Coons dancing on the roof!

[Mark W.]

We woke up a couple nights ago with 6 Racoons dancing around on our garage/carport roof. This being right outside our bedroom window was slightly annoying. A little RED RYDER BB gun managed to break up the party.

Now the wife would very much like me to Coon Proof the roof and access to said roof top party room. (This is only the latest party there have been quite a few smaller parties over the last couple years)

We have a large Maple tree they can climb up, they can also climb up the cedar fence and pass across a lean to roof to reach the garage/carport roof. And they have even climbed up the back corner of the house passing over the second floor deck to reach the main house roof.

This is all on the North side of the house which has not had the siding upgraded yet ( I am slowly remodeling the house exterior and using a smooth surface Hardie plank). Some of the siding on the section below the second floor deck is old shiplap that gives them good purchase for their little hands.

I have been thinking about getting some chicken wire and making a 6" diameter tube to staple along the side of the house and fence sections to keep them from passing. The wrapping the trunk of the tree with some loose layers of chicken wire for a foot or so.

The advantage to the chicken wire roll is that it will be easy to remove when I get around to the North wall with the Hardie plank.

The Northside of my house can not be seen from the street nor any of the neighbors windows. So the curb appeal won't be effected.

Options I can't consider include Shooting them. I live in town and have very close nieghbors so no safe backstop should a coon not stop the slug. Poison, to many cats etc in the neighborhood. Trapping and relocation, I don't have a fur trappers license and don't want to mess with the hassle. Nor do I have a trap large enough.

Any other options I should consider.

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[deadeye]

This is a good time of year to get the holloween motion activated stuff. There is also a motion activated sprinkler as well as using a motion light socket as a plug in for a radio.


Edit: May also want to use some fear tactics by using predator scents...http://www.huntmdown.com/varmint_repellents.html

 

[Mark W.]

This is a good time of year to get the holloween motion activated stuff. There is also a motion activated sprinkler as well as using a motion light socket as a plug in for a radio.


Edit: May also want to use some fear tactics by using predator scents...Varmint Repellents @ www.huntmdown.com

Hey I never thought of that I could rub my neighbors Shih Tzu's arse all over the North side of the house. I doubt they can smell how big she is LOL. I do the other neighbors lab but I doubt I could hold it up long enough to do the 30' wall.

Seriously I will look into a scent option.

 

[FMJ 911]

My Dad hates Racoons, they used to attack my cats.

Poor old Whiskers Kitty,he was an Honorable defender.

 

[2506]

Airsoft or the trusty Daisy Red Ryder. That's what I use to ward off the little terrorists.

 

[Cougfan2]

What a marvelous night for a coon dance, with the moon shining brightly above.



Sorry. I couldn't help myself.

 

[mjbskwim]

I have used a Gamo pellet gun with very good results.Very acurate and 1000 fps
The new ones are a round 1200+.They do the job

Nothing much will keep them from their "party" spot,since more than likely the party is for the same thing we have parties for (sex?) The will climb what ever you put up.
A nice Jack Russel would work wonders.
Interesting you said they attack the cats.I have heard from friends,that their 'coons avoid their cats.But I would guess push come to shove the cat's done.

I still say kill the little bastards

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I don't think you need a trappers license to use a live trap to catch them on your own property. Any hound hunter would be happy to dispose of them for you.

 

[gunnails]

Coons are rodents, should not need any permission or license to depose of them. Please someone correct me if I am wrong.

Large garbage can 1/2 full of water smear peanut butter on the rim and pour peanuts and sunflower seeds over the water to form a layer. make it easy for them to get to the garbage can rim from the out side, Dig hole in the back yard and empty can, then repeat.

 

[Mark W.]

Coon hound hunters LOL My lot is 57.5' x 105' my house covers 80% of that surface area. Where would the Coon dogs be running LOL

Actually Racoon are NOT Rodents. They are from the Order Carnivora not the Order Rodentia they are more related to Bears Cats Dogs and Seals then Mice and Rats.

In Oregon Racoons are a Fur bearing animal and as such do fall under those regulations. That said yes if they are pests they can be reloacted using live traps.

 

[MA Duce]

Sounds like from the size of your lot that a claymore is out........

 

[deadeye]

Sounds like from the size of your lot that a claymore is out........

He did say he was remodeling.........

 

[jbett98]

Look on Craigslist for a used Hava-Hart large animal trap. Use some dry cat food in a tuna can. Take the coon a least four miles away. Always put some newspaper under the trap when transporting them because they can carry infectious diseases in there feces. Pray that you don't trap a skunk.

 

[sadiesassy]

I do not know - My experience - once I removed the source for them coming - they left.
Reason for them coming - bird food we hung in a tree next to the house.
We did put up a little chciken wire between the house and tree.
Chased one racoon around the roof til it finally jumped down 15 ft.
NO problems after remove source and harrassing them.

You could put a little food at the neighbors house. let them move to the next house.

 

[Burt Gummer]

One of my neighbors at my old office had a healthy, big Pitt Bull that attacked a Coon that came into their yard. It took the Coon under two minutes to leave the Pitt bleeding to death. It died a few minutes later. The Coon stopped to get the snack it was after before departing. They are no joke. They hang on with their teeth and arms then gut their victim with their Velociraptor-type rear claws. Kind of what a house cat does but x100. I always give them a wide berth.

This is a great PDF on them. Shows how to stop them from climbing onto roofs, up trees, etc - http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/raccoons.pdf

 

[Mark W.]

In high school we had a Juvenal raccoon in our biology lab (the teacher had a collection permit) and one day someone dropped a regulation baseball in the cage for "Rocky" to play with. In less then 5 min Rocky had that baseball into its component parts a torn up leather skin and about 2 miles of string with some sort of hard rubber ball center. NO one EVER thought about putting their hands in that cage again.

 

[marty8587]

I have seen folks put about a 2' piece of sheet metal around trees so it's smooth and the racoons cannot get a grip to climb up. Coons are bad a$$es and will take down a dog most of the time. I did have 2 german shepherds that would double team and kill them though.