14 weeks old, 7 Raccoons!

[chickenhound]

Thanks iwiw60.......I guess we think alike. Good luck with your flock.

 

[iwiw60]

Thanks iwiw60.......I guess we think alike. Good luck with your flock.

Yep....

S - S - S
Shoot-Shovel-Shut Up

 

[gclark94560]

I think I'll try the Duke trap again this week end. See if any critter is trying to take over the territory.

 

[gclark94560]

Second try only got ants!

It's been a week or so - think I'll give the Duke trap and dog food another try tomorrow.

 

[iwiw60]

Sorry! so far they all smelled SO BAD I wouldn't even think of eating them.

Me, too! I've eaten a lot of "gamey' stuff in my day, but raccoon is just AWful...won't touch the stuff...

 

[MyLoveableChick]

if they smell bad maybe just soak them in a broth, or wash the meat and skin it.

 

[1 old hen]

Coon if cooked right is good, most peple do not know that there is a gland under the front leg between the leg and body it looks like a small kernel of corn this is a sent gland that needs to be removed. I have baked coon in the oven with potatos,carots . Then removed the vegies and feed them to chickens or dog as they absorbe some of the gamey taste. It does remind me of a slightly stringy beef roast.

 

[gclark94560]

Since my last post I've added another coon and yesterday, a 'possum! Seems like the woods would run short of varmints after a while!

Oh well, as long as the cat food bait holds out.......

 

[gawildlife]

     Question about eating raccoon.  Is rabies in your area?  Would this affect your eating raccoon?.  What about touching the skin and raw meat? 

Rabies is a virus and isn't very durable and can not survive long outside the body. Is is rather easily killed so cooking would suffice as would cooling for a time. The main thing is safety in handling as the virus is found in the nervous tissues and saliva and salivary glands (yes raccoons have them). You mainly want to avoid any spinal or cranial/cerebral fluids coming into contact with open wounds or mucus membranes. It is not transmissable via blood, feces or urine.

And yes raccoon rabies is rampant in LA (lower alabama), especially in the wiregrass. Historically only the Alabama River stopped it's spread north.

 

[gawildlife]

Relocation of raccoons in Alabama is rather unique. It is allowed but in light of the potential spread of rabies is is somewhat restricted. Only within the same watershed AND county. Basically you can't dump a sick raccoon out of an already infected area.
Much simpler, imo, since there is no field test for rabies is to release where caught or euthanize.