What to do with raccoon?

[mijinkal]

I have a coyote and raccoon problem around the farm and they've been getting at the chickens. I've kept the coyotes away with better fencing, but the raccoons were back at it again last night. I've lost 6 chickens in the past couple weeks. Just when I think I've secured the coop enough, they'll come in and get another chicken. My dog chased them around the deck and yard this morning, but I didn't shoot them for a variety of reasons.

Part of me really wants to make a hat out of them, but in all reality I'm not going to do it. What should I do with the buggers once I get em? Does anybody want them?
I just picked up a live trap and it will be set tonight.

[The Dude]

More dogs.

[Spy]

You can relocate them !

[Gunner]

Yep,live trap them,and drop em' off by the rich folks garbage cans! Gunner

[Paulyman]

As Spy said relocate them. Have you ever heard of the 6 feet under relocation program?

[Jason Melo]

I agree with Paulyman six feet under program!!!

[Mr. Dean]

I rugged one that perched itself to my dogs head. :shock:
Looks Uber-f/n-Kewl but it had its winter coat.

FYI, there is a season on them...... Can a guy legaly shoot on your property, if so, I want to do some hunting! - Yotes would be knocked off too.

[The Dude]

Raccoons killed the best dog I ever had.
Like Hetfield said: Kill 'em all.

[The Dude]

Tied for best, sorry Lobo, no offense.

[Ajsawden]

You should make Hats!

[bandit]

Good luck trapping them! There is a family of 4 that live in my neighbors garden. I have had a trap in my yard for 6 weeks and caught nothing but skunks. Tons of pics of coons on the trail cam though, they are crafty little b******s.

Raccoons are a schedule C animal, that is to say if they are damaging your property you can kill them at will without any sort of license (as long as it is done humanely). If you do plan on releasing them make sure you dont fall foul of the "illegal transporting of wildlife" laws.

[Philcott]

The best bait I have used for coons is dry cat food. It's never let me down.

[Mr. Dean]

Raccoons are a schedule C animal.....

ahem...
From the synopsis.


RACCOON, SKUNK 2-2 to 2-19 Sept 1 - Mar 31 NBL


NBL does not = Scedule C

[blackford]

Ammonia works well. Something about the smell of it


Failing that.... I would try the .22 method... Use a semi auto. Wait til they are in a group and finish them off.

[Big Lew]

I've had raccoon problems off and on for years. I can't shoot them in my area even with a bow, so I built a couple of live traps. The neighbourhood has a lot of cats so I can't use dog or cat food, meat or fish etc. because my wife is friends with the owners. (I would love to catch the cats and eliminate them as well because they use my gardens as their latrine) I use marshmallows and raw eggs successfully without catching the cats too often. I was fortunate to run into some COs at the last Outdoors Show in the Tradex and asked their advice. I was told in front of witnesses that I could re-locate them without worry, and that if I was to do it humanely, could dispose of them as they were doing damage to my gardens and water feature as well as crapping in my yard which is a real health hazard. If you are successful in trapping one, make sure you wash your entire trap system thoroughly afterward to remove any scent (animals under stress give off scents that warn others) or you'll not likely catch another.

[mijinkal]

I wouldn't bury them 6' under, the digging sounds like too much work for a raccoon.
I've talked to a Langley Bylaw officer in the past about the coyotes and they said I'm allowed to use whatever I need to use in order to get rid of them (including centrefire) I'd only use rimfire around my yard though because I'd like to keep it quiet, plus my semi-auto .22 will get em all quicker.
Does anybody have a link to laws regarding shooting near homes? I just want to make shure I have all my bases covered.
I'm gonna have a go at the coons this week, but you're welcome to come get the coyotes any time.

Racoons are a Schedule B animal that like to eat my chickens, so they don't have a closed season in my yard ;)

[Mr. Dean]

Bylaws Guy don't know shite, it's the RC's you need to worry about.

*IF* you're allowed to discharge, it'll only be shotgun; no rimfire, no centerfire.
And you'll only be permitted to kill for "crop protection" as Langley doesn't allow any hunting otherwise.

Check the Fraser Valley Special Area Hunting Map, or PM me your address and I'll look it up for ya (have 1 in front of me).


FYI it's legal open season NOW!

[mijinkal]

I've looked over the FVSAHL Map and it looks like I'm limited to shotgun only and I have to be 100m from the house. I've e-mailed TOL Bylaws to send me something in writing to confirm this. It would be nice to be able to use the .22

[GoatGuy]

Life size mount with a budweiser in one hand and a tin of chew in the other.

[GoatGuy]

Doesn't look like it's come up:

Raccoons are sched B, so that means to protect property you can kill/trap them any time of the year.

[huntcoop]

Mijinkal, you are taking this waaay too serious and asking waaay to many questions, just deal with it, your chickens will thank you.

[Mr. Dean]

I've looked over the FVSAHL Map and it looks like I'm limited to shotgun only and I have to be 100m from the house. I've e-mailed TOL Bylaws to send me something in writing to confirm this. It would be nice to be able to use the .22

If you're in the zone, your good to go.
So now,,, lets get together w/ a couple of 20 guages, I have an e-caller, and lets see what shows up.

[mijinkal]

You're right huntcoop, too many questions. I can't deal with it while my arse is parked here at work so I thought I'd get the opinion of other hunters about it.
Just one more question: Who wants a raccoon hat?

[The Dude]

Davey Crockett?

[riflebuilder]

Down south they are a delicasy just slow cook them for about 8 or 9 hours in BBQ sause. I have never had any but the wife says she has (her dad had a sense of humor). She said it was okay untill she knew what it was....lol. Look up a recipe on the net there are a lot of them. Hats are cool too, new a guy who made his living making skunk coon and yote hats/

[Glassman]

Live trap them, then drop them off at your local anti hunting idiots place. Make sure its garbage day. Or,,,, put them in their back yard. The more the merrier.They should thank you if you tell them the other option was to shoot the little critter.

[Mr. Dean]

Here's my last *Problem 'Coon*.


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/DSC3814_Mr_Dean_web_copy.jpg

[Mr. Dean]

You're right huntcoop, too many questions. I can't deal with it while my arse is parked here at work so I thought I'd get the opinion of other hunters about it.
Just one more question: Who wants a raccoon hat?


I would be interested in 2 or 3 baby ones for the fireplace mantle.....

[Mr. Dean]

I would be interested in 2 or 3 baby ones for the fireplace mantle.....

You kill 'em.
I'll skin 'em.

[laredo318]

If you can live trap them, give them a bath.
A large plastic garbage can is good for that.
i would be very careful regarding shooting them.
if you are VERY rural, you may get away with it.
Walnut Grove, or Brookswood...not so much.

[Mr. Dean]

I would be interested in 2 or 3 baby ones for the fireplace mantle.....


You kill 'em.
I'll skin 'em.

And I'm D E A D serious.

[bandit]

ahem...
From the synopsis.




NBL does not = Scedule C


My apologies raccoons a schedule B not C


My point is that with a schedule B exemption you need to prove it was damaging property in order to kill it but dont need no hunting license. Killing under schedule B is not deemed as hunting.

If its listed under GOS then you do not need a reason to justify killing it (other than sporting purposes) but you do need a hunting license.

[Big Lew]

I wouldn't try handling them, they're extremely vicious when cornered or in a trap. The ones I've caught continually tried to bite and rip me as soon as I came close. As for making a 'Davey Crockett' hat, the male adult coons in B.C. are too big....use an adolescent or smaller female. I was often called 'Davey Crockett' when I was a youth, so I went and shot the biggest male I could find and skinned it out and scraped and scraped, and scraped some more in order to remove all the fat (shot it in the middle of winter). When I cut out the pattern it became very obvious the fur was much too long, thick, and heavy for a decent cap unless I was 'Paul Bunyan'.

[Mr. Dean]

Scull from earlier mentioned 'Coon.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/DSC3876_Mr_Dean_web.jpg?7615

[pnbrock]

Let me at them !!!

[Glenny]

Release the rhinos

[ruger#1]

Get a clothes pin for your nose and make a raccoon stew. It auta be tasty.

[Mr. Dean]

I wouldn't try handling them, they're extremely vicious when cornered or in a trap. The ones I've caught continually tried to bite and rip me as soon as I came close.

x2
I found the one I pictured, to be equally ferocious as a badger I tangled w/ in Saskatchewan, when I was a rookie.... I truly thought that that was my last day on the top side of terra ferma.

Surprised, to say the least.

[anglo-saxon]

Live trap them if you must, but I'd be taking that trap to the dug-out for a brief submerge test shortly after. Personally, the 10/22 would be featuring prominiently in the equation 'til no more showed up if it was my situation. Same for the coyotes.

[Great White Youth Hunter]

bow v.s. raccoon if its legal (there just big rats)

[Jager]

Dad got his fair share using a live trap baited with marshmallows. Once in the live trap the coons died of lead poisoning.
The Joy of Cooking cookbook lists at least one raccoon recipe.
Good luck.

[festerstix]

.22 shorts and a shovel.

[Catahoula Ranch]

got Catahoulas???

[Mr. Dean]

What's all the hissing about????


Could that be the sound of a pizzed-off critter in a cage? :razz:

[Mr. Dean]

mijinkal;


Did ya git one?

[Mr. Dean]

Not my pic but love the concept...


http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/wildimages/coons161.jpg

[Marlin375]

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab62/Marlin375/nightopps.jpg

+

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab62/Marlin375/CBee221.jpg

[mijinkal]

I didn't see any last night. I had a good look for them around 11:00 and set the live trap in some bushes by the coop. I was back up at 6:00 to check the trap and take a look into the trees but there was no sign of them. My bait and the trap were untouched.
I think it'll take them a few days to settle down and recover from the mayhem of yesterday morning. The smell of fish will probably be irresistible to them and they'll return sooner or later.
Mr. Dean, I love the pictures!
Do you want the coons delivered to your door?

[Marlin375]

I trapped enough to fill a zoo when I lived on the island. The coons and I where about even in the chicken department when I left, I bought 60 chickens and they got 60 chickens. They cant resist peanut butter either, mixed with some dry dogfood stuffed in a soup can wired to the back of the trap.

[Mr. Dean]

Mr. Dean, I love the pictures!
Do you want the coons delivered to your door?

Thanks.
If you get one, call me.

If they ain't younguns', I'll likely tan them and give 'em to kids.
I'll PM you some contact info.

[Mr. Dean]

Found this.
Might help ya...

http://www.huntsmart.com/Game-Slayer-Coon-Cuffs-Leg-Trap

[Mr. Dean]

pssst --------> Got Coon's?

I have found them to work in cycles, like yotes.

There, causing grief for a few days then gone.
But back again a couple/three weeks later.

If they're hanging around, they have a hard time resisting the sounds of a mamed squirrel or bird (FYI).

[icecap]

Cook'em! & have a feast.