Syracuse.com - Bizarre pocupine mating ritual, new App for calling wild elk: Oddies in the Outdoors

[HuntingNY-News]

Size doesn 't always matter in nature.

1). A Washington state girl, 11, shot a cougar that appeared to be stalking brother, according to the New York Daily News.

Shelby White, 11, fired a rifle that took out an emaciated female cougar (50 pounds) that followed her 14-year-old brother into their home. "Locals speculate the animals are starving and looking closer to humans for food," the newspaper reported.

2). Porcupines have a bizarre (some might say kinky) mating ritual. It all starts with some innocent nose rubbing.

"If the female accepts the nose rubbing and, after the initial nose rubbing test, the female is still keen on the male, the male will then stand on its hind legs and the female allows him to urinate all over her body," according to todayifoundout.com.

3). The White Housee and the Department of Interior have declared by executive fiat that virtually all elephant ivory in this country can no longer by sold, according a press release from kniferights.com.

While the intention to save the elephants is admirable, it will make the existing ivory handled knives owned in this country essentially worthless because they can not be resold, the advocacy group said.

4). Sometimes size doesn't matter in the animal kingdom.

"Even though the female Great Horned Owl is larger than her mate, the male has a larger voice box and a deeper voice. Pairs often call together, with audible differences in pitch," according to allaboutbirds.org.

5). A couple of Oregon wild elk calling champions have taken their talent to the next level. They've created a how-to app for those who want to learn and practice the basics, according to the statesmanjournal.com.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog