Oops... I caught a coon

[Uzuri]

Yeah, I know, most of you are jumping around and cheering, but this coon wasn't supposed to be caught, and wasn't really ready to deal with him.

I had the trap out, set for groundhog (the offending animal immediately went up on the road and committed suicide). Well, then I started having trouble with a cat, so I was going to trap it and turn it over to animal control. Wasn't sure how I was going to deal with it without catching things I didn't want to, so I tossed some catnip on the pan, and figured that if it caught it, good, if not, it shouldn't attract anything else.

Well of course two weeks later, after the catnip has long blown away and the trap's sitting empty, stupid coon has to walk into it. To beat all, I'm at work until 4:30, and my Mom's the one who found the thing. She sure isn't going to shoot it, and even if I went home early, my personal experience with guns stops at the pellet gun. After this experience, that's gonna change real soon; I'm going to try and talk Dad into taking me to the range so I can learn these things.

You can't catch the blamed things when you want them, and when you don't...!

 

[Boyd]

That's Murphy's law

I would always recommend range practice... pretty much for everyone

 

[Ridgerunner]

First the groundhog commits suicide and now the coon felt guilty enough to do the same.

 

[Uzuri]

Something's wrong with the animals around my place XD

 

[jjthink]

If you weren't intending to catch it, maybe your mom can just let it go - hopefully it will then decide your place is trouble and it will take off!
JJ

 

[Uzuri]

I told her to leave it be -- last thing I want is for her to get bit.

Wish the trap was made to be opened from a distance!

 

[Boyd]

Unfortunately most live traps you have to get close to... and an angry coon can be nasty and mean. 1 thing to consider if you decide to release it right there...... if it becomes a problem it will now be very trap savvy and you probably will have big losses due to it. Please be very careful because they can be carriers of rabies, not always but they could be. A cut or scratch or bite is verrrry scary with an unknown animal.

If you decide to dispatch it, say a little prayer and make it as quick and painless as you can. I have had t dispatch a lot of critters over the years and it is never fun. Use your best judgement though.

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
Remote control would be nice!

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
no one said they were full of logical thoughts, lol
well at lest it will be dealt with and you wont have anymore problems from it.

 

[Mahonri]

I'm a believer that once an animal like that is in a trap, it should just be dispatched, quickly.

A 410 or a 12 guage should do.