you should be afraid of them, you will never win in a tussle with one,
trapping might be worthwhile but relocating them is illegal in many
places.


Almost never.

I managed a startled line drive to the head of one with a shovel when I came
upon it unexpected - ex-coon.

But I agree, there are better things to do than wind up with a coon gnawing on
your tender bits, and attacking them is not a great idea.

I find that an electric fence (a real cattle fence, not a mild little low
voltage pet zapper) keeps them off the pear trees, and intend to use that
around my pond this year as well.

Trapping and doing away with them is one approach, but I suspect that there is
probably an inexhaustible supply of the little buggers and that you'd have new
ones showing up as fast as you could get rid of the old ones.

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to enlist
your local animal control people? The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes & gunshots.

You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.

I would not use an electric fence with a 3 year old kid in the house.

Gee - even the coons only touch it about once - most kids should be at least as
smart....;-)

"Ann" wrote in message
news
What about keeping a dog in the
fenced area at night?

No! Bad idea! The dog will dig in the garden or crap all over it. Bad, bad,
bad.

In article , Ann wrote:
On Mon, 10 May 2004 14:33:59 +0000, Ignoramus15189 wrote:
Doug Kanter wrote:

that's upsetting that they can climb.

Very well ... trees, downspouts, whatever. As already mentioned, they're
good with their paws. Saw one open a foam cooler, and then the screw top
on the jar of jelly he selected. And in areas where they're used to
people, lights and/or radio don't work. What about keeping a dog in the
fenced area at night?

I have enough critters to take care of (a 3 yo kid and 2 chickens and
a fishtank). A dog to keep the 'coons away is a hassle, and, I cannot
have a dog live inside the house due to allergy.


A Havahart trap is a good idea, too, but you might want to have your
local animal control people assist. Raccoons can get weird....

I can get weird too, I am not afraid of raccoons.

Unless you live in a rabies-free area, it would be foolish not to be
cautious. Even non-rabid raccoons can be fiesty if they're cornered. So
if you're involving a child in this, be sure he understands that he should
not approach one by himself.

I am sure I can come up with a safe release procedure, such as, I
would be in the bed of the truck, and release the raccoon from a
lowered trap, or whatever.

I would just trap them
and release then a few miles away. The issue is, are there so many local
raccoons that trapping them is a waste of time? Do they migrate? For
example, obviously, trapping birds is a waste of time since they
propagate everywhere. But, if I could trap, say, 3-5 raccoons, would it
actually help?

Maybe yes, maybe no. Depends on how many there are around. It would be
bad form to release on private land without permission.

I would release them in a forest preserve.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
In article , The Rock Garden wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote

forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.


Maybe not in the way you intended. First of all check out your state
and
local regulations, it may be illegal to trap and release game animals.
Second, even if it is legal, you are merely transferring your problem to
another area for someone else to deal with, and can very well also
transfer
diseases such as parvo, rabies and scabies along with the coon. Third,
in
the long run it won't even matter 'cause a new population will move in
to
take over the void left by removing the current residents.

There are many (well, several anyway) ways to fence coons out of a
garden;
probably an electric offset wire around the bottom of the perimeter
would be
both the most animal and cost effective.

Check out both the web site and order their excellent fencing catalog
for
ideas.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/store/fencing.html

I would not use an electric fence with a 3 year old kid in the house.

You've been watching too many movies. Farmers use electric fences all the
time for livestock large & small. You haven't seen many electrocuted cows or
pigs, have you? An electric fence produces a nasty tingle. We're not talking
about a prison.

In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
Sharpen your spade and make a "slot" into the ground all along the
bottom of
the existing fence. Insert fence wire as deep as possible, and attach
the

I am sorry for my stupid question, but what is fence wire?

Galvanized wire screen that you buy in rolls. It's available with openings
of various sizes. It'll be obvious which size to get.

thanks

A Havahart trap is a good idea, too, but you might want to have your
local
animal control people assist. Raccoons can get weird....

I can get weird too, I am not afraid of raccoons.

In order to release an animal from a Havahart trap, your hands will be right
ON the trap as you open the end. You didn't say whether you've seen raccoons
on your property during daylight hours, but if you have, it's assumed they

I have not seen them during daylight.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
In article , The Rock Garden wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote

forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.


Maybe not in the way you intended. First of all check out your state
and
local regulations, it may be illegal to trap and release game animals.
Second, even if it is legal, you are merely transferring your problem to
another area for someone else to deal with, and can very well also
transfer
diseases such as parvo, rabies and scabies along with the coon. Third,
in
the long run it won't even matter 'cause a new population will move in
to
take over the void left by removing the current residents.

There are many (well, several anyway) ways to fence coons out of a
garden;
probably an electric offset wire around the bottom of the perimeter
would be
both the most animal and cost effective.

Check out both the web site and order their excellent fencing catalog
for
ideas.

http://www.premier1supplies.com/store/fencing.html

I would not use an electric fence with a 3 year old kid in the house.

You've been watching too many movies. Farmers use electric fences all the
time for livestock large & small. You haven't seen many electrocuted cows or
pigs, have you? An electric fence produces a nasty tingle. We're not talking
about a prison.




an electric fence is a non starter, period.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...


I would not use an electric fence with a 3 year old kid in the house.

You've been watching too many movies. Farmers use electric fences all
the
time for livestock large & small. You haven't seen many electrocuted
cows or
pigs, have you? An electric fence produces a nasty tingle. We're not
talking
about a prison.


an electric fence is a non starter, period.


You're no fun.

In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to enlist
your local animal control people?

I hate spending money on various contractors. Hiring contractors is an
unbelievable waste of time and money.

The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes & gunshots.

roftlmao, I hope to avoid it.

You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.

does it actually work? I kind of like the idea.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.
--
There are now more raccoons in urban areas than there are in "the
country". The access to garbage and pet food and lack of real predators has
caused a population explosion. The ****ONLY**** method that will work and
work well is to install an electric wire. It's cheap enough since you
already have the fencing. You'll need the standoffs for a wire around the
bottom and one around the top. You can probably do it for less than $75
with stuff you can buy at the co-op.

Ignoramus15189 wrote:
I have a fenced backyard where I have a vegetable garden that is
somewhat ransacked by raccoons. (or some other animals).

It is fenced with a chain link fence, but they still sneak in. I am
guessing that they get in between the fence and the ground. What are
the practical ways of raccoon proofing the backyard. Maybe some wire
stuff that can be added to the fence, or what? Can I simply buy a
raccoon trap and transport a few away from my property?

Shooting them is not an option due to our city code.

Might want to give one of those electric-eye-operated sprinklers a shot. I've
used 'em to keep cats out of flowerbeds and herons out of small ponds. Never
tried with raccoons, but not too many animals (except ducks) like to be squirted
with a stream of water.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to enlist
your local animal control people? The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an
emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes &
gunshots.

You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves
and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.



Animal Control here WILL NOT deal with anything but dogs and cats and the
occasional potbelly pig. Raccoons are *wildlife* and therefore non-domestic
and not their problem. If you have an injured one, the state wildlife guys
will direct you to a vet and foster parent, but they don't deal with them
either unless they're possibly rabid, and since that's not happened since
sometime in the 70's, you just get told to call a pest control firm who'll
charge you big bucks and still not solve your problem.

If the original poster and his child are too stupid to install an electric
wire like was recommended, then let him deal with no fish in the fish ponds
and no veggies in the garden and several ER bites from trying to trap them.
Evolution in action. He'll either learn what futility is, or he'll actually
educate himself on electric fences and not subscribe to ignorant hysteria.
I'll bet he's even touched his tongue to a battery as a child, but somehow
he thinks that should have electrocuted him.

Get a bobcat. (a real bobcat, not the tractor kind.)

Hope this helps, :-)
Bob

"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
In article , Doug Kanter wrote:
"Ignoramus15189" wrote in message
...
forgot to say, trapping and releasing raccoons would be educational
for my 3 year old son.

Is it an ego thing, or is there some other reason you don't want to
enlist
your local animal control people?

I hate spending money on various contractors. Hiring contractors is an
unbelievable waste of time and money.

Are we on the same planet? I'm referring to your TOWN'S animal control
department. I've never heard of those people charging a citizen for removing
an animal.


The process you're describing might be
more educational than you think, but not for the right reasons. Your son
might learn how boring it is to sit around holding your dick in an
emergency
room for 3 hours while they take care of victims of car crashes &
gunshots.

roftlmao, I hope to avoid it.



You didn't say how large your garden is, but if the 'coons are attacking
just a few things, you could try sprinkling cayenne powder on the leaves
and
the soil around those plants. Works great for keeping cats out of the
garden, or from scratching furniture.

does it actually work? I kind of like the idea.

Try it yourself. Sprinkle some on the counter and press your paws into it.
Now, rub your eyes, pick your nose, and if you're really brave, go take a
leak. If there's enough sweat on your hands to cause the essence of the
powder to be released, your pecker will be in a world of hurt for a few
hours. If you like the results, head over to a supermarket that sells spices
in the bulk department. Lock & load!