Very early this morning my dog (Scoob) went out and as he sometimes does ran to neighbors about 1/8 mile away. I could hear Scoob through screened window as he barked tree on something. I was groggy and location was neighbors so did not get up and fell back asleep. Sometime after dog came back, came in through door jumped up on bed and began to do the "Lassy thing" where he whines a lot and tries to get me to follow him. I grudgingly got up, very partially dressed, grabbed flash lite and followed Scoob as he barreled back to neighbors. Neighbor has a menagerie of chickens (Jersey Giant x Shamo), peafowl, ducks and geese. Waterfowl were stirred up and a chicken was squalling it's last breaths. Neighbors birds are in three locations on a 5-acre patch; waterfowl free range between 2 ponds (not enclosed), a large covered run about 30' x 45' x 10', and mobile roost attached to perimeter of electrified poultry fencing. Neighbor does not live on site although house is under construction. The mobile roost was considered varmint proof when locked up which it was on this occasion. As I approached Scoob was running back and forth between mobile roost and larger pond where waterfowl were raising a commotion as well. Scoob was tracking with nose a popping apparently trying to line out cause of commotion. As typical Scoob goes off on one track while I deal with another. My track lead to boar coon in the mobile roost. Coon was finishing the killing of one the big Jersey Giant x Shamo hens (two more hens and rooster also present and dinged up a bit). Upon seeing this I called Scoob back which took him a minute to respond to since he appeared to be working a hot track himself. When Scoob got back he resumed barking tree and tried to get into mobile roost from underneath but he could not fit. My intentions were to give the coon an arse whooping so I proceeded to back to get into access door so either I or Scoob could get in and give coon some loving. Scoob got picture as to what was to happen and got all excited next to me as he prepared to dive through roost door. Then more commotion and I could see coon running out from under roost and across Field. I placed beam of light on coon and hollered at Scoob to "get em" and Scoob was after it in a flash. Coon had a 100' head start but Scoob got up on it before the coon could go another 75'. Chase went under a barnyard light where everything was clear. When Scoob intercepted he briefly tackled coon and both took a roll on the gravel. Both got up and coon did the ole-raise-your-butt-up-and-drop-your-head routine to look big and tried to bluff Scoob. I was barreling in at that point with intent on playing kick-the-coon and coon was apparently taking that into consideration as it turned tail again and ran another 30' or so to get under some storage tanks. Scoob chewed coon's butt a little before the varmint got under. Coon was not accessible after that but it was a bit sore. I called Scoob off and we checked balance of chickens in mobile roost to see how coon got in. I could not see opening. Later this morning I will have to relate to neighbor what happened. Raccoon appeared to be about 20 lbs which is about right for an adult male this time of year. I was close enough to see nads to determine sex. When we got back Scoob ran about and checked on all his chickens in their respective pens and roosts all over the property. He sniffed a few buts in the juvenile roost and knocked over another waterer to a breeder pen in process. All was good with Scoob's chickens! As I finished typing this, Scoob is on bed with infant son, listening through window and sampling air with his nose waiting for next visitor.
Last edited:
