Sunday Surprise

[Lionhawk]

So i got everything brined up on saturday for a sunday salmon smoke.  On saturday i pulled in the wood box and covered the #2 up and left it on the deck.  I didn't check the weather for sunday (my bad) and when i woke up it was windy and snowing so i figure i'll move the smoker from deck to garage.  I get it out to the end of the garage, open the door, slide in the wood box.....only to run into a mouse!  Little guy barely even moved! so i grabbed a broom and tried sweeping him out and back into the outdoors so he could be some hawk feed.  He decided the garage was better....bad move.  i loaded up 4 snap traps with little bits of left over rib meat (since he obviously enjoyed eating burned fat and foil from my rib smoke) and set them throughout the garage.  Got him!

I found some droppings on the top of the smoker so i am assuming he crawled up the inside of the cover and dropped thru the smoke hole. I don't think there is any way he crawled thru the bottom hole, it's barely 1/4" diameter and there were droppings on the top.  It was quite surprising as i have a walk out with a 2nd level deck that is about 11 ft up.  Anyone else run into any rodents in the somker?  He's lucky i didn't torch him since he really wanted to stay in there and i barely saw him.

Keep your eyes open when you open that door fellow smokers! 

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[Longhornamus]

See, this smoker does it all! Never thought to use it to attract mice.
Hmmmm, I wonder what the deer would think if I put my #2 out in the woods......

On a more serious note I have not had mine but for a few weeks. Will have to keep my eyes out for the little rascals!

[DivotMaker]

Hey, everyone loves good Q, even the mice!    Funny, I've never had one in mine, as they stay on a covered porch, and I live in the country.  Funny stuff!

[SuperDave]

Waiting for the Paul Harvey, "rest of the story" where you tell us how he tastes, smoked.   

[DivotMaker]

Tastes like chicken?

[Lionhawk]

I'd be lying if i told you it didn't cross my mind to just shut the door and crank it up.  Figured i'd give him a fighting chance though.

[Longhornamus]

Mmmmmm......mouse jerky......

[DivotMaker]

I think I figured out why I never see mice in my smoker.  Last Saturday, I was sitting on the porch, taking pics of the nice song birds that hangout at the wife's feeders.  There was a little black & white Downey woodpecker enjoying a suet cake, when Wham!  Here comes a female sharp-shinned hawk!  She snatched him off that suet no more than 8' in front of me, then paused on an old satellite dish post to pose for me!  She's found a little "honey hole" for nice birds here, so I'm sure mice stay in the shadows!

[Lionhawk]

Thats awesome! I imagine she has alot of the critters arouns on notice!

[DivotMaker]

I haven't seen her back yet, but I bet I will!

[Plan2build]

No joke....we have the same type visitor, only this guy (attached) likes the doves....wish he would take out the squirrels!!!  He shows up at least weekly.  This photo was taken in October.  We think the hawk is in his first year as we have watched him molt feathers and the stripes are not as defined as shown in Tony's picture!!!

[DivotMaker]

Cool pic!  That may be a Cooper's hawk - very similar to the sharp-shinned hawk.  Nice!