Rocky Raccoon

[dixie_belle]

For some time now, I've known there was a raccoon close by. If I left my bird feeders out overnight, he would empty them all for me. And he has actually stolen several suet feeders. They were no where to be found in the morning. No big deal...I just bring everything in at night.

BUT, the other night he's on my back porch when I go to let my little dog out. And, he's not afraid of us. I swear, if I would have left the sliding door open, I think he would have come in and had dinner with us and hung out on the sofa watching TV. Then we discover he is living under the deck. NOT GOOD.

So, I go to animal control and get a raccoon trap. I ask them if I can return the trap with a raccoon still in it. Um......no. dang

Day one: I set the trap at night and use a can of cat food as bait. Wake up to find the trap not sprung, the cat food gone and a dribble of cat food juice going from the trap to the edge of the deck. Well....this means war.

Day two: We have chicken for dinner. I take the chicken carcass and actually tie it to the inside of the trap. **insert evil laugh** I put the trap on top of a towel because I know if I catch him, he'll poop all over and I really don't want raccoon poop on my deck. Wake up this morning and there he is, in the trap. Not a single little bit of chicken carcass is there so he had a really good dinner. And, he had used his little hands to shred that towel and pull the entire thing inside the trap. WHAT? So I go to pick up the trap....did you know raccoons can growl and snarl? Well, let me tell you, they can. He tried to pull me thru the bars of the cage like he had the towel. So I get a large tarp and cover the cage, so he can't see what I'm doing. We eventually wrap the entire trap with the tarp, pick up the trap (by the tarp) and get it in the back of my car. Hubby, Rocky Raccoon and I went to the state park for breakfast. It's not my fault Rocky missed the bus for the return trip home. LOL

Let's see how long we are raccoon free. (Hopefully forever)

 

[Debby - LB]

Bye, Felicia LOL

 

[chandab]

Racoons don't fare as well here, and neither do skunks.

 

[Minimor]

We had a raccoon here summer before last. He was no trouble--he stayed awhike then left on his own. I had some skunks here too the summer of 2016. Several skunks--i actually enjoyed watching them, i jist had.to remember to use a flashlight more so I didn't trip over one in the dark. They came back the next spring but after a month or so they all disappeared. A week later i had at least one in the yard again then it left and i havent seen them since. I had no reason to kill any of them.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Found a raccoon skull in the pasture a few years ago. It is quite fearsome without its fur. Because of the large canine teeth I thought it was a coyote, but the Ranger identified it as a raccoon.

I don't like them; they kill chickens and carry rabies. If anyone traps one and hauls it "out into the country somewhere", please do not bring it to our property.