What do you do about raccoons?

[Cyrano]

Last spring, I was visiting my mother in Virginia. I was standing on the front porch one evening, when I looked up and saw a VERY large raccoon looking out of a gap in the siding under the roof of the porch. There had been multiple reports of rabid raccoons in the news at about the same time, so we called animal control. They referred us to a licensed raccoon trapper, who quickly ccaught the animal with a humane trap. The bill came to about 300 dollars.
Within two weeks, there was another racccoon in the rafters, and another 300 bucks for trapping.
Well, Mom just called, and they just caught raccoon number SIX. I'm tempted to suggest a revival of wearing Davy Crocket coonskin caps, the only problem being that raccoons are protected in Virginia, and you can't harrass or molest them in any way. (hence the need to pay 300 bucks to a licensed trapper every time).
Any ideas how to make the porch roof less attractive to the critters?

[Dex]

http://doesitallmatter.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/forrest-gump1.jpg
Coons? When raccoons tried getting on our back porch, Mama just chased them off with a broom.

[Drachen]

Line it with food. They wont like the smell, and will go away.

[I. Hustle]

Oh I thought this thread was about women who need to be told more than twice. I hate when women don't listen.

[Shaolin-Style]

Just find people into hunting them and let them do it on your property.

I haven't heard of that law that they're protected, you'd be hard pressed back from where I come from in VA to find them enforce it.

If you're just looking to keep them away from your house use some of that dog/cat repellent stuff and sprinkle it around your roof. I hear it works on raccoons also.

[CosmicCowboy]

Follow the trapper next time. He's found a sucker. He's just going around the corner and letting it out and it goes right home.

[Blake]

Follow the trapper next time. He's found a sucker. He's just going around the corner and letting it out and it goes right home.

:lol That's probably true in a lot of cases.

[Dex]

Seriously though, I googled these just a moment ago. (I love that Google has become a common verb)

http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-05-02/home-and-garden/17243505_1_raccoons-pet-food-sod

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQK/is_6_9/ai_n7071519/

Oh, and I would consider CC's advise. Sounds mighty suspicious.

[PM5K]

You love that Google became a common very years ago? Is that what you meant to say?

Is there any way you can keep them out, in other words are they getting into something, or are they just in an area out in the open that you don't want them in?

[Cyrano]

They had been climbing up one of the porch columns, pulling a hole in the siding,and getting into the crawl space under the porch roof. The point of entry hasbeen repaired and reinforced several times, and they still are doing considerable damage to the siding trying to get in, not to mention scaring Mom half to death when they slip and fall on the porch, making LOTS of noise.

[Big P]

Ar-15

[z0sa]

Is the property private enough for you to capture them with your own trap and not hurt them without a neighbor or official finding out? Let me rephrase: can you trap them without anybody finding out (don't hurt them).

If you could, you can just do what the trapper does anyway and drop it off somewhere else - except this time you could do it far away, one by one if necessary. But if you really think that's what the trapper is doing, I'd mark them somehow and then call him out.

[Cyrano]

No, I think there would be an immediate report by her neighbors. And I had considered giving the raccoons a .22 caliber talking-to.

[z0sa]

No, I think there would be an immediate report by her neighbors. And I had considered giving the raccoons a .22 caliber talking-to.

yeah it's a situation, but I'd do anything rather than pay $300 bucks to get rid of a single small wild animal. How much is the fine for killing one? :lol

[CosmicCowboy]

yeah it's a situation, but I'd do anything rather than pay $300 bucks to get rid of a single small wild animal. How much is the fine for killing one? :lol

ESPECIALLY since they are so freaking easy to trap...a hav-a-heart coon trap costs about $40...a little cat food to bait it and you are in. Hide the trap so the neighbors don't see it and haul em away at night. Problem solved. I'd NEVER pay some goober $300 per coon to do that...

[PM5K]

Are you sure of the law, just seems strange to me that you couldn't trap them and then release them somewhere else. The traps don't hurt them or anything.

Put some vaseline on the porch columns.

[tlongII]

I'd shoot 'em. They're all over the place up here.

[marini martini]

We use "have-a-heart traps" for coons all the time, then drive them to the State park about 15 miles away.

[TheManFromAcme]

Little anti-freeze in and around the perimeter of wherever your at will do the trick.
:devil

[Bender]

Ar-15
:lol

You could do the .22LR thing, but use those subsonic rounds, or even those "colibri" rounds. Neighbors wouldn't even know you're shooting.

[Cyrano]

OK, I checked the laws, and it is legal to trap coons at any time within the limits of any incorporated city. The drawback is that they can only be released on the same property they were trapped on. Yes, it is legal to use lethal means when non-lethal methods have failed. Kinda hard to convince Mom to kill the little suckers, since she thinks they're cute.
No, there were six separate coons, and they were released sixty miles away by state game wardens, so its unlikely that the same one keeps coming back.

[Bender]

The drawback is that they can only be released on the same property they were trapped on.that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.


Kinda hard to convince Mom to kill the little suckers, since she thinks they're cute.raccoons can be mean SOBs

[PM5K]

If she thinks they are cute tell her to stop fucking bothering you about them, otherwise kill the fuckers.

[Chomag]

Cook em up they taste pretty goo!. Squirrel not so much, they are a bit stringy. :downspin::lol

[Big P]

:lol

You could do the .22LR thing, but use those subsonic rounds, or even those "colibri" rounds. Neighbors wouldn't even know you're shooting.

let me rephrase..supressed AR-15

[sabar]

Just put a bunch of black pepper up there. Its sold with some other nasty spicy stuff in bottles with names like critter-away and such. Pretty much anything with a nose hates it. Don't sniff it like I did.

Or patch up where ever they are getting in. And patch it up good. A raccoon shouldn't be able to break into it.

[byrontx]

Bar-B-Q'd Raccoon


~ 4 - 6 lb. raccoon, cut into serving pieces
~ 1 cup red wine
~ 2 onions, sliced
~ 3 bay leaves
~ 1 tbsp salt
~ 1 tsp pepper
~ 3 cloves garlic, sliced
~ 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
~ 1 tbsp paprika

Place the raccoon pieces in a large pan. Add the wine, onions, bay leaves, salt, pepper and garlic. Add enough water to cover the meat.

Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the meat and drain. Place the raccoon in a greased baking dish. Mix the barbecue sauce and paprika together and pour over the meat.

Cook at 325 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

[MrChug]

Stew. Don't forget the cilantro and white rice.

[Ginobilly]

Bar-B-Q'd Raccoon


~ 4 - 6 lb. raccoon, cut into serving pieces
~ 1 cup red wine
~ 2 onions, sliced
~ 3 bay leaves
~ 1 tbsp salt
~ 1 tsp pepper
~ 3 cloves garlic, sliced
~ 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce
~ 1 tbsp paprika

Place the raccoon pieces in a large pan. Add the wine, onions, bay leaves, salt, pepper and garlic. Add enough water to cover the meat.

Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the meat and drain. Place the raccoon in a greased baking dish. Mix the barbecue sauce and paprika together and pour over the meat.

Cook at 325 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

That sounds like it would taste pretty damn good. Growing up in south Texas, I've always had the opportunities to try exotic meats. I've tasted badger and pork sausage. I would think a Raccoon would taste like badger.

Give that to somebody drunk and stoned and they'll eat fuck out of it.

[Ginobilly]

Stew. Don't forget the cilantro and white rice.

And a Shinner bock to go along with that.:toast

[Dutch13]

Good luck with releasing them after you trap them humanely....last time i tried that, the sorry bastard tore me up when I let him out....it's been lead poisoning for them from then on....and they WILL destroy an attic in no time flat.