questions about damn raccoons!

[Marc]

either one, releasing them live you have larger chances of getting bit unless you have a catch pole. when i set out my traps im alsways going to dispatch the animal unless it a non target animal but with a dog proof trap that wont happen



the vid is of a release not a dispatch



YouTube - The DHDP Critter Trap - In Action


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9_po7UPYAM&feature=related





here is a have a crap trap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avn--IrNy1w&feature=related

 

[Jack Ryan]

last year raccoons keep getting in the barn which wouldnt bother me all that bad but we have three cats that live out there and my daughter has become real found of them. well the other day one of the cats had scacthes all over his face and a very swollen eye. i thought the cats had been fighting with each other. tonight i go out to the barn and find the cats all sitting out front ( not real unusual). so i go in and about walk into this big a## raccoon. and there is fur from the cats and coon all over the floor. my question is will this thing keep coming back until i shoot it or is there something i can do keep the coons away, with out harming the cats? and can i leagally shot the raccon in fear of family pets saftey?and to be honest i do worry about my daughter, she could easily stumble onto them like i did probably easier because shes young and doesnt real pay attention to things around her( like most little girls).

Shoot them or trap them and then shoot them. SSS

 

[03A3]

I've caught countless coons here at the house. Those cage traps they sell at the farm store ect don't amount to much as seen in the video.
Minnesota Trapline Products, and other trapping supply dealers, carry the real deal.
I usually take them out in the bottoms and release them.
Raccoons carry several diseases besides rabies. They're very communal and diseases spread quickly.
When I had cats I never caught them by mistake but that is definately the exception. I've never had that good of luck when trapping coons for other people.

 

[hotfarmboy1]

Kill it and get rid of it asap! I hate coons and kill every one I get the chance to kill. I don't always wait till I can get the .22 I use whatever is on me. Whether it be .22 mag, 9mm or 45 acp If you shoot them in the head its a better one shot stop. I've seen them take multiple body shots and keep going. We had one before that had managed to get in my ceiling before we did a repair to an attached outbuilding. I flushed it out and my buddy got it with my 10/22. It then charged him and he unloaded a 25 rd mag into it, basically putting one big hole through one side to the other. I get out there and it was still breathing, he asked what do I do? All I say is this, I drew the 9mm and put one bullet to the back of the head. I've had one dog that's killed one before and ended up getting a disease that paralyzed it from the neck down. My current dog may be having the same thing right now. But we caught it in time. She is currently on antibiotics, and is still able to move front, and back legs and her tail. But can't get up. So keep your dogs away from them, don't let the dogs get ahold of them after you kill them!!!!

 

[paperboy]

Nothing that a little lead poising can't cure!

 

[Oliver]

Kill it and get rid of it asap! I hate coons and kill every one I get the chance to kill. I don't always wait till I can get the .22 I use whatever is on me. Whether it be .22 mag, 9mm or 45 acp If you shoot them in the head its a better one shot stop. I've seen them take multiple body shots and keep going. We had one before that had managed to get in my ceiling before we did a repair to an attached outbuilding. I flushed it out and my buddy got it with my 10/22. It then charged him and he unloaded a 25 rd mag into it, basically putting one big hole through one side to the other. I get out there and it was still breathing, he asked what do I do? All I say is this, I drew the 9mm and put one bullet to the back of the head. I've had one dog that's killed one before and ended up getting a disease that paralyzed it from the neck down. My current dog may be having the same thing right now. But we caught it in time. She is currently on antibiotics, and is still able to move front, and back legs and her tail. But can't get up. So keep your dogs away from them, don't let the dogs get ahold of them after you kill them!!!!

That's no good man. Sorry to hear about your dogs. Hope the current pulls through all right.
Pretty good advice in the thread. I'd just do what everyone is recommending about killing it off. Especially if it's already tearing up your cats. I'd also watch the one that it has already got a hold of. Make sure it isn't infected already.

 

[Annie Oakley]

Distemper is one of the most common diseases in raccoons. Many times if they are infected you will see them out at odd times and behaving as though they are drunk. Shooting an animal that is obviously ill is the best course in my opinion.

Having said that....our dog brought us a day old coon several years ago. We raised it and I have never had so much fun with any animal in my life. He stayed with us for a year and we taught him all sorts of life skills so that eventually we could let him go back to the wild. I was "mama" and my husband was treated as his litter mate. I was always treated with respect and affection while hubby got wrestled with. Watching a 40lb coon eating marshmallows was the funniest!

Since my little guy went back to the wild I haven't been able to shoot a coon unless it was obviously sick. You never know.....that little masked critter could be my great-great-grandchild.

 

[trailrider]

yea, they're cute...kill it. I'm not one to just kill animals but I do kill "varmits" at my place. I have barn cats, dogs, horses, and grandkids around to think of not to mention property damage to prevent. I was under the impression you can kill destructive varmits and then notify your co if you're concerned about legalities? I might be wrong. as far as furbearers go, I think as long as you don't attempt to profit from the hide you're ok?? SSS only I'd skip the shoveling. I watched one of my older horses stomp a coon to death in my pasture years ago(not an aggressive horse). I recently paid a $450. vet bill for one of my dogs that got bit by something? I don't take chances anymore.

 

[mojo2530]

id like to thank everyone for all the great advice. it seems unanimous that the safe way to go is to eliminate the animal for the safety of family and pets. so i think thats what im gonna do . thanks again!

 

[mjones]

granulated fly bait and some coke of some sort i had a farmer buddy that did this after coons did about $4000 worth of damage to his equipment it got rid of them i a couple of days

 

[Chevans]

Someone said coons have rabies. That's very unlikely in Indiana, possibly distemper yes. Skunks are number 1 carriers and bats 2