Thread: Raccoon Rascals

On Sep 4, 9:43*am, Terry Pulliam Burd <ntpull...@spambot.net> wrote:
> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
> with a raccoon!
>
> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>
> --
>
> To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

You could 'cage' your tomatoes.

On Sun, 4 Sep 2011 09:58:15 -0700 (PDT), ImStillMags
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sep 4, 9:43*am, Terry Pulliam Burd <ntpull...@spambot.net> wrote:
>> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
>> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
>> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
>> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
>> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
>> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
>> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
>> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
>> with a raccoon!
>>
>> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
>> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
>> else's problem.
>>
>> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>>
>> --
>>
>> To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"
>
>You could 'cage' your tomatoes.

Determined raccoons can circumvent a cage. My dog is apparently
keeping the raccoons away from the garden. The back yard is wire
fenced to keep the dog in. The raccoons have a nest of babies under
the neighbor's storage shed. They squeeze between the wire fence and
the wooden fence to leave their nest rather than come into our yard.
So I would recommend a dog. . .but then you still have to fence the
tomatoes because dogs are partial to them red or green. You are
really going to have to use your noodle on this one to be smarter than
the critters.
Janet US

On 9/4/2011 11:43 AM, Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
> with a raccoon!
>
> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.


Have you tried sprinkling the area around the tomatoes with dried blood.
You can buy it in a sack at the garden store. We used it to repel deer
in NJ.


--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 09:43:26 -0700, Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:

> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.

Sounds like you need a couple of fencea around your tomatoes. Inside
fence, four to five feet high chicken wire. Second fence, a two wire
electric fence just outside the chicken wire. One low wire about 10 - 14
inches off the ground. A second, higher. wire about 2.5 - 3.5 feet off
the ground.

Once they find a reliable food source they are VERY difficult to stop.
Live trap 'em - take 'em out of town and kill 'em. The only good racoon
is a dead racoon.


--
Nonsense. Purple never goes out of style.

On Sep 4, 9:43*am, Terry Pulliam Burd <ntpull...@spambot.net> wrote:
> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
> with a raccoon!
>
> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>
> --
>
> To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

You should call animal control as well.

On Sun, 4 Sep 2011 11:00:29 -0700 (PDT), ImStillMags
<[email protected]> wrote:

regarding raccoons
>You should call animal control as well.

Will animal control do something about them where you live? Around
here that is for cats and dogs. Fish and Game says you need to get a
private contractor and the raccoons must be let go on their home
ground or at a safe, approved place. . .no poisoning, shooting etc.
Janet US

On 9/4/2011 11:43 AM, Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
> with a raccoon!
>
> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>
> --
>
> To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"
Since they and skunks are known carriers of rabies, call animal control
in your town and see if they will live trap and relocate them. If not I
don't see anything in your future except an ultra quiet air gun.

Our city is a posted Wildlife Protected city. They won't even trap
critters for you but will loan you a HavaHeart trap and then you have to
get a state permit to "relocate" the critters. Quite honestly my Rat
Terrier pretty much keeps the squirrel and field rat population down but
I won't let her chase raccoons because of the rabies thing (even though
she is vaccinated). The coons I run off with a BB gun, scares the heck
out of them but doesn't harm them.

In article <[email protected]>,
Terry Pulliam Burd <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
> with a raccoon!
>
> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>
> --
>
> To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

Trap and kill, and keep your trap shut.

Or fence your yard and get a good dog.
--
Peace, Om
Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have
come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-- Mark Twain

In article <[email protected]>,
Terry Pulliam Burd <[email protected]> wrote:

> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
> with a raccoon!
>
> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>
> --
>
> To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

Ps, I'd not share a tomato with a raccoon had bitten in to.
Raccoons can carry rabies.
--
Peace, Om
Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have
come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-- Mark Twain

In article <j40djo$rp5$[email protected]>,
heyjoe <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 09:43:26 -0700, Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
>
> > Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> > which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> > else's problem.
>
> Sounds like you need a couple of fencea around your tomatoes. Inside
> fence, four to five feet high chicken wire. Second fence, a two wire
> electric fence just outside the chicken wire. One low wire about 10 - 14
> inches off the ground. A second, higher. wire about 2.5 - 3.5 feet off
> the ground.
>
> Once they find a reliable food source they are VERY difficult to stop.
> Live trap 'em - take 'em out of town and kill 'em. The only good racoon
> is a dead racoon.

I agree.
--
Peace, Om
Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have
come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-- Mark Twain

Il 04/09/2011 20:47, Janet Bostwick ha scritto:

>> regarding raccoons
>> You should call animal control as well.

> Will animal control do something about them where you live? Around
> here that is for cats and dogs. Fish and Game says you need to get a
> private contractor and the raccoons must be let go on their home
> ground or at a safe, approved place. . .no poisoning, shooting etc.
> Janet US

Does one have to give the raccon 10$, too, so it can buy some booze?
--
Vilco
And the Family Stone
Sei al secondo auting oggi.
Io foss'in te mi fermerei qui,

Terry Pulliam Burd <[email protected]> wrote:

>I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
>than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
>is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
>house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
>Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
>suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
>or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
>have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
>with a raccoon!
>
>Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
>which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
>else's problem.
>

I trap them *then* shoot them. But if you can't go that way, I
think Steve has had the best idea so far-- Look for liquid fence at a
garden store. I've had luck with the one for woodchucks and
rabbits. There should be a raccoon [and skunk and opossum,
hopefully] mix.

Wire fences-- unless you can completely enclose the garden, including
a cover, and a below ground barrier for the diggers, is futile against
coons-- and to a lesser extent possums [which would be my guess, BTW].
I've never had raccoons go after tomatoes [thank goodness!]. I quit
growing corn because I never got enough for a meal once those masked
marauders were done.

That's not completely true. The last year I grew corn, I surrounded
the corn patch with infra-red detecting light switches. If
anything came close to the corn after dark, lights went on & a radio
started blasting. I got a couple meals of corn that year & then the
cord came unplugged [raccoon or my carelessness?<g>].

I didn't notice the cord until I went out to the garden one day & saw
they had torn the whole patch apart again.

Jim

On Sep 4, 11:43*am, Terry Pulliam Burd <ntpull...@spambot.net> wrote:
> I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
> than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
> is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
> house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
> Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
> suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
> or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
> have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
> with a raccoon!
>
> Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
> which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
> else's problem.
>
> Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>
> --
>
> To reply, remove "spambot" and replace it with "cox"

We have raccoons, we also have coyotes and a dog. They ar very clever
and if cornered can kill a dog. I would forgoet about the tomatoes and
n4ext year plant them somewhere else.
Oh, could it be mice eating the tomatoes? I used to have mice do that.
If the tomatoes are ripe, the raccoons will eat them. They can
dismantle a bird feeder in a few minutes. They are cute, try to
ocncentrate on that.

On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:23:11 +0200, ViLco <[email protected]> wrote:

>Il 04/09/2011 20:47, Janet Bostwick ha scritto:
>
>>> regarding raccoons
>>> You should call animal control as well.
>
>> Will animal control do something about them where you live? Around
>> here that is for cats and dogs. Fish and Game says you need to get a
>> private contractor and the raccoons must be let go on their home
>> ground or at a safe, approved place. . .no poisoning, shooting etc.
>> Janet US
>
>Does one have to give the raccon 10$, too, so it can buy some booze?
Panhandlers are frowned upon in my city ;o)
The only reason I know this stuff is the crazy woman that owned the
house behind us rebuilt an old one story ranch to 2 stories plus tower
at a cost of $450,000. She was too cheap or stupid to cut back the
trees that grew close to her new house. Being crazy and soon bored,
she toddled of to California and began living there and left this
house unoccupied for 6 years. We used to see the raccoons having a
wonderful time on her roof. Well they gained entrance, had families
and did some renovating of their own. They didn't care for the carpet
and a wall was in the way, so they tore them up. They had their own
ideas about bathroom facilities as well.

When the woman was finally forced to get a tenant in because neighbors
were complaining about the disrepair, she found that she needed to do
$10,000 worth of repair. She also had to hire a contractor to trap
and remove about a dozen raccoons. We talked with the contractor and
he was the one that told us the restrictions.

A couple of years later, we found a dead raccoon at our lower steps.
We called Fish and Game because they were concerned about some disease
getting in the animal population at that time. Fish and Game did an
necropsy and later told us the animal had been poisoned. We had to
make out flyers and distribute to neighbors informing them that it was
against the law to poison or shoot wild animals within the city
limits.
Janet US

On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 09:43:26 -0700, Terry Pulliam Burd
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
>than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
>is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
>house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
>Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
>suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
>or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
>have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
>with a raccoon!
>
>Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
>which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
>else's problem.
>
>Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
You know what? My daughter (in a south eastern state) just told me
that the squirrels are biting into her tomatoes. She's seen them.
She's also seen them carry them up her oak tree.
Good luck
Janet US

On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 14:00:21 -0600, Janet Bostwick
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 09:43:26 -0700, Terry Pulliam Burd
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I've posted this in another forum, but figure two forums are better
>>than one, so here's to the gardeners/critter control specialists: This
>>is the first year I've planted tomatoes in the side yard of our new
>>house. Never had any problem with critters getting at my tomatoes in
>>Colorado or even back in Indiana, but I've narrowed the field of
>>suspects down to raccoons. They don't seem to be affected by bone meal
>>or Repel's All. I have yet to picked a nice fat better boy that didn't
>>have teeth marks in it - and I won't eat a tomato that's been shared
>>with a raccoon!
>>
>>Any ideas other than trapping them or shooting them, the latter of
>>which is illegal in my town, and the former just makes them someone
>>else's problem.
>>
>>Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
>You know what? My daughter (in a south eastern state) just told me
>that the squirrels are biting into her tomatoes. She's seen them.
>She's also seen them carry them up her oak tree.
>Good luck
>Janet US

Squirrels go after my tomatoes all the time. So do raccoons. And deer.
And possums.

On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:14:10 -0400, Boron Elgar
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 14:00:21 -0600, Janet Bostwick
><[email protected]> wrote:
snip

>>You know what? My daughter (in a south eastern state) just told me
>>that the squirrels are biting into her tomatoes. She's seen them.
>>She's also seen them carry them up her oak tree.
>>Good luck
>>Janet US
>
>Squirrels go after my tomatoes all the time. So do raccoons. And deer.
>And possums.

There is no public enemy number one, is there? My squirrels preferred
my winter squash (when I had some). They would nibble here and there.
Thieves and miscreants.
Janet US

On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 13:56:32 -0600, Janet Bostwick wrote:

We had to
> make out flyers and distribute to neighbors informing them that it was
> against the law to poison or shoot wild animals within the city
> limits.
> Janet US


That makes a lot of sense, NOT.

It's ok to poison and shoot them in the wilderness, just not in the city.

Ridiculous.


TFM®

On Sun, 4 Sep 2011 17:23:53 -0400, TFM® <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Sun, 04 Sep 2011 13:56:32 -0600, Janet Bostwick wrote:
>
> We had to
>> make out flyers and distribute to neighbors informing them that it was
>> against the law to poison or shoot wild animals within the city
>> limits.
>> Janet US
>
>
>That makes a lot of sense, NOT.
>
>It's ok to poison and shoot them in the wilderness, just not in the city.
>
>Ridiculous.
>
>
>TFM®

Children, domestic animals and other folks could get in the way of a
careless raccoon killer.
Janet US