Something in the trees..

llombardo

Crowing
Mar 11, 2018
3,017
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Illinois
Its almost 10pm. I let the dogs out and my youngest GSD is running the perimeter along the fence with his nose in the air. Almost frantic like. I hear movement but can't see. I can only assume it's a raccoon. I grabbed a flashlight and walked the area of the enclosure. All is quiet there. I, of course won't be able to sleep and I am allowing the dogs access to the yard for the next couple hours.

If raccoons know dogs are present--would that deter them on a normal basis? I've been here for 5 years and the only thing that I've ever caught in the yard was a bunny, one time. I put rocks under the gates to deter that because a rabbits nest in the midfle of the yard with 7 dogs is no picnic...been there, done that.
 
Predators, especially smart ones like raccoons, foxes, and rats, will learn your schedule, and visit when it's safest for them. Dogs are helpful, but only if they are out there 24/7, in at least pairs, so they have rest time too.
Good safe coops and runs are your best defense! Electric fencing is very good too.
Mary
 
Predators, especially smart ones like raccoons, foxes, and rats, will learn your schedule, and visit when it's safest for them. Dogs are helpful, but only if they are out there 24/7, in at least pairs, so they have rest time too.
Good safe coops and runs are your best defense! Electric fencing is very good too.
Mary

This probably works in my favor since I don't have a schedule. Sometimes the dogs go in and out all night(I have a 6 ft vinyl fence with locks on the gates). My senior has been wanting out at 2-3 am lately, she ends up staying out there for about an hour and barks when she wants in(I generally put the younger GSD out there with her because we have coyotes) They hear everything, so they alert me that way too.

As far as the coop/enclisure--I can't think of any way to make it more secure. There is hare are cloth all around five feet up and 2 feet out. The coop itself has hardware cloth 2 ft out and an extra layer of hardware cloth added to the existing hardware cloth and a double layer on the window. Locks on the gate, net on the top. I keep checking it to make sure it's secure, I think I checked 50 times the last two days. I took 2 days off work to watch them out there.
 
I bait live traps with mellon (honeydew) and get coons, possums, and groundhogs.
My dogs are in the house with me, but if/when they hear something they want out. I follow with a riffle and a flashlight. Possums is what I find near the coop, up a tree, the dogs show me where to look.
My dogs also killed a full grown coon out in the pasture,,,

Edit; a full grown coon can destroy a live trap (have a heart trap), they will tear the door out to get away,,,
 

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