Catching Loner

First, I have to give credit to the Lord and His Angels for our success in catching Loner!! I firmly believe that ALL your prayers and mine were heard and answered! God gave us safe passage over the mountain passes by providing buckets and buckets of rain instead of snow. It was actually warmer on the top of the passes than it was below in the lowlands! I can only say this was Gods doing!

I don't usually get to religious on the lists but this time is different, sorry if I offend anyone. We fully intended to stay until Sunday if needed but we didn't have too. Again, Gods doing! There were other things that God did for us but, the main thing was catching Loner.

We left yesterday morning in a torrential downpour, hoping it was raining on the passes and as I said, it was. As soon as we got over the second pass, the weather cleared and was surprisingly warm on the eastern side of the mountains. We rolled into Oroville about 5:30pm and we were hungry. So, I stayed at the motel and Wally went in search of FOOD!!

Wally got some burgers, which were pretty tasty! Bons, our pig, and the 2 dogs(Cracker and Dusty) had traveled really well. Bons had to ride in the back seat of the truck with Dusty and Cracker rode on the council between the 2 front seats. Well, after scarfing down our burgers, we both crapped out for a nap. Anyway, on to today.........

It's cold up there but not as bad as it has been, only about 34 degrees today. I had on my long johns, ski gear, snow boots, etc and was very comfortable. We drive up to Neil's and there is about 10 inches of snow on the ground. I look around for Loner and didn't see him. My heart started to sink a little.

I took Bons out of the truck and started walking her to the big barn, thinking Loner might just be in there. NOPE, no Loner, just the chickens. Now, I'm looking at Bons and thinking how stupid to bring a white pig for bait in the snow!! DUH!!

Anyway, I had this feeling that the barn was not going to be the place that Loner would hang out, so Bons and I walked down to the chicken coop. From these lists, I have learned that pigs and chickens always seem to be friends.

As I approached the coop, I got a better feeling. I turned into a hunter. I spotted Loners tracks in the snow and started tracking!! Thank the Lord. He put snow on the ground!! The tracks led to the coop and there was a trail around the coop too and the trail had pig poop in it. There happens to be a fenced area attached to the coop also.

I figured if I could get the chickens in the coop, Loner would follow. BTW, by this time I had spotted Loner peaking at me from around the coop! He had no interest in Bons, but I don't know if he saw her either, I do know he heard her because she squealed a couple of times (she didn't like the snow!). At first, I was just calling the chickens, here chick chick chick. Then I switched to T T T T T T T T T T T T T T, nice and soft.

This is what worked....I put a Hansel and Gretel trail of food on his little trail and then a big pile of food inside the fence. I also put a big bunch of food in the coop for the chickens. I figured if the chickens would stay in the coop eating, then Loner would go in the fence and I could use the salmon net to catch him.

He did go in the fence. It was touch and go because I had to stand back about 30 feet so he would go in the fence and then run (in my big clunky snow boots) and trap him. Once in progress there would be no stopping. I'd either blow it or not.

He saw me coming and started to run out of the pen, I slammed the net down, preventing him from getting out of the gate. Then I put the net over him and HOLY COW, I had bronco pig in a net! I'm yelling, WALLY HURRY!! Well, Wally gets a hold of Loner, net and all. Oh, I forgot to mention that the crate for Loner is still way the hell up by the big barn!!

Wally's holding on for dear life and I have to once again run up hill, in the snow, in my clunky snow boots to get the crate!! I should have been the poster child for a quit smoking campaign!! About 30 feet from the darn crate, I can hardly breathe! Now, I have to drag/carry the crate to Loner. I'm dying here because I'm so outta breath. About that time George and Neil (who I told to stay away) come driving up the driveway. George helps me with the crate. Ok, we have to get Wally, Loner and net out of the coop fencing without losing Loner. I grab the net handle and Wally has Loner still in the net and we maneuver over to the crate and WE HAVE HIM!!

I have never seen the look of terror/wild/hate like I saw today in Loners eyes. He has been through so very much. But when he got here tonight, he greeted his brothers and sniffed them all over as if to say, "I missed you."  And his brothers loved on him too, as if to say, "Where ya been bro, we missed ya too."

I spent about 30 minutes in the barn with them, tonight. It was a very loving sight to behold and they were all sleeping when I left. Tank, Gunner and Braveheart together and little Loner was by himself. I bet that will change by the morning. Loner is safe and warm and in no danger anymore........

So the pigs have been rescued and it was an experience I will never forget.

By Sally Sullivan-Hall