Raccoons

[6768rogues]

I have a small dumpster beside my garage and it was dumped late last week. I was away for a couple of days, and when I returned I looked in the dumpster and there are two adult raccoons in it. I think they climbed in because it smelled like food and now cannot get out. We have a chronic problem with raccoons around here. I thought about shooting them, but the dumpster is heavy steel and the bullets might ricochet and who knows where they will end up going. I don't want to leave them to starve and freeze to death, but I don't want them around, either.

Animal control will not do anything if it is not a dog or a threat to personal safety. Ideas?

 

[trbomax]

bird shot.no ricochettes

 

[denis4x4]

Had the same problem. Used .22 shorts in a revolver.

 

[btbsandman]

I have a small dumpster beside my garage and it was dumped late last week. I was away for a couple of days, and when I returned I looked in the dumpster and there are two adult raccoons in it. I think they climbed in because it smelled like food and now cannot get out. We have a chronic problem with raccoons around here. I thought about shooting them, but the dumpster is heavy steel and the bullets might ricochet and who knows where they will end up going. I don't want to leave them to starve and freeze to death, but I don't want them around, either.

Animal control will not do anything if it is not a dog or a threat to personal safety. Ideas?

Leave a 2x4 in there at angle. The little things should climb up and out.

 

[JCQuick]

Woops better hope racoon doesn't see this she not fond of the killing part

I would vote for the escape plan give them a fighting chance

 

[SCscoutguy]

I would just shoot each in the head with a .22 LR. They are vermin and make a mess of just about everything they get into. You may be helping yourself out in the future taking out a breeding pair at once.

 

[rsieracki]

Leave a 2x4 in there at angle. The little things should climb up and out.

then sit in a lawn chair with your gun and make a sport of it

...when done skin the sonsofbitches n make a hat and maybe a racoonhide wrench roll... post pictures!

 

[6768rogues]

Leave a 2x4 in there at angle. The little things should climb up and out.

Raccoons dig under my porch, rip my porch screens, tear into everything outside and killed a kitten. I don't want them to escape. Maybe I will close the dumpster lid, park my truck out there, and run an exhaust hose into the dumpster.
They are not little things, they are twice the size of an adult cat.

 

[PCO6]

I had the same problem when we had some work done our house. Some of the contractor's crew threw the remains of their lunch into the dumpster in my driveway which wasn't very smart. I just put a 2"x6" "ramp" in it to allow the racoon to climb out. There was no point in killing one racoon. There's plenty more where he came from.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

They're NOT "vermin". Vermin are lice, fleas, cockroaches, rats.
Just leave a piece of wood for them to crawl out with.

Sport isn't shooting anything to me; but it's certainly not shooting animals trapped in a 4x8 metal container.

 

[rsieracki]

it was sarchasm... just like the "raccoon hide wrench rolls"

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Oops. Guess I missed that.

 

[rockwithjason]

They're NOT "vermin". Vermin are lice, fleas, cockroaches, rats.
Just leave a piece of wood for them to crawl out with.

Sport isn't shooting anything to me; but it's certainly not shooting animals trapped in a 4x8 metal container.

sez you dude. sport has nothing to do with it. you obviously have never had your attic or your shed torn all to hell by them.

 

[rsieracki]

Oops. Guess I missed that.

its alright... btw, pasadena cali or texas?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

California.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

sez you dude. sport has nothing to do with it. you obviously have never had your attic or your shed torn all to hell by them.

Don't call me dude, Dude!

Actually, I wasn't saying it was sport to shoot them, rsieracki was....but it was sarcasm I didn't get.

And no, "obviously" I haven't had them do jack to me...well, maybe turn over a trashcan or three - not a capital offense to me, they were hungry! They, nor do any animals, piss me off enough to be snippy with people I don't know on the internet about them.

 

[ietech]

Woops better hope racoon doesn't see this she not fond of the killing part

I would vote for the escape plan give them a fighting chance

I agree or use a live trap and the transport them to a location where they will do no harm to property. Maybe even leave them a little food so they can get a fair start in their new location.

 

[ietech]

bird shot.no ricocheted

no ricochet ---- well Maybe if you're lucky for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction -- that includes bird shot -- or the paint, rust, or dried garbage on the dumpster that is dislodged by some of the bird shot. Or maybe a broken ricocheted tooth from the victim in your right eye or maybe both eyes. GET a clue bird shot is not safe --- ask my eye.

 

[ishiboo]

Don't call me dude, Dude!

Actually, I wasn't saying it was sport to shoot them, rsieracki was....but it was sarcasm I didn't get.

And no, "obviously" I haven't had them do jack to me...well, maybe turn over a trashcan or three - not a capital offense to me, they were hungry! They, nor do any animals, piss me off enough to be snippy with people I don't know on the internet about them.

Vermin (or varmint[1] or varmit) is a term applied to various animal species regarded as pests or nuisances and especially to those associated with the carrying of disease.

Raccoons are cute, but they certainly are vermin in many circumstances. I'd much rather run into or have a skunk around than a bunch of raccoons.

 

[seagravedriver]

Perhaps a live trap? Some rental places have them. Very cute, very dirty animals. We have them in our rural neighborhood, (the elderly neighbors feed them heavily), and they are a hassle and aggressive. I have three kids, and I don't want them near them. Maybe relocate them to another place MILES away, or an eternity away. Just a thought.

 

[JasonTX]

Do not shoot into a steel container with corners at 90 degrees. Google "corner cube reflector" and you'll see why.

 

[SCscoutguy]

You could live trap them and then dump the trap into a 55 gallon drum filled with water to drown them that way you will not damage the pelt if you want to skin them. It is a pretty common thing to do around here. I don't care what anyone says they are vermin and around here they are no different than opossums,squirrels etc when it comes to killing them on sight.

 

[ajchien]

I think they're cute. Of course, they're not in my trash dumpster. Lol.

I'd use the 2x4 method to let them climb out. But then, that's because my lil sis is an animal lover and I'd never hear the end of it if I I'd done otherwise.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

ishiboo - I looked up vermin and cockroaches, mice, rats, lice, fleas were given as examples but it also mentioned "noxious, repulsive, " etc. I don't find racoons either noxious OR repulsive, but I get the inference which is kinda, if you don't like them you can call em vermin! By that standard there are a lot of PEOPLE I'd consider vermin, ha ha. Not really, but you get my drift: The definition is pretty subjective.

P.S. I also once saw a raccoon on a leash. It tried to crawl up my leg but the owner had had the front paws de-clawed...which save my leg probably, but also struck me as cruel somehow. The critter was certainly pretty and even friendly.

Anyway, we now return you to our regularly schedule raccoon haters convention

 

[bmwpower]

Wait for trash day?

 

[Delta74]

Gas the fuckers, do it with the truck cold, works faster, it is open season on them here, had one attack my dog, and yes they tear everything apart, is it cold? heartless? mean? i really dont care, they are a menace and a royal pain, put some poly over the top of the dumpster to help trap most of the exhaust, they will just go to sleep, and die painlessly it really is gently painless way to put them down, if you dont want to risk shooting them.

Poison can be cruel, shooting could cause alot of problems, and as for letting them out? they will breed,and then lots of little ones, and hungry mom around.

still got my Original authentic "**** skin hat " and have added to the collection over the years. that reminds me, need to put some grass hay out for the deer on the farm, the freezer is running low on meat.

 

[TreePointer]

I like allowing them to climb out on a 2x4 or similar.

In PA, were not supposed to kill any wild animal without a hunting/trapping license (and during the proper season) or other authorization. Relocating wild animals off your property (live trap) is also a no-no.

[Off the record, the three S'es often rule the day around here. Shoot, shovel, and shaddap.]

 

[HOTFR8]

I once had the same problem with Possums here and as they native it is illegal to kill them. I used to trap them and relocate them. I am sure they came back even after taking them and releasing them miles away.

 

[Al Bundy]

I like allowing them to climb out on a 2x4 or similar.

In PA, were not supposed to kill any wild animal without a hunting/trapping license (and during the proper season) or other authorization. Relocating wild animals off your property (live trap) is also a no-no.

[Off the record, the three S'es often rule the day around here. Shoot, shovel, and shaddap.]

So WTF are you supposed to do, let them take over your property? I don't kill anything for sport, in fact I don't even hunt, but if an animal is on my property being a nuisance it gets a .22 round to the head and a shallow grave.

 

[TapperMan]

I wouldn't allow raccoons to take up residence anywhere in close contact with people. They can carry a deadly brain parasite.

MN DNR: Field Notes: Raccoons Carry Deadly Parasite

 

[PCO6]

I wouldn't allow raccoons to take up residence anywhere in close contact with people. They can carry a deadly brain parasite.

MN DNR: Field Notes: Raccoons Carry Deadly Parasite

That's the answer. We had problems with racoons in our chimney and our shed. We had the roof reshingled last fall and had the chimney removed while they were at it. We put in a high efficiency furnace a few years ago so the chimney wasn't needed. There are certainly simpler ways of protecting your chimney but ours eliminated the problem all together. We also trimmed the trees well back so they can't get onto the house and shed roof as easily. I also pour wolf urine around the base of some trees when I see (or think) they have been around. We haven't had any problems for a while ... although I'm not saying we won't.

 

[jhelrey]

Throw garbage in there so they won't starve... and eventually they will get out or be relocated to another nice facility with much more food. Think buffet.

 

[no2tracks]

+1 They're vermin. Kill 'em and dispose of them.

 

[ptschram]

as cute as they are, they carry multiple diseases including rabies.

They are dangerous to house pets, will **** and piss in your garage/shop (although my shop cats sometimes do the same) and can be very destructive.

There are plenty of them out there and killing two of them will not endanger the population in general.

.22 shorts/CB caps, subsonic will do them in humanely with less risk of ricochet.

As for birdshot, I used to shoot ***** with a gentleman who lost an eye from a pellet ricocheting off a clay pigeon.

 

[trbomax]

no ricochet ---- well Maybe if you're lucky for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction -- that includes bird shot -- or the paint, rust, or dried garbage on the dumpster that is dislodged by some of the bird shot. Or maybe a broken ricocheted tooth from the victim in your right eye or maybe both eyes. GET a clue bird shot is not safe --- ask my eye.

What I would really do is put a ramp from the outside in,then turn the husky loose. When she was done with them the count would be 5 so far this year.Those bastards get in the attics of my barns and destroy everything, includeing wireing. They teardown the birdfeeders knock down the sweet corn in summer and as far as I'm concerned, good sport for the husky.

I was trying to be politically correct with the birdshot comment.

 

[Rte66Charlie]

Truck exhaust. Nice sleep they never wake up from. All you racoon huggers just pick one of these furry little bastards up and actually HUG it and see how that works out for you.

Sorry Ricky and Ronnie Racoon, you were stupid, we're cleaning the racoon gene pool, and, sad for you, you're in the shallow end.

 

[Falcon67]

After watching a PBS program on their movements into urban areas and the damage they do, yes - kill 'em off. They carry disease, they are immensely destructive and have little in the way of natural predators in urban areas, other than cars.

 

[Kevin54]

Around here if you have a '**** that's a nuisance, the Game Warden will just shoot it. He told me that a large number of them carry distemper and you sure don't want the dog getting that.

My vote....shoot them!!!

 

[Jagmandave]

OK, so OP, what did you do with the raccoons?

 

[cashishift]

if you want to release them.. toss a board in there, they'll crawl right out.