Crazy Pack Rats

Pack rats are adept opportunists.  Need a home?  How about the cozy prefabricated storage bin against the side of the wall.  Simply dig in, chew a hole through the plastic base and presto a new home!  Need a bed?  Those work gloves left in the bin look just about right.  A few modifications and a new form fitting bed is made.

Pack Rats Have Spring Fever.

This year we had the fourth warmest January on record.  Most days have been in the low seventies and the nights are mild.  It feels like spring and the pack rats seem to have spring fever.

Pack rats reproduce year-round, but breeding always increases when environmental conditions are favorable and more young can survive.  Freezing temperatures - fewer rats.  Extreme drought - fewer rats.  Nice mild weather with lots of vegetation from late fall rains - conditions perfect - lots of baby rats!

We are finding far more young rats in nests than typical for this time of year.   These rats are still too young to be much of a nuisance, but soon they will be adults and breeding on their own.   If conditions remain favorable 2012 could be a boom years for pack rats.

Kentucky Camp

Kentucky Camp

I have lived in Arizona over 40 years and my wife, Sheryl is a native.  In fact her family were early pioneers.  We love Arizona and we often get out to places not listed in the typical travel guide.

I plan to use my MPR blog to share some of those places.  Last year we took a day trip to Kentucky Camp, an old gold mining town located in the Santa Rita Mountains.

The drive is quite scenic and only about an hour from Tucson. Take Highway 89 (the road to Sonoita) to the Gardner Canyon turn-off.  Once you turn, you have about 5 miles of gravel road to travel. The road forks, so be sure to follow the signs to Kentucky Camp.  The road is dirt but in decent shape. If you take a car, you may want to hike the last mile in, but a regular pick-up or SUV should be able to make it all the way without a problem.  There are several old adobe building and some old mining equipment around to look at. The area is beautiful terrain with lots of scrub oak.  A nice break from the desert.

The forest service is doing some restoration and even has a small cabin on-sight available for rental.   It is rustic - look close at the sign below, "Bed and No Breakfast Inn".

There are not many ghost towns open to the public that are in as good shape as Kentucky Camp.  You can wander around at will.  The area is open range so expect to see some cattle.  Pack a picnic, or head down to Sonoita for lunch.  You will not be disappointed.

For more information on Kentucky Camp and the forest service cabin rental check out the links below:


Wikipedia -Kentucky Camp Arizona
Coronado Forest Heritage Rentals

Snake Surprise!

The other day I had an unexpected encounter with a rattle snake - in January!

From March to November we often come across rattle snakes. Snakes eat rats and snakes like to hide in dark protected areas. What better place to live than in a rat nest - a cozy home and dinner comes to you.

When the weather gets cooler, snakes usually move into winter dens, often in rocky areas with an eastern exposure to catch the morning sun. It is not unusual for multiple snakes to nest together in the cold. When dealing with rat nests in rocky areas, I am always on guard regardless of the time of year.

On this inspection I was in a nicely landscaped area. There was a plastic storage container just a few inches from the house sitting on gravel. Never a good idea, because pack rats love narrow spaces and the gap between the wall of the house and the storage bin was perfect. The rats use the sheltered area to dig in and make a home either in or under the storage bin.

Sure enough there where signs of digging behind the bin, so I reached down to slide the container away from the wall to explore further. The bin was full of items and heavy, so I had to slip my hand under the edge lift, as I moved it over the gravel.

To my surprise there was a rattle snake just inches from where I had put my hand.

Fortunately, the weather was sunny but cool and the snake was lethargic. I grabbed my snake tongs and moved it a safe distance away from the home in a sunny area with lots of nearby shelter.

Two valuable lessons learned. The home owner learned not to put storage containers next to the house and I learned to NEVER assume it is safe to not be on guard for snakes regardless of the time of year or location.

Kris