Stranger in the garage!

[TreePointer]

I was going to stack firewood today (honestly, I was), but the stranger in the garage took up my free time.

We had gone away for a five day weekend and came home to a messy garage. Bottles, boxes, supplies, and paper products had been strewn across the floor. We found a couple broken glass vases and chewed up plywood and garage door trim. Even the metal floor drain had been removed from the drain pipe. The raccoon even got into an unopened package of rat poison blocks! Thankfully, the Huskee 35-ton seemed to be untouched, but I'll check over the engine tomorrow to ensure it's healthy.

Last night I tried to shoot the critter with the ol' Marlin 60, but I couldn't get a decent kill shot that was also safe, so I gave up, closed the bay door, and went to bed. Oh, and it's a three car garage that can only fit two cars because the rest is messy storage (another project I'll get to someday :blush with plenty of places for a raccoon to hide.

Today, I went to Lowes and got my first Havahart trap (32"x10"x12"). TSC had some other brand, but they didn't seem as easy to use as the Havahart.

Next, I hopped across the highway to Walmart and bought the smallest, least expensive, and what I thought would be the stinkiest can of cat food in the store. OMG, this "whitefish and tuna" blend stunk up my entire house, but I managed to bait the trap. Two hours later, I noticed a metallic clanging noise coming from the garage...

Critter in the garage!

Critter outside the garage:

Critter in front of three giant pin oaks (What you all really wanted to see, LOL):

 

[Bigrod]

If you let him go he will be back later. Best to dispose of him while ya can.

 

[Circle B MN]

Looks like he's ready to go for a swim...

 

[AIM]

If you let him go he will be back later. Best to dispose of him while ya can.

I'll agree with that...

I've gotten a few over the years. Once they find a bit of food, they'll keep coming back till they find lead.

 

[KD57]

Yep, I think a coonskin cap is in order here. Let him go, and he will return w/ his buddies. I know this for a fact, lol.

 

[RAMROD48]

Where are the "critter on ice", "critter on grill", and "critter on plate" pics?

 

[Stihlofadeal64]

Where are the "critter on ice", "critter on grill", and "critter on plate" pics?

YEAH! I love animals, right beside my baked beans and potatoes! Find him a new home in the ground, or elsewhere. They may even decide to reproduce at your house, then you'll be in over your head...don't ask me how I know.

 

[Pain Cow]

Try to reason with the raccoon, and if that doesn't work impose sanctions. If that doesn't work, leave your garage door open so everything can come and go as it pleases, and if that doesn't work, bow to the raccoon and all of it's friends while apologizing for building your garage.

 

[benp]

Try to reason with the raccoon, and if that doesn't work impose sanctions. If that doesn't work, leave your garage door open so everything can come and go as it pleases, and if that doesn't work, bow to the raccoon and all of it's friends while apologizing for building your garage.

Don't forget the stern letter....

 

[blackdogon57]

Those traps work great on racoons. I like to leave an open can of tuna in there for bait - they seem to like it.

When I catch them I like to think back over the last few months or years of people who have done me wrong and have not been paid back. I like to pay such people back by " re-homing" racoons on or near their property. The only kicker is they must live a good distance from me so they do not return to my garbage bins. I realize it seems kind of childish but it keeps a smile on my face all the way home after dropping them off.

If you can't think of anyone that you need to pay back - call a buddy. This method usually lands a case of beer on my doorstep after the deed is done.

 

[woodbooga]

supper at treepointer's!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Try to reason with the raccoon, and if that doesn't work impose sanctions. If that doesn't work, leave your garage door open so everything can come and go as it pleases, and if that doesn't work, bow to the raccoon and all of it's friends while apologizing for building your garage.

:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

Those traps work great on racoons. I like to leave an open can of tuna in there for bait - they seem to like it.

When I catch them I like to think back over the last few months or years of people who have done me wrong and have not been paid back. I like to pay such people back by " re-homing" racoons on or near their property. The only kicker is they must live a good distance from me so they do not return to my garbage bins. I realize it seems kind of childish but it keeps a smile on my face all the way home after dropping them off.

If you can't think of anyone that you need to pay back - call a buddy. This method usually lands a case of beer on my doorstep after the deed is done.

Sofa King Awesome!



.

 

[skmag357]

now all you need is a .22 to the head:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[kd460]

Call these people and ask them to dispose of it for you, or invite them over for "the barbeque" KD

http://www.peta.org/about/c-contact.asp

 

[banshee67]

oh come on.. hes trapped, you dont have to shoot him!

why not just drive him away from your house 10 miles and release him

 

[BigE]

oh come on.. hes trapped, you dont have to shoot him!

why not just drive him away from your house 10 miles and release him

I live across the road from a big field that borders the highway, conveniently near a wide pull-off area. It's "way out in the country". I can promise you that relocating these animals just gives the problem to someone else. Once they discover that food can be found near houses, they'll never stop coming back.

Rumor has it, though, that if you leave a dead 'coon in your forest near your house, they won't come back for a long time. I wouldn't know anything about that, though.

 

[banshee67]

sorry, i guess thats just the inner-hippy in me
i cant even kill stink-bugs when i catch them inside, anything other than a spider or tick, i try to catch it and release it outside alive.
im weird, i know

i was taking a dump in the woods last week while working, and there was an injured little bird on the ground about 10 feet away, i called my buddy who i thought was real into wildlife , and he said to smash its head with a rock and put it out of its misery, i didnt have the heart to do it.. he was limping around on the ground, both his wings seemed to be ok, so i left him there surrounded by other little birds that seemed like they were ready to attack me if i didnt leave the injured one alone, i hope he made it. i am a weirdo when it comes to living things.

 

[1harlowr]

Use peanut butter as bait instead of tuna. Coons smell it and are attracted just as much to it as tuna. Doesn't smell up the garage. Will catch fewer cats with peanut butter also, not that trapping cats is a bad idea. Cats just flop more after being dispatched than a coon opcorn:

 

[Kingsley]

Vermon! Kill it. I like animals too, but there are plenty, scratch that, too many racoons. and squirels, rabbits, mice, rats, crows, sparrows, insects, other annoying pests etc.