We went to dinner, and meanwhile a raccoon ate our chicken

[KCD]

Night two of the live trap. Marshmallows only this time.

Another skunk. Bigger, meaner, more ornery. This time SO hit it with the pellet gun. It took three shots. It sprayed twice.

Goddammit.

However, this process was very quiet. I heard no shots from inside the house, and there were no skunk noises I heard either. That's what I'm looking for with the raccoons.

As far as the leg trap option, it's under consideration. It would have to be something that neighbors don't see or hear.

Oh no!!! Skunks are a lose lose when you catch them instead of your target...lose for the skunk and lose for you!!!

My husband said that if you don’t want to kill the skunks, you can throw a blanket or towel or something over the trap and then open it. It will run off and won’t spray you if it can’t see you.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Day 3, nothing.

Day 4, another skunk on marshmallows alone. SO managed to get it out without being sprayed.

The regs are extremely weird. Apparently it's rare for skunks to get into duke's dog proof traps, but guess what, they're illegal unless you are the government. Conibears however are apparently legal. The first and only time I've seen one set is on "Life Below Zero." That's a bit too much trap for the average homeowner.

 

[want2know]

Thanks for all your continued replying, everyone.

So, the coon came back. He dragged White Owl's poor carcass out of the trash can and now there are pieces of White Owl all over the backyard.

That was IT. Two hours later, the trap went out with tuna. We caught a young skunk in it, it sprayed the backyard while attempting to hit SO before he finally sprung the trap. We will be going marshmallows next.

No, animal-rights people, this animal isn't here because of human habitation destroying their primo forest habitat! There are actually more raccoon problems in the middle of SF than on Angel Island, an actual state park island, off the Marin County coast.

They used to have one, and they're the state of California, but PR wise it would have just upset these PC babies too much to try any elimination strategy.

So one day these coyotes just show up. There's no bridge, only a ferry, but they just said it was nature and the PC babies shut up. Their raccoon problem went away.

The PC babies don't even want them relocated (not that anyone would want them) because they might have baybees, they're just trying to live, and they were here first.

Yeah! Like RATS!

Whatever. This may be unpopular, but like I said before, the plan is elimination.

Our plan was to go with a pellet option. But then I hear stories about how they just don't go down, not even with repeated shots, and meanwhile the thing is screaming and caterwauling. This is not ideal when you live around lots of neighbors.

The even more unpopular option that people (especially from old-school ag culture) do is drown them. Cage goes into the garbage bin and water gets turned on. OK, I know what people are gonna say about this, but bite/scratch risks are minimized doing it this way.

I'm wondering if dry ice in the bin would do the trick and if so how much would be needed. This would be like a family size garbage bin.

After all, we are in a drought and I feel bad about wasting water.

So sorry for your loss, but a life for a life does become necessary. I hate killing bugs, let alone animals, but I wouldn't hesitate to take out a raccoon, fox, coyote, etc. to protect my chickens. My daughter lost all but one of her flock to a raccoon recently, and more often than not there is no other way to prevent their attacks. Good luck.

 

[DukesDucks]

I was told this story that someone's brother's neighbour's in-laws (you get the picture) used this method. After live trapping the predator, they would cover the trap with a tarp. Then they would put a hose from a running car exhaust into the live trap. Painless, quiet, lethal.
Has anyone else heard of this? Is this legal?

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I was told this story that someone's brother's neighbour's in-laws (you get the picture) used this method. After live trapping the predator, they would cover the trap with a tarp. Then they would put a hose from a running car exhaust into the live trap. Painless, quiet, lethal.
Has anyone else heard of this? Is this legal?

In our state they say a live-trapped raccoon has to be dealt with by killing it if you catch it live if you don't re-release on your property or extremely nearby.

Methods they say are illegal are drowning and poisoning, like with the fly bait.

The exhaust method is not mentioned. Nor was my proposal, which was to put the cage into a demo bag, insert copious amounts of ether-containing starter fluid, and duct tape it up. Ether is an anesthetic.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

The raccoon came back and tried to grab another one. From apparently inside of the coop. There was some damage (chewing?) to parts of it I had not seen. SO is fixing that now.

He also found the other chicken that the raccoon tried to grab. She's closer to gamefowl then the rest, she lost four feathers but we saw no bites or blood. I will have to evaluate her further tomorrow. I already have one I'm trying to save after she got mauled. Half of beak gone, lost an eye, just started accepting cottage cheese yesterday.

SO witnessed the newest chicken victim start crying and tore out there. Searched the backyard for feathers and the bird and on the side yard he found Mr. Raccoon. He had been hanging out waiting for SO to leave until he found it.

 

[svh]

This guy uses a high end pellet gun for a coon infestation in his yard ..... It is extremely graphic, but, from some of your posts, I think you will enjoy it !

A properly placed pellet, even .177 or two will do the deed, especially at conversation distance. A square on, right between, and slightly above the eyes does the trick.

Coons have a sloped skull, so be wary of a ricochet, and watch your background. I have trapped extensively, and use the Dukes for the coons, and have used everything from a pellet pistol, to a baseball bat, to dispatch, but the .22 is my go to method.

Marshmallows are an excellent bait, but around the coop, I use corn, as the coons seem to go after my feed containers once they can't get into the secure coop.

Also, with a skunk, a vital shot, as opposed to a head shot, from a distance, will greatly diminish the chance of a spray.

A secure coop/run is still your best bet.

Here is a link to the above mentioned video series. Please don't click on this if you are squeamish about the dispatching of backyard pests.

Good luck !

 

[Krugerrand]

My 2 pet ones don't ever make much noise.

Pet raccoons?

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

This guy uses a high end pellet gun for a coon infestation in his yard ..... It is extremely graphic, but, from some of your posts, I think you will enjoy it !

A properly placed pellet, even .177 or two will do the deed, especially at conversation distance. A square on, right between, and slightly above the eyes does the trick.

Coons have a sloped skull, so be wary of a ricochet, and watch your background. I have trapped extensively, and use the Dukes for the coons, and have used everything from a pellet pistol, to a baseball bat, to dispatch, but the .22 is my go to method.

Marshmallows are an excellent bait, but around the coop, I use corn, as the coons seem to go after my feed containers once they can't get into the secure coop.

Also, with a skunk, a vital shot, as opposed to a head shot, from a distance, will greatly diminish the chance of a spray.

A secure coop/run is still your best bet.

Here is a link to the above mentioned video series. Please don't click on this if you are squeamish about the dispatching of backyard pests.

Good luck !

Wow. That is a cool air rifle. Maybe beyond SO's current price range, but very effectively quiet. I'm showing SO this, as he's taken up some interest in night hunting.

Thanks for the corn advice too. We have given it as scratch in the past. You know how chickens are with their feed, if it's in a bowl, it isn't for long. So the corn is going away, and the trap is coming in its place.

Honestly, someone could make a good living with a van promising on-site euthanasia of destructive raccoons. Someone with bait traps large enough to catch a creature bigger than a Jack Russell, then puts it in a custom-built CO2 box in the van, turns on the gas while finishing the customer paperwork.

The state law says a trapped raccoon must be released to the immediate area or humanely euthanized. I am attempting to exercise my legal right to pursue the second.

Update, here are the rifles available at our local Big 5. Suggestions? https://www.big5sportinggoods.com/s...let-guns/_/N-alc?No=0&Nrpp=24&_=1621967758840

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

SO came home with this:

https://www.big5sportinggoods.com/s...usion-mach-1-.177-cal-air-rifle/0350102111600. 1450 fps.

Oh, he bought hollow points for it. And some other expandable kind.

And wire to make snares from.