Relocating coon

[nurse_turtle]

We just live trapped a large raccoon 2 days ago and relocated him and released him into the mountain wilderness near a water source. No, I didn't check with local laws. No, I didn't take him over 20 miles. No, I do not support extermination of the animal. I encourage live capture and relocation. If you live in a small rural area such as my own, calling animal control is a death sentence. I, for one, greatly appreciate your efforts for relocation. The raccoon wasn't doing anything wrong, only what his nature dictates. It was us who built a chicken coop in his habitat.

 

[HLAC]

Back when I was in the business of handling nuisance wildlife, we called relocated critters.... "Job security".

A raccoon that is used to living in an urban environment and then dumped into 'the wilderness' will likely either die slowly and miserably in said wilderness, or (more likely) it will travel until it finds itself back in an urban environment where it is comfortable. And that raccoon will go right back to the bad behaviors that got it in trouble in the first place. Like damaging houses or eating chickens. Only now, it will be trap shy and able to do much more damage. Animal dumping is not humane and is very inconsiderate to your fellow humans.

 

[CapricornFarm]

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Good for you. I skinned mine and cooked it and fed it to the dog and the chickens;-) Payback ! I had a hen that lived for a while after a coon chewed her leg off. It healed up but she could never get around much and finally she just died. By now she would have been laying eggs. She was shut up at night, but there was a small gap near the door and she got grabbed. I have lost track of how many I have lost to predators , even with a guardian dog, double wire fence and covered runs with buried wire. It stinks.

 

[Cetawin]

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Why can the poster NOT relocate them? They are everywhere dependant on where you live, I prefer to relocate if possible as well. I'm not a fan of killing the wildlife that was here before I was if it can be avoided.

Well for starters in most areas it is illegal to relocate wildlife to another place
secondly, what is the point...making it someone else's problem potentially?
and third, there are plenty to take that particular coon's place, there is not just one out there. If you see one, there are more guaranteed


Dispatch it humanly and reset the trap for its relatives and friends.

 

[Cetawin]

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Here is food for thought on that mindset

Take coon from environment A where it has a home, food supply, water supply and a territory and relocate it to environment B and you have a coon that has no home, no food supply and is now located in another coon's family territory alone so it must fight for its food and most likely be outnumbered by the local coons, may not find a steady food supply, and has to rebuild a home .... most often they are killed or die slowly.

Be humane..kill it and be done with it. Relocating wildlife is best left up to experts because we are not qualified to determine the right location to release them. And yes the coon was doing what is designed to do...but my chickens are not on the menu and coons (predators) die as quickly and humanely as possible which is more than the coon will allow my chickens. They kill to kill not kill to eat. Big difference that pust them in the category "nuisance" and earns them a lead headache.

 

[Cetawin]

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The main reason is simple these particular animals carry disease and rabbies, not to mention they are indescriminate ruthless killers. relocating them is just another excuse to give some else your problem. Just think about the chicken raiser down the road 20 miles away who would realy love for you to drop a killer off in their backyard. You realy don't have a clue do you, get serious and deal with this problem yourself instead of having someone else do your dirty work.

I have quite a few clues, and one is about you and the way you addressed me.

I don't know how much clearer I can make it except for saying to take and relocate it into the WILDERNESS not into someone's back yard. If you relocate them into the WILDERNESS you are not giving any ONE your problem. You are returning it to it's natural habitat where humans are not encroaching on their lives. I'm aware if you put them in a new location, they MAY have to establish their territory, they MAY have to fight it out. The interesting thing about WILD animals is that it is survival of the fittest. I have no idea why you felt to come off so curt to me, but it was totally uncalled for, in my opinion. I wasn't rude to you nor was I rude to the original poster. I asked why they stated you COULD NOT relocate, when in fact I know many areas you most certainly can. Even if you have to call animal control or a licensed pest control company. They many times have the permits required in many areas to relocate wild animals. If you read what I wrote, you'd notice that i said "I PREFER TO RELOCATE IF POSSIBLE", meaning this is MY preference. I did not say it's the choice or solution for everyone....now did I? I asked a simple question as to why the poster stated "you may NOT relocate" as if this is a federal law in every area of the country. I just wanted clarification, that is all. Shoot them, if you so desire , I don't care what you do on your own land..but I PREFER TO RELOCATE INTO THE WILDERNESS, I mean I have my own personal preferences...that is, if it's ok by you.

I apologize to everyone else reading here, I just have have taken as much of the rudeness I can take today, and this straw broke the camels back. I'm sorry to take this personally and allow it to bother me, I know I should not. Sometimes it just does, I have a low tolerance for the rude and obtuse.

Nevermind *sigh*

 

[chickened]

Most raccoons have adapted to human co-habitation in urban areas, they thrive because they are not shot or trapped and people next door are usually feeding them and they have lost their fear of humans. "WILD" coons avoid people and will only come kill a domestic animal if it cannot find ample natural food in most cases. If natural food is not available then the habitat is at carrying capacity and removing the excess coons is good management. Relocating them to another wild area would only bring them to a human dependant state in another town so to speak and as someone said if it is a carrier of disease you have aided in the spread of a disease.
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Couldnt relocate them include relocation into the woods away from homes and businesses? Where they can continue to be WILD animals?? How does this equate to making them someone elses problems?

 

[Tala]

Lets talk a little theory here:

Local raccoon kills my chickens. I kill raccoon.

YOU bring YOUR problem raccoon to my back yard where it then kills my chickens. That's more YOUR fault than the raccoon's. Essentially, YOU killed my chickens. That's pretty low down behavior.

 

[pips&peeps]

Restrictions

Raccoons are classified as furbearers in Texas;
however, it is legal to trap them. Under state law, a
person may trap a furbearing animal at any time if
it is causing damage or creating a nuisance; however,
the pelt can be sold only during the furbearer
season and with the proper licenses. Other furbearers
include beaver, otter, mink, ringtailed cat, badger,
skunk, nutria, weasel, opossum, muskrat, fox
and civet cat.
Landowners wishing to live-trap raccoons and
relocate them after they have been caught must
notify representatives of the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department.
For additional information contact the nearest
office of the Texas Wildlife Damage Management
Service.​

 

[Heathero617]

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LIke I said, it's MY preferance as well, and everyone has the right to do as they see fit.

I live pretty much in the middle of nowhere, yes there are houses, yes there are businesses, yes there is a small town almmost 10 miles away, but IF I CAN, and I catch a raccoon, I will reloacate it into the wilderness and it is abundant in this area. Now by saying "if i can" depends on factors of course. IF i were to catch a raccoon in my trap and can get to it before my Father comes around, and I can get it loaded in my truck then that is what i'll do. If my Father comes by and finds it, there is no hope for it's survival and If i can not get it loaded safely into my vehicle, then i'll have to call my Father to do away with it. It does not make me happy and it does not give me any sort of joy to kill an animal.

I grew up with pet raccoons, i'm well aware of what they're capable of good and bad. I lost several birds recently to what we THOUGHT was a raccoon, but after the last one was gotten, and it was CLEAR it was not a raccoon, I became even more determined to get what it was. I have yet to catch ANYTHING in live traps or otherwise. But was inspired, if you will, to search for clues and build a temporary secure shelter away from the attack area until I can revamp the original coop and make it raccoon, mink, and river rat proof. Which by the way is the most likely suspect >mink< and since I began my modifications to the coop, i've not had even a field mouse inside. But they will not move back in untill it's complete. All of this "you're giving your problem to someone else" must be those who don't have vast wilderness near by to release into. Thats all I can think. Raccoons adapt and strive for survival wherever they are, they are great foragers, and if they are released where food is abundant, like near streams and within the woods...they will find food and have no reason to "return" to catch chickens, or dumpster dive. Having had them live in my house and sleep with me and in my dresser drawers, and never once having them even as much as tip a trash can over tells me that if they are well fed otherwise, they dont have the desire to get into another source of food. They do all of the other things because somehow, they end up in a situation where food is not abundant, and like any other living creature, they do what they have to in order to survive.