Raccoons - Urban Warriors

[Faiaoga]

An interesting article concerning raccoons and their impacts on humans is in Slate magazine yesterday (September 30, 2016) in the Science section. Article is by Libby Copeland.
"Perfect Little Urban Warriors" discusses the problem of urban and suburban raccoons and explains why their control is very difficult. www.slate.com in Science

I enjoy contact with nature, even in towns and suburban areas, but animal control seems to be a public safety need that is now being neglected. It seems to be a good article.

[kyratshooter]

I am not going to click on a Slate article and make then think I believe or support anything they say.

If they know as little about raccoon as anything else they dwell on it is flawed and useless information.

[madmax]

I've got a four legged coon killer that hates... I mean HATES coons. He has scars and stinks to high heaven when he gets hold of one. So far Max wins. Coons lose.

[kyratshooter]

I have raccoons to thank for my trip into the world of night vision and illuminated rifle scopes.

Technology has come a long way.

[WolfVanZandt]

Heh.

I hosted a camp out once and, during it, we decided to go on a a hike. We placed our white bread into a cooler (white bread is like crack to raccoons), strapped it shut with bungee cords, placed another loaded cooler on top, and placed a big rock on top of that.

When we returned, there were bread wrappers all over the place, the big rock was sitting nicely to the side (it wasn't rolled off - it was a little distance from the bottom cooler), the other cooler was placed upright to the side, the bungee cords were off, and the lower cooler was open and empty.

Southern coons can pick locks.

They're all over northern Alabama. The SEHowl started out at Buck's Pocket in northeastern Alabama. One night, we were all around the campfire and we heard a noise in the kitchen area. When we looked, a little furry head popped up from behind the piles of food. Korak jumped up and bolted, roaring, after the thief who ran and jumped into the creek. He thought he had escaped. He didn't recon on the blue heron that had a nest on the island in the creek. In the dark, we heard a horrendous racket as the bird attacked the raccoon. By the sound of it, the coon made it to the other side, but he didn't come back.

The SEHowl, for the last few years, was situated in northwestern Alabama. We went on many supply runs and trips to hiking paths and the campers noticed that all the trash cans were in cages with locks. Of course, that was because - raccoons.

I ferry my household to their respective jobs and I was driving Coyote back home yesterday and he jumped and said, 'Wow! That's the biggest raccoon I've ever seen. That thing was the size of a big dog!" I missed that one. Evidently the raccoons around here are quite healthy.

[madmax]

Yep southern coons have opened our coolers more than once and helped themselves. They stole our water jugs once on an Everglades trip. That was PM. Pre-Max.

[Rick]

At one of the jamborees we had a coon infiltrate our lines. One of the members (no names mentioned, right oldsoldier?) grabbed an AR and covered the rest of us. As far as we know no technology was stolen and all members were accounted for the next morning. We did have a scare about 3 a.m. when Hoosier Archer stating yelling and screaming. We thought sure the raccoon had him. Turns out it was a bad dream.

[crashdive123]

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[hunter63]

In preparation,.... for a trip into rocky raccoon county....I had picked up metal clad coolers....and installed sheet metal self taping screws.
Had to change sized and they figured out they were 1/4 drive.....switched to 5/16 .....but I sure if I go back there they will have added a complete set of nut drivers.

[kyratshooter]

I set up camp in a big TN state park many years back. I was alone and decided to do some reading under the Coleman lamp.

A big coon came out of the darkness and climbed onto the bench on the other side of the table, looked around, checked out the stove to see about leftovers, found none and returned to the woods.

A couple of years ago I was camping with the Natertot family and the coons nearly chased us out of Ohio!

[WolfVanZandt]

One of our receptionists went outside one morning and found a big, fat raccoon sitting on her trashcan so she got a broom and brandished it at him. He looked at her like she was crazy. Then she got her shovel. We also have our warriors.

[WalkingTree]

Dem derned ole coons.

[Faiaoga]

I can remember a 1968 Beatles release about Rocky Raccoon. One fellow I shared a tent with enjoyed playing and playing it .......over and over and over and over again

[NJHeart2Heart]

A gentler side of coons...
Took this on a dusky rainy early evening this past Friday...

https://youtu.be/ger5g56hzYY

[Rick]

Gentler side?! He's clearly testing trip wires and claymore mines. They ain't comin' through the swamp. That much is for certain. But, hey, let 'em try.

[WolfVanZandt]

Ever give a coon cotton candy? It's both hilarious and heartrending at the same time.

[Rick]

You are just a cruel, cruel man.

[NJHeart2Heart]

Gentler side?! He's clearly testing trip wires and claymore mines. They ain't comin' through the swamp. That much is for certain. But, hey, let 'em try.

LOL Now that I think of it, he could have been checking stuff

[NJHeart2Heart]

Aww.. poor coonhead! mean cotton candy! Soo true though.. I wanted to cry.. but couldn't because I was giggling too much!

[hunter63]

That was cruel.......LOL
Probably told this story before.....
Guy at our factory stopped me one day....says he know I hunt and if I could sell him a couple of 12ga. shells.
Had a raccoon problem.......live in town......So I just gave him a couple or rounds of #6 shot and wished him well....

Couple of week goes by....no word of what happened.
So I stopped and asked him......(Now imagine the conversation heavy Polish accent)

Says, ......
On No, I will never do that again......Coon come to porch.....opens the bird food can and starts eating..... out side the patio door.
So, I sitting in dark, ready for the little crook......I get ready...he see's me more and runs.....I shoot.

I shoot hole in screen door.....hit pool, leaking, and siding on garage...cost $200 for damage.....SOB.
Neighbor call cops....then come over....take the other shell....Tell me, No ever do that again......I not.

I don't know if he just fed them after that... but wasn't gonna try THAT again.