Have a coon in the house. UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM.

[John Schmidt]

Darn thing tore out the screen venting under the eave and crawled into the space between the roof and the vaulted ceiling in the living room. I called Animal Control, they only handle dog and cat problems. Anything else is handled by private companies, and they're expensive. Close to $200 just to come and take a look and set a trap, then an additional fee for each catch. Lady next door spent nearly $500 and still has a problem. I just need to know what I can spray in that area that will drive him out, something really smelly to a coon. Then I can close off that section of the screen vent so the Masked Bandit can't get back in. He must be the class valedictorian in trap avoidance. I've baited a live trap twice and he's emptied it twice without tripping it. He sat up there on the roof two days ago eating the marshmallows I put in there along with the cat food and I swear the little *#&^%@$ flipped me off. His paws are small enough to reach in through the wire frame and get the bait. Next time I'll bundle it in some gauze material so he has to go inside to get it....I hope. I've had offers of a loan of a gun, but if I did that it would create two things: a hole in the roof, and a dead coon I'd have to tear out part of the ceiling to remove. The ceiling goes up 27' near where he probably has his bedroll, widescreen TV, etc.

Oh well, I'll get him sooner or later....preferably sooner before he starts stinking up the house with his urine and crap, let alone any food stuff he brings back to eat later.

[Varmintmist]

If you have a havaheart type trap, rectangular with a trip plate, bait it with peanut butter smeared on the floor area in front  of the trip plate and under it, maybe some cat food tossed in to. Thats what he is after, let him have it. Set the hook that holds it pretty close to going off.

I would bet that he has experienced traps before, let this be his last. Gators gotta eat to.

[NiteRiderF6]

If you can get every living thing out of the house for a day, spray some ammonia gas up in there; if not throw some moth balls up in there and it will vacate the space. They do love tomatoes though, so you may lure him out with food. Good luck!

[Jeff K]

I had critters in my attic in Wisconsin. I just turned my sub-woofer up a few notches and put on some Pink Floyd Welcome to the machine.
Of course I have a set of Bassmax B3 18" subs and 2,000 watts driving them.

The critters found a better place to nest.

 

[Jabba]

While it may not be PETA approved, a wire snare at the entrance he's using will work wonders too.

[rainman]

If you have a havaheart type trap, rectangular with a trip plate, bait it with peanut butter smeared on the floor area in front  of the trip plate and under it, maybe some cat food tossed in to. Thats what he is after, let him have it. Set the hook that holds it pretty close to going off.

I would bet that he has experienced traps before, let this be his last. Gators gotta eat to.

I have had 3 pet coon's and they love m & m's  I would put some peanut butter on the trip plate and then press some m & m's into the peanut butter that way he or she will have to put some wait on the trip plate to get the m & m's they can't turn down candy.  You got him

[bogator]

 YUMMMM-YUMMMMM, bar-b-que  coon, yummm-yummm----and a cap---

[rainman]

YUMMMM-YUMMMMM, bar-b-que  coon, yummm-yummm----and a cap---

It don't get any better than that 

[Cattman]

Agree with the PB at the rear of the trip plate smeared onto the top and get some fish oil and put a few drops on top of it. IF you know the exact spot he's coming out a 22 scoped rifle will do a quick job too without too much noise for the neighbors. What you DON"T want to happen is for him to get shot and climb back in the overhead and die. you think a dead mouse in the wall smells bad. PHEW. Another thing to consider is that it is close to the time for a new young batch of raccoons to be hatched. Make sure there isn't more than one up there.

If you get real desperate go to a Tractor supply and get some Golden Marilin fly bait and place equal portions of it and coke in a pie pan stirring until disolved and he won't go 10 feet after sampleing it. Keep out of reach of pets.

[laserpat]

Maybe more than one, they travel in pairs sometimes.

[hubcapsc]

Darn thing tore out the screen venting under the eave

Replace with 8th inch galvanized hardware cloth... I see a lot of permanently-built-into-your-house
venting screen that is similar to 8th inch hardware cloth, but fabric instead of metal...

-Mike

[lee]

ELECTRIC FENCE CHARGER:
Insulate the trap from the ground, (put it on a board or a rubber door mat).
Attach the charger to the cage.
Additional items needed: Beer, Lawn chair, Camera.

[thewoodman]

Racoons can be a real pain. We had some a few years ago when we live on Anna Maria island and went though most of what you've found about trappers and such.

If you can get in behind it with a spray bottle of ammonia-water 50/50 solution, have at it. They really don't like getting on the pads of their feet, a big sensory area for them. If you trap them and move them out to the area, there are 3 or 4 more looking to take over their territory and there goes the neighborhood. If you can get it out of the house, use the spray around places you don't want them to go. Rain effects potency, but just re-spray. An old island gut told me that one you know is batter that a bunch you don't. Hope it helps.

[bigguy]

YUMMMM-YUMMMMM, bar-b-que  coon, yummm-yummm----and a cap---

It don't get any better than that 

Pressure cook him with some sweet potatoes. Take the sweet potatoes out before adding the BBQ sauce. When you can lift the clean bones right out of the cooker, it'll be ready.

[PAVALKER]

I caught 3 coons in one trap one day... using peanut butter.  Actually, 2 were crowded in the trap and the 3rd one didn't want to leave the other two behind and was on top of the trap.   Shooting a 22 out a window with the muzzle inside the house hardly makes a sound outside (from what I understand at least).  And I live in a residential area where my neighbor saw the trap (actually called me to let me know I caught something).... but he didn't hear a thing when I plugged the one from inside the kitchen... just saw him drop.

Wrap the back half or more of the trap tightly with a black plastic trash bag and make sure the peanut butter is spread on the trip plate itself, not just on a piece of bread or something.    Keep trapping til you don't catch anymore and make sure you put up a better screen.

Good luck.. let us know how it works out for ya.....

[rainman]

YUMMMM-YUMMMMM, bar-b-que  coon, yummm-yummm----and a cap---

It don't get any better than that 

Pressure cook him with some sweet potatoes. Take the sweet potatoes out before adding the BBQ sauce. When you can lift the clean bones right out of the cooker, it'll be ready.

keep talking like that I might just have to get my old coon hunting cloths and lights and go out and see what I can find.

[fudgie]

Not sure what they are called, but we call them connie-bear (sp) traps, put one over the hole. Then you wont have to deal with a p/o coon in another trap. Better do it shortly, I think they have little ones in the spring.

[John Schmidt]

I went up and baited it with some nice thick peanut butter as suggested, laced with some M&M's and chocolate morsels, tossed some marshmallows inside in a sandwich bag. Spread the PB on the trip plate then pressed the other goodies into it. About an hour later I heard a loud thump on the roof, went to look and sure enough....he's mine. Now I need a suggestion on which style of coonskin cap you thinks looks best....with or without the face? And do you like a long tail in back, or a short one?  

The trap was on the roof and as luck would have it, the little bugger was caught not too long before the heavy storms hit. I put on some old welding gloves and threw a blanket over the cage/trap, causing him to settle down a bit. Then used a rope to lower him to the ground, on the way down it bumped into Rita's wind chimes setting them off right next to the cage. Rita said if that didn't give him a heart attack the sucker must be deaf.  

I left the blanket on the cage and set it just inside the garage for the night. Had to, 15 min. after I got off the roof the sky opened up. While up there, I closed off the remaining 2' of exposed screen vent...much to Rita's dismay. She kept telling me we're under a tornado watch and the main storm is about five miles away. Got it done in time....now looking for a large cooking pot.  

Actually, I'll take him for a ride in the morning....about 30-40 miles at least. Has to be far enough to he won't beat me back to the house. Now, I just hope all his buddies don't come to throw a going away party for him.  

It should be a quiet night tonight....I hope.

[Hotrodwing]

Do what I did for a woodchuck making a hole under a retaing wall by the hous take to 16D spikes attach the hot wire from extension cord to one ant the netural to othe other. That night I heard a yelp sound and never saw him again. I only wish I had 480 at the house nI would have fried his ass.

[musclehead]

I had an epiphany about racoons and why so many get ran over on the interstate. one night I was cooking along doing the usual 65 MPH and there was one right next to the center line standing up and raring to fight all 80,000 lbs of me and truck. then it hit me, they aren't dumb, they are feisty and the reason they get hit is behaviorial in nature. the same reason skunks get hit their behavior.

glad you got the little sucker though, they are quite smart, tough, and will tear a coon dog a new one.

[Varmintmist]

Actually, I'll take him for a ride in the morning....about 30-40 miles at least. Has to be far enough to he won't beat me back to the house. Now, I just hope all his buddies don't come to throw a going away party for him.  

It should be a quiet night tonight....I hope.

Take the ride in a boat.

[Jabba]

My German Shorthaired Pointer got in a fight with a smallish coon the other morning.  I was gone, and only heard about it from my brother, but I guess my dog wore the coons ass out.

Steve had to physically drag the dog off the coon, and while the coon was able to hobble away, Steve said he was definitely not having a good morning. 

Every time the coon got in a position to defend himself, the dog backed off.  When the coon made a break for it... the dog grabbed him by the ass again.  It went on for MINUTES I guess.

Glad my dog didn't get hurt in the scrap.

Jabba

[Cattman]

 
Take the ride in a boat.

A high speed lead pill before opening the trap is what mine always get.

[R J]

John, shoot the SOB, then feed him to the gators,

PS:   Get that hole covered up if not already.

Check it every 6 weeks for awhile.

[PAVALKER]

Actually, I'll take him for a ride in the morning....about 30-40 miles at least. Has to be far enough to he won't beat me back to the house. Now, I just hope all his buddies don't come to throw a going away party for him.  

It should be a quiet night tonight....I hope.

Take the ride in a boat.

Forget the ride.....   Once, long ago,  I caught a coon in a Borough borrowed trap, and it cost me a few bucks to have the trap and coon picked up.  I asked what they did with with the coon... and was told they take him to the next county and let him go.  I then asked what they do with the ones they caught in the next county.... you guessed it.... it's like  a Shuttle back and forth.  I decided to get a trap and used a 55gal drum with water on occasion, then decided lead poisoning is quicker and better.  And gas costs too much.... 22 lead is cheap.

[fudgie]

I know you said 'he' but did you check? Momma may be there to.

[John Schmidt]

I know you said 'he' but did you check? Momma may be there to.

Fudgie, funny you should say that...not funny actually. I had already closed off the vent area where it was getting in, did it last evening right after I caught it. Relocated the smelly thing this morning about 20 miles east of here. This afternoon I'm on the computer and hear an all too familiar sound coming from the same area. As some of you suspected....it apparently was a pair although I never saw two. So, tomorrow I have to go back on the roof and cut away a few inches of the metal vent panel on the dormer so #2 can escape because right now there is no way for it to get out....unless it comes through the ceiling or walls. I'll bait the trap again and hope for the best.

Geez.....what next?   

[Varmintmist]

Actually, I'll take him for a ride in the morning....about 30-40 miles at least. Has to be far enough to he won't beat me back to the house. Now, I just hope all his buddies don't come to throw a going away party for him.  

It should be a quiet night tonight....I hope.

Take the ride in a boat.

Forget the ride.....   Once, long ago,  I caught a coon in a Borough borrowed trap, and it cost me a few bucks to have the trap and coon picked up.  I asked what they did with with the coon... and was told they take him to the next county and let him go.  I then asked what they do with the ones they caught in the next county.... you guessed it.... it's like  a Shuttle back and forth.  I decided to get a trap and used a 55gal drum with water on occasion, then decided lead poisoning is quicker and better.  And gas costs too much.... 22 lead is cheap.

Oh, I don't know. 30-40 miles out to sea would solve the problem.

222 is faster.