the biggest raccoon I have ever seen **caution graphic pics**

[Illia]

That's considered a huge Raccoon? Well then sheesh, are ours "Giants" ? Because ours are on a normal of a HUGE size, (that or a tad bigger) and since I've never seen other people's Raccoons, I always thought they were normal.

 

[katharinad]

Quote:
Perhaps you are a really big guy, but from what I see this one is not that big. My husband is 6'2" and the raccoons he drags out out are usually touching the ground when he lifts them like you did. We had to kill 7 this winter and they all were big. One thing is for sure, you see one you have 5 more.
Katharina

 

[sarahsark]

Good job dispatching that thing. I've lost more chickens to those raccoons than anything else.

I guess people just don't think about how frickin' big they get... because I, myself, was shocked as all get out when I killed my first one and got up close to it... maaaaaaaaaaaaaaan... talk about big!

And as a side note, I do NOT understand the people that think they are "cute" (like my neighbor)!

 

[featherbaby]

I live in a residential neighborhood in Jacksonville FL. I had a raccoon problem long before I had chickens. They would come through and tear up my gardens leaving plants and bulbs "roots up" overnight. I decided to get a havahart trap. Worked very well. I trapped one a night for quite some time. Several months later I gave up because I got sick and tired of taking them away. Oh, I forgot to tell you....I trapped 67 before I gave up. You can bet I made my coop extra secure. I know what I'm dealing with.

You can plan on seeing more of them. Where there's one.....there's 66 more! HA!

In Jax it is now illegal to relocate them. The animal control people tell me that 75% of them have rabies (sounds high but who knows?) For safety's sake don't handle them without gloves, then wash clothes and gloves that came in contact with them immediately. Rabies can enter through cuts or scratches on your hands that you don't even notice. Take no chances with this bio hazard.

 

[Addictedtothebirds]

They do get much bigger. We are in a war against the raccoons in our area. They ripped through double wire and into our coop and massacred 8 of our hens last September. THis is a picture of my friend and our first catch. We just recently caught another in a trap trying to get into our coop again. They dont seem to be giving up yet. Our newest catch was much bigger than this one.

 

[bethandjoeync]

gee thanks for all the "they get bigger talks"

I say this is a big raccoon because it's the only one I have ever seen up close. I am not looking forward to bigger ones, that's for sure.
no seriously, thanks for all the help.

I think we might just put out that live trap and see what happens (even if we catch the stupid stray cats) we can get rid of whatever we trap. Raccoons and deer tore through my corn and greenbeans last year, and I just gave up on the garden after that.

 

[Addictedtothebirds]

Sorry Didnt mean to scare you... We have had lot of luck with leg traps around the outer edge of the coop. This doesnt work if you have outside pets that risk getting into the traps. We have recently started having a coyote problem too. They are coming up much closer to the house and the sound they make calling each other is so eerie. So far they havent been able to get in and get our chicks. Good luck!!

 

[poultryfan73]

I take it that is was a he?

 

[SkyWarrior]

I hate raccoons. We used to get them in our garbage back in Colorado.

We tried everything including pepper spray to get rid of them until one night, my husband popped one

They never came back.

I have exceedingly bad news for you. They can get bigger. Much bigger. I'm glad I have my chicks in a barn with a concrete floor and shut in at night.

 

[chicks4kids]

I would definitely set a trap. The first time you catch one you'll be happy you set it. We usually catch ours after we're all sleeping. Then in the morning...voila! Good luck! And great job of disposing of it--no need to make it someone else's problem.