Faye Fox
Well-known member
I knew I was out of line suggesting such gross violence, but I will say anything to get a treasured, "No NO Nanette!"
Raccoons, continued
- Thread starter Von Jones
- Start date
Faye Fox
Well-known member
I was hoping it wouldn't come down to this, but I have news you might not want to hear. It is well known among the Indian tribes that have dealt with raccoons for thousands of years, that even with all your knowledge of raccoons, you cannot outsmart them. The choice is simple, live in peace with them or kill them. If you chose to kill them, then you have to kill all of them.
We all know that crows and ravens are very smart birds with a five year memory. The raccoon is known in American Indian legend for outsmarting the ravens, that is how they got the rings on their tails. I conferred with my friend Charles Littleleaf, world famous American Indian flute maker and player. It is apparent you are at wits end and the raccoons are multiplying and mocking you.
Buy an Indian flute from an authentic maker, I recommend Charles, don either a coyote or wolf head hat, dress in real leather, and when the raccoons start their racket, take a counter posing stance and play Silent Night for starters, then follow that with traditional native tunes played before battle. Chances are the raccoons will get the message that they are dealing with someone that is tired of messing around and connected to the spirits of the past, that have no problem in taking their lives and wearing their hides as caps. It sounds like you have enough raccoons to make caps for yourself and all the grandkids and their best friends.
If you choose to order a flute from Charles, please explain to him your dilemma. He will make a raccoon head on your flute and can share lots of wisdom in dealing with raccoons. Granted your raccoons are on stolen land and his are on the rez, but be that as it may, the same plan of attack is necessary. Also he can recommend an authentic source for your new coyote head, raccoon skin outfit.
Very important 2 minute video to watch.
We all know that crows and ravens are very smart birds with a five year memory. The raccoon is known in American Indian legend for outsmarting the ravens, that is how they got the rings on their tails. I conferred with my friend Charles Littleleaf, world famous American Indian flute maker and player. It is apparent you are at wits end and the raccoons are multiplying and mocking you.
Buy an Indian flute from an authentic maker, I recommend Charles, don either a coyote or wolf head hat, dress in real leather, and when the raccoons start their racket, take a counter posing stance and play Silent Night for starters, then follow that with traditional native tunes played before battle. Chances are the raccoons will get the message that they are dealing with someone that is tired of messing around and connected to the spirits of the past, that have no problem in taking their lives and wearing their hides as caps. It sounds like you have enough raccoons to make caps for yourself and all the grandkids and their best friends.
If you choose to order a flute from Charles, please explain to him your dilemma. He will make a raccoon head on your flute and can share lots of wisdom in dealing with raccoons. Granted your raccoons are on stolen land and his are on the rez, but be that as it may, the same plan of attack is necessary. Also he can recommend an authentic source for your new coyote head, raccoon skin outfit.
Very important 2 minute video to watch.
And they are right because through at least four years of dealing with raccoons I have come to accept this. I hear and have read how protective people are about unaliving any animals but I shake my head because many don't have to deal with them to even understand - why.
I can't understand why "We are encroaching on their land" seems to be the only justifiable reason to some, even legally, to not harm animals/wildlife.
This is a matter of 'checks and balances' that is being disregarded.
Who in their right mind is going to sit back and let, willing, any creature takeover their space in life and be okay with it. What is the purpose of working toward your dream and then yielding to what society feels that it's an infringement on nature to protect what you have worked for.
I must say that I do respect those that feel that way but I'm going to do what I believe and feel is best for me and my space.
It has begun.
Beth Gallagher
Well-known member
Faye Fox
Well-known member
Ditto! That is why raccoons are only a problem in big cities. On occasion, I hear gun fire at night and take my walk the next morning, in the direction of the gun fire, and see a dead raccoon left to lie where it fell. Discharging a firearm in the city limits, even though the outskirts where I live , is illegal, but I have yet to hear of anyone arrested for it, if the result is a dead raccoon or opossum.
It is true that wildlife is taking over big cities because of the animal rights movement. Not only do I live in "cowboy" country, but also close to Indian reservations. The folks on the rez, respect wildlife, but keep it in balance. If you think raccoons are a problem, just think about the idiots that brought wolves back to Oregon. Wolves are not a problem on any rez, but are on neighboring private land. Why?
That led to coyotes, cougars, and foxes not having enough to eat, so ranchers suffer great losses to wolves, cougars, and coyotes, mainly wolves. So called wildlife experts, actors for National Geographic, claim they introduced a balance, but they in fact upset the balance. If we put the American Indians in charge of all wildlife, including big cities, the balance would return.
It is a lie that Yellowstone Park is in a natural balance because of the wolves being brought back. Todays wolves are protected, not like the wolves in the old days that the natives regulated. Those wolf head hats didn't just appear from the heavens, hahaha.
I understand your problem and willingness to obey the law, but sometimes we have to think about our rights. I wouldn't suggest doing anything that might harm pets or humans, but there has to be some way you can get rid of these multiplying raccoons. It is probably going to be a gray area at best, but the idea that animals were here first and therefore have rights, is not valid in my thinking.
In the case of raccoons, they will never go extinct, even if they are exterminated in big cities. Big cities that tolerate multiplying destructive wildlife, need new government. They need wildlife control officers that take care of the problem for their citizens.
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How ironic that you should mention this. Last night right across the street from me there were gunshots, I'm sure two shooters, just going at it, yet I heard no one arguing, no fighting. I looked outside to see young adults, teenagers at least running after someone or something. I watched as they (guys) retreated to their car and left. They were definitely trying to kill/or scare. My guess was they saw a raccoon and decided to go after it. Boys will be boys.
Faye Fox
Well-known member
I love it! You need to get the word out for these assassins to camp in your backyard. I would suggest silencers, however. Silencers are easy to make with those foam pipe insulative covers. Just cut a straight section about a foot longer than the barrel. No one is going to fault a grandma for doing craft work.
I feed a couple (sometimes more) stray or feral cats in my porch, which has a sliding barn door that I leave open just enough to remind people that it's a sliding (so please don't pull it off the hinges) door and to let the cats in and out. Once in a while, it gets raided by raccoons, but usually after I go to bed. They knock over the bowls when they are done, and sometime drag them into the yard. While I find raccoons to be cute, I can't afford to feed them, particularly given that feeding one generally leads to many more.
Last night, the motion-detection light on the porch came on at about 10:00 pm, so I went to the window to see if perhaps it was Smoke, a gray cat whom I have been feeding for at least six year now, that I am trying to persuade to become a house cat now that Bubba is gone. This was about the time he usually comes for his second run at the food, the first being in late morning. No, it wasn't Smoke. It was the biggest raccoon I have ever seen in my life, with no exaggeration. For a moment, I thought it might be a bear. I have had a problem with a pair of smaller raccoon raising the cat food before, but I hadn't seen them since my Michigan trip, when they apparently decided that my porch was no longer a food source. I had never seen this raccoon before, or any raccoon even approaching his size.
I opened the inside door, and he looked at me, as if to say, "Can't you see I'm eating here?"
"Go! Out!"
He started to slowly turn to the outside door, then returned to the bowl. He didn't look fierce, angry, or even particularly dangerous, but he gave the appearance of one who wanted to say, "Just a moment. Let me finish this bit here first." He turned his attention from me to the kibble.
I moved toward him a step.
"GET. OUT! OF HERE!"
He grudgingly turned toward the door, then started to turn back to the bowl. I stomped my foot and he slowly went out the door. I took the cat food into the house.
A moment later, the motion detection light came on again. The raccoon was back, shuffling things around, perhaps looking to see where I had hidden the food or perhaps punishing me by making a mess of my porch. I picked up a walking stick that was by the door, and he looked at as if maybe he was thinking of taking that stick from me. He still didn't have a mean look on his face, but more of a stubborn one, maybe like a kid who realizes he's bigger than his father.
He did finally leave, however, and I closed the sliding door.
A few minutes later, the light came on again. Although UPS delivery people can't figure out how to open a sliding barn door, the raccoon didn't have any problem with it. He left again, grudgingly, when I stomped my feet, but he was clearly considering whether it was really necessary to leave. I had short pants on so I wasn't particularly looking for a fight with a belligerent raccoon the size of a small bear.
I hooked up a bungee cord to the door handle so that it would act a spring that would close the door automatically if not held open. That had worked with the previous raccoon pair, and it apparently worked for this one, too, but probably only because he had already determined that the food was gone, anyhow.
About ten minutes later, Smoke was yelling at me from outside. This was the second time this winter that he has vocalized for me to help him out. The other time, the porch was open but the kibble was gone and the wet food was frozen, so he shouted at me to bring him some food. This time, he knew that the door shouldn't be closed and needed help. He had probably come at his regular time and found the raccoon there, so he waited. He was very nervous, probably because of the raccoon or maybe because it was weird to find the door closed.
He still wouldn't come in while I was in the porch, but waited for me to open the door, and get some food. In the past, he has let me pat him on the head, touch his nose, and even pet him briefly.
Once, he let me pick him up. He started to move as if to get back down when I moved from a squatting to a standing position with him, but then he saw the window into the house and spent some time examining the inside of the house. I thought I was close perhaps to getting him to come in. My goal is to get him to do so voluntarily. However, my being away for a couple of weeks was a setback and he hasn't been willing to even come into the porch until after I have gone into the house and closed the door.
Last night, the motion-detection light on the porch came on at about 10:00 pm, so I went to the window to see if perhaps it was Smoke, a gray cat whom I have been feeding for at least six year now, that I am trying to persuade to become a house cat now that Bubba is gone. This was about the time he usually comes for his second run at the food, the first being in late morning. No, it wasn't Smoke. It was the biggest raccoon I have ever seen in my life, with no exaggeration. For a moment, I thought it might be a bear. I have had a problem with a pair of smaller raccoon raising the cat food before, but I hadn't seen them since my Michigan trip, when they apparently decided that my porch was no longer a food source. I had never seen this raccoon before, or any raccoon even approaching his size.
I opened the inside door, and he looked at me, as if to say, "Can't you see I'm eating here?"
"Go! Out!"
He started to slowly turn to the outside door, then returned to the bowl. He didn't look fierce, angry, or even particularly dangerous, but he gave the appearance of one who wanted to say, "Just a moment. Let me finish this bit here first." He turned his attention from me to the kibble.
I moved toward him a step.
"GET. OUT! OF HERE!"
He grudgingly turned toward the door, then started to turn back to the bowl. I stomped my foot and he slowly went out the door. I took the cat food into the house.
A moment later, the motion detection light came on again. The raccoon was back, shuffling things around, perhaps looking to see where I had hidden the food or perhaps punishing me by making a mess of my porch. I picked up a walking stick that was by the door, and he looked at as if maybe he was thinking of taking that stick from me. He still didn't have a mean look on his face, but more of a stubborn one, maybe like a kid who realizes he's bigger than his father.
He did finally leave, however, and I closed the sliding door.
A few minutes later, the light came on again. Although UPS delivery people can't figure out how to open a sliding barn door, the raccoon didn't have any problem with it. He left again, grudgingly, when I stomped my feet, but he was clearly considering whether it was really necessary to leave. I had short pants on so I wasn't particularly looking for a fight with a belligerent raccoon the size of a small bear.
I hooked up a bungee cord to the door handle so that it would act a spring that would close the door automatically if not held open. That had worked with the previous raccoon pair, and it apparently worked for this one, too, but probably only because he had already determined that the food was gone, anyhow.
About ten minutes later, Smoke was yelling at me from outside. This was the second time this winter that he has vocalized for me to help him out. The other time, the porch was open but the kibble was gone and the wet food was frozen, so he shouted at me to bring him some food. This time, he knew that the door shouldn't be closed and needed help. He had probably come at his regular time and found the raccoon there, so he waited. He was very nervous, probably because of the raccoon or maybe because it was weird to find the door closed.
He still wouldn't come in while I was in the porch, but waited for me to open the door, and get some food. In the past, he has let me pat him on the head, touch his nose, and even pet him briefly.
Once, he let me pick him up. He started to move as if to get back down when I moved from a squatting to a standing position with him, but then he saw the window into the house and spent some time examining the inside of the house. I thought I was close perhaps to getting him to come in. My goal is to get him to do so voluntarily. However, my being away for a couple of weeks was a setback and he hasn't been willing to even come into the porch until after I have gone into the house and closed the door.
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Faye Fox
Well-known member
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I am having serious withdrawals , waiting for another raccoon encounter story fix. Perhaps the bell has quit working and Von is busy flea marketing for a fog horn. Please don't sell the bell @Von Jones, it can be useful for employment around Christmas time. 
Faye Fox
Well-known member
I apologize in advance, but sometimes I get creative, to pass time, mowing my lawn. The wind started blowing ringing my chimes and I thought of Von ringing her cowbell, but not to invite the raccoons in for dinner. City raccoons must differ from country raccoons. Country raccoons would come running thinking it was the dinner bell.
Dashing through her yard
In a raccoon mocking way
O'er the fences they go
Churring is all they say
On Vons nerves they sting
With their spirits bright
Oh, what fun it is to ring
A cowbell tonight
Ring that bell, ring that bell
Ring it night and day
Oh, what fun it is to ring
In a raccoon filled yard, hey eh
Ring that bell, ring that bell
Ring it all night and day
Oh, what fun it is to ring
In the beautiful month of May
Dashing through her yard
In a raccoon mocking way
O'er the fences they go
Churring is all they say
On Vons nerves they sting
With their spirits bright
Oh, what fun it is to ring
A cowbell tonight
Ring that bell, ring that bell
Ring it night and day
Oh, what fun it is to ring
In a raccoon filled yard, hey eh
Ring that bell, ring that bell
Ring it all night and day
Oh, what fun it is to ring
In the beautiful month of May
The saga continues...
One night this week I was awaken by a noise in the gutter. To set the scene. My bedroom is on the second floor facing the backyard. My bed is positioned so the I can easily look out to the backyard and the breakfast nook extends out on the main floor, hence the gutters are within sight.
Anyhoo, I peeped out the window and saw a raccoon reaching for the gutter, (maybe something in it, I don't know). I reached for my cowbell but unfortunately the raccoon was gone. That was one of the scenarios that had crossed my mind. I know how it got there so I cut down the weed tree so that it couldn't reach the roof as easily.
Now last night there was a lot of activity going on. I'm guessing the two big raccoons were doing a mating ritual in the backyard. One following the other, run, stop, run, stop. whimpers and snarls. So I grabbed my cowbell and while those two still went at it I saw two little ones darting across the yard all while I shaking the cowbell like crazy.
So much for my attempt to get my yard back. At least the tree branch is gone.
One night this week I was awaken by a noise in the gutter. To set the scene. My bedroom is on the second floor facing the backyard. My bed is positioned so the I can easily look out to the backyard and the breakfast nook extends out on the main floor, hence the gutters are within sight.
Anyhoo, I peeped out the window and saw a raccoon reaching for the gutter, (maybe something in it, I don't know). I reached for my cowbell but unfortunately the raccoon was gone. That was one of the scenarios that had crossed my mind. I know how it got there so I cut down the weed tree so that it couldn't reach the roof as easily.
Now last night there was a lot of activity going on. I'm guessing the two big raccoons were doing a mating ritual in the backyard. One following the other, run, stop, run, stop. whimpers and snarls. So I grabbed my cowbell and while those two still went at it I saw two little ones darting across the yard all while I shaking the cowbell like crazy.
So much for my attempt to get my yard back. At least the tree branch is gone.Mary Stetler
Well-known member
No raccoons at the moment and I close up the barn to keep the fox out. But on leaving I saw a HUGE woodchuck scampering up next to the barn side of the barnhouse. Just texted daughter to let her know. She caught a smaller one near her rabbit room last week.
Her response?
NOOOooooo...!
They dig, chew up wood in structures (hmmmm hence the name?) eat up our garden....
Maybe I should season them differently.
Her response?
NOOOooooo...!
They dig, chew up wood in structures (hmmmm hence the name?) eat up our garden....
Maybe I should season them differently.
Mary Stetler
Well-known member
Uh huh...