Raccoon getting into my bird feeder

[Mr Evilwrench]

Closest I've had to damage from coons has been one tearing open trash bags, and another digging at the roof where the tree rats and some water damage had torn it up some. That one actually showed me where I needed to do a repair, so I didn't shoot it. Damnedest thing, when I repaired the roof at that point, there was a pair of possums just out of nowhere that I repaired into the attic. A couple of trips up the ladder with an AR loaded with HPs euthanized those.

I had a groundhog in the backyard once, and the little I could see of it, it was all claws and teeth and hate. I just left the gate open so it could leave.

 

[Thor]

Had a ground hog in the front yard this spring...gassed it while it slept. Nasty stuff those gas bombs, make sure you've plugged all the holes and stand by with a shovel to plug the ones you missed.

 

[churchmouse]

We have 2 live traps. As stated we use the smelliest cheapest canned cat food we can find.
When ever w put it out it seldom fails to be occupied in the morning.

So far this year.....
Ground hogs-2. Euthanized
Raccoons..2. Euthanized
Possums...3. Euthinized
Ferrell cats.....lost count. No comment.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

If you get a stout pure white male kitten, let me know.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

We have 2 live traps. As stated we use the smelliest cheapest canned cat food we can find.
When ever w put it out it seldom fails to be occupied in the morning.

So far this year.....
Ground hogs-2. Euthanized
Raccoons..2. Euthanized
Possums...3. Euthinized
Ferrell cats.....lost count. No comment.

Ferrell cat?

 

[rhino]

Closest I've had to damage from coons has been one tearing open trash bags, and another digging at the roof where the tree rats and some water damage had torn it up some. That one actually showed me where I needed to do a repair, so I didn't shoot it. Damnedest thing, when I repaired the roof at that point, there was a pair of possums just out of nowhere that I repaired into the attic. A couple of trips up the ladder with an AR loaded with HPs euthanized those.

I had a groundhog in the backyard once, and the little I could see of it, it was all claws and teeth and hate. I just left the gate open so it could leave.

When we first started seeing groundhogs in our back yard, I couldn't believe how big they were. I think the only rodents who get bigger around here are beavers, but groundhogs can be huge. YOOGE. Some we had were easily twice the size of a big raccoon.

 

[patience0830]

When we first started seeing groundhogs in our back yard, I couldn't believe how big they were. I think the only rodents who get bigger around here are beavers, but groundhogs can be huge. YOOGE. Some we had were easily twice the size of a big raccoon.

This is an exaggeration or you've only seen small coons.

Largest coon on record is over 60# IIRC. Biggest grizzled old grey haired clover fed groundhog I ever shot was the better part of a 5 gallon bucket and about 30 lbs.

 

[Gabriel]

Instead of feeling like you need to do something about it, you just need to realize the truth: You have birds stealing seed out of your raccoon feeder.

 

[rhino]

This is an exaggeration or you've only seen small coons.

Largest coon on record is over 60# IIRC. Biggest grizzled old grey haired clover fed groundhog I ever shot was the better part of a 5 gallon bucket and about 30 lbs.

I have never seen a raccoon that was even close to 60#, nor was I aware they could get that big.

The biggest raccoon I've killed I'd estimate was about 20-25 lbs. I never weighed a groundhog, but I've seen half a dozen minimum that were at least 50% longer than that raccoon (not counting tails) and significantly bigger in girth. They would "stand" in our back yard on their haunches and look around without a care in the world. No fear!

 

[churchmouse]

The last Coon we caught was near to big for the trap. He was really hard to get out of it. Must have really wanted that stinky cat food.

 

[Rookie]

Groundhogs seem to look bigger from a distance.

 

[Expat]

I got one big coon one time in the trap. He was a big 'un. I have caught dozens of small to mid sized ones.
I do agree that ground hogs fool you. From the kitchen window they look like giant garden eating machines. When I find one dead in the Conibear, they aren't all that big.

 

[rhino]

I've only managed to eradicate two woodchucks. The first was pretty good sized, but not huge at a shooting range. I'd just zeroed my EOTech from 50 yards while prone and the chubby bastich decided the coast was clear and ambled across the range at the edge of the backstop. I did not pick him up to estimate weight, but I wish I had now!

 

[GrinderCB]

You could also move the feeder farther from the fence and apply grease to the pole. They hate that.

Paintball is good, too.

Paintball is more satisfying as well.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Well, I caught my coon in the live trap last night. All the times I baited the trap, the bait would be stolen (probably one of the cats) and one night I was too tired to be troubled, this dummy went in and got caught with no bait in the trap. It's not a real big one, but damn. I've also seen a third black cat out there, looked 7-9 months old best I could tell. Now I have to work on outsmarting them.

 

[indytechnerd]

My father-in-law said use marshmallows, the big ones. Cats won't eat them, but the coons apparently love them.

 

[patience0830]

Live trap 1
Coon 0

Went for a swim.

 

[Dead Duck]

So he sleeps with da fishies?

 

[olhorseman]

My father-in-law said use marshmallows, the big ones. Cats won't eat them, but the coons apparently love them.

When I lived in Indiana I caught 8-10 raccoons using marshmallows. For some reason the raccoons were very picky and would not enter the trap if I used generic marshmallows. They only liked JetPuff and similar premium brands.

 

[spencer rifle]

So he sleeps with da fishies?

"He's wearing concrete galoshes"
"You mean cement overshoes?"
"Aye."