Repel Raccoons

[BosozokuX]

I caught a 70lb one last night. animal control just came and picked it up. they get that big in this part of jeresey because they live off trash and anything smaller than them. the animal control guy scent should help keep them away.

im going to polish off a six pack when im done at work tonight, and piss a perimter around my back yard. it keeps the possums away, it might work with the raccoons

 

[SweetErika]

If you have a shotgun, that would be the best choice if you have to resort to shooting them. It may be a lot louder than a .22 but it's also much less dangerous to your neighbors if you miss the raccoon. Just let your neighbors know beforehand that you're going to be shooting at raccoons with a shotgun.

Good point, and we do have at least one shotgun. The way our backyard is shaped, there's no chance of hitting a neighbor while aiming at a raccoon. There's a slope and we'd most likely shoot them while they're on the deck, aiming down; we'd have to aim up at a 30-45-degree angle to chance hitting another house. Any bullet will go into the deck or the dirt of the hill - Hubby won't shoot otherwise.

We're not excited to tell the neighbors we may shoot the raccoons because while they're annoyed by them, we get the feeling they're animal lovers. We wouldn't hide it from them, but it might be best if the raccoons just disappear, which would necessitate shooting from inside the house with the .22 and hoping no one notices, if Fish & Wildlife can't take care of them.

 

[velcroktty]

I see there are several of us here who have fair share of encounters with these raskley varmits over the years. In my case, since moving here in 1980, it's been a mix of having the bad and the not so bad,
I don't have much to add to the advice others have already shared. I will say that you should remember that you will need to remove the carcass after you shoot the critter(s) and picking up intact dead bodies beats the heck out of cleaning up all the scattered smitherines of a animal you've killed with a shotgun.
Once they have made themselves at home and taken root, when you consider the initial expense of buying a live trap is rather costly, it's going to seem small change in relation to the cost of repairing all the damage that will be done not only by the current unwelcome wildlife but also by the return of offsping of the offspring of many future generation after generation to come.
No matter how "cute" and friendly you might want to believe these animals you have seem, they will turn vicious and nasty in a heartbeat so do not ever let yourself get careless around them. Wear protective clothing and heavyduty gloves when you handle the trap containing one. Don't get the notion it will be easier to somehow kill one once you have it backed into a corner.
The mess left by any that have lived inside a garage or attic or other place within your living area is going to be N-A-S-T-Y. Unless any possessions of yours in that space are of major impotance or value,, pitch it in the trash. When you are cleaning it all up wear gloves and one of those masks so you don't breath in all the airborne gunk.
Make every attempt to scare off any chance happen encounters with one you startle up in a darkened area. Stomp your feet walking from the garage to house and knock on the door before going out on the porch without the light on.
You have a very slim chance of being successful at raising any babies so just save the time, expense and grief and leave those babies alone and leave them right where you find them. They will never make a good pet. The wild instincts in them will not be housebroken out of them. They will destroy whatever they happen to chose to destroy. They will go vicious in a snap on any given whim they get. That cute little fur ball you are petting on your lap can cause you serious harm and you will need those painful bites and scratches stitched up and you will be needing a dosage antibiotics.
In some areas, you will be required to obtain a special permit to keep one. The guidelines here anyway are rather strict and the fencing and cages will have to built by ridgid measures. It will be a tough job to find a vet that deals with wildlife. The required shots aren't yet proven to work on wild animals so should it bite someone or someones pet, your "baby" will need to be killed to be tested for rabies anyway.
Keep your garbage in cans lids that shut tight and don't leave any outside pet food sitting out at night. Cats who live fulltime as outside pets will probably be quie able to deal with the racoons all by themselves so let them reach a happy balance between themselves. Be sure take special care and watch close for any signs of a fighting. Any breaking of skin you need to get to the vet and check it out. Be aware that outside pet will be in danger of getting contact lice and also a no doubt steady case of fleas for you to take care of too.
Please try not to do away with any wildlife without just cause. And oh yeah, like exciteher said welcome to the club!

 

[Weird Harold]

I will say that you should remember that you will need to remove the carcass after you shoot the critter(s) and picking up intact dead bodies beats the heck out of cleaning up all the scattered smitherines of a animal you've killed with a shotgun.

I really doubt that a raccoon -- or any wild animal is going to let you stick a shotgun right up agianst them, and that's the only way a shotgun is going produce "scattered smithereens."

 

[SweetErika]

Please try not to do away with any wildlife without just cause.

We never kill animals without just cause. Hubby hunts unsuccessfully a couple of times a year, but that's more of a social thing and he'll only shoot what he's positive will be eaten. I can't kill more than an insect purposely. If we shoot the raccoons it'll be because WDFW won't deal with them, they're destroying our property and/or threatening us or the cats. If they weren't breaking stuff or coming way too close for comfort, we'd happily leave them alone.

There's no way in hell we're going to trap them ourselves - that'd be stooooopid.

 

[Starbuck69]

Well SweetErika,
I have tried many things over the years to get rid of the coons, but the only thing that I have found that works is to kill them, I too dont care if they are around as long as they dont come to close to the house. I lived out in the country so they are a every day thing, and as long as they dont bother me or my family then I leave them alone.

Because of were I live I use a .22 long (its the normal .22 bullet) but if you are concerned with noise then you can use a .22 short, its very quite, this is assuming that your hubby can shoot and kill the coon the first shot, if not or he is not sure then a shot gun is a good idea.

I have lived in the country almost all my like and I still only kill animals only when I have to and there are no other options.

Just becarefull they can be very dangerus.

Good luck.

 

[linda_joiann]

One summer while i lived at home, we had a mother and her 3-4 little ones get into the upper parts of a roof attached to our home. We shot momma with a shotgun and the sheriff showede up QUICK. Said no more shooting at midnight. Showed him the damage to home and all was dismissed in charges.

From there on out we live trapped them, and gave them to a local dog trainer.
Before you all get upset, This fellow had 170 acre farm and would turn the critters loose. Then when he knew they were there would let the dogs loose to teach them about scents and dens and all. Anyways this fellow had one arm and a hook on the other arm. He would reach into the live cage and grab em with the hook. He showed us how to safely handle them.

I ended up using 3 live traps and tall garbage cans to trap them all.
What we thought was one little group of 5, turned out to be 30+ criitters. We destroyed two and live trapped the rest, with all live ones going to one arm fellow. The big ones got caught in live traps whil;e little ones would get into PLASTIC trash cans and not be able to get out.

The live traps can be purchased at a local farm equipment place for around $40-$60. The are spring loaded with handles. There are plates around the handles to prevent HUMAN injury. Only downside is critters will not leave trap. We would have to prop open door with sticks and poke em gently from other end to get em out. I have trapped for my employer as well.

You may want to talk with local hunting clubs or dog training/handling places.
If you have a brush pile or something, DISPOSE of it. I have seen the critters crawling out of chimneys on homes that were on fire. (house burnt down)

In a 3 month time span we removed over 30+ so be prepared.

Good Luck,
Bill in Ohio

PS check out a place called Tractor Supply. You can find it on the net.Look for live traps.

 

[Ezzy]

Here is one of many repellents...


















Perhaps on the same idea you could fire a shotgun into the ground near them and then pee down your own legs...They should get the idea and assosiate your pee with the danger and the big bang. You could then mark the corners fo your own property and they will learn to stay away.

 

[SweetErika]

A little update...

Sunday night, I was sitting outside with the light on, and two of the raccoons sprinted toward me out of nowhere. They ran past where the cat food and water are kept during the day, and were about two feet from me when I saw them (we have an odd-shaped deck and they're fast!) and screamed bloody murder. They did run away at that point, but definitely struck me as being in attack mode.

Hubby got the .22 all set up, and they came back later, but there wasn't a good shot. We've been watching for them each night to see what their patterns are. I haven't heard back from Fish and Wildlife, but we went through the website again, and it's pretty clear they expect people to trap and/or euthanize raccoons themselves. Perhaps they'd come out if we couldn't do either due to a physical impairment or something, but that's not the case. Our neighbors are actually okay with shooting them because they've been a problem for years and they love the kittens.

So, this may be the night at least one of them meets their fate. Even Hubby doesn't really want to shoot, but we can't live in fear they'll get even more aggressive toward us or the cats, or really start destroying our property as winter sets in.

 

[car nut]

Leave out a bowl of antifreeze

 

[SweetErika]

if you catch it paint it orange so you know if the same one comes back if your gonna release it

Yep, I'm sure they'd be thrilled to sit there while we paint them orange.

They came right up in attack mode again while we were on the deck the other night, so when they came back Friday, we were ready. One clean shot and he went off the deck. The other one just stood there watching like seeing his buddy shot was a normal thing, but we thought more than one shot a night could bring the cops for domestic violence or something, and were hoping the other would be sufficiently deterred by his comrade's demise.

No such luck, but we won't shoot the second (we haven't seen the third for quite sometime) unless he starts causing problems. Maybe they're not as bold or destructive when they're alone?

The funny thing is, I feel HORRIBLE when I find a dead animal, even if it appears to have died from natural causes. I can't bear to look and am likely to shed a few tears. I watched that raccoon die and looked at his body many times, and feel perfectly fine, other than a little odd because there are no negative feelings. I guess when something terrorizes me, all bets for remorse on doing away with them are off.

 

[Starbuck69]

No such luck, but we won't shoot the second (we haven't seen the third for quite sometime) unless he starts causing problems. Maybe they're not as bold or destructive when they're alone?

Im sorry to say this but I do think you need to kill the second one too, it is only a matter of time before he does damage and by then it may be to late.

Bottom line is that once they come near the couse and now on the deck they will continue to come back, there stuburm not stupid, they will come out either at night or when you are not around.

 

[SweetErika]

Im sorry to say this but I do think you need to kill the second one too, it is only a matter of time before he does damage and by then it may be to late.

Bottom line is that once they come near the couse and now on the deck they will continue to come back, there stuburm not stupid, they will come out either at night or when you are not around.

I'm sure you're right; he does seem a little less bold without a buddy, but they've been coming on the deck just about nightly for a long time now since that's where we keep the cat food and water during the day (the little fuckers don't drink, but rather put their filthy feet in or knock over the water dish! ), so it's firmly their territory now in his mind, I'm sure.

Plus, we're planning on putting up some kind of shelter for the kittens to sleep in over the winter since they're all eating about five times more food just to keep warm already (and two are scrawny and timid as it is ), and are pretty confident the raccoon(s) will either take that as an opportunity to destroy it or move in.

We'll watch out for the other for the next few nights and see what happens. As a practical matter, it'd be a lot easier to get him now, if necessary, so we can take them both way out in the woods in one shot and let nature take its course.

 

[KokopelliRises]

I don't know what kind of neighborhood you live in or whether you have any large rocks handy, but what my family does is throw large-ish rocks at them and scream and shout as loud as we possibly can. We had a cat too and he stuck around through many years of this.

 

[SweetErika]

I don't know what kind of neighborhood you live in or whether you have any large rocks handy, but what my family does is throw large-ish rocks at them and scream and shout as loud as we possibly can. We had a cat too and he stuck around through many years of this.

We tried that, and they just came back until we made sure that wouldn't happen anymore.

We've only seen the two new ones once, a couple of months ago when there was a lot of snow, so we think they were just visiting from another area, looking for food.

The concern with the kittens was that they'd get hurt or eaten as the food supply dwindled. They're only about 6 months old, and likely couldn't defend themselves yet from what we've seen. I've talked to several people now who have had small animals attacked by 'coons in the winter, so I'm all the more glad those two are gone for good.

 

[Texguy84]

Heh, my little brother just suggested "She should get a baseball bat... AND START SWINGING!"

A very simple and elegant solution.

 

[Bert Notorius]

I still am trying to suppress a childhood raccoon memory. We were awakened one night by the sound of hounds fighting. My dad who, I discovered, slept in the nude came running downstairs adangling, grabbed a shovel and proceded to beat the raccoon to death that had climbed onto the hound's back.

They are very intelligent varmints. If you can "take them out" without getting in trouble, I'd go that route. They are not endangered. God will make more. If you're the type bent on eating what you kill, good luck. They're not very tasty.

 

[SouthernDom]

We never kill animals without just cause. Hubby hunts unsuccessfully a couple of times a year, but that's more of a social thing and he'll only shoot what he's positive will be eaten. I can't kill more than an insect purposely. If we shoot the raccoons it'll be because WDFW won't deal with them, they're destroying our property and/or threatening us or the cats. If they weren't breaking stuff or coming way too close for comfort, we'd happily leave them alone.

There's no way in hell we're going to trap them ourselves - that'd be stooooopid.

If the problem arises again a Havahart cage trap is all but foolproof and safe for all involved.......they can be safely relocated several miles away without harm.

In the south raccoons are one of the biggest carriers of rabies.......they would hafta go one way or the other if they were that bold in my yard!

 

[bgr]

We in the past have borrowed traps from a local trapper and trapped them ourselves. Concerned about rabies we knew they had to go. After they were trapped we drowned them in the lake. Drowning the first one bothered me
but after picking up the trash for the hundredth time it came pretty easy.