I guess I am lucky compared to alot of folks on here. I have not lost a single hen in two years to any kind of predators but about a month ago I started noticing broken eggs and/or missing eggs in my coop. I was a little lax in getting the girls closed up when I should and when I went out to do it I actually came face to face with the explanation for my missing/broken eggs. It was not the girls getting clumsy but a medium sized racoon. She was a startled as I was and she quickly ran out of my coop. It also explained some other goings on with missing feed as well. My husband is an over the road truck driver and we had a long discussion about what I needed to so in order to protect my girls. I went to TSC as soon as I could and purchased a live-trap.
The first night I put it out was a bust. I found the trap about twenty feet away from where I set it up. It had been tripped and the can of cat food I put in there was still there...but completely empty!!!
I though, great I am up against an experienced coon. I waited to set it up again, knowing that I had just fed her up on beef and gravey, plus my cat Moo Shu was really upset with me for using his food and had to get more.
Yesterday after a very busy weekend, I had a hunch my unwanted visitor might be back so I set the trap close to my house; within view of my window where I could sit w/my .22 and watch her approach. (Incidently, I am a horrible shot with any kind of firearm) After about an hour she came but with with her brood. It was so surprised I didn't do anything. She was extremely cautious and didn't touch the trap and neither did her kits. Instead she scurried off into the dark the direction of my coop. I have to say I was pretty devestated because I thought I was only dealing with one adult raccon not a whole family...so I just sat there. The next thing I know another, much larger racoon walked up ,from the opposit direction, to the trap and started pulling at the garden cart that I had set it in. Again, I was so surprised that I didn't get myself centered enough when I took my shot that I winged it instead. It jumped and hissed and growled and then took off into the night. I tried to see where it went and see if I could find it but, alas no luck.
Thinking I was done for the night, I went back inside to go to bed and discovered I had left the bedroom window open and my cat Moo Shu had decided to take an evening stoll! I went back out and started looking for him but he wasn't about to come in for me. With a sigh I went back in and went to bed. At 4am this morning I heard a noise outside. I thought it was my cat caught in the trap, it was the momma coon instead. She was trying to pull the can through the trap but was caught. I didn't wast time and I shot her three times before she knew what hit her. I immediately felt horrible and again I thought I was done for the night. As stood there in the dark on the cell phone with my husband trying to calm down and not cry, her little family came up to investigate. I had hoped that it was yet another racoon, that the momma sensing trouble had gone away but I was wrong. My husband being the logical, rational person that he is talked to me about what needed to be done, and in the end I did.
In the early morning hours I took care of the family of racoons, minus the one that got away, and did my duty to protect my girls...or at least that's what I have been telling myself but I still feel crappy and ill at ease. I keep asking myself, did I do the right thing? I'm a city girl, who grew up without much male influence and no hunting experience. I'm just looking for something, some words to ease my mind. I am a total softie at heart and wouldn't hurt a fly really, but I have surprised myself because when it came to the task, I did it and without much ceremony...it wasn't until later that I became squeamish and felt that lump in my throat.
Well, that's my tale and I was just wondering how others have dealt with the same situation and if they had the same issues (mainly guilt at having killed little coons) that I find I have several hours after the fact.
Thanks for listening...C~N~A
The first night I put it out was a bust. I found the trap about twenty feet away from where I set it up. It had been tripped and the can of cat food I put in there was still there...but completely empty!!!
Yesterday after a very busy weekend, I had a hunch my unwanted visitor might be back so I set the trap close to my house; within view of my window where I could sit w/my .22 and watch her approach. (Incidently, I am a horrible shot with any kind of firearm) After about an hour she came but with with her brood. It was so surprised I didn't do anything. She was extremely cautious and didn't touch the trap and neither did her kits. Instead she scurried off into the dark the direction of my coop. I have to say I was pretty devestated because I thought I was only dealing with one adult raccon not a whole family...so I just sat there. The next thing I know another, much larger racoon walked up ,from the opposit direction, to the trap and started pulling at the garden cart that I had set it in. Again, I was so surprised that I didn't get myself centered enough when I took my shot that I winged it instead. It jumped and hissed and growled and then took off into the night. I tried to see where it went and see if I could find it but, alas no luck.
Thinking I was done for the night, I went back inside to go to bed and discovered I had left the bedroom window open and my cat Moo Shu had decided to take an evening stoll! I went back out and started looking for him but he wasn't about to come in for me. With a sigh I went back in and went to bed. At 4am this morning I heard a noise outside. I thought it was my cat caught in the trap, it was the momma coon instead. She was trying to pull the can through the trap but was caught. I didn't wast time and I shot her three times before she knew what hit her. I immediately felt horrible and again I thought I was done for the night. As stood there in the dark on the cell phone with my husband trying to calm down and not cry, her little family came up to investigate. I had hoped that it was yet another racoon, that the momma sensing trouble had gone away but I was wrong. My husband being the logical, rational person that he is talked to me about what needed to be done, and in the end I did.
In the early morning hours I took care of the family of racoons, minus the one that got away, and did my duty to protect my girls...or at least that's what I have been telling myself but I still feel crappy and ill at ease. I keep asking myself, did I do the right thing? I'm a city girl, who grew up without much male influence and no hunting experience. I'm just looking for something, some words to ease my mind. I am a total softie at heart and wouldn't hurt a fly really, but I have surprised myself because when it came to the task, I did it and without much ceremony...it wasn't until later that I became squeamish and felt that lump in my throat.
Well, that's my tale and I was just wondering how others have dealt with the same situation and if they had the same issues (mainly guilt at having killed little coons) that I find I have several hours after the fact.
Thanks for listening...C~N~A
