Shelby Shopper Shelby NC
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1423520
Thursday, October 28-November 3, 2021 www.shelbyinfo.com 704/484-1047 - shelby shopper & info - Page 9 Howling Coyotes this Halloween Indicates Pups are on the Move Just in time for Halloween, expect to see and hear more coyotes over the coming weeks as young coyotes leave their parents' territory to establish a home of their own. They may wander long distances – upward of 300 miles – before settling down somewhere that's not already occupied by an established coyote pair. As young coyotes roam, biologists at the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission experience an increase in reported sightings. According to data collected through the agency's N.C. Wildlife Helpline, the most common calls about coyotes are about: • Presence in the general area. • Fear that coyotes pose a threat to people, pets or livestock, although no aggressive behavior or damage is reported. • Observations of coyotes during the day, which is normal behavior and does not indicate disease. • Loss or injury of outdoor/feral cats. • Noise-related complaints. At fi rst, littermates often travel together before splitting off in search of a mate. Young coyotes will yip, howl and bark to keep track of each other, as well as other coyotes whose territories they are passing through. The hollow tone of their howl and a tendency to vocalize rapidly in a constant stream of sounds can make two coyotes sound like twenty. "These days coyotes are common across North Carolina - even in residential areas - though they can be very good at not being seen. Hearing or seeing one is no cause for surprise or alarm," said Falyn Owens, the agency's extension biologist. "Coyotes usually try to avoid people as much as possible." Owens warns, however, that coyotes are opportunists and their typical standoffi sh behavior toward people can turn indifferent if they regularly get food near where people live and work, especially if they experience few consequences for hanging around. To make homes and neighborhoods less attractive to coyotes, Owens recommends the following tips: • Supervise small pets when they're outside, especially around dawn and dusk. • Keep cats indoors and poultry in a predator-proof pen. • Feed pets indoors or remove all food when a pet is fi nished eating outside. • Store food waste in secure containers with tight-fi tting lids. • Keep birdseed off the ground around feeders or choose to attract birds with native plants. • Intimidate and scare off any coyotes. Throw small objects in their direction, make loud noises, or spray them with a water hose until they retreat and leave the area. Eliminating easy food sources and creating an active deterrence can help coyotes maintain a healthy fear of humans. Owens advises, "They're territorial animals, so they understand when they're overstepping their bounds into an area that doesn't belong to them. Actively scaring off coyotes helps show them where they're not welcome." For more information about coyotes in North Carolina, visit the Wildlife Commission's coyote page on its website (ncwildlife.org/coyote), or call the agency's N.C. Wildlife Helpline toll-free at 866-318-2401, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Coyotes can be hunted year-round and can be trapped during the statewide regulated trapping season (Nov. 1 through end of February). Get N.C. Wildlife Update — news including season dates, bag limits, legislative updates and more — delivered free to your Inbox from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Submitted by Mindy Wharton Young coyotes are exploring new territories to call their own. 125 N. Lafayette St. • Shelby, NC (Across from First Baptist Church) WITHERSPOON INSURANCE AGENCY Auto • Home • Life • Health Business • Motorcycles • RVs • LOW DOWN PAYMENTS • LOW DOWN PAYMENTS • LOW MONTHLY • LOW MONTHLY PAYMENTS PAYMENTS GREAT RATES GREAT RATES for GOOD DRIVERS and for GOOD DRIVERS and Not So Lucky Drivers! Not So Lucky Drivers! 704-480-9595 www.witherspooninsurance.com Agents: Wayne Witherspoon, Justin Witherspoon Linda Thomas, Carol Pearson & Tammy Shaffer "Call us and Compare our Rates" © Community First Media NO MORE ROBERT H. LUTZ Attorney At Law 704-600-6003 • 704-600-6004 www.rlutzlaw.com WE CAN HELP STOP FORECLOSURES! WE CAN HELP STOP FORECLOSURES! OVERWHELMING CREDIT CARD DEBT! OVERWHELMING CREDIT CARD DEBT! REPOSSESSIONS! REPOSSESSIONS! ©CommunityFirstMedia WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. We help people fi le for bankruptcy relief We help people fi le for bankruptcy relief under the bankruptcy code. under the bankruptcy code. 310-8 E. Graham Street • Shelby, NC NO UPFRONT ATTORNEY NO UPFRONT ATTORNEY FEES FOR FILING CHAPTER 13 FEES FOR FILING CHAPTER 13 Weather is often the fi rst indicator that the seasons are changing. For many people across the globe, the hot days of summer will soon be giving way to the more crisp days of fall. For those who live in regions where summer only subtly gives way to fall or is seemingly gone before the end of Au- gust, the 2019 autumnal equinox occurs on September 23. That marks the offi cial beginning of fall, also known as autumn. In fact, that the season the follows sum- mer seemingly goes by two different names is just one of many interesting facts about fall. • A season by any other name … Fall is the term most often used to reference the season succeeding summer in the United States. But the season is referred to as "autumn" in other parts of the world, including Great Britain. Fall was once even known as "harvest" because of the harvest moon, which appears close to the autumnal equinox. • The colors of fall foliage are actually present year-round. Fall is known for its colorful foliage. But the pigments respon- sible for those colors are actually pres- ent year-round. According to the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, green, yellow and orange pig- ments are present year-round. However, during spring and summer, the leaves serve as factories where many foods necessary to help the tree grow are manufactured. That process takes place in the leaf in cells containing chlorophyll, which gives the leaves their green color. This process ceases as hours of day- light decrease and temperatures drop. As a result, chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears and the vivid col- ors of fall foliage begin to appear. • Squirrels have a (sophisticated) plan out there. Squirrels hiding food in au- tumn for the upcoming winter is a fa- miliar sight. And squirrels are more or- ganized than many people may know. Groundbreaking research released in 1991 found that, even when squirrels bury that stash of nuts closely to one an- other, they will each return to the precise location of their personal cache. Recent research also has shown that squirrels bury their stash based on certain traits, such as the type of nut being buried. • Babies born in fall are more likely to see the century mark. Researchers at the University of Chicago studied more than 1,500 centenarians born in the United States between 1880 and 1895. They then compared birth and death information with those centenarians' siblings and spouses so they could com- pare their early environment and genetic background and their adult environment. Their research found that most cente- narians were born between September and November. Interesting facts about fall