Relocated a raccoon 10 miles away, that should do it.

[MamacatPatch]

I also relocated to the country in 2005 after being a 'city' girl my whole life and I've always loved animals and was glad I could now have lots of them to care for in the country! However, we do have coons that like to eat our ducks, chickens and their eggs as well as now we're dealing with possum eating our cat's food on our back deck. We trapped and relocated the coons all summer but the possum don't seem to go for the traps so hubby has had to shoot them dead right on the deck.

I HATE that I have to kill these animals! They are just trying to survive like the rest of us. But sometimes I know it must be done because we can't afford to feed all our cats AND the possum too! Marshmallows in the traps worked well for coons, but not for possum. We can't use a bait that the cats would take either. I'd sure prefer to relocate them!

 

[Oregon Blues]

UMMMM.... NO! I will not kill something for no reason. .

If you don't want to kill them, leave them on your property and just pen your birds securely enough that the raccoons can't get to them. What you are doing right now is not a kindness.

edited by staff

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
Most likely you DID kill him by dumping him in other animals territories, and possibly spreading diseases.
The laws are what they are for good reasons.
Quote: How could you possibly know that to be a fact?

 

[welasharon]

I have possums and racoons here. I built my pens to keep them out so I don't have to deal with killing them. Sometimes they used to come up and eat cat food that the cats left but the dog scared it off and I haven't seen it come back. I don't think reloacating is a good thing either. It's like people dropping cats and dogs off...they usually starve to death. Killing would be less torture.

 

[welasharon]

Dropping a dog or cat off is completely different, they are domesticated and I would never do that. The area I dropped the coon off in is not allowed to have chickens. However, the article I read about trapping and releasing them stated this: "First, bring the raccoon at least five miles from the capture site, preferably ten. Otherwise, there's a good chance that it will track its way back and cause the same problems as before." T hen I should have read farther down: "The research shows that the survival rate for the first 2 weeks in a new territory is poor." Hahaha oooooooopppps. Okay I admit it, you guys were right. When people drop dogs and cat off here I just keep them, but I guess I will have to use other methods to deter coons.

I know...out of sight is kinda easier! I used hardware cloth on my pens and I also have a picket fence around all the pens like a compound! The dog patrols in the picket fence and if something does come in it would take some time to get through the wire.

 

[smedly9921]

Yeah i agree with most people on this post. DO NOT RELOCATE ANIMALS. It is surly the wrong thing to do. If you won't kill them then leave them alone. You say chickens are for food that is correct your food not raccoons. If your chickens are scared about getting killed by predators then they will not live as long they will not lay eggs well and they will die of heart attack. I kill all raccoons, opossums and any other predators. Do the right thing Kill the raccoon.

 

[welasharon]

Or do as some do and learn to live with them.

 

[G-Dekeyser]

kill it, their a menace and far too overpopulated

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Dropping a dog or cat off is completely different, they are domesticated and I would never do that. The area I dropped the coon off in is not allowed to have chickens. However, the article I read about trapping and releasing them stated this: "First, bring the raccoon at least five miles from the capture site, preferably ten. Otherwise, there's a good chance that it will track its way back and cause the same problems as before." Then I should have read farther down: "The research shows that the survival rate for the first 2 weeks in a new territory is poor." Hahaha oooooooopppps. Okay I admit it, you guys were right. When people drop dogs and cat off here I just keep them, but I guess I will have to use other methods to deter coons.

Of far more importance than this one raccoon is your ability to concede, for which I give you the coveted 'thumb's up' ~'-)

I, too, often relocate animals and reptiles, but not so far away as to cause them too much difficulty in finding their way back should they wish to ... most usually, they're released on our own property ... I don't particularly care if it's lawful, or if by doing so they're more likely to find themselves on the other side of the food chain: I manage our fifty acres well enough to provide far more, and much better, habitat than any other property around here, so I manipulate their paths and encourage them to live where I don't. And, should that fail, and they persist in their efforts to go where they're not welcome to? Then, I'll kill 'em just as quickly/cleanly as I can.

Not suggesting this is the best solution for everyone, but it's worked for me, and for this farm, for far too many years for me to be easily convinced to change.

The last raccoon fought w/ my dog, and he released and heeled as I instructed him to ... it took me a few minutes to check my dog for injuries and put him up, and get the shotgun and flashlights, so as to check to make sure the raccoon wasn't so badly injured as to require being put down. When I found it? It was standin' it's ground, almost directly in front of my barrel, moving like a miniature wrestler, ready to fight me next ... I simply stood up slowly, adjusted my weapon slightly, and pulled the trigger.

Again? That might not be for everyone ... but, you're gonna have some wildlife that should absolutely be removed from where humans and their animals/fowl/children wish to safely reside.

 

[aprophet]

a friend of mine relocated a coon 30 miles before he did I recomended he paint a pink strip down the coons back some after it made it back there would be no mistaking it was the same animal it only took 3 days LOL all mine go on fur stretchers and get sent to the canadian fur auctions LOL it will be back