Some 35 years ago, when I went to work at 4:30 am, I came face to face with a 40 lb raccoon, when trying to get to my car. We had a stare down, the raccoon scurried away, and I went on my way
Posted on 06/04/2024 10:30:10 AM PDT by DallasBiff
On Twitter the other day, I ran across a story about a Philadelphia woman who caught a raccoon lounging in her hammock. I once had a similar encounter with a mischievous band of raccoons at my California home.
Late one night, I awoke to creaking and squeaking sounds in the backyard. I turned on the porch light to discover a family of raccoons (aka a nursery or gaze) having a grand old time on my son’s playground set.
On top of seemingly enjoying swinging, we know that raccoons can also be curious, often rummaging through trash bins looking for dinner.
Did you also know raccoons are highly intelligent and dexterous? They can break into unlocked homes by turning doorknobs or flipping a latch on a dog door. And once in the kitchen, raccoons have been known to unscrew the lid from a peanut butter jar and other food containers!
(Excerpt) Read more at familyhandyman.com ...
Some 35 years ago, when I went to work at 4:30 am, I came face to face with a 40 lb raccoon, when trying to get to my car. We had a stare down, the raccoon scurried away, and I went on my way
they also seem to have a pretty good dental plan
And they are carriers of rabies.
After Biden’s pre-election nuclear war all humans will be gone and raccoons will dominate the planet.
Be nice to them.
Dogs came from wolves. No reason why raccoons can’t be domesticated. Who wants to?
In central Florida I love in black bear zone. One early evening, I entered the house, and as I closed the door, saw I’d been followed.
Mistaking it for a bear, as it was the largest raccoon I’d ever seen!
I have “relocated” many raccoons out of my yard.
We were covered up with raccoons here in SE Suburban Land, but the pine beatles killed all the trees in the neighborhood and the coons disappeared.
Presently, many urban yards are raccoon habit. Coons have adapted to the human habitat
It is a toss up over whether the groundhog or the raccoon is number one with a bullet around here.
Before resorting to soylent green, a recipe at the link for the coon hunter in your life.
This spells trouble for quail, turkey, and other ground-nesting birds. In order to keep predator numbers down around our farm, Potroast, our youngest, runs a trapline in December and January each year. While fur prices won’t make you rich, or even pay for the fuel you use checking your traps, keeping predator numbers down helps out the other game around our hunting areas. For every coon he catches, another quail chick might hatch. For every coyote, a couple more fawns may make it.
The finished texture is similar to pulled pork. Shred the leftovers for a tasty sandwich the next day.
Another upside is a full freezer. Grilled raccoon is excellent! With a flavor and texture very reminiscent of pulled pork, I’d rate it right up there with other top wild game table fare. For grilling, we prefer a young raccoon, around 3/4 of the way to full grown, around 5 to 7 pounds live weight.]
There is either a coon or a skunk tearing up my front lawn at night. From what I’ve read, I suspect its a coon.
how strong are they? Can they bend a piece of metal?
Skunks can make a mess of your yard rooting for grubs. Might want to put down some grub control.
I too live in central Florida and have seen quite a bit of wildlife over the years from the backyard: alligators; water moccasins; possums; a Florida panther; otters; bald eagles; giant egrets and blue herons; sandhill cranes — and yes, raccoons, waddling about like fat drunks. No black bears yet. Please, keep them in your part of town.
See my post 13. ;)
Maybe saddest of all is they ain’t worth nothin’ here in Kansas. I can remember when a good coon pelt would be $25 dollars.
http://www.kanoklafurco.com/2012/04/prices-2012-2013.html
Rabies and a lot of other bad stuff.
https://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/1997/fall/raccoon.shtml
On the West Coast, Hwy 101, University reaearchers picked up dead raccoons off the road. 95% carried the raccoon roundworm (B. procyonis), which is the primary public health concern in coastal California communities due to its widespread presence in raccoon latrines and the severe consequences of human infection, especially in children.
They poop in your garden, and you, your kids, your dog gets the roundworm. It invades the brain, eyes, and more.
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