Raccoons

[bumpercarr]

So, we were having our well dug this week and the guys made a "creek" to send the water from the drilling down away from the drilling site. When I went out to see the drillers on Tuesday, one of them said that there are raccoon tracks in the mud and I might want to trap them to protect the chickens. I'm in NM and it is generally pretty dry, so normally we can't see any tracks.

Anyway, I set up the trap on Tuesday night (using tuna fish as bait) and the trap was sprung in the morning. Next night, set up the trap and the game camera....nothing. Last night, set up the game camera and the trap again and bingo, caught myself a raccoon. Took him down to the creek to release him and then came back to watch the video from the camera. There are two more out there, so I'm going to set up two traps tonight in the hopes that I can end this problem.

I haven't lost any chickens yet to the devils, but I'm not taking any chances. I'd post the video, but I'm not sure how to do that. I can post pictures, but no luck with videos so far.

 

[Mattemma]

If you are going to release mark with paint,because I bet you will be catching repeats.I never lost to coons,but still I trapped over 20 so far.Not interested in living along side them.Best wishes.

 

[bumpercarr]

That is a good idea. I'm hoping that if I catch all three of them and release them all in the same place that they will decide to live together peacefully down by the creek. My place only has water every now and then, so it seems like they would be happier where they have a constant supply.

 

[sourland]

Hope the creek that you 'released' the coon at was 20 or more miles away. If not, it will return trap shy and capable of getting your birds or those of some other unsuspecting poultry owner.

 

[bumpercarr]

I don't know if it was 20 miles (as the crow flies). It was 18 miles driving, but it is shorter straight line over some mountains. I'm hoping that he will find a food source and decide that is a better place to live. I let him go next to reservation and national forest land, no residences for about 3 or 4 miles.

No luck catching anything last night, the camera didn't catch anything either so perhaps they decided to sleep in. Will try again tonight to catch the next two.