Coon Hunting Info

a website for all coon hunters out there

How To Get Rid Of Coons

Raccoon problems can become really annoying if you avoid them for a longer period of time. These animals can cause serious damage. In cities, raccoons usually damage buildings (mostly roofs and attics) as well as fruit trees, gardens, garbage cans, lawns and trash containers. Also, if they find pet food which is left outside, they will steal the food and attack the pets. In some situations, these animals will establish a "communal toilet area" which in time will result in a deposition of a big number of scats.

In rural zones, raccoons usually get their meal from farm crops or raid poultry houses. These animals typically attack birds by biting their heads or in their neck zone. The heads of the animals which are bitten by raccoons are usually left at distance from the bodies. Nevertheless, raccoons are known to be serious wild bird killers. The latest reports indicate that these animals are responsible for eliminating some populations of the nesting waterfowl.

Due to the fact that the wildlife animals which roam free don't receive any veterinary care, all these wildlife creatures can carry (and in most cases they do) diseases and parasites. When it comes down to raccoons, they are known to carry rabies, canine distemper, tularemia, tuberculosis, mange, roundworms and many others. Also, these animals are infested with fleas, lice, ticks and mites which are well-known for transmitting a large number of diseases (small children and pets can be affected) .

Raccoons can and usually cause a lot of problems - there are a few ways to prevent them. Most of you know that raccoons are attracted to the urban zones due to the fact that they can easily find food, water and a place to sleep. By reducing or eliminating all of the mentioned factors, you will encourage these animals to leave. Here are a few things that you should do:
Tight fitting lids should be kept on garbage cans.
Pets should be fed during the daylight hours and any leftovers shouldn't be left there, remove them instantly.
Water bowls during the night should be emptied or taken inside.
Gardens must be frequently harvested and windfall fruit picked up.
When it comes down to food, it should never be left out on purpose for the wild mammals.

A good way to exclude raccoons from buildings is to cover the foundation vents with metal vent covers; and for attic vents or chimneys it is advisable to use a 1/2 inch grid screening. Many homes in the United States have a pet door, be sure to lock it during the night. Raccoons are known to take up residence under a low deck. If you don't want this to happen a wise decision would be to use a 1/2 inch grid screening or if you don't like this option you have the alternative of using solid metal flashing - before you seal the last entry point, make sure there are no animals trapped inside the house, double check to be sure.

The night before completing repairs the very first thing you should do is sprinkle flour at the entrance flour and in the morning, check for tracks. Do this for 3 consecutive nights; if you don't find anything suspicious then there aren't any animals inside. A solution for keeping raccoons away from roof areas is by trimming tree branches 10 feet (approximately 3 meters) from the roof and also by keeping climbing plants trimmed away from the roof and also the eave areas.

To prevent any losses, the most effective method is to exclude raccoons from coops and poultry yards. During the night, the poultry is advisable to be kept in raccoon-proof houses. Ideally, the poultry should be confined day and also night in a solid house in combination with a predator-proof outdoor run area. This is ideal because it also provides protection from all other predators.

In most of the cases, raccoons don't break through walls that are intact and in perfect condition. They usually enter in open places or weak and loose ones, in other words, they don't like to make any effort getting in, they prefer the easiest way available. To protect poultry from raccoons you should do the following things: first of all, you should cover the tops of outdoors runs with anything you can think of; for example with suitable paneling material. If you don't find this practical then, during the night, you should shut the poultry indoors. The next thing you can do is to repair absolutely all the holes you can find so the raccoons won't barge in. Also check the ground edges of coop for tightness because raccoons will probably dig under the fencing or they might enlarge the existing spaces. Last but not least, birds housed in plastic should be kept inside raccoon-proof buildings during the night.

The usage of a dog can prove to be very effective in some cases as well. Another thing regarding prevention of damages, this time about the damages to lawns and turf damage, is that raccoons should be encouraged to leave by controlling the subsoil insects that raccoons usually eat.

If raccoons are so numerous that they have become a serious pest it is highly indicated to kill them or at least catch & release them somewhere in the wild. Due to the fact that raccoons are classified as furbearers, a trapping license may be required before trying to trap any of these animals. In the urban zones, the most effective way to eliminate raccoon problems is by trapping them with baited cage traps. To avoid trapping the neighborhood cats it is advisable to use fruits, raw eggs or berries instead of the regular meat. To increase your chances you might want to use a wadded up piece of aluminum foil, this will make them curios and raise your chances for success.

All in all, it is highly indicated that you don't ignore these animals because at a first glance they might look innocent but the damages they can cause are very big. Taking precaution measures will give you a good night sleep.