There is a pretty long story leading up to my question, so please bear with me!
A couple months ago, a NASTY skunk-like smell arrived at our farm. I figured a skunk had set up shop somewhere so I wanted to set up the live trap. I set it where the smell was strongest. A couple days later, right before I had to go to town, I poked my head around a building, saw something dark colored in the trap, was hit my a major whiff of stink, and figured it was a skunk. With skunks, we have my uncle come over and shoot them. So I called him. He arrived that night after dark to do the job. I volunteered (hesitantly) to hold the flashlight so he could get a good shot. We went out there, and discovered...it was a raccoon. A really, really, REALLY, bad smelling raccoon. Now, in the past, we have just relocated them across the river. But this was the first raccoon we had caught since chickens. I knew they can travel back from really far distances, so I made the quick decision to shoot it. Not a fun decision. Long, disturbing story made short, it didn't want to die, (It took a good 10-12 shots.) and me, the young, innocent, flashlight holder was slightly traumatized.
I smelled a similar nasty smell last night, coming home late, so I'm thinking we have another raccoon. My question is - is there a different way to dispose of a raccoon, either before or after live trapping them? If worse comes to worse, I will shoot it again, but I would really prefer not too. (I will NOT be there if we do.)
A couple months ago, a NASTY skunk-like smell arrived at our farm. I figured a skunk had set up shop somewhere so I wanted to set up the live trap. I set it where the smell was strongest. A couple days later, right before I had to go to town, I poked my head around a building, saw something dark colored in the trap, was hit my a major whiff of stink, and figured it was a skunk. With skunks, we have my uncle come over and shoot them. So I called him. He arrived that night after dark to do the job. I volunteered (hesitantly) to hold the flashlight so he could get a good shot. We went out there, and discovered...it was a raccoon. A really, really, REALLY, bad smelling raccoon. Now, in the past, we have just relocated them across the river. But this was the first raccoon we had caught since chickens. I knew they can travel back from really far distances, so I made the quick decision to shoot it. Not a fun decision. Long, disturbing story made short, it didn't want to die, (It took a good 10-12 shots.) and me, the young, innocent, flashlight holder was slightly traumatized.
I smelled a similar nasty smell last night, coming home late, so I'm thinking we have another raccoon. My question is - is there a different way to dispose of a raccoon, either before or after live trapping them? If worse comes to worse, I will shoot it again, but I would really prefer not too. (I will NOT be there if we do.)
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