Need advice on what to do with captured raccoons. (who caused $2000+ damage to yard)

giantpanda · #1 09/27/04, 08:21 PM

There are a gang of raccons roaming my property at night. I've seen as many as five together at a time. (proabably a whole family?)

Anyway.... they haven't done anything for years and I thought there were "cute" animals to have around.

Boy, was I wrong... this summer, I spent hours of sweat and thousands of $$$ to spruce up my yard.. new lawn, trees, brushes, walkway... etc...

last week, the raccoons started digging up the lawn and nearly 60 percent of the lawn is now bare soil.

I got one of those Havahart live traps and caught one large coon the same night.

Now here's the question.... what do I do with those evil bastards? I do not want to release it at some random place and have it destroy someone else's plants or animals. The local animal control and state game dept don't and won't offer any help.(since the coons are exclusively within my own property)

Any suggestion appreciated.

Thanks!

agmantoo · #2 09/27/04, 08:24 PM

A well placed bullet from a 22 and a good round point shovel

simpleman · #3 09/27/04, 08:50 PM

I dislike raccoons. Like you I have had experience with the damage they cause. But, unlike you I disposed of them after capture with a bullet to their heads. I killed about eight in a week this way before they stopped coming down into my barn and laying waste of all my grain.

A friend of mine eats them. She said to skin them being careful to remove the scent glands around their knees and elbows. Gut and clean out the insides and bring them to her! I never did this but, she swears they are good eating.

Ernest

fordy · #4 09/27/04, 08:52 PM

.............As an intermediate step between a 12 gauge enmema(s) and Not doing anything , You might get some "Birdshot" for a 410 shotgun if you have a caliber that small and pelt their Arse from a safe distance . In Taxes\texas we have an old adage that says (about coons)...."What they don't F---up , they , S--t on" , .....fordy....

gobug · #5 09/27/04, 09:06 PM

I personally appreciate your attitude of not being kind to the animal and releasing him in someone elses "yard." I have seen raccoons rip a basketball sized hole right in the middle of a roof. They can kill your dog.

You can fill a large trashcan with water and dunk the whole trap. Or you could take a shower curtain and drape it over the cage and the tail pipe of your running vehicle.

They make good eating if you learn how remove the scent glands. Ask for recipes. I bet some people here know how to cook them.

Ravenlost · #6 09/27/04, 10:55 PM

I guess I'm the only person here who likes raccoons. Well, except for my Daddy. He captures them on his place and then releases them in the National Forest near his home.

dscott7972 · #7 09/28/04, 05:08 AM

I personally hate coons, killled too many of my chics and quail. They have gotten to my quail in ways I wouldn't think possible. I have one coon in my freezer but my wife still isn't ready to "try" it yet. I have hauled them off a few miles over the river into a corn field. So I've killed some and hauled some off.

Ozarks_1 · #8 09/28/04, 06:15 AM

There's nothing wrong with raccoons. Personally I like them just fine ... cooked in a good tomato suace with onions and green peppers.

MorrisonCorner · #9 09/28/04, 06:32 AM

I'd opt for a .22 but you might not be able to discharge a weapon in a neighborhood... so fall back position is drowning. Not nice, but effective. Just weight the trap so it goes down fast.

Remember, coons can carry rabies, so handle the animal as little as possible and with gloves, just to be on the safe side.

JulieNC · #10 09/28/04, 06:45 AM

Around here, we kill the coons since we have such a rabies problem.

Even if we have no reason to suspect a coon is rabid, we still handle the carcass with gloves and assume that it is rabid.

We've dunked the traps in large garbage cans filled with water. Fair warning, though--really leave them in there for a long time. At first, I thought this sounded cruel, but a veternarian said that they animal very quickly goes into shock and doesn't feel a thing after less than a minute. In my mind, a bullet is the most humane way to go, but we don't do it for fear of splattering gore if the coon is rabid.

blhmabbott · #11 09/28/04, 06:55 AM

My mom made a coon pizza for supper one night. We had no idea what we were eating until I bit down on the bullett and asked "What in the world are we eating?!" She simply said "Coon pizza." All us kids sat there for a second, then grabbed our 3rd piece of pizza. It was really good!
Heather

JAS · #12 09/28/04, 05:05 PM

Do you have anyone that traps in the area, for the fur? They might be interested in trapping on your place. Just a thought

jerneeon · #13 09/28/04, 05:09 PM

I'd take a fashion tip from Davy Crockett and make myself a hat.

kathy H · #14 09/28/04, 08:32 PM

First thing I would do is peel back some turf and look for beetle grubs which will be eating all the roots of your turf. Then I would thank the racoons for showing them to you.

big rockpile · #15 09/28/04, 09:01 PM

First thing you should do is buy a Fur Coat,bring Fur Prices up.Then long as these critters look healthy eat them.

big rockpile

southerngurl · #16 09/28/04, 09:05 PM

I used to think they were cute until they killed all my little baby ducks and chicks.

mightybooboo · #17 09/28/04, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giantpanda

I got one of those Havahart live traps and caught one large coon the same night.

Now here's the question.... what do I do with those evil bastards?

We also caught ONE with the havahart trap,after that none of them go near it.
Took ours for a ride up to the lake and set it loose.They are VERY destructive,and yes,a well known source for rabies.In fact for years after we had a rabies outbreak we didnt see em for years,now they have recovered the population.I dont like shooting animals that arent used for food,but to protect property abd livestock,you have to do what you have to do..
BooBoo

bethlaf · #18 09/29/04, 09:53 AM

shoot it, and burn it, or drown it and burn it, either way , burn it, dont let the animals eat it !
rabies !
ugh ,
raccoons are opportunists .
they will take a free meal where they find it, definately kill it, and try to keep trapping, generally, your best bet is to RENT the traps from animal control
just say , umm i saw a coon acting "funny" in the day time, i dont know if it was sick or what, but i dont want my kids ,dogs goats, etc, to be hurt by some sick animal ... make sure you say it seemed "sick"

generally they will bring the traps out, and pick up the full ones, but not always, its worth a try though

mammabooh · #19 09/29/04, 11:01 AM

My dad actually goes to a huge coon roast every year. Hundreds of folks gather together and eat the stuff. I think he likes it as BBQ sandwiches the best.

Hummingbird · #20 09/29/04, 11:25 AM

Use a bullet. If you're not going to eat it, dispose of the carcass where it won't disturb anyone or where your dogs won't drag it home. Bury it, burn it ...

We've always enjoyed animals, we live in the woods, we love to look at them but when they become destructive &/or dangerous.....

DH has had to dispose of a few pests over the years and it's never done lightly, just out of necessity.

H'bird