Well I reset the trap night before last.I didn't have anything yesterday morning.I went up this morn as soon as daylight and Another raccoon.Baaaaa being ME, I waited a couple hour's and the hot sun started coming up good.I paced and paced.Well silly me I went and got and old ferret water bottle and took it and hung it on the side of the cage.The trap was set inside the coop so at least it wasn't out in 90 degree heat and direct sun all day.DH got home from work went and took a look.After several minute's of neighbor's dog trying to kill the poor thing through the cage,the coon was hissing and growling and she was going nutz.She hates groundhogs and the like.She's a gaurd working catlle dog so she work's on everything from rats to well now racoon's.Last year she tried for 6 hours to get into fox den but with no luck.She pretty much stays with Us during day in summer months and goes home to owner at night so she not helping keep them at bay during the night here.He had me fetch the gun.. Poor raccon but, my poor bird's they ate too.They shoulda stuck to a veggie diet.I didn't reset tonight but willl tomorrow.I say there are lot's more yet.It's hard to get game comm. out here to rehome anything like this so not much choice in the matter.
You do whatever you have to do to protect the ones that cannot protect themselves. I just shot another possum a few minutes ago and for a fleeting second felt bad ..... but then thought about the 10 adorable 3 month old chicks it ripped apart in their pen by my front door a few nights ago and pulled the trigger 2 times (for them). At least it did not suffer like my babies did.
Quote:I agree. so many people just throw the body of a pred out. but there are a lot of people out there that would be willing to take and eat and process the furs. the economy sucks and people are hungry right now. I would consider it helping the less fortunate to take as many preds out as possible.
I used to work for an organization that also treated wild animals so heres a few things to consider: Just a word of advise regarding the "re-use" of predator bodies....1)make sure it's legal in your area. I am not sure how rural you are, but I know that here in West. WA our fish and game dept would be all over it in 2 seconds if they caught wind of predators being trapped, killed and then re-purposed publically. 2) be careful what the bodies are used for. Predators carry disease that is zoonotic (can be transferred to other mammals, humans included) and raccoons are highly at risk for being rabies carriers. Trust me I get what you're doing...I have had my fair share of 'coon run ins regarding my flock and am always a bit pleased when I see one dead along the road...but I just want to make sure that YOU stay safe during this process... Good luck and happy chicken-ing!
Quote:You have no trappers in Virginia that sell fur?? I find that hard to believe... there aren't too many states where trapping is outlawed - some yes, but most are the more AR states. Edit: Sorry, I see that you're from WA state, THAT is why you said that... I don't think trapping a coon in Virginia and selling it is going to be a problem. There's LOTS of coons and LOTS of trappers that sell there.
