipt of the report confirmation from Fish and Game that a mountain lion is responsible.

    "If satisfied that there has been depredation by a mountain lion as reported, the department shall promptly issue a permit to take the depredating mountain lion," reads Section 4803 of the Code.

    The law has several features to ensure only the depredating lion is taken. Conditions of a depredation permit include:

    -The permit expires 10 days after it is issued.

    -Pursuit of the offending lion must begin within a mile of the depredation site.

    -Pursuit of the lion is limited to within a 10-mile radius of the incident.

    Persons taking a lion under a depredation permit are required to turn the carcass over to the DFG.

    Another section permits the immediate killing of any mountain lion caught in the act of "pursuing, inflicting injury to, or killing livestock, or domestic animals." Any such incident must be reported to Fish and Game within 72 hours. The DFG investigates the depredation and confiscates the lion carcass, if it was killed. A permit is issued afterward if the investigation confirms the depredation.

    When a lion is authorized to be taken, the Fish and Game Code directs it be done by "the most effective means available." Poison, snares and leg-hold or metal jawed traps are specifically prohibited by Proposition 117, although these methods could be useful in areas where the use of hounds is impractical.

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  40. From a resident of Bridlewood on the far west side of Ridge Drive:
    I believe that there are a number of these lions living in our community. I have seen them on our property as far back as 2000 in 2002 there was a period of time when on a number of occasions a large male was sitting on our deck intensely overlooking the baranca while I was having breakfast in the kitchen looking at him from behind. We had three large dogs left undisturbed. This occurred at least three times the lion was not bothered by the vibrations of my moving around in the house.In May 09 we lost our last dog she was 18 human years old too old to put a fight, your description of the last kill and carcass matched our dog as well. We took the carcass to animal control in Camarillo but they were sure what killed her.
    It is obvious that the needs of these animals are at odds with ours and they can not coexist like Coyotes, Alex

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  41. I am such a visual person, so I am am trying to complie a list of recent missing or killed animals. This is based on the blog and personal knowledge.
    Would anyone like to add?

    Coyote and Mountain Lion Attacks in Santa Rosa Valley Summer 2009




    May ,Ridge Drive, .............dog attacked, Animal Control says MOUNTAIN LION responsible
    June 18, Los Fresnos Circle..missing dog ( 17 lb puggle),early afternoon
    June 18, Highridge Ct...........missing cat, evening..
    June? . Subida,............... dog attack (100lb Golden Retreiver).. MOUNTAIN LION attack
    June ? Subida,.............. dog attack ( small dog, same house) probable MOUNTAIN LION
    July 4, Pradera................... dog attack (65lb bulldog).. MOUNTAIN LION attack
    July 12 ,Via Zurita, Dog attacked by coyote in front of a kitchen window, but scared off
    July 13, large dog
    July 19, Cat missing
    July 20,Duval.......................chickens eaten by coyote
    abt; 6:45 pm
    July 23, E. Las Posas Circle, dog missing (poodle), missing in a.m around 9-10:00 am
    July 24, Summit Circle,...... dog attack (beagle) MOUNTAIN LION attack

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  42. From Kassie in Bridlewood:
    Please request all our neighbors here in the Valley to (please!!!) stop using rat poison and to use traps instead.
    Our beagle caught an apparently poisoned rabbit/bird/mouse in our own fenced back yard; blood tests confirmed she had eaten rat poison and she very nearly died. We do NOT use poisons in our yard becasue you cant control wehre the poisoned animals go afterwards and this causes horrible results. Since this incident we have found more dead (poisoned) rabbits.

    Many thanks to Dr Brad Patterson and the Pet Emergency Clinic whose efforts saved our beagle!

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  43. Hello All,
    I am in contact with a reporter who would like to write an article about the spate of missing animals, animal deathes, etc. in our area. I believe the goal is to put an article in the Friday Ventura County Star. If anyone is interested chatting with the reporter, his name is Adam:
    Adam Foxman
    Staff Writer
    The Ventura County Star
    805 437 0267
    afoxman@VenturaCountyStar.com

    Thank you,
    Cathy Warburton

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  44. On Tuesday evening July 7th in our back yard our dog , a 15 lb bishon was killed in the same way as Lynn's pet. We live in Thousand Oaks right above Santa Rosa by the top of the CLU area. We found our beloved dog half eaten backside down and dragged up to the top of the fence of our property. I called Fish and Game number and was told it was probably a coyote attack . It happened 3 days after the 4th of July attack. My sympathies for those who have lost a beloved pet.

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  45. Mountain Lion Update from Rosemary Allison:
    Last week I had a long discussion on the telephone with Chris Long from the Fish and Game Department. He explained to me that Fish and Game “officially” recognizes that there was one domestic animal killed by the mountain lion. That was MAC at Lynn Scheck’s home due to the fact that he had a carcass and specific photos of the carcass and paw prints on her property that he recognized as belonging to a lion.

    The other domestic pet kills were not verified by Fish and Game. Although there isn’t any doubt that there were at least 2 more pets killed by the lion because the evidence was not presented to Fish and Game within a short time period they are not recognized as lion kills.

    There is a specific order of events that need to be followed with the next discovery of a domestic pet that has been killed by the lion. We were not aware of the very specific protocol that has to be followed. In one instance the kill was reported to Fish and Game but because the owner of the pet did not specifically ask Fish and Game to come to investigate and verify the kill – it is not counted.

    Please try to discuss this situation with neighbors and if anyone hears of a pet being killed PLEASE call Lynn at: 805 207-6514 or Rosemary at 805 491-2100.

    Please understand that it is illegal to use a snare, trap or kill a mountain lion without a depredation permit which can ONLY BE ISSUED to the owner of the dead pet by the Fish and Game department within a short period of time from the discovery and verification from Fish and Game that a domestic pet has been killed by a lion. The permit is only good for a period of 10 days after it has been issued. There is a tracker who is prepared to come immediately if a permit is authorized by Fish and Game and if he has a fresh kill to track from. Other than the specific terms of this protocol the ONLY OTHER INSTANCE that Fish and Game can get involved is if the mountain lion is deemed to be a public safety threat.
    Under the DFG’s Public Safety Wildlife Guidelines, an animal is deemed to be a public safety threat if there is “a likelihood of human injury based on the totality of the circumstances.” Factors that are considered include the lion’s behavior and its proximity to schools, playgrounds and other public gathering places. The determination of whether an animal is a public safety threat is made by the DFG or local law enforcement personnel on the scene.
    What happens to a mountain lion that is declared a public safety threat?
    The DFG or law enforcement personnel on scene will secure the area, then locate and kill the offending animal as soon as possible. The DFG does not relocate mountain lions that are a threat to public safety.
    Why can’t the animal be captured and moved to suitable habitat that is more remote?
    When an animal is displaying unusually bold or aggressive behavior toward humans, the DFG will not relocate the animal because of the risk it could pose to others. Two other issues that are the reasoning behind not relocating the animals include: they tend to return to the place that they have claimed as their territory and that if they are relocated to where there is another mountain lion that has claimed the area they will fight over their territorial rights.

    Is it possible to find a home for the mountain lion in a wildlife sanctuary?
    When a mountain lion is declared a public safety threat, the DFG’s goal is to eliminate the threat in the most humane manner possible. Capturing a wild animal that is accustomed to traveling great distances and confining it to a relatively small enclosure is not a humane option.

    Are mountain lion attacks on pets/livestock common?
    It has become increasingly common for mountain lions to prey on pets and livestock as more people move into mountain lion habitat. The California DFG receives hundreds of reports annually of mountain lions killing pets and livestock.

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  46. If a pet is found that has been killed by a mountain lion and the owner wants to participate in the lion’s removal, this is the protocol to remember:

    1. If a domestic animal is found that has been killed – DO NOT MOVE THE CARCASS. Call Chris Long at the Fish and Game Department telephone number: 805 644-2852; if he is not available call Jacob Coombs at 805 861-0871.
    Tell them that you believe your pet was killed by a mountain lion and you want someone from Fish and Game to come to your property to investigate as soon as possible. Do not disturb the ground where the pet was killed – mountain lions have specific ways of leaving their kill and the prints are very important for the tracker to find the right lion. Tell Fish and Game if it is verified that your pet was killed by a mountain lion that you want a depredation permit because you are concerned that the lion will return. Fish and Game will not issue the permit if you do not specifically ask for it. DO NOT CALL ANIMAL CONTROL.

    2. Call Lynn or Rosemary. If you have a digital camera take lots of photos – or we can bring our camera. Call Lynn at: 805 207-6514 or Rosemary at 805 491-2100
    On Thursday I received a call from a Santa Rosa Resident that a half eaten carcass of a coyote was found behind the Greenmeadow Nursery. Lynn went over to check it out and after seeing the carcass she felt that there wasn’t any doubt that the coyote was killed by a mountain lion. I called Chris Long who was out of the area, but since the coyote is not a pet it certainly did not fall within the parameters of the protocol.

    If the lion does not go back to eating domestic pets there certainly will be no reason to have a depredation permit authorized. From speaking to the owners of the pets, the mountain lion stalked the pets at least one night before killing them and he went after older dogs. If your pet is acting strangely - it may sense the presence of the lion - bring the pet in the house!

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  47. Our cat was killed about 2 months ago - we live off Los Pueblos. Hardly "deep Santa Rosa." We are almost positive it was a large cat. It was awful. We are new to the area and had no idea.

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  48. I met with California Fish and Game Department at the site off Redondo where a pet goat was killed last night. Fish and Game confirmed that this pet was killed by a mountain lion. This confirmation was predicated on the bite marks in the neck and the m anner in which the carcass was eviscerated. The warden informed the owner of the goat that the lion will most probably return to the site of the carcass this evening to feed on it further.

    The purpose of this email is to urge all Santa Rosa Valley residents not to walk or ride on the trails leading up behind Redondo from the Santa Rosa Valley Property owners Association arena in the early hours or after dusk today until you are notified that this situation has been handled. We do not want to publicize in any manner the situation so that gawkers or would be hunters do not enter into the equation. It is illegal to hunt mountain lions in California and Fish and Game has made it clear that they will not hesitate to prosecute any violators.

    Please heed this warning – let the experts handle the situation and if you live close by stay indoors.

    I went door to door yesterday to notify the residents along Redondo, but if you can think of someone that regularly is on the trail in this area at those times, please pass this message on. Please contact me by email or by telephone if you have any questions. Keep updated automatically by signing up to be a follower of this blog. Click on the top right hand corner where it indicates for you to sign in - enter in your everyday email address (you do not have to create a new one for Google) and a password and you will be able to register to follow this thread and be notified automatically when new content is added.
    Fish and Game is very proactive and had 4 wardens in Santa Rosa Valley yesterday to monitor the situation and check on possible sightings.

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  49. Hi, two pet cats have gone missing in Lexington Hills. One two weeks ago, and another last week. No sign of attack, but have been indoor/outdoor cats for over 4 years.

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  50. We are also concerned about the return to fall class at Santa Rosa Tech. Magnet. Coyotes have been known to walk permiter of yard. Small kindergarten and elementary age types create a concern for me. As the attacks have taken place while school has been closed for summer. It also is my opinion that until a child is victim, a concerted proactive action plan to acquire the animal will not take place.

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  51. From Rosemary Allison:
    I received a telephone call this morning from a gentleman who was walking near Padre Serra Church on the Calleguas trail South of Upland (Mission Oaks area) who saw what he thinks is a mountain lion on the trail. His telephone number is: 805 377-9206. He saw the animal at 7:15 am this morning and has concerns for safety because it is a populated trail in the mornings. This trail is South of Upland. He is not positive it was a lion and does not want to go back to take photos of the paw prints without an expert with him. He did tell me that the animal looked like a lion and had a long tail. I told him that he should contact his local authorities and possibly put warning signs on the trail but that Mission Oaks is out of the neighborhood (Santa Rosa Valley) that our group is concentrating on right now. If you know anyone near this area (he told me that Hillridge street) is close to this trail - please let them know to be aware when they walk.

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  52. From Bridlewood resident - Thursday evening at approx 11:00 pm:

    Just came home on Santa Rosa road and my son and I saw a large animal with a long tail as we were approaching my entrance to Bridlewood. I put my brights on and it moved quickly into the neighborhood up a hill. At first I thought coyote but when I put my brights on and saw the size and tail and how quickly it darted away I had second thoughts. With all of our concerns about the mountain lion I just wanted to pass it on to you.

    Thanks,
    Cindy

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  53. There was also the notification that yesterday someone up on Presilla saw a mountain Lion in her backyard at about 1:00 pm ! Then it scampered off into the barranca.

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  54. I want to thank Rosemary for all of the time, effort and money she has invested into this mountain lion ordeal. Rosemary has seen the horrific evidence of what these animals are capable of and is dealing with her own personal emotions from that. She remains comforting and patient with those of us dealing with our losses and our fears. Nobody wants to harm this particular mountain lion. It is a terrible situation. I urge everyone to research mountain lions and their behavior to better understand our predicament. Quite a few of us have misunderstood certain aspects of these investigations. Please speak out! Ask those questions and voice your concerns. State your opinions. We all have them and they aren't always the same. Some times it is hard to come to terms with what might be best. I never asked for this horrible chain of events to take place. What I have seen is something out of a nightmare. What I have learned since July 5th is foreboding. I am a victim just like any other who is dealing with this. I fear for our pets and especially our children. Please say thank you to Rosemary for all that she is doing. I would also like you to appreciate and thank Linda, the owner of the goat killed on Sunday, who is now going through a horror none of us want to experience. This is a great community and in times like this we need to pull together and support each other.

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  55. At approx. 12:20 a.m. on Sunday, August 16th, my 19 y.o. son sighted a huge mountain lion on Redondo near the intersection of Barranca. It was crossing from the large lot, at the corner of that intersection, toward the bright green house. If someone is still tracking it, there might be paw prints in any soft dirt in the area.

    My son has seen bobcats on many occasions near our home, but this one really got his adrenaline pumping. He said the lion was "jogging" across the street and didn't seem to be intimidated by his approaching car.

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  56. Tuesday August 18th. The mountain lion has not been captured and the depredation permit has expired. Do not attempt to hunt the mountain lion as it is a FELONY to hunt down and harm a mountain lion without the proper permit. Please tell everyone you know to try not to walk the trails at or after dusk, take a large walking stick with you or pepper spray. If a pet is found that has been killed by a mountain lion and the owner wants to participate in the lion’s removal, this is the protocol to remember:

    1. If a domestic animal is found that has been killed – DO NOT MOVE THE CARCASS. Call Chris Long at the Fish and Game Department telephone number: 805 644-2852; if he is not available call Jacob Coombs at 805 861-0871.
    Tell them that you believe your pet was killed by a mountain lion and you want someone from Fish and Game to come to your property to investigate as soon as possible. Do not disturb the ground where the pet was killed – mountain lions have specific ways of leaving their kill and the prints are very important for the tracker to find the right lion. Tell Fish and Game if it is verified that your pet was killed by a mountain lion that you want a depredation permit because you are concerned that the lion will return. Fish and Game will not issue the permit if you do not specifically ask for it. DO NOT CALL ANIMAL CONTROL.

    2. Call Lynn or Rosemary. If you have a digital camera take lots of photos – or we can bring our camera. Call Lynn at: 805 207-6514 or Rosemary at 805 491-2100

    If the lion does not go back to eating domestic pets there certainly will be no reason to have a depredation permit authorized. From speaking to the owners of the pets, the mountain lion stalked the pets at least one night before killing them and he went after older dogs. If your pet is acting strangely - it may sense the presence of the lion - bring the pet in the house!
    For Safety notices and Santa Rosa Valley alerts please ask your neighbors if they receive my email alerts, if they don't ask them for their email address and send it to: rosemaryallison@aol.com

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  57. Does anyone have an idea about the time interval between the last sighting of the mountain lion and the assumption that we SRV residents are out of the woods and this critter is back in the woods? Has the tracker suggested when it will be safe to return to the trails? I want to say I feel like a prisoner walking my dog on the street rather than in the woods but I realize how ludicrous that sounds when we all live in paradise.

    Amy Wolfram

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  58. I think that I can answer this question from Amy. First of all, in regards to our lion problem, no news is good news! The last kill that was locally known was the goat on August 8th. The first was on July 5th. A total of 4 large domestic pets and 1 coyote and numerous small pets (that could not be accurately proven as lion kills)were accounted for. According to the Department of Fish and Game there can be activity and then a lull for 6 months or so. All I can recommend to people is to use your common sense, be aware of your surroundings, watch your pets for signs of unease, monitor your children and realize that we do live in a rural area. These lion occurrences are becoming more numerous because their populations are thriving. Proposition 117 is almost 20 years old but it still is protection for these animals. Constant vigilance is necessary but do not let fear keep you from enjoying our beautiful neighborhood. Do some research on lions and learn how to protect yourself. There are some good websites to browse through and the DFG is very informative. Keep your pets inside at night and do not feed them outside if possible. I will be taking down the numerous fliers posted around the neighborhood and putting some on the cork board at the club house on E. Los Posas. Lynn

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  59. Mountain Lion Update:

    I was called by the Fish and Game Department yesterday. They asked me to speak to a homeowner in Moorpark. His 100 lb. Chocolate Lab was killed in his back yard which is located on Chestnut Ridge early yesterday morning.

    The homeowner who was not aware of the situation in Santa Rosa Valley, took his dog’s body to his vet. His vet contacted Animal Control and from the type of kill as well as the telltale bite in the dog’s neck it was verified that the dog was killed by a mountain lion. Santa Rosa Valley resident John Scoredos was told about the new attack and from the information he received through our Santa Rosa Valley episode, instructed the vet to contact Fish and Game to get the procedure in place to obtain a depredation permit.

    Fish and Game issued a depredation permit for the capture of the mountain lion that killed that dog. The same tracker, Leo Fisher, that we had hired has been asked to help capture that lion. We do not know that it is the same lion. Leo is on another case and will be going to the site tomorrow to see if he can be of assistance. I am hoping that he will be able to tell us if he thinks that it is the same mountain lion.

    I have been told that I will be kept updated and will let you know what transpires.

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  60. The lion tracker called me this evening and told me that he will not be going after all to the residence on Chestnut Ridge in Moorpark. He explained that since the dog remains had been removed and the area cleaned up he did not think there would be a good chance of catching the lion. The owners of the Chestnut Ridge home had contacted another hunter who set up a cage on the first night - without success. Due to the fact that this kill is over 48 hours old he did not feel that there is a strong enough scent to follow with his dogs. He does not want to incur costs for the residents by coming out and staking out a location that he feels will not catch the lion. He told me that he feels that this "young tom" will continue to eat the domestic pets in Moorpark as well as Santa Rosa Valley. I was told that dogs in Santa Rosa Valley were acting strangely this evening (Lori wrote: my dog is acting really strange today. She is whimpering to get in the house and doesn't usually do that unless she is excited to see us first thing in the morning. She was pacing outside and so I let her in. Our... neighbor's pointer has been missing for a few days). It sounds like her dogs are sensing danger. We have been told that may be an indication that the mountain lion is close by! The most help that we can use to capture this lion, if the pointer was killed by the lion, FIND the remains of the missing dog. If you do, DO NOT MOVE THEM, or ruin the tracks around it, call Lynn or I and we need the cooperation of the owner of the dog. With the request from the owner of the killed pet, a permit can be issued and we can get the tracker here to stake out the remains for the return of the lion within 48 hours. If the lion got the dog, he has buried it in a very shallow grave and it returning to it nightly. The problem with the Moorpark incident was that the dog was removed and the stains were cleaned. (I don't blame the owners, because: a. they didn't know that it was a lion that killed their dog, or that it would ruin our chances of getting the lion back b. it was on their side patio - who wants to look at that? Spread the word so people KNOW the protocol for the procedure that will result in the capture of this lion. Follow this blog for more information as it happens.

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  61. Hi,
    I have been hearing gunshots in the morning and late afternoon in the west end of Santa Rosa Valley. I went on a bike ride and saw a man dressed in full camo (hat, coat & pants) and carrying a shotgun. He fired many shots as I rode by. He was about 100 ft. west of the Edison towers and 100 ft. south of Santa Rosa Rd. This is the old Rancho Avita property.
    This shooting is heard by my neighbors on Yucca and Blanchard and is freaking out some of the local dogs. It is also within 100 ft. of S.R. rd. and seems to occur mostly during rush hour when traffic is heaviest. It is also within 500 ft. of our new equestrian park. The park host is also concerned with the frequent shooting.
    I would appreciate any comments from others who may be concerned.

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  62. MOUNTAIN LION UPDATE:
    Mountain lion update September 11, 2009. The mountain lion killed a deer on the property of a Santa Rosa Valley resident located on the West side of Andalusia. The homeowner followed the protocol and did not move the carcass and contacted Fish and Game. Fish and Game told the homeowner, "as deer are the main staple of mountain lions and deer are not a domesticated animal - Fish and Game would not come out an investigate nor would they proceed any further. Leo, the tracker had been in Santa Rosa Valley the day before the deer was discovered and found a lot of evidence that a lion had been on Presilla. Homeowners on both sides of Santa Rosa road need to be vigilant about protecting their pets and bringing them into a safe closure in the evenings. There were numerous notices from neighbors, that their pet's have been acting strangely, please be aware that your pet may be sensing the predator nearby.
    The following are excerpts from emails received this week:
    9/5: Shortly after the goat-kill incident my dog was barking incessantly at the side of my house. I opened the window to the area where they were locked up and they both lunged through the crack in the window, breaking the hinges. This is something they have never done before. Because my old St. Bernard was whining and crying, I locked both dogs in the garage. The next day I spoke to Lori, my next door neighbor to the east. She verified that her dogs were acting strange that night, also, so she went outside and spotted what she felt was the mountain lion in her tree closest to my property. I had a feeling it was stalking my St. Bernard.
    9/6/2009: Our Maia was acting very strange on Friday night. Fearful, tentative, didn't want to go outside to potty, and then wanted to come right back in (we take her out at night only on a leash). Chris Olsen
    9/10/2009: We came home at 7:30 tonight (9-10-09) and my dog (70 lb. Golden) was pacing for 1 hour after he came inside the house. He looked out the windows and finally laid down after about 1 hour.That is not normal for him. So you may want to tell the tracker.....Debbie Bronson

    RE: Santa Rosa Valley town meeting with tracker. Once we have a date set we will notify everyone on the blog and by email.

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  63. Television coverage of the Moorpark lion attack of the chocolate lab:
    http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/ventura_county&id=6999877&rss=rss-kabc-article-6999877

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  64. Television coverage of the Santa Rosa Valley lion attack on July 4th.
    http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/ventura_county&id=6943096&rss=rss-kabc-article-6943096

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  65. Hi,
    I recently posted about hearing gunshots in S.R. valley. I contacted the property owners of the old Rancho Avita near the entrance to our Santa Rosa equestrian park. They said no one was allowed to shoot/hunt on their property. After continuing to hear gunshots daily I recontacted them and then they said they had given permission to their gardener to hunt dove. He continued to hunt through the end of dove season Sept. 15. Dove season is set to resume Nov. 14 for 6 weeks.
    Apparently this is all legal but I do have concern about hunting this close to the new park.

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  66. Update about Norwegian Grade work:
    Our Norwegian Grade project, previously scheduled for this fall, has been delayed until spring 2010 due to delay in getting Caltrans authorization for our federal funding. We will continue to keep you apprized as to the project schedule.

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  67. MOUNTAIN LION UPDATE
    October 4, 2009 Sunday

    Approximately 4:30 PM: Wildwood Ranch neighborhood a 8 year old Jack Russell Terrier was found killed in the Torres backyard. The Torres family lives across the street from me on Sumac Lane. The family returned home at 4:30 pm and when the children went into their backyard they found their dog had been killed, BUT the dog had not been eviscerated. There were puncture wounds on the neck and the skin had been removed through the center (it looked as if the dog had a “saddle” on both sides). They assumed that their dog had been killed the night before. They gently placed a sheet over the dog and left it in place per the instructions.

    Lynn Scheck came to the home at approximately 5:09 PM. She called and left a message for Leo the lion tracker and took photos of the kill. Lynn thought the carcass did not look like a mountain lion kill because the innards had not been eviscerated. She took her camera back to her home so that she could send them to Leo for his opinion.

    Carmela was on the telephone calling me and looking out her back window when she saw the mountain lion just beyond her back fence. She told her husband who had reservations that she had actually seen a mountain lion in daylight. He went outside and walked to the back area of his yard where the dog was still laying. He looked beyond his fence and saw the mountain lion about 40 yards away. The mountain lion looked directly at him and then turned to walk away slowly. Oscar saw the curl of the lions tail as it turned to walk away.

    At that point everyone realized that the cat had been interrupted and did not get a chance to finish the meal. We were all surprised because we were used to the usual “dusk to dawn” time periods and did not expect that a pet would be killed in the late afternoon. It was coming back to finish it’s meal!!!

    Fish and Game came to the residence at approximately 8:30 pm. The two Fish and Game wardens surveyed the bite marks in the neck and confirmed that a mountain lion had killed their dog and issued a depradation permit. Once the permit was in place, Leo Fisher was officially “hired” to come to try to track down the cat with his dogs. Leo arrived at about 11:00 pm. He and one game warden proceeded to investigate the scene. Leo placed a tracker collar on the dead dog; so that if the lion returned and left with the dog they could track him easier. Leo and the Fish and Game Warden obtained permission from all the adjoining neighbors to utilize their properties to search for the cat. They positioned themselves to catch the cat if he came back to get the dog. When the cat did not return they proceeded to walk with the hunting dogs up and around many of the trails in the back. They saw no sign of the cat. What they did see was a lot of coyotes – and Leo expressed concern as these coyotes did not show any signs of fear when he and the other warden came through with the dogs. The coyotes were trying to bait the dogs and stayed close to them.

    Monday October 5, 2009
    The next morning Leo said that although they had gone up and down most of the hills he did not see any signs of the cat. At 10:30 am this morning Leo left. Leo felt that since his dogs did not pick up the scent of the cat that it might not return and it could have been spooked away from this area for awhile. All we can do is keep our eyes and ears open. Be attentive to the sounds of your animals and try to only walk on the trails in groups.

    Leo is tentatively scheduled to return next week. He is also available for hire to kill coyotes that are problems to your pets and neighborhoods. Please contact me if you want to schedule to meet with him regarding a coyote problem in your yard. There have been numerous attacks on pets in the last 3 months by coyotes, some in the presence of their owners.

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  68. From Redondo resident:
    Thanks so much Rosemary. I am so very sad to hear about Petey and for the children finding him like that...and when I read Oscar's description (about when he saw the Mountain Lion), I remembered that the SAME thing happened to me- 10 years ago!!!

    In December 1999, I was walking at the base of my property (where the stream runs) with my gentle German Shepherd, Howard, when he started barking like a wild attack dog!!! I looked up in the tree- to see what he was barking at- and it was a Mountain Lion ~ 15 feet away!!! It had a long tail! It turned its head back to stare at me (the hairs on the back of my neck stood up!!!) - Howard continued barking wildly- The mountain lion looked directly at me and then turned to walk away slowly, down the branch over the stream, towards the trail.... and it was daylight!!! We ran up to the house to tell everyone, but my husband DIDN'T believe me. We had just moved here and I didn't know anyone else to tell. So, if it's the same one, then it's over 10 years old!

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  69. From Carole Hunter on Pradera:

    Just want to share with you a recent crime that occurred this morning (Thurs 10/8) at approximately 9:00 AM. My gardener, who was working at a home on Pradera near the end of the street that butts up to the Bridlewood tract, had one of his new Honda lawnmowers stolen. It was only out of his sight for 10 minutes! I previously had advised him of the past MAC meeting information about this problem in the area. Sadly he became the latest victim of these thieves. He immediately came to my house to tell me what had happened. I called the Sheriff and they came out to take a report. It is important for those of us that have landscapers/gardeners to warn them of this ongoing problem. If anyone else suffers a theft, they MUST report it to the Sheriff. We need to track all the information through law enforcement. My gardener had another gardener witness that this theft was from 2 men in a white Chevy pick up truck. No other details other than that. Let's all be on the "neighborhood watch" for these crooks.

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  70. I am an outdoor enthusiast, constantly mountain biking and jogging throughout our area. I see coyotes and packs fairly regularly. Last Saturday I was jogging through the Bridlewood trail, just before the junction that connects to barranca street above the little stream, I saw the mountain lion. It looked me straight in the eyes and slowly proceeded up the hill. I have never been so spooked. Keep your dogs and cats in at night and do not be out there in that canyon alone.

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