Raccoon/good news/bad news

[tuffy]

I posted w/ lots of coon questions yesterday~ Happy to say I caught a baby coon last night in the trap from TS. Bad news is that I'm guessing this means there are more in my yard at night. Some new questions~ Hubby took it 15 miles from home to hunting camp area(no other homes around) is this far enough to ensure it won't return? Should we eliminate the captured animals in the future? Will the "Mom" continue to return with other babies perhaps. I set up a baby monitor in the bedroom and heard the trap snap at 1:15 am. Do you think the raccoons are habitual as to approx time they visit? Really, really need to eliminate this threat. Thanks again for all the help. Lynn/Tuffy

 

[Dar]

I dont want to sound harsh but if it was a baby coon and you just took it away from mom, it may not have learned its hunting skills yet and may end up starving. By relocating it you just made it someone other person's problem even if its just a hunting camp near by, a lot of coons will come back to their home turf.

Have you called the local wildlife control about how they want them handled? they may SSS is the better option

(BTW I have been fighting with coons since April too I feel your pain)

something that has been working good is I now have motion sensors and flood lights on the coop, and I have fans going all the time because its so stinkin hot. When the weather is cooler I will put the radio on a talk station

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Congrats on catching one, Tuffy. Bad news is there are more and they will continue to return til you get them all. Fifteen miles is not far enough. Old timers will tell you a hundred miles "might" be far enough. However, by relocating you are pushing your troubles off on someone else and in many states, relocating is illegal. Best way to handle it is to eliminate all you catch. A .22 bullet in the center of the head is recommended. More bad news, families sometimes become trap smart after one or two members are caught, meaning they won`t go near a trap. If this happens to you, PM me and I`ll give you the solution. Last thing, sometimes they make the rounds at certain times, but not often and you can`t depend on it. If they get a good meal, they will lay up for a day or two and then return. Good luck..........Pop

 

[tuffy]

Thank you Pop, Hubby will use the 22 from now on. I will keep trying to trap. Thanks for the good info. Also will work on more reinforcment of coop(roof) this weekend when weather cools a bit. This problem really has me shaken, hope we can take care of it.

 

[bjw113]

I know that around here, you are advised to kill raccoons and not relocate them. The reason is that so blasted many of them are rabid. Wildlife management and vets all around are area will tell people off who relocate coons. Not only are you endangering yourself, but other as well. Unfortunately, that is the sad truth of it and there is no way to prevent rabies in coons like you can your pets. ** Sorry** Just reread my post, did not mean to sound so harsh. Know you were trying to do the right thing by relocating and not killing the baby. I think coons are the cutest animals and my husband actually had one as a pet when he was a child, I just know what we have been told by our neighbors here. And I guess, I have begun to think my babies are WAY cuter than the coons! Good luck!

 

[Mark & Nique]

An idea that might sound cruel -- but works -- is to 'bait' the trap with raccoon babies if you catch another. (Put it/them alive in the end of the cage opposite the opening behind some wire.) Their mother WILL return to get them, then you've got the whole family all at once.

Good luck!

 

[tuffy]

Mark, thanks. I we will NOT relocate again. I will follow your advice since I'll do ANYTHING to protect my gals. Wondering of this was Pops additional advice also. This site is so appreciated and helpful!

 

[svalentine]

The racoons are smart. Somehow the one around here is managing to take the bait out of the trap without setting it off. So it must know not to step on the plate and reach over for the bait. Scary! Now we have a can of cat food tie wrapped to the back of the cage. But no takers since.
Another way to get rid of one is to dump the cage and all in a 55 gal drum of water if shooting it bothers you.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

If you plan to relocate, you need to go far, far away from any homes. Maybe the middle of a national or state forest, 50 miles from any habitation? And you need to check state & federal laws. I have heard that releasing trapped raccoons and opossum is illegal in some states.

 

[Mark & Nique]

A quick check of laws/ordinances is important and easy. Go to Google, then click 'advanced search,' enter 'nuisance animals .gov' then your state in the 'all these words' field.

I found that in South Carolina (where we live):"A depredation permit is not required when capturing any nuisance furbearer or squirrel causing property damage within one-hundred yards of a home."

In other words, I can legally trap/destroy nuisance critters!