General Discussion

bvar22

(39,909 posts)

23. Starkraven & I have been living in the woods of the Arkansas Mountains for 10 years now.

Tue Mar 24, 2015, 06:50 PM

Mar 2015

We are adjacent to the extensive Ouachita National Forest & Wilderness.
We also keep free range chickens.

We have had problems with coons, skunks, possums, coyotes, and other critters who can smell a Free Dinner.

Coyotes who are trying to get at our chickens don't make it out alive,
but we live trap & relocate everything else, unless they are in the yard actively killing chickens.
Then they get the bullet.

Skunks are a little scary, even in the Live Trap. If he/she can get her tail up,
she can spray for a good distance. Most skunks can't raise their tail enough to spray while they are in the trap, but that is not a sure thing. We keep a couple of blankets and tarps in the chicken yard, and use them to protect ourselves while we approach the trap,
then throw the blanket over the trap. After that, relocation is easy.

If a coon gets in your hen house, he will kill every single chicken.
I've heard skunks will do the same.
So will your neighbor's dogs.

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Highlight:

I did a trap and release on a raccoon (pic added) [View all] Aerows Mar 2015 OP

Given your history with raccoons, this was a great step to take Gothmog Mar 2015 #1

I do the best I can Aerows Mar 2015 #9

Relocation is the right way to go Gothmog Mar 2015 #116

I would never spare one. murielm99 Mar 2015 #2

And kittens grow up to kill birds, baby ones too. Cleita Mar 2015 #6

I understand what you're saying... JohnnyRingo Mar 2015 #80

Cats kill squirrels too. And in much the same fashion. Smarmie Doofus Mar 2015 #92

I've never had a cat that could catch a squirrel. JohnnyRingo Mar 2015 #118

How much do cats kill? F4lconF16 Mar 2015 #120

No they don't. Cats kill out of sheer joy. Drahthaardogs Mar 2015 #124

Yikes! JohnnyRingo Mar 2015 #126

You have never lived in an area Aerows Mar 2015 #133

I'm just not made that way. Aerows Mar 2015 #10

Thank you. 840high Mar 2015 #108

Sure, that's why we don't leave our pets out overnight here in the interface zone Hekate Mar 2015 #37

+1. Raccoons are vicious, and seem to enjoy killing other animals. closeupready Mar 2015 #51

Oh, if Racoons were big enough they would kill people. Enthusiast Mar 2015 #128

Thank goodness you are the cause of killing nothing. n/t flvegan Mar 2015 #107

You're a good person Aerows. Dam that is a big raccoon! Rex Mar 2015 #3

She was freaking huge Aerows Mar 2015 #13

Just be careful my friend. Rex Mar 2015 #14

I am Aerows Mar 2015 #19

My college fraternity had a dog who fought raccoons MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #101

I saw a cat-sized one in Queens, NYC once. nt LiberalElite Mar 2015 #134

Wow, I'm seriously impressed Warpy Mar 2015 #4

I called animal control Aerows Mar 2015 #12

Uh, I'll keep the bears, thanks. Warpy Mar 2015 #21

I'd prefer bears, too Aerows Mar 2015 #22

We are in no need of bears Aerows Mar 2015 #67

Once a bear finds a meal, he/she WILL come back. bvar22 Mar 2015 #33

Well, salvage the steaks, I understand they can be quite good Warpy Mar 2015 #49

I wish the bears Aerows Mar 2015 #66

Out of curiosity, Jenoch Mar 2015 #69

We live in far western/central Arkansas in the OUachita Mountains, just a few miles from Oklahoma. bvar22 Mar 2015 #95

Many years ago we were Jenoch Mar 2015 #102

We once had a rampaging Newfoundland in our neigborhood (had to weigh 185+) SoCalDem Mar 2015 #123

I had two 40+ lbs. raccoons Aerows Mar 2015 #130

Thanks for being kind to the wildlife! herding cats Mar 2015 #5

It isn't. n/t Aerows Mar 2015 #17

I always knew you were awesome n/t cherokeeprogressive Mar 2015 #7

Thank you Aerows Mar 2015 #16

Good for you. We do the same for raccoons and skunks too. Cleita Mar 2015 #8

We don't have skunks around here Aerows Mar 2015 #11

It's a he, my son in law. Cleita Mar 2015 #26

We did a live trap to catch a coyote that had been killing our chickens newfie11 Mar 2015 #15

I took it about 30 miles away Aerows Mar 2015 #20

Relocating wildlife is generally a bad idea, and possibly illegal Travis_0004 Mar 2015 #53

I could just kill them all Aerows Mar 2015 #76

Because they may have babies in the spring that are then abandonded to die, they don't know where uppityperson Mar 2015 #77

I made a choice Aerows Mar 2015 #86

I understand and have had raccoon problems also. I was going to trap and relocate until our fish uppityperson Mar 2015 #88

What is a better solution? Aerows Mar 2015 #94

It depends on where you live, why they are hanging around. uppityperson Mar 2015 #97

Thank you Aerows Mar 2015 #112

I have one of three options. Aerows Mar 2015 #98

Why are there raccoons in your area? Serious question. Are they there for food, are neighbors uppityperson Mar 2015 #100

There is a wooded area very close to my home Aerows Mar 2015 #114

I found interesting info on Mississippi and raccoons, companies that specialize in dealing with uppityperson Mar 2015 #103

Kind of pathetic and grimly hilarious that homo "sapiens" would call anything else a "nuisance" villager Mar 2015 #104

I wasn't killing, just packing its bags and moving it before all the babies came. Aerows Mar 2015 #115

I hope it is somewhere it can find enough food and not bug other people. uppityperson Mar 2015 #117

I released it near some wetlands Aerows Mar 2015 #119

She sat on the porch, in the trap Aerows Mar 2015 #110

The other option here is the State Trapper newfie11 Mar 2015 #127

Nice job! Raccoons are people too. GoneFishin Mar 2015 #18

Starkraven & I have been living in the woods of the Arkansas Mountains for 10 years now. bvar22 Mar 2015 #23

Raccoons destroy your garden Aerows Mar 2015 #25

---but the little ones are soo cute... bvar22 Mar 2015 #27

Neither can my cat. F4lconF16 Mar 2015 #121

I have a raccoon story. rhett o rick Mar 2015 #24

Mamma liked it at your house! Laffy Kat Mar 2015 #29

Where I live (California) Mr.Bill Mar 2015 #28

Slower death sentence central scrutinizer Mar 2015 #30

Most of the wild life people around here say the same: bvar22 Mar 2015 #34

You and I are horrible people Aerows Mar 2015 #44

Neither can I. 840high Mar 2015 #109

Well I guess Aerows Mar 2015 #43

It is sad when the options are all bad, isn't it? uppityperson Mar 2015 #79

Thank you for what you did for the raccoon. And for starting a thread for raccoon stories.<G> jtuck004 Mar 2015 #31

I've relocated several rabbits, eating my garden to nubs. Thor_MN Mar 2015 #32

How did you trap the rabbits? bvar22 Mar 2015 #35

Apple slices worked for me Aerows Mar 2015 #45

Live trap with salad type scraps Thor_MN Mar 2015 #48

I've tried those many times, bvar22 Mar 2015 #55

My local rabbits must be less discerning. or less smart. Thor_MN Mar 2015 #58

I released a Cooper's Hawk last week from my chicken coop... WheelWalker Mar 2015 #36

Our dogs hate raccoons with a fiery passion. hunter Mar 2015 #38

You're a nice person, Aerows. Hekate Mar 2015 #39

My cat jingles hers Aerows Mar 2015 #47

Good on ya, Aerows!... TeeYiYi Mar 2015 #40

excellent heaven05 Mar 2015 #41

My Dad taught me to do this, too...as well as with Possums BeatleBoot Mar 2015 #42

Thank you madokie Mar 2015 #46

Your story reminds me of the time two DNR trucks were parked outside Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #50

Did they change plans??? Or did you guys just swap bears every few months? Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #56

I think they both headed due north & dropped their bear off somewhere near Tomahawk. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #60

And what do the Tomahawk folks do with THEIR problem bears? n/t Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #61

There's always the Upper Peninsula. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #65

hey now. Jackpine.... irisblue Mar 2015 #113

I thought we'd be doing you a favor. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #125

Perhaps the bears got used to the transport service, and when they wanted to visit their cousins Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #57

Could be. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #63

Bear equivalent of a Carnival Cruise??? n/t Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #68

Here's what a trailer-mounted culvert trap looks like. Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #70

How do they release them?? That would seem to be the hard part. Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #73

See the cable winch on the side? Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #81

I think I would not volunteer for this job. n/t Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #82

Well, OK. How 'bout something in moose control then? Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #90

Well, OK. How 'bout something in moose control then? Jackpine Radical Mar 2015 #91

OH.MY.GOD. Brave is an understatement! Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #93

I caught a raccoon in my attic the other day Poiuyt Mar 2015 #52

That's a very substantial raccoon!!! Yo_Mama Mar 2015 #54

I carted her to some damp woods Aerows Mar 2015 #78

Poke? MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #99

Added a pic Aerows Mar 2015 #59

I've got a couple living in my backyard but never had a problem with them ErikJ Mar 2015 #62

Raccoons in my area are both intellegent Aerows Mar 2015 #64

Message auto-removed Name removed Mar 2015 #71

I'm not a vegetarian Aerows Mar 2015 #72

Aerows CatWoman Mar 2015 #74

I do my best. Aerows Mar 2015 #132

k&r... spanone Mar 2015 #75

Nice bhikkhu Mar 2015 #83

I'm a nurse and took care of a kid in central Florida tavernier Mar 2015 #84

look at those lil hands Liberal_in_LA Mar 2015 #85

Thanks for doing right thing. Vattel Mar 2015 #87

More photos Aerows Mar 2015 #89

I'm impressed malaise Mar 2015 #135

I have people in this very thread Aerows Mar 2015 #136

You need a one word answer for them malaise Mar 2015 #137

You did a good thing. TDale313 Mar 2015 #96

I trapped 2 possums last year benld74 Mar 2015 #105

Oppossums Aerows Mar 2015 #138

yikes man. You be brave after what they did to you. Be careful out there. lonestarnot Mar 2015 #106

My friend uses marijuana cookies AgingAmerican Mar 2015 #111

I would not have guesses that. I'll pass it along. nt F4lconF16 Mar 2015 #122

They come to our compost pile spinbaby Mar 2015 #129

Raccoons are mostly crepuscular Aerows Mar 2015 #131