Coons -- big discussion in the family

[peepblessed]

Quote:
Those opposable thumbs, unfortunately, do a superior job of yanking the head of an unwary chicken through one-inch wire, unlatching an unsecured gate or coop door, and snatching the bait from a trap without springing it.

The first time you lose one of your birds to a coon, you will forget all about those thumbs.

We didn't want to kill them either till we caught one up a tree eating one of our chickens alive while it screamed at the top of it's lungs. A nightmare I will never forget.

 

[aubreynoramarie]

Quote:
hahaha... I was thinking skin them and hang the pelts on the coop... either it will warn others off or you'll get enough hides that they coons can't get in at the chickens anyway.

But I like the head dress thing... imagining rooster wearing a coon tail down his back.

I am thinking that instead of having a "flock" of chickens, instead i will have a savage tribe of chickens.they will be the most feared chickens in all my zip code. the coon heads will be hoods on their coon skin cloaks and they will wear coon teeth necklaces and have coon-bone daggers!

 

[mommissan]

Quote:
I have an old recipe book from the early 1900's with a raccoon recipe. There was a time when a person had to feed their family and a coon did it well.

 

[bakerjw]

People have asked my why I don't skin them and I advise them that the pelts aren't worth much. Mine usually go into the freezer until trash day and then off they go.

We trapped a young coon on Friday night and my SIL was going to let it go before calling me to tell me that there was one in the trap. It looked so little and scared in the trap. It was little and I am sure it was frightened but as I advised her in 6 months it'd be a problem animal. One pop later and her concerns were a moot point. Shooting my first one was kind of hard but after that it became second nature. They are 4 legged evil incarnate.

 

[scottfarm]

hi pelts are no good this time of the year. you will probaly catch a few they are in groups at times. if you relocate them take them a good 10-15 miles away . if not they will return .yes i think we must protect what is ours.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
it kina depends on the coon the larger they are the bigger a territory they have most live in a 2-5 sq mile area it is nothing for one to travel 10 miles just taking one 10-15 miles might get rid of it for a day or so it will be back and now it will not go back into the cage

 

[Rockin' Reds]

Quote:
hahaha... I was thinking skin them and hang the pelts on the coop... either it will warn others off or you'll get enough hides that they coons can't get in at the chickens anyway.

But I like the head dress thing... imagining rooster wearing a coon tail down his back.

I am thinking that instead of having a "flock" of chickens, instead i will have a savage tribe of chickens.they will be the most feared chickens in all my zip code. the coon heads will be hoods on their coon skin cloaks and they will wear coon teeth necklaces and have coon-bone daggers!

OMG Aubrey...I ADORE you!!

 

[nop169]

While you are correct that rabies is not detectable by visual appraisal, where I live we are surrounded by lakes & mountains and have VERY few cases of rabies here. Furthermore as I tend to only move trapped animals 10 to 12 miles, I am not contaiminating a "new" area as these long stretches of countryside are all connected. Coons typically range over a 10 acre to several miles area so IMO moving a trapped animal over a range or so especially to the lakeshore does not necessarily "infect" or "overrun" an area. As to the legality of releasing wildlife - yes it is illegal to carry wildlife over state lines. Probably is illegal to simply move them as I do but I have never been warned not to yet. Possibly because I am the wildlife rehabber our local guys call!
Many of you disagree with my method but I urge you to think about it.... more and more area is being used for subdivision type home lots... more & more land is cleared for nonagriculture use. It is not unexepected that we see a rise in wildlife predition. As for me - I will kill an overly aggressive animal or one showing signs of illness - whether physical symptoms of distemper or possible signs of rabies or mange. Yes the signs of rabies can be varied or nonexistant, but IMO if the area is already infected with the virus - I am doing no harm moving an animal even if infected (and undetectable) a mere 8 to 10 miles. It is no different that re-releasing an orphan or injured animal brought to me by DNR after treatment. Coons & skunks can harbor the rabies virus for up to 6 mos. with no clinical signs.
Ultimately, my responsibility lies in preventing problems by keeping a secure coop (s) which I try to do - occaisionally I have a bright coon who gets through - so I trap. I was amazed at the number of potential predators I am trapping on my 24 acre farm. To me, that only shows that I do have mostly secure coops. However with the dry, hot temps & wih the number of ducklings dissappearing, I felt it was time to thin the predator poulation here.
I simply try to live in balance with the nature around me. I am not a bleeding heart nor am I am Rambo. I am somewhere in between and try to respect all life. To kill every animal I trap is not the answer as it only opens up territory for another animal to claim - it becomes an endless cycle. My goal is to remove the problem animal and allow natural selection to control the predator population. The only time I get involved is when the number of my livestock being killed is excessive due to weather (drought) or encrouchment. Normally I only am losing eggs and the occaisional baby duckling (free range birds) now and then an adult muscovy. I can live with that. But with the drought here this year the killing has been excessive that is why I am trapping.
I do encourage anyone trapping to verify your local laws. I also encourage you to take extreme care in your contact with any native wildlife - do your research & know what you are facing. Be sanitary & wash frequently.
I hope this better explains my thinking and why I do what I do. I know you all will not agree but this works for me.

 

[53convert]

I keep a constant live trap set. If they are stupid enough to get in the trap than I take them to the nearest lake (12 miles)
If I catch them in the coop or run, I shot them.
And yes I do upon occassion stay up at night just to shot them.

This last hit I lost 14 birds while I was on vacation............I am not to merciful with that type of carnage.

I do expect to loose an occassional bird, but..........we take on these birds as our responsibility so thats just that.

ALso, SSS can be the order of the day depending on your neighbors and how touchy feely they are

 

[NC29mom]

Racoons furs are not worth your time.......

My fiance coon hunts w/coon dogs and they take the coons and give to a few friends. They friends EAT the racoons. Apparantly, around here, there are several african american families who consider it a delicious treat. They ask my fiance every time they see him how long until he will bring them another. Different cultures do different things.....

We have recently lost almost our entire flock to either a fox or a coon. Tell you what we are gonna do when we get our hands on the predator......KILL IT and hang it up for all to see. May seem kinda crazy.......but you weren't here to see the slaughter that took place. I have always been a huge animal advocate...........my mind changed after crying for days due to the brutility of their attack.