A Lot of thoughts swirl 'round my head when I ponder this subject. For the most part, I think it's a bad idea to do it around your house. I've heard of some cases where it's really back-fired for folks. Once you start, you can't just walk away without setting yourself up to see "a whole 'nother side" of the big guys. If you've never been in a deep sleep and had something slam your house multiple times at 4:00am then it might be hard to imagine just how terrifying that experience can be. Especially since you don't know what's coming next... Are they going to burst through the door? Smash through a window? Your mind races.
I've seen these things, the very LAST thing I want to do is piss one off. Or worse, how about having multiple ones ticked off at you? Like that young Alabama family? Their home was surrounded, the Big Guys were smacking the house from different places... Showing themselves. What a nightmare! Thank God they had family to call on, who came and rescued them.
I do think if you have BF's around your property, and you want to gift them with the occasional treat, or present, that's cool. Just don't do it up close to your house. Establish an area, some walking distance away, out of sight, where they can feel comfortable approaching, and you can too!
My gifting area is at least 250 feet away....and was pre-established for me. Some of the things I have left for them: carved animal figures, brightly colored polished rocks and crystals, squeaky toys, bones, necklaces, stuffed animals, a mirror, feathers, and fruit. I had three green plastic frogs that I placed down on the berm. One of them, that sat at the top of the pond, rarely got messed with. One that was set on a little bird house would disappear for days, then I'd find it at the base of the huge oak tree. I'd put it back on the birdhouse and it would disappear again. The third frog was in the gifting area. And it got the most activity. All three eventually disappeared.
I've seen these things, the very LAST thing I want to do is piss one off. Or worse, how about having multiple ones ticked off at you? Like that young Alabama family? Their home was surrounded, the Big Guys were smacking the house from different places... Showing themselves. What a nightmare! Thank God they had family to call on, who came and rescued them.
I do think if you have BF's around your property, and you want to gift them with the occasional treat, or present, that's cool. Just don't do it up close to your house. Establish an area, some walking distance away, out of sight, where they can feel comfortable approaching, and you can too!
My gifting area is at least 250 feet away....and was pre-established for me. Some of the things I have left for them: carved animal figures, brightly colored polished rocks and crystals, squeaky toys, bones, necklaces, stuffed animals, a mirror, feathers, and fruit. I had three green plastic frogs that I placed down on the berm. One of them, that sat at the top of the pond, rarely got messed with. One that was set on a little bird house would disappear for days, then I'd find it at the base of the huge oak tree. I'd put it back on the birdhouse and it would disappear again. The third frog was in the gifting area. And it got the most activity. All three eventually disappeared.
Typical things in my gifting area.
For days at a time, nothing would be messed with, then I'd notice something funny, the frog would be in exactly the same place, but it would be turned a quarter turn. If it had been facing the trail west, it would be facing south. Example below.
Multiple times, I would photograph the area, put the frog facing the trail again, and then come back the next day, and it would be turned a quarter turn in the opposite direction, or facing backwards, And that's the kind of thing they do....They are so subtle! It makes you wonder if you're going nuts. But it is exciting when it happens, because they are interacting with you.
After living here for four years, I can absolutely understand why most people don't think these things are around their property. If you are not paying REALLY close attention, you will miss the subtle ways they let you know they have been there.
I do still put food gifts out, since it was a previously established practice at this location. I can tell you that this has been the year of Peanut Butter. The previous years they have been totally uninterested in it, but in the past 4 weeks, 11 jars have disappeared. (It would be more if I didn't keep running out!)
After living here for four years, I can absolutely understand why most people don't think these things are around their property. If you are not paying REALLY close attention, you will miss the subtle ways they let you know they have been there.
I do still put food gifts out, since it was a previously established practice at this location. I can tell you that this has been the year of Peanut Butter. The previous years they have been totally uninterested in it, but in the past 4 weeks, 11 jars have disappeared. (It would be more if I didn't keep running out!)
I hope they appreciate that I gave them some of the good 'heart healthy' stuff!
Next entry I'll share about the time I got two gifts at once!
Next entry I'll share about the time I got two gifts at once!