Perhaps this gentleman was a fisherman, which would help explain what happened next. In what probably seemed like a good idea at the time, the photographer decided to tie his car keys onto the end of a piece of string and dangle them in front of the den’s opening, hoping to draw the squirrel out into the open. If a lure works for fish, why not for this animal?
Waving something bright and jangly in front of the family cat–or a baby–may be a great way to get a cute photo at home, but this strategy took an unexpected turn out in the wild. The keys achieved the desired result of getting the squirrel’s attention, but the man didn’t expect it to literally “take the bait,” so he didn’t have a good grip on his end of the string. The animal bolted from its den, snatched the keys, and quickly darted back underground, prize firmly in tow! All subsequent attempts to retrieve the “lure” were unsuccessful.
Here’s a free investment tip for you: If you’re looking for a good business opportunity, see if there is a locksmith in the vicinity of any large park or other recreation area. People manage to find countless-and innovative-ways to lose their car keys in the Great Outdoors, but having them heisted by a ground squirrel ranks pretty high on the “sure wish I hadn’t done that” scale.
Although I wouldn’t recommend his approach, the best advice I could give to anyone considering using car keys–or any other valuables–as a lure would be to “get a grip!”
Jim Burnett
Life – it’s an adventure…. Find something to smile about today!
Excerpted from the book Hey Ranger 2 © 2007 by Jim Burnett & Taylor Trade Publishing, used by permission.