jan,
Sorry to hear about your raccoons. Once they discover a reliable food supply
they will continue to return unless...........
I have a Wild Bills Electric Squirrel Free Bird Feeder that's been most
effective in keeping the squirrels and raccoons off of it. It uses a 9 volt
battery that delivers a "corrective shock" that will keep both at bay until
the battery runs down. (I've never figured out how they know there's dead
battery but they do.) I also have another smaller tube feeder that's
surrounded by a cage. It keeps the squirrels out of it but the raccoons will
rip it from it's hanger and eat the seeds when it falls to the ground.
I have a neighbor a 1/2 mile or so away that traps his raccoons and carries
them off and then releases them. He told me last fall that he'd trapped and
released 19 raccoons. This doesn't seem to be very effective if he's keeping
this busy doing this. I have a great respect for raccoons as I was once at
the veterinary clinic when a lab owner brought in their dog that had been in
a fight with a raccoon. The raccoon won and the vet wasn't sure if the dog
would live. We have a "ferocious" wire fox terrier that attacks any
intruder - raccoon, squirrel, opossum, etc. The squirrels seem to relish the
chase, the opossums roll over and play dead and the dog loses interest and
the raccoons usually hightail it up the tree and then come back later.
However, there are times when the raccoon can not get away fast enough and
will turn and fight.
You probably don't want to hear my raccoon solution.
JB
"~ jan" wrote in message
...
In another thread I think I mentioned a stubby tailed raccoon coming to
the
squirrel feeder after dark. Well he brought a long tailed friend. I had to
chase them off twice, tossing the broom at them the 2nd time. This started
at 8pm, 10pm long-tail was back. Next night they waited till 2am, but my
son was up and scared them off. Hot wire my squirrel feeders? Usually
there
isn't much in the feeders by evening... but apparently enough for them to
come check them out. I keep seeing raccoon road kill close by but these 2
seem to be too smart apparently. Hmmm....... ~ jan
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Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us