"Mike Miller" wrote in message
. net...
After setting out the hav-a-hart trap for many, many, many nights and
continuing to catch possum after possum, I finally got "the" racoon who's
been ransacking my pond, released in many miles from here in the forest
preserve, and went to bed a few nights w/o hooking up the scarecrow and
setting the trap.

Lo and behold, this morning I have rocks moved, lily buds nibbled and
plants
shredded. This is a mild one, but I know it gets worse (lily pots
upturned,
etc.). Arg! So a few ?'s from those with experience:

1) Possums don't do this, do they? I keep releasing them, thinking them
harmless. In the past I've seen snails shells outside the pond, too, but
could possums ALSO be doing the trashing?

2) I my backyard is enclosed with a 6' fence, so the coons can't see the
pond, but they can hear the dribble of the waterfall. Would it do any
good
to move the hose each night so it doesn't make a dribbling sound, or will
these varmints smell the pond or something?

I need to trap this new one, I know, but I'd like to dissuade future
bandits
from even climbing over.

We have a 100lb. gopher living under our shed. The thing is like 3 feet
tall. My wife caught him by the pond 2 days ago. So it appears I have
unjustly accused the foxes of pond damage. My apologies to the fox.

So no racoon makeup nor fox costume for me...Me's hunting ground hogs this
weekend...FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!!

BV.