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.