Biggins (at least 2) and proving hard to get. Primary target has been sweet corn, but tonight gamecock. Trap line of dog proof traps (4 units) baited using sweet corn kernels was passed up. Rain heavy, like I am soaked after 30 seconds. Dogs penned to prevent them from cleaning traps or running off coons not yet trapped. Game cameras show both those go on. I was asleep at 0220 when dogs started chuffing then when balistic trying to get passed door. I got up with flashlight and out barefooted and shirtless to release them. Soon as rounded house corner I could hear rooster squalling (raccoons had him and trying to pull him through pen) and another step I could see at least two adult raccoons with flashlight. Dogs had gone silent and were almost on raccoons when bolted and went into the heavy brush. Dogs were briefly fighting at least one raccoon as all ran down the hill. Underbrush too heavy and everything to wet. The raccoons got away and would not tree, or at least dogs could not line them out if the did. Rain real heavy and I cannot see my feet in the stuff. German Pointer got dinged up a little, but I think that may have been caused by the very thorny vines. I can see no actual wounds on her. She is licking legs and shoulders a lot. We may have gotten into nettles too. If so, then I just got into the edge of them. Also must remember not to leave muck boots at work.
Rooster released from pen so he can be taken into core area. He would not let me pick him up so he had to walk with dogs back to garage on his own. He followed light beam real well. Long walk in the rain. Garage door open so he could walk in and jump up on a cooler. He is too wet to fly. He will be tended to at dawn. Right now he is not keen on being handled.
Tomorrow a second trap line will be set further down the hill and baited with protein / fat rich materials. Pathway will have to be mowed so I can run traps even when raining like last couple nights. It is no fun trying to fight way through very wet and often thorny vegetation when rain already so high you cannot see. These raccoons I want to kill rather than simply run off. They have been coming in whenever we get a couple night of heavy rain and dogs cannot cut them off from woods or culvert between house and woods.
I may setup hot-wire as well. Too many patches to adequately defend from raccoons. Next year corn will be planted closer to apple orchard. They must know all the corn patches in the county.
Rooster released from pen so he can be taken into core area. He would not let me pick him up so he had to walk with dogs back to garage on his own. He followed light beam real well. Long walk in the rain. Garage door open so he could walk in and jump up on a cooler. He is too wet to fly. He will be tended to at dawn. Right now he is not keen on being handled.
Tomorrow a second trap line will be set further down the hill and baited with protein / fat rich materials. Pathway will have to be mowed so I can run traps even when raining like last couple nights. It is no fun trying to fight way through very wet and often thorny vegetation when rain already so high you cannot see. These raccoons I want to kill rather than simply run off. They have been coming in whenever we get a couple night of heavy rain and dogs cannot cut them off from woods or culvert between house and woods.
I may setup hot-wire as well. Too many patches to adequately defend from raccoons. Next year corn will be planted closer to apple orchard. They must know all the corn patches in the county.
