On 7/11/2012 7:45 AM, Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Frank said:


My cucumbers grow in containers up netting put around patio to keep out
the rats with hooves. I should be getting in a good crop shortly.

My cousin in northern California has actually had deer come up onto the deck
to browse the flower pots!

I went to containers on deck and below on patio years ago because of
encroaching shade and those damn deer. For other critters, I have a
Hav-a-hart trap and have caught and removed numerous squirrels,
groundhogs and raccoons. If you get a trap, get the largest one as
big raccoons sometimes don't fit in the one designed for groundhogs.
Also a good idea to
close it at night unless you don't mind catching skunks too.

Have caught a few skunks. Normally, they sit patiently and all you need to
do is drape a towel over the trap and open it and they will trundle off,
no harm done.

One time, though, we caught a skunk that was restless, slobbering,
snapping and spraying. Called in the pros for that one. (That same
summer, two rabid foxes had been reported in the township.)



Rabies is endemic here too. I'm careful handling anything I catch.

Apparently skunks will not spray when confined but last one I caught was
a mother with 3 kids that would not leave the area. Fortunately the
trap was under my deck and I was able to open it with my pole pruner
from above with not getting sprayed.

First time I caught a skunk, I did not know what to do with it and an
exterminator wanted $200 to get rid of it. That was 20 years ago.
I guess if suspected rabid the local animal control people would handle it.