12 Tips for Keeping Horses on a Farm or Off-Grid Property

Planning on adding horses to your farm or off grid homestead? Think again. It might be a lot harder than you think. Here's a list of things you will need to consider.

See Also: Off Grid Horses: Riding Lessons and Other Issues.

Assess Land and Facilities

Before bringing horses onto your property, assess the land and facilities to ensure they can accommodate the needs of horses. Check for suitable pasture areas, access to fresh water sources, safe fencing, and adequate shelter options such as a barn or run-in shed.

Provide Ample Pasture Space

Horses require ample pasture space to graze and exercise. Aim for at least 1-2 acres of pasture per horse, depending on the type of forage available and the horse's needs. Rotate pastures regularly to prevent overgrazing and promote healthy vegetation growth.

Secure Safe and Sturdy Fencing

Install secure and sturdy fencing around the pasture area to keep horses contained and safe. Choose fencing materials appropriate for horses, such as wooden board, high-tensile wire, or electric tape, and regularly inspect and maintain the fencing for any damages or weak spots.

Ensure Clean and Fresh Water

Horses require access to clean and fresh water at all times. Install automatic waterers or provide large troughs that can hold an adequate amount of water for the number of horses on the property. Regularly clean and monitor water sources to ensure they are free from contamination.

Construct Adequate Shelter

Provide suitable shelter for horses to seek protection from extreme weather conditions such as rain, wind, or intense heat. Options include a well-ventilated barn, run-in shed, or a combination of natural and artificial shelters. Ensure the shelter is structurally sound and offers enough space for all horses.

Develop a Feeding Program

Create a feeding program that meets the nutritional needs of your horses. Consult with an equine nutritionist or veterinarian to develop a balanced diet based on hay, pasture grazing, and appropriate grain or concentrate feeds. Feed horses at regular intervals and monitor their body condition to adjust the diet as needed.

Maintain Regular Veterinary Care

Schedule regular veterinary check-ups and vaccinations for your horses. Establish a relationship with a local equine veterinarian who can provide routine care, administer vaccinations, and address any health concerns promptly. Stay updated on deworming protocols specific to your region.

Practice Regular Hoof Care

Establish a routine for regular hoof care, including trimming or shoeing. Schedule visits from a skilled farrier who can maintain proper hoof health, address any hoof-related issues, and provide guidance on hoof maintenance between visits.

Implement Pest Control Measures

Develop a pest control plan to minimize the impact of flies, mosquitoes, and other pests on your horses. Implement strategies such as fly masks, fly sheets, fans, and insect-repellent sprays to keep horses comfortable and protected from pests.

Provide Enrichment and Exercise

Horses need mental stimulation and regular exercise to maintain their physical and mental well-being. Incorporate enrichment activities such as toys, treat balls, or varied grazing areas to keep horses engaged. Set aside dedicated time for regular exercise, whether through riding, lunging, or turnout in a safe and adequately sized paddock.

Practice Good Manure Management

Develop a manure management system to prevent the accumulation of waste and maintain a clean and healthy environment. Regularly remove manure from the pasture and implement composting or proper disposal methods to minimize environmental impact.

Continual Learning and Education

Stay informed and continuously educate yourself about horse care, health, and management practices. Attend workshops, seminars, and clinics, and connect with local horse communities to exchange knowledge and experiences. Stay updated on the latest research and advancements in equine care.

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Keeping horses on a farm or off-grid property is a rewarding endeavor, but it requires careful planning, commitment, and ongoing maintenance.

Siberian Tiger got revenge on Hunter who injured it

The story in the video below took place in Siberia (Russia) over a decade ago, but it is an unusual story in which a local hunter injured a tiger and the tiger tracked him 11 km to his home, waited 2 days for him to return, and then got its revenge.

What I find interesting about this particular story is that it is very clear that the tiger went out of its way, despite its injury, to track down the hunter who shot it, wait 2 days for the hunter to return home, and then presumably waited for the man to come outside at which point it stalked him and killed him.

That is a level of patience and dedication that comes from hunters, and to some extent fishermen.

And also apparently... Vengeful elephants who kill people AND show up at their funeral to make sure they are dead. Check out the video below which demonstrates that elephants don't forget.

So yeah... Stay away from vengeful tigers and elephants. Or any animal smart enough to get revenge.

In a related story, I went fishing in High Park (Toronto) yesterday with my family (Father's Day) and I gave up after a short time because I was getting zero bites. Plus it was windy and the water was murkier than usual, so I couldn't even see any fish.

So I lacked the patience to stick it out, partially because it was a family outing, but also partially because I suspected that it was just the wrong time of year to be trying to catch fish there.

A previous time I caught lots of fish in the same location, with the same bait (frozen shrimp), same hooks, same equipment... But that was on August 31st 2018. So I suspect that I just need to be patient and go back in August and/or September and try again.

See the video from the previous time I went fishing in High Park below:

Horses Off Grid: Riding Lessons and Other Issues

The following post is a sequel to my older post:

Horses - Off grid care and maintenance for Equines

In the previous post I covered such topics as:

• Cost of buying a horse (about $2000).
• Vet bills ($11,000+ per year on average).
• Horse shoes and farrier costs.
• Feeding your horse.
  

Basically expect to be spending $15,000 annually on your horse, and that is assuming it doesn't get sick, eat a poisonous mushroom, or get seriously injured and end up with a vet bill of $50,000+.

Basically all you need to know is that horses are super expensive and they get sick/injured regularly.

But there are other issues to consider too.

First...

Do you even know how to ride???

If you don't even know how to ride you have no business buying a horse and trying to use it for transportation when living on your off grid ranch, farm, homestead, cabin in the woods, etc.

You really should learn how to ride first.

And you cannot just read a book, subscribe to a magazine like Horse Sport Magazine or whatever in order to learn how to ride. It doesn't work that way. You need to physically get horse riding lessons or else you shouldn't be even attempting to ride a horse.

So here's one location in Ontario to consider, but if you live in other parts of Canada then you need to research what else is near you.

Claireville Ranch located in Brampton (clairevilleranch.com) offers weekday ($35) and weekend ($40) trail rides, and breakfast rides ($85) which are more suitable for people who just want to try riding a horse and are not ready to commit to lessons. They also teach Western horse riding lessons. 8 lessons will cost between $400 to $440 to $520 depending on whether you want group lessons, semi-private lessons or private lessons. The riding lessons are 30 minutes long.

Note - Their prices might fluctuate from time to time. Last I checked trail rides at Claireville are now $50 each. I suspect the price went up due to the pandemic.

I am going to ask my friend/blogger colleague Rob Campbell if he wants to go riding there sometime. Should be good for some photography and a few blog posts.

Okay...

So let's pretend you have taken the horse riding lessons, etc. You have the money to buy a horse, pay the vet bills/etc for 25 years (the average lifespan of a horse is 25 to 30 years)...

And you own land, you build a stables suitable for housing a horse (you don't want the stables to burn down either, like Sunnybrook Stables burnt down a few years ago).

Oh and insurance. You will want insurance on the stables.

And you will need a truck and a horse trailer for transporting your horse to the vet.

You have to make the lifelong commitment to being a "horse person". You can't go halfway with this. It is a lifestyle. People don't just go "I am going to buy horses!" one day and then change their mind a few months later. You have to truly commit.

It is a bit like getting married. Or getting a full body tattoo. Or amputating your arm because you didn't like it anymore. You do this and there should be no going back. (Especially if you amputate your arm. That definitely is not growing back...)

When you talk to people who are "horse people" you quickly realize that their horses are a bit like their babies. It is similar to someone who is a cat owner or a dog owner, but more than that. Most cat and dog owners don't spend $11,000 per year just on vet bills. They don't build a huge stables / house just for their cats and dogs. Cat and dog owners don't spend an hour every day mucking out the stables and cleaning their pet's feet. A horse owner has gone over the edge and is in love with their horses so they're willing to muck out the stables every day, even when they're sick or injured, and to clean their horse shoes every day. (This is why a lot of horse owners keep their horses at a stables that rents out space and services. They aren't living off grid with their horses.)

It is a truly serious commitment. You don't just buy horses because "I am going to use them for riding around off grid on my homestead in the woods." You need to be truly and utterly committed to the task of owning and caring for an animal that depends on you to live.

What if you get sick or injured and you forget to go feed your horse because you live alone in a cabin in the woods? Or if you forget to give your horse water. If your horse goes 48 hours without water it will get colic and possibly die. Five days without water and your horse will die of dehydration.

If you're not serious about being a horse owner then you shouldn't bother being one.

Go get a four-wheeler instead if you want something that is low maintenance that can get you around on your off grid property. Leave the horses to the horse people who are seriously in love with these majestic animals.

Squirrel Home in a Tree

Okay, it is not art... or is it? It is a Squirrel's Home in a Tree. I guess that makes it a Treehouse..?

Totally worth sharing.

:)

How to Befriend a Squirrel + Tips on Squirrel Hunting

This post is a two parter and I admit, the first part is seemingly opposed to the second part - but when you read the 2nd part you will realize why the two are linked.

Part One: How to Befriend a Squirrel

1. Avoid making sudden moves. It only scares them away.
2. Feed them, regularly.
3. Keep an abundance of less tasty food nearby so that the squirrels are well fed, but will enjoy any food you have even more so.
4. Use a gentle hand in handling squirrels.
5. Make a soft chirping sound with your mouth, like in the video below.
6. Remember the squirrel's primary goal is going to be food, the tastier the better. You are not so much a friend as you are a source of food.

Part Two: Tips on Squirrel Hunting

• Always check your local hunting regulations before going hunting to make sure you follow the letter of the law.
• Learn how to befriend squirrels. See, I told you the two things were linked. Makes it much easier to get closer to them and they stand more still if they are not running away in fear.
• If bowhunting, use blunt arrowheads. Preserves the internal organs better, less messy and you can salvage the fur to use for other things. A normal broadhead basically rips right through the squirrel and can end up mixing the guts with the quality meat, ruining the taste. I recommend the rubber blunts as they do a better job of keeping the fur in good condition. The metal blunts sometimes have sharp edges which can tear through the fur.
• Also for bowhunting, large 2" fletching (sometimes called flu flu fletching) is easier for you to find your arrows in case you miss. Large brightly coloured fletching is easier to find in thick brush.
• If using a firearm, stick to low calibre ammo. Smaller the better. Anything too big is basically overkill and can end up ruining the meat.
• Practice shooting at random distances (eg. field archery) between 5 yards and 30 yards.
• Practice shooting uphill and downhill at targets placed at random distances. 
• Practice shooting at moving targets.
• Practice shooting at targets in trees. (This is actually harder than you think.) A good sport that hones this particular skill is Popinjay. Go Google it.
• If you are worried about losing or breaking arrows, use old arrows that are already slightly damaged that you are not worried if you lose them. As long as they are still reasonably accurate they will do the job. If you lose or break them, oh well.
• If you can catch the squirrel out in the open away from trees, your chances of hitting just improved dramatically. So if you can lure the squirrel out in the open, good.
• Try to get a good angle if there are trees or brush in the line of your shot so that you can avoid your arrow from hitting a tree or branch.
• Be patient. You may miss a few shots before you successfully hit one.
• Don't get frustrated.
• Avoid taking any really dumb shots because you think you might get lucky. A failed shot will just scare the squirrel away.
• Some people who hunt squirrels also carry a "stun stick", basically a small club for smacking an injured squirrel in the head in order to finish it off faster.
• Learn how to spot and listen for squirrels in thick brush. eg. Sometimes you can hear them chewing on a nut and rustling around.
• Do NOT wear sunglasses, they may defeat your ability to notice a squirrel and correctly place your shot.
• Later in the season the squirrels are more likely to be on the ground as most of the nuts will have already fallen, so that is a good time to hunt.
• Windy days are better. Squirrels cannot hear that well on a windy day.

Notes

Bowhunting squirrels is actually good practice for stalking deer and similar large game. A squirrel's main torso is roughly the same size as a deer's heart/lung area, and the distances you would be shooting at them are roughly the same.

Some people really LOVE the taste of squirrel. It apparently tastes a bit like rabbit, pork, lamb and chicken (depending on who you ask). The meat is very high in protein and low in fat, which makes it healthier than many meats you will find in your local supermarket too.

Fried Squirrel - "The Chicken of the Trees"

Pan Fried or Oven Fried Squirrel Recipe

Note, use only young, tender squirrels for frying – save old squirrels for making squirrel dumplings.

Serves 3 – 4 people.
Ingredients:

• 2-3 young squirrels
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease or vegetable shortening
• salt
• pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut each squirrel into 6 pieces, using the 4 legs and the meaty part of back to fry (save the rib piece for making dumplings at another time).

Roll the squirrel pieces in the flour until well coated.

While oven is preheating, put a 10 to 12 inch cast iron skillet on top of stove. Using medium-high heat, melt margarine and bacon grease or vegetable shortening in skillet. Melted shortening mixture should be about 1/4 inch deep in bottom of skillet.

Place cut up squirrel in skillet in a single layer and salt and pepper to taste. Brown on both sides (approximately 3-4 minutes for each side).

After browning, cover skillet with lid or aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes depending on how young the squirrels are.

Then turn the squirrel over and bake for another 20 – 25 minutes. Test with a fork to see if done. If fork slips easily into the meat it is ready to eat. If you feel the squirrel is not quite done, turn it over again and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes.

Skillet / oven fried squirrel is excellent served with a side dish of homemade biscuits topped with white milk gravy made from the squirrel drippings.

Horses for your Off the Grid Home

Did I mention I really like horses?

I have been wanting a horse (I think) since the age of 5. Back when I used to pretend to be a cowboy and was surprisingly good at quick draws and twirling my toy gun on my trigger finger.

I learned to ride when I was about 12 at summer camp. We were given the choice of BMX bicycles or horses, and I already had a bicycle, so I chose the horseback riding lessons.

I came prepared with a set of cowboy boots borrowed from a relative, which I later outgrew as I got older.

Later in my teen years I bought a pair of cowboy boots - and was teased by bullies for wearing them, but whatever, I liked them anyway. Wore them for years until they were worn out.

As a writer, horses would often be featured prominently in my stories and books - mostly about knights and such.

Owning a horse farm therefore has long been a dream of mine. To me buying a horse farm and raises horses is the answer to the question: "What would you do if you won a lottery?"

Which is essentially a thought experiment.

If people would only do certain things if they won the lottery, the follow up question is supposed to be "So, why aren't you doing that right now?"

Which essentially comes back to the idea, if something makes you happy - you should go do it, regardless of whether you have the money.

My problem is that horses are expensive. Not just the cost of the horse itself, but the cost of feed, housing the horses, veterinarian visits, and so forth.

Land is expensive too. So owning a horse farm effectively becomes a two-fold problem involving money.

One of the ideas I have been exploring however is starting a horse farm and hiring someone to train people how to ride, while also offering archery lessons - and finally be one of the few places in the world which offers equestrian archery.

Equestrian Archery is pretty rare. Very few people do it globally. Hungary is quite well known for it, as is Mongolia. But many countries have basically lost touch with this particular skill which was once highly valued for both hunting and warfare.

And since it is a rare skill, but also exotic people would be willing to pay a premium to learn how to do it. (Typically the kind of people who could afford to buy a horse in the first place.)

So my dream of owning and operating a horse farm could become a reality, and I could pay for it for accepting archery students, students who want to learn horseback riding, and by teaching equestrian archery.

So how do I make electricity Off the Grid on a horse farm?

#1. Solar Panels on top of the Horse Barn to provide extra electricity during daytime.

#2. A Wind Mill for pumping Well Water through a filtration system

#3. Wind Turbines to provide electricity to lights and other amenities, day or night.

#4. Backup Power Battery System, so that the solar panels/wind turbines provide energy to the batteries and then store it for later when it is needed.

#5. If the property borders on a flowing river or lake, additional electricity could be made via a small generator (using a turbine, waterwheel or a tidal generator).

#6. Did I mention HORSEPOWER? In theory you could have horses walk in circles with a generator in the middle, complete with gears for extra speed on the generator since the horses are capable of providing significant power. This is not a new concept really, it has been around for a long time.

Interesting Factoid: It's a common misconception that one horsepower is equal to the peak power production of a horse, when in reality a horse on average is capable of a maximum of around 14.9 horsepower. By comparison, a human being is capable of approximately five horsepower at peak power production, but lacks a horse's stamina. 14.9 horsepower is roughly equal to 11.1 kilowatts. Thus in one hour, a horse could produce 11.1 kWh. The average American home uses 900 kWh in a month. Four horses, working only 1 hour per day, would produce 44.4 kWh - over a 30 day period that would be 1,332 kWh - which is more than enough for an average American household. At that rate, the horses could have two days off each week and they would still produce 951.4 kWh just by working 1 hour for 5 days per week. Factor in solar panels and wind turbines, and the horses could work even less.

Building Structures

I am a big fan of hand tools. Assuming that the property doesn't already have a structure that can be suitably converted into a horse barn, such a structure would need to be built. In which case, I am in favour of borrowing designs from Mennonites to get the building done. The beauty of Mennonite architecture is the following:

1. It goes up fairly quickly. A team of Mennonites can build a barn in a single day. True it would take longer if it just me and some hired help, but it can still be done.
2. The entire structure can be made using hand tools. No electricity required.

A second option is to buy a Prefabricated Horse Barn, like the one in the photo further below. Prefabricated buildings are made in a factory and then shipped to the location and then assembled. It is a cheaper and faster way to build structures by mass producing them in a factory, which at the same time maintains quality control, is not hindered by rain or weather conditions, and the construction workers don't spend half their time waiting for supplies or machinery to arrive, because all the supplies and machinery are already there in the factory.

A prefabricated horse barn from horizonstructures.com

Conclusions

So there you go, an inexpensive way to build a horse barn, a list of ways to provide electricity so that the property is off the grid (and you save money by paying zero for electricity and pay less property taxes for being off the grid), and a person like myself could potentially turn a profit by teaching archery, horseback riding, and equestrian archery.

On top of that you would also have the option of using the horses for transportation, for farming, for hauling lumber, and a variety of tasks requiring a little extra "horse power".

Hungarian Equestrian Archer Lajos Kassai

Taking the dogs bowhunting

I thought these photos of dogs with their masters out bowhunting were cute and amusing. That is all.

The photos reminded me of old paintings of hunting dogs with their masters...

Like this one below. In centuries past portraits like that were made and sent as gifts to potential grooms / brides. Basically an older version of personals websites. The goal was to try and portray a person's hobbies and personality within a painting, so that potential spouses would better understand who they might be marrying. The lady below evidently liked dogs and preferred to shoot bows. Men who preferred the company of cats and liked to shoot rifles or spearhunt, well, they need not apply.

How Wolves Change Rivers + Coyote Wolf Hybrids

Watching the video below makes me realize how much deer hunters / coyote hunters help to increase biodiversity in forests.



While the video above focuses more on the impact of wolves on overly rampant deer populations, it also makes reference to coyotes being a problem for biodiversity too.

In Ontario we have a growing deer problem, which is being managed through deer hunting by rifle hunters, black powder hunters and bowhunters - however we have a growing problem with coyotes (and coyote wolf hybrids - sometimes called coywolves or coywolf), which means we need more hunters killing coyotes.

Northern Ontario already has wolves, which oddly enough is part of the problem because they are crossbreeding with coyotes and creating a killer hybrid.

Wolves hunt in packs, but don't attack humans - and when they make a kill the pack eats the whole carcass.

Coyotes sometimes hunt in packs, but they do attack humans (especially small children) - and when they make a kill they eat part of it and leave it for the scavengers.

Coyote-Wolf Hybrids hunt in packs, attack humans, and like coyotes, they kill and don't even eat the carcass. Such is the situation that entire deer populations in certain parts of Ontario have been completely wiped out due to packs of hybrids attacking herds of deer, killing the whole herd, only eating a tiny bit and then moving on to find another herd of deer to kill. Hybrids are basically just killer packs that roam the region killing everything they can find. Including humans, which are more often to be seen as possible prey by a hybrid because hybrids are much bigger than normal coyotes.

The odd thing however is that Coyote-Wolf Hybrids fall into a legal gray area. They are not coyotes, which are governed by the $10 per hunting tag as per Ontario law. And they are not wolves either. There is no law governing the hybrids, they are basically a completely separate species as far as the law is concerned.

So can people hunt the hybrids? Maybe. It is rather unclear. There is no law saying you cannot hunt the hybrids. But there are no laws saying you can either. And if you do so, are you using a wolf hunting tag or a coyote hunting tag? Or should there be special hybrid tags???

It is relatively easy to spot a hybrid too. The hybrids have a more orange-brown colouration and longer noses than wolves, and tend to be smaller than normal wolves. Hybrids have larger than normal paws, jaws, build, longer legs and a more wolf-like tail. See the three photos below:

Whereas normal wolves in Ontario have a much more distinctive white, grey or black appearance, often couples with a wider bushier face. They are also physically bigger.

Purebred coyotes in contrast are skinnier, have longer noses, reddish-brown with white-grey on the bellies. The length of their fur varies on the season, but they often have noticeably less fur than a wolf or a hybrid. Due to their smaller stature normal coyotes rarely attack humans.

Purebred coyotes normally hunt rodents and are only a danger to small children.

Seeing the images above it becomes easy to tell the two species apart from the hybrids. Please note there will also sometimes be hybrids that are closer to being 3/4 wolf or 3/4 coyote, but they are equally dangerous to anything they consider to be prey.

In Toronto (2013) a coyote hybrid was shot by Toronto police in the community of Cabbagetown, an inner city suburb remarkably close to the downtown core.

In 2009 a young woman from Toronto was attacked and killed in Cape Breton Highlands National Park by a pack of coyote hybrids. She suffered multiple bites from the pack and died of blood loss.

There have been other attacks on people in Toronto and also in Ontario. Usually the attacks are on children, but sometimes the hybrid packs attack adults too. Here are a few of the more recent attacks on humans in Ontario:

January 2012, a coyote hybrid attacked an eight-year-old Oakville, Ontario girl. She survived because she managed to get to their safety of her house.

September 2013, in St. Catharines, Ontario, a coyote attacked an 8-year-old girl. She survived because her stepfather fought the beast off.

June 2014, in Thornhill, Ontario, two adult women were attacked by two coyote hybrids. Earlier the same day, the same two coyotes had tried to attack at least three other adults who escaped to safety.

July 2014, in Gravenhurst, Ontario, a woman was exercising her two American Bulldogs when she was attacked by a coyote hybrid. She and her dogs survived.

Missing persons who disappear in the Ontario wilderness are chalked up by police as unsolved missing person cases and their bodies are often not found, the cause of their deaths are unknown. Attacks by predators or packs of predators make up a percentage of those cases, but the exact numbers are unknown.

Susan Fleming, the producer and director of "Meet the Coywolf" thinks people should not panic or worry about the growing problem of coyote hybrids. She feels education is necessary and that hunting the new species is not necessary - even though the hybrid species is completely eradicating deer in some regions and are attacking humans. Susan Fleming probably has a very closed mind on the idea of hunting animals for the purposes of culling a species that has become dangerously over-populated and has no natural predators to keep it in check. Anti-hunting activists will never understand the need to deliberately cull a dangerous predator.

Wildlife management is a necessity when a new dangerous predator emerges and has no natural predators that can keep its numbers at bay. If the only predator capable of dealing with coyote hybrids is humans, logic dictates that humans have to hunt the hybrid.

Deer Licks Barrel of Rifle - Hunting Fail

Found this on YouTube, was too cute and amusing not to share.

Hinterland's Who's Who

The Hinterland's Who's Who is a series of television commercials from 1960s/70s made by the Canadian government (the Canadian Wildlife Service in Ottawa). The commercials were shown on Canadian television way into the 1980s/1990s and have enjoyed many references in popular culture.

I always found these commercials to be quite enjoyable and doubtlessly many Canadians agree otherwise they wouldn't still be referencing them after almost 50 years.

The Hinterland's Who's Who series was first commissioned in 1962 and has aired on Canadian television since 1963.

In 2003 the Canadian Wildlife Foundation in cooperation with the Canadian government produced several new commercials with a more modern format.

For more information on the Hinterland's Who's Who contact the Canadian Wildlife Service. In Ottawa.


The Beaver


The Black Bear


The Chipmunk


The Grizzly


The Loon


The Muskox


The Wolf


The Woodchuck

Just one of the many reasons why poaching is wrong

For a website that is pro-hunter, I want to point out at the same time that I am still anti-poacher. The video below is just one of the many reasons why I am against the poaching of endangered animals.

It is one thing to hunt deer for their meat and then eat them, it is a totally different topic if people are killing endangered animals, not eating them and only harvesting them for their ivory. I also am disgusted by "trophy hunters" and "big game hunters" who don't actually eat what they kill. If you are going to kill it, then you should be eating it. End of story.

And killing an animal for its ivory - and then using that money to fund terrorism, well that is so wrong it boggles the mind. Think before you buy anything made of ivory.

Farming Livestock in the Wild

Want to know something interesting?

If you shoot a deer and have it butchered for the meat, that is hunting.

But if you raise a deer, feed it, pay for the vet bills, slaughter it and then have it butchered for the meat, that is livestock farming.

Basically it is the difference between hunting for your food and raising your food and taking it to the slaughterhouse.

Deer farms and also buffalo / bison farms are becoming more popular, not just in Ontario, but in North America in general. Demand for unusual meat is going up and that means the prices of venison and "beefalo" are going up.

There is no challenge to hunting deer or buffalo in a farm setting. The animals are so used to humans feeding them that have little or no fear of them.

The overhead costs of raising deer, feeding them, keeping them safe from predators (and poachers), veterinarian bills and so forth means that raising the animals for food is considerably more expensive than hunting, but with large numbers the livestock farmer can mitigate their investment and make good on them when it is time to take the meat to market. Making deals with local butchers / restaurants for the meat it will add more lucrative opportunities.

However if your goal is to raise the deer for your own consumption, then you really only need to worry about raising enough deer each year to cover your personal needs - and to keep X number of deer each year to be used for giving birth to a fresh crop of fawns.

I know I titled this post "Farming Livestock in the Wild", but what it really is about is "farming wild livestock", as opposed to traditional agricultural animals like chickens, pigs, goats and cattle.

Falconry Videos

I have found some spectacular falconry videos on YouTube. I have posted my favourites below, including a few quotes from one of the videos.


"I just like watching them."

"I haven't taught this bird how to hunt. I just taught it to let me watch it hunt."

"We are the dog." [Referring to being the flusher of rabbits, for the bird.]

"She's the master, we're the servant."



The video below is based in the USA, so when they refer to apprentice times, state and federal regulations/etc, they are referring to requirements for falconry in the USA.

What I also find interesting is that many trained falcons are rescues, meaning they were found injured and trained so that they can later be released into the wild.



The video below shows a peregrine falcon hunting a duck, with a tiny back cam on the falcon so you can see how they do it.

Falconry in Ontario

Years ago I started researching falconry as a hunting sport. Since then I have pored through hundreds of websites, PDFs, falconry videos on YouTube and even books on the topic of falconry. But sadly I live in Toronto and I would need to move to the countryside in order to pursue falconry as a sport.

To me it seemed like a great combination of man and beast, working together for the purposes of hunting rabbits and other small prey.

However there are some problems with getting into falconry / hunting with predator birds.

#1. You cannot live in a city. Falcons, hawks, eagles and owls (all birds you can train and own under a falconry license) are too danger prone due to the excessive overhead power lines in a city. To say nothing of traffic, air pollution, scarcity of food and other dangers that pose a risk to a raptor's well-being.

#2. You really need to live on a farm or in a cabin, somewhere in the countryside or wilderness. Raptor birds need lots of room to hunt and roam.

#3. The Ontario government and various Falconry clubs actively discourage people from taking up falconry. This is to discourage 'bad eggs', people who are just getting into falconry on a lark (bird pun intended), and people who simply don't have the time to give their bird the full attention it requires.

#4. Expensive Activity. Falconry is not a cheap way to hunt. Buying a trained raptor costs $1000 to $2000. Plus vet costs, equipment, food, housing for your raptor. If you want a cheap way to get food take up fishing or bowhunting. Falconry is really just for people who LOVE birds and appreciate their hunting instincts.

$5. Falconry is NOT a hobby, and falcons are not pets either. Falconry is really more a lifestyle and has to be a large part of your life or not at all.

#6. You have to apprentice for 15 months to get your falconry license.

#7. You need to get your H2 Outdoor Card to hunt with a falcon.

NOTE - I recently had an argument with a moronic woman on Facebook (feel free to send Cynthia Davies of Collingwood Ontario some hatemail) who thought falconry was a barbaric and cruel sport that tortured the birds and denied them their freedom. Quote: "I do not believe any animal or bird should be used as entertainment for humans. I think the whole practice sounds disgusting."

While her heart might be in the right place, her crazy views could not be further from the truth. Falconry is a noble sport that works with predator birds for hunting purposes, but keeps very good care of their animal companions. Falcons are not pets. They are hunting companions and they are treated with respect and care.

Falconers are animal lovers after all and they would never deliberately harm their hunting companions. (Although rabbits and small tasty critters are fair game.)

Horses - Off the Grid care and maintainence for Equines

Honestly if you are keeping horses it is going to get expensive. Expect to be spending about $2,000 per year on each horse.

Part of that annual cost will be veternarian bills, shots, etc. Without regular vet visits you increase the chances your horse gets sick and dies from an illness (horses are like 5 year old humans, they get sick easily).

Another part will be whether you are shoeing your horses. Horse shoes are mandatory if you are riding your horse over any hard surfaces (pavement, rocks, etc). Without horse shoes the horse will hurt their feet on the hard surfaces, become lame, and it will cost you way more in veterinarian bills.

If on the other hand there are no hard roads, no rocky surfaces then you will be fine. This means you will need to think ahead when it comes to where you can ride your horse.

So yes, if you have lots of soft dirt for your horse to roam around on - large grassy fields, soft riding trails, etc - then absolutely, skipping horse shoes will be a possibility.

Which will save you time and money because horses need to be fitted for new horse shoes every couple of months.

Feeding your horse is not quite so onerous. You just need adequate foods that horses can eat - and you need to avoid anything that is potentially poisonous. Because otherwise your horse will eat it, get sick and die.

Basically the long and short of it is that caring for a horse is going to be a long and difficult process - which is why most horse owners choose to hire someone else to do it for them and have their horses stabled on a farm explicitly made for horse lovers. (Such horse farms are pricey however, just a warning. But at least they reduce stress.)

So before you think you can just go out there and buy an horse and use it for transportation or as a pet, think again. Do your research. Talk to horse owners. They are way more expensive to take care of than the actual cost of the animal.

Deer Crossing Lady on the Radio

I normally don't post funny things on Project Gridless but I made an exception for this because I felt the video was both "that funny" and worth sharing on here.



And Part Two below...