Raccoon Problem - new to us

Only about a mile? Yep, she probably made it home before your dh did. Especially since she had babies to tend. The only solution to a raccoon problem is to eliminate them. And in most states there are huge fines for relocating raccoons.

The coonhound may not need much training. I would let him go and let his instincts take over. Just make sure he has had rabies vaccine. But once you let him take off after the coons, you may never be able to hold him back in that situation again.

All of our dogs are current on rabies. Our cats, aren't as current as they should be.

I think we'll keep using the live traps and dispatch any that we catch. We have the trap on our front porch, so if they get that close... its too close.

Our chicken coop (we have 18 hens) is secure, unless the raccoon can jump 3 feet in the air and open a latch at the same time.

__________________
Nerds on a nano-farm - since 2005

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

The FIRST time I set the live trap, I caught my sons cat. After that he stayed well clear of it!

Dry cat food maks a good bait, by the way. A marshmellow, on the other hand, will not attract the cat but it will attract the dog!

Around here we prefer to let nature alone. Had a coon mommy raise her babies in a hollow tree in our yard last year. Those little baby coons were so cute! Hubby and I enjoyed watching them. Funny, mommy coon never bothered our cats, never bothered our dogs and never tried at attack us. Night after the dogs finally spotted the babies in the tree she moved them to the woods and we never saw them again.

We keep food in the garage and in the barn for the cats. Only thing that's ever come in the garage to eat with the cats was a mama 'possum. She left a baby behind that we raised until it was old enough to release.

Our chicken pen is open on top, but we've never had anything get after the chickens. Have had problems with snakes eating eggs, but we figure that's fair exchange for all the mice they eat.

We prefer to coexist with nature...not eradicate it. We do keep our pets up to date on their shots and we will shoot an animal that is sick or badly injured. Fortunately, in six years we've only had to shoot one 'possum. That poor guy was barely alive when hubby found him.

__________________
I'm running so far behind I thought I was first!

http://hickahala.blogspot.com/

You may want to take up coon hunting. You've already got the dog. The dog finds the coon, chases it up the tree, you shoot it. Simple and addictive, especially if your dog has the desire to hunt. When they turn on to their hunting instincts a coonhound becomes a completely different dog for a while. I never get over being amazed when I see it happen. If you've never experienced it I imagine the transformation in your hound was quite startling when you went on that walk and the coons showed up.

The only thing you need to worry about coon hunting is water. The coon will tree above a bit of water and drown a coon dog when he comes down to fight.

__________________
God must have loved stupid people because he made so many of them.

I agree with you Ravenlost in that we try to co-exist with nature. However, if an animal gets too close for comfort (getting into the garage, as happened Saturday night), then something has to give.

The safety and health of the animals currently in my care come first. Wildlife second.

I've never hunted anything in my life, not sure how that would go. Chloe (our coonhound) would probably take off running and I'd never be able to keep up with her. Do coon hunters keep their dogs on leash until they see a raccoon?

Arachyd, Chloe did have quite a transformation when she saw those raccoons... much like how she reacts when deer run through the fields behind our house. She gets so excited she actually shakes.

__________________
Nerds on a nano-farm - since 2005

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

In 50 years I've never had a cat get into a fight with a coon. More than once in my lifetime I have seen my cats sharing their bowl with a 'possum! If a wild animal made me uncomfortable by getting into my garage (it wouldn't) then I would fix the garage so the animal couldn't get in there any more, thus assuring my comfort and the safety of my animals.

Fortunately, rabies is not a huge problem where we live. Our biggest safety concern for our pets are water mocassins. Had one on the drive in front of the garage this Spring and my youngest cat was swatting at it! Hubby doesn't hesitate to kill a venomous snake and quickly dispatched that one. Like I said before, should a sick or injured animal show up it would be put out of it's misery quickly. Getting into the garage doesn't warrant death at our place though. Just means we have to use our brains to figure out a solution that is good for everyone.

__________________
I'm running so far behind I thought I was first!

http://hickahala.blogspot.com/

As someone else mentioned earlier, one mile is nothing to a coon. You've got to take them farther away than that...IF you take them somewhere else. Now they've discovered your cat food, they'll be a constant source of irritation. I wouldn't poison any animal...but that's just me. I think it much more humane to shoot in the head with a .22 or a .22 magnum. They can inflict some nasty wounds, especially when they're trapped or cornered, so be careful. Good luck.

__________________
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow the fields of those who don't."-Thomas Jefferson

As a kid, our family had a creek through the yard. My dad frequently had to patch up the cat after a tangle with the raccoons. Unlike another cat which just swipes at its opponent, the coon grabs on and holds until it pulls off a big chunk of kitty. Not pretty!

The cat door we installed in our garage was so our cats could come and go as needed. Their food, water and "beds" are there. In the winter, they have their warm beds and extra shelter in the garage (when the temps drop below zero, its no fun outside).

The cat door has been in place for 2 years now and this is the first that we've had non-cat visitors in the garage. I knew that this would likely happen someday and I'm glad it took this long (although I would be happier if it never happened).

Thankfully we don't have a rabies problem in our area, but raccoons often carry other diseases, especially feline and/or canine distemper. I'm most worried about disease and a potential fight between the raccoons and my cats.

Last night we put out the live trap again (right next to the cat door, on the outside of the garage) and all was quiet, nothing in the trap... bait untouched.

__________________
Nerds on a nano-farm - since 2005

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Maybe they realized they were unwelcome and moved on! Let's hope so...

__________________
I'm running so far behind I thought I was first!

http://hickahala.blogspot.com/

Agreed! I would much rather have a perpetually empty trap!!!!!

There are SO many other wonderful spaces for the raccoons in our area.

__________________
Nerds on a nano-farm - since 2005

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

I am currently having the same kind of problem. It's that time of year with the mama raccoons and babies. Yesterday, I let the dogs out and barely closed the door when all heck broke loose. I wasn't paying attention and mama racccoon and two babies were in the front yard. This was noon time! I did not even have time to think clearly, just grabbed the broom and had a party so to speak. I have a rat terrier who thinks they're just big rats. Lordy, the mama was 2 times his size. Both dogs have their shots and I don't but there I was fighting it with a broom. Did NOT want Bingo torn up.
The problem was one baby ran up the fence and was hanging on the roof rafter.
I was trying to wack it off to get it to go while the dogs were having their fits and mama who previously ran off came back madder than ever. She came at me big time regardless of the dogs. Anyways, I won that battle.
Good luck with your raccoon problem, hopefully yours moved on.

__________________
Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. Helen Keller

I thought I would coexist with nature too. That was untill a raccoon pulled 7 bobwhite quail through the 1" square wire spacing of the hutch they were in (yuck and dont even want to know how they fit). Then the coons moved on to chickens that were roosting, and the eggs. I set out two traps, cought a coon and a skunk the first day. Thought that was the end of it untill we saw another coon of the trail cam a week later. The trap had been set the whole time. We finally cought the other coon lat night. Maybe there is more, who knows. I have never seen a raccoon here in 2 years. Hopefully not again for another 2!

oh and dont forget about "raccoon roundworm" google that one!

We try to let others be here also, but when the coons come on the porch and eat all the bunny food and get the baby bunnies it is time for them to go. We have sent 8 to their final resting place in the last 2 week and now all is quite. Our bunnies are free roaming. The only thing a coon likes better than a free meal is another and then another. Once they find a food source they will keep coming back. Good luck getting rid of them.
PS Another good bait is fasten an empty can to the back of the trap and smear it with marshmallow cream. It is sticky and wont come off easily.

The raccoon came back last night. (at least my husband said it was the same one)

This one won't be returning again. But now we have to replace the neighbor's live trap. (I don't think we should be doing the dispatching while the coon is still in the trap)

__________________
Nerds on a nano-farm - since 2005

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who don't.

Oh my goodness.
I have been following your story and feeling your frustration as I have been outsmarted by those boogers many times. I swear one at me one day while sitting atop my roof.. my trap below, empty and untripped.

Shoot 'em all!!! They'er nasty, invasive, and very dangerous. And way smarter and craftier than I wish.