A raccoon story - caught our first critter!

[Sjisty]

Nope - 1" square hardware cloth all the way around, sides and top, buried as well as stapled to landscape logs at bottom. Great big staples (not staple gun); hubby knows more about them, but hammered in every few inches. Heavy duty hinges and door closure (hopefully critter-proof). Did I miss anything?

P.S. Probably not hardware cloth - again I don't know the terminology but it is heavy stuff.

 

[NateinFL]

I just found out after going to the Freshwater Fish & Game Commission site that it is illegal in FL (and prolly other states too) to trap and release raccoons or possums. It says that if you may legally trap and kill possums, but you need a permit to do it with coons. But if u do get a coon while trapping for something else, u must let it go on your property or kill it. I caught one last night, so since Im afraid of getting caught with a raccoon in the back of my car, I let him go, but with my 3 dogs help. He charged my poop-zu, and my border collie mix CJ latched onto the coon, they got into a 20 second tussle, with the coon on his back, biting into CJ's leg, and the coon finally got away and up the tree. CJ now has a bad limp

. I didnt think the coon was gonna be that fiesty when I let him out but he sure did put up a fight. Next time I'll just use a 22 on it while its still caged, Ive never shot an animal before and dont want to, but if I love my chickens I guess this is what it boils down to, especially after seeing all the other posts about coons on here. So make sure you check state laws before trapping and releasing!

 

[Laurieks]

What's the best bait for a coon?
We came home from vacation in June to a pond full of mosquito larvae instead of goldfish. (I later found 2 fish hiding, but there were probably 20 nice fat ones before). The chickens are all ok. We suspect a coon. I have a skunk size live trap that might fit.

The dog treed a coon a few years ago (relocated to the compost bin). She had been taking 2 chickens a day for about a week. She was our first, probably displaced by construction a few miles away.

We can shoot dogs that get in our stock; I hope it's ok to shoot coons as well.

 

[Sjisty]

Quote:
Don't worry - I don't plan on releasing them!

 

[NateinFL]

Thanks, and if you did please dont bring them to Wesley Chapel, I dont need anymore!

 

[Sjisty]

Yesterday I changed the bait. The trapper had baited the cages with sardines. Last night we added leftover cinnamon rolls. This morning we had a possum in a trap. Not what I was wanting, but it's a start.

 

[sm0kin]

i have read marshmallows work well

 

[Sjisty]

Well, last night I put marshmallows in the trap. This morning, the trap is still set, no critter, and no marshmallows - smart critter!

 

[chooniecat]

It is awful to loose your animals and certainly acceptable to end the raccoon but drowning it is barbaric. would YOU like to have YOUR life ended that way? I hope you can get your heart working and either shoot or squash the poor raccoon. they do not understand your "ownership" of chickens and its food to them so why be cruel?

 

[buck-wild-chick]

You will catch him !