Pack Rats Ate My Tractor
Well, that's not exactly true, but it makes for a great title. The real story starts earlier this week.
You see, Dove Season begins tomorrow (Monday, Sept. 1st). So to get ready, I always make sure I track the doves and then shred (using my tractor) areas where the hunters can get under trees or behind sunflowers or around Josie's Tank.
In this case, I wanted to shred around Josie's Tank which always proves a hot spot, watering hole for the birds---at least if it doesn't rain.
It's a big area with thick grass and sparse sunflowers leading down to the water's edge. Years ago, my granddad kept it tidy like a Dallas park. My mom tells stories of the family picnicking under the big trees and my grandmother fishing along the banks. Keep in mind, that was 50 years ago. So now, we're just trying to keep it from growing out of control with a reasonable sense of tidiness.
That's where I come in. Every year before Dove Season, I begin about a week or two out preparing the tank and other areas, using the tractor. Usually, I can just jump on it, turn the key and get to work. Not this time.
This time, I jumped on, turned the key and got NOTHING! No click, no zip, no uga/uga. NOTHING. Hmm, I thought. Actually, I barked something unprintable, for a couple of reasons. One, the problem screwed up my plans and two, I can't fix anything mechanical.
But, I better look under the hood anyway.. right? Maybe it's out of oil or needs diesel. I can do that. But that wasn't the problem. One glance told me immediately what was wrong. There were two, not so subtle clues.
The first clue was the hundreds of mesquite beans under the hood, all packed together like a nest. And the second clue, the real reason it wouldn't start was: whatever made the mesquite bean nest had chewed through a bunch of important looking wiring.
Again, I'm no mechanic but I had to believe two or three pretty colored wires chewed in half had to be a problem.
The rest of the story is, I found someone in town who had the tractor fixed and running w/in 24 hours with some good advice too.
"Put mothballs in a sock and keep 'em in the engine when you're not using it. Rodents and snakes hate the smell," he said.
"What", I asked.
"Yep, it works and plant wild onions around your house--that'll keep 'em out too."
"No kiddin'".
"No kiddin'".
So, the next time pack rats eat your tractor or your worried about rodents/snakes getting into your house--pack mothballs in a sock or plant wild onions.
If nothing else, the smell's not that bad and you can put in the onions in a good stew.
Bill Robertson
You see, Dove Season begins tomorrow (Monday, Sept. 1st). So to get ready, I always make sure I track the doves and then shred (using my tractor) areas where the hunters can get under trees or behind sunflowers or around Josie's Tank.
In this case, I wanted to shred around Josie's Tank which always proves a hot spot, watering hole for the birds---at least if it doesn't rain.
It's a big area with thick grass and sparse sunflowers leading down to the water's edge. Years ago, my granddad kept it tidy like a Dallas park. My mom tells stories of the family picnicking under the big trees and my grandmother fishing along the banks. Keep in mind, that was 50 years ago. So now, we're just trying to keep it from growing out of control with a reasonable sense of tidiness.
That's where I come in. Every year before Dove Season, I begin about a week or two out preparing the tank and other areas, using the tractor. Usually, I can just jump on it, turn the key and get to work. Not this time.
This time, I jumped on, turned the key and got NOTHING! No click, no zip, no uga/uga. NOTHING. Hmm, I thought. Actually, I barked something unprintable, for a couple of reasons. One, the problem screwed up my plans and two, I can't fix anything mechanical.
But, I better look under the hood anyway.. right? Maybe it's out of oil or needs diesel. I can do that. But that wasn't the problem. One glance told me immediately what was wrong. There were two, not so subtle clues.
The first clue was the hundreds of mesquite beans under the hood, all packed together like a nest. And the second clue, the real reason it wouldn't start was: whatever made the mesquite bean nest had chewed through a bunch of important looking wiring.
Again, I'm no mechanic but I had to believe two or three pretty colored wires chewed in half had to be a problem.
The rest of the story is, I found someone in town who had the tractor fixed and running w/in 24 hours with some good advice too.
"Put mothballs in a sock and keep 'em in the engine when you're not using it. Rodents and snakes hate the smell," he said.
"What", I asked.
"Yep, it works and plant wild onions around your house--that'll keep 'em out too."
"No kiddin'".
"No kiddin'".
So, the next time pack rats eat your tractor or your worried about rodents/snakes getting into your house--pack mothballs in a sock or plant wild onions.
If nothing else, the smell's not that bad and you can put in the onions in a good stew.
Bill Robertson
posted by Windmill Ranch @ 6:28 AM
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