Racoons

[twotone]

It looks like a bomb went off in my sweet corn patch. In over 20 years I have never had racoons in my garden. Must be the drought or something, but they're eating every kernal per ear. We're done with it this year so I really don't care, it's just a big mess to clean up every morning.


Tom

[grasser]

I killed 28 raccoons (and 1 possum) at our garden this year. I started about 40 days before sweet corn harvest and had almost no days that I set my trap and didn't catch a coon. I kept thinking I'd quit catching them, but every morning before work I'd walk out with the .22 and there'd be one in the trap.

This taught me a valuable lesson. The reason they can ruin an entire corn patch is that there are tons of them. They don't get hunted like they used to as their value is almost $0.

I also played a radio at full volume next to the garden at night for the week or so that the ears were full and getting ripe.

[v w]

I killed 28 raccoons (and 1 possum) at our garden this year. I started about 40 days before sweet corn harvest and had almost no days that I set my trap and didn't catch a coon. I kept thinking I'd quit catching them, but every morning before work I'd walk out with the .22 and there'd be one in the trap.

This taught me a valuable lesson. The reason they can ruin an entire corn patch is that there are tons of them. They don't get hunted like they used to as their value is almost $0.

I also played a radio at full volume next to the garden at night for the week or so that the ears were full and getting ripe.

You beat me, I've taken out only 17. No possums and 5 woodchucks.

I've been told our mild winter favored the coon population since normally about a third freeze. This left a very large breeding population. I'm sure several were this spring's.

I have for years run an electric fence around the perimiter of the garden which does a good job of keeping coons out. Jeanne traps coons for demolishing her bird feeders and feed. I then have to dispose of the coons. Vern

[Jack]

the racoons got my corn also, and the rabbits got my sweet taters, better luck next year

[Barnyard]

I also played a radio at full volume next to the garden at night...

Do you think the corn had and "ear" for music?

We have county park land and wildlife all around us and the dogs do a good job of keeping the critter population at bay. Those who dare to venture beyond our fence have their carcasses laying at my back porch like trophies in the morning.

[SONNY]

I use the red flashers, and a 300 watt quartz light close and above the corn field and this year I did lose 2 ears out of the 2,500 that we had so it did feel good to have plenty of nice ears!
The red flashers seem to help a lot to keep deers at bay too. Other vermin dont bother near as much.---also use the solar molers for voles and chipmunks , 1 yard guard sound type chaser and-----the 12 ga. for robins, starlings, blackbirds ,rabbits and anything else that moves! LOL! thanks; sonny

[beaconlight]

My church owns the house next door and we have tenants in it. Raccoons got into the attic. It needed a new roof any way so we had all the valleys lined with metal under the normal snow and ice guard. They had gotten in at the end of a valley. The raccoons then attempted to pull down an inside corner of the sofit. The tenants wife caught and loaded the 2 offenders into a dog travel cage and called me. I came to get them. The husband asked me how far away i was planning to take them. I asked very innocently "why how soon do you want them back" I knew he understood by the way a light bulb seemed to go off. I said I will see if I can teach them to swim. Got good idea as an answer. In the big city you never know how people will react. Just got to let them see the whole picture before you give them the particulars.

[KETCHAM]

25 plus at my place...Neighbors say no coon problems this year...gee, I wounder why....Have not seen a coon in 2 weeks out at the coop and what corn did produce never got ate!!!! Might try a little harder on the corn next year,,,Usally 1/2 goes to the coons.This year none!!!!! When the creek is high I give swimming lessons......low,,,bullet test to see if it works!!! Kevin

[Stanton]

Two years in a row with 95% sweet corn harvest. TSC sells electric fences.

[richardbosart]

I found some interesting posts on this website regarding trapping raccoons: http://texaspredatorposse.ipbhost.com/i ... opic=21355
I grew up in Central Texas and Johnny Pickle fur buyers would travel from town to town buying furs. He was from Jonestown, texas and we'd get about $20 a fur back then. Guess that's not the case anymore with all the laws, etc.