I Hate Raccoons!

[kmcconaughey]

 

[aschumacher]

Yo Kraig..If your raccoons are so big as to bend that metal...break out your M-16 or move out of Dodge! (thats scarey what it/they did)

 

[kmcconaughey]

Allen, the other evening there were 5 or 6 raccoons in the yard under the feeder. I think they may have ganged up on it, that or the black bear was back.

 

[jcarlton]

No expert on bears, but never seen a Racoon do damage like that. I think u have a bear Kraig, u hunt bears?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Jason, I have had a small black bear go after my bird feeder but I think this was done by raccoons. I believe a bear would have ripped the cover right off, also there are no signs of teeth marks in the mesh to top it off the past several nights there has been a raccoon going after it. I already mentioned the 5 or 6 that were there a few days ago. However it could be a bear. I took these photos a few years back. Hmmmm, perhaps I should set up a couple of my trail cameras there and see what I get....

 

[jcarlton]

Must be a big coon, course I guess we've had a few in the 30lbs. range. Cool pics of the bear I had the chance to see 3 leaving Wi. into Mn. near the Mississippi several years ago only bears I've seen free range. I'd like to hunt black bear with a bow at some point.

 

[lbuttke]

<font size="+2">BEAR</font>
would be my guess

Aint never seen coon do that much damage

 

[kide]

Kraig:
Check the woods around your place for Charmin wrappers.....

 

[kmcconaughey]

The Raccoon family was back again last night, Momma and 5 little ones. They ran up a tree next to the feeder when I turned on the yard light, here's three of the little ones. I did set up a trail camera but I didn't have time to remove the memory card this morning to see if it took any photos. I know we have bear in the area, no need to look for sign in the woods,

, however I still think it was a raccoon.

 

[kide]

We go through it every year - I still wonder where they've taken the suet feeders to. My wife has quit putting stale bread, etc. out - I think that just punishes the possums..
On the goundhog front, the count stands at 4, with the longest shot at about 70 yards (that's pretty good for me, even with a scope on the Marlin .22). I may be able to fill the hole in under the back shed.

 

[kmcconaughey]

They used to drag my suet feeders across the yard, I started using a "double hook" clip, like for a horse lead-rope, wired to a tree branch they haven't stolen it since. I used one on the bird feeder pictured below, which is why it's still attached to the hanger. It's been several years since the groundhogs, aka woodchucks, have been a problem.

 

[mbounds]

Maybe Kraig ought to get Guinness Book of Records over, 'cuz that would surely have to be the worlds largest 'coon.

Myron B

 

[kmcconaughey]

Naw, if you look at the way the bracket failed, it bent to the side. Not very strong in that direction. A good size adult raccoon along with the weight of a full feeder (it was full the night before it was damaged) and I bet it's getting close to the capacity of the bracket. The bracket is rated for a dead load not a live load. When I get through repairing the bracket it'll hold up to a lot higher load.

 

[aschumacher]

Kendell I. RE; earlier Charmin post--- This what you meant. HTTP://members.aol.com/brianjay1/bearwds.htm

 

[aaytay]

"The bracket is rated for a dead load not a live load."

So you're saying it will hold a dead raccoon, just not a live one?


There's a fix for that......

 

[kmcconaughey]

Art, I never thought of it that way but you are correct!

 

[kide]

Allen:
Yup

Kraig:
So who gets to hang the dead raccoons up there - you or the better half? Oh - and do ya really have to feed 'em alllll summer, too ?? - must be a bunch of fat, lazy birds - maybe too many of them got on the feeder all at once...

 

[kmcconaughey]

Kendell, we get some different types of birds in the summer that don't show up in winter, including Rose Breasted Grosbeaks and Goldfinches. The Goldfinches are here in winter too but not in the same numbers that they are in summer. The birds don't go through nearly as much food in the summer either. I've been thinking of getting an electric fencer and installing an electrified chicken wire grid around the post. I may have to set up a video camera if I do install that.

I'm the one that gets to dispose of the deceased raccoons.

 

[kide]

Kraig:
Re: fencer - as they say, "BTDTGTTSNAR" .. I went so far as to string a wire between two trees with fence egg insulators, with all the feeders suspended from that - 'took 'em about a day to learn to jump so that their hind feet weren't grounded when they stepped onto the hot wire. Next step involved two feet of pvc pipe on each end of the hot wire (it rolls when they step on it), but it took 'em less than a week to work up a mad dash across the pipe (kinda like a snowmobile crossing an open stream..). I also hot wired posts and feeders - looked like Thomas Edison was feeding the birds. We're currently at a truce, best solution? - go to Florida in the winter, let the little ba....ds fend for themselves (the squirrels, not the birds)..

BTW - we feed in the summer, too - like you said, different set of birds..

 

[kmcconaughey]

"FEEDER CAM" photos.