'They're destroying my garden,' says man charged with attacking raccoons

Toronto Star ^ | June 1, 2011 | Aleysha Haniff and Valerie Hauch

[dljordan]

“1. Kill. Quietly as to not alarm any possibly nearby snitches.”

.22 sub-sonic ammo in a rifle works very well. Or a GAMO air rifle.

[momtothree]

“... wolves eating the dogs on chains and bears...”

Okay, it’s probably just me but I’d rather deal with raccoons than what you are dealing with.

[dfwgator]

“Shoot, Shovel, Shut up.”

[momtothree]

I’m with you, Salamander. Pain is pain, regardless of species. If you have to eliminate a pest then do it humanely. Anyone who relishes in torturing an animal is one sick puppy in my book. First animals and then what? Small kids?

[Navy Patriot]

Prestone in dog food cleans every last coon out.

Don't put it out in public view in socialist police state cities, the coppers know to look for it.

Sure does work good, though.

[Gator113]

I had a raccoon problem. They were killing my chickens and ducks. My geese are too big for them to handle, besides, these adult geese would kick their a$$. ;>)

Rather than fight them in hand to hand combat, a $70 trap, a can of cat food and a few marshmallows did the trick. These critters can put up a very nasty fight when cornered and threatened... this man was lucky he didn’t get serious bites.

I expect to lose an occasional bird to predators, because for the most part, I free range my stock. However, these vicious bandits were not killing to eat, they were killing for the fun of killing.

Now, I think these critters are cute, but they pushed too far when they killed 6 ducks and 7 chickens. The trap worked great, so did the old bathtub behind the barn.

I actually don’t get too upset when an eagle or other bird of prey takes a bird, because they are simply trying to survive just like the rest of us. BUT, those damn Coons are cute serial killers and not welcome here.

[catfish1957]

Reminds me, any of you good folks have any suggestions of keeping the damn squirrels from eating my pear crop this year? (outside of camping out out there and blasting them with my 12 gauge)

[Salamander]

Do you have *any* idea the agony you cause an animal by feeding it antifreeze?

It takes days or weeks to die, slowly and horribly by renal and hepatic failure.

The pain is immense.

I can’t even believe you ~admitted~ to doing that on a public forum.

Sadistic.

And there is NO way you can “pick it up” before dogs get to it.

ALL animals are attracted to its taste and smell and will get to it so fast you can -never- be sure you didn’t poison some kid’s pet.

How many other animals have you condemned to an agonizing death “without knowing”?

This place repulses me, sometimes.

We’re supposed to be the good, decent, sane people.

[agrarianlady]

Amen. I will always remember my father dispatching a rabbit he saw suffering by the side of the road.

“A good man takes care of his animals, but wicked men are cruel to theirs.” Proverbs 12:10

I totally understand wanting to move raccoons away, but like all species, there is a proper time of year, and a proper method.

[Salamander]

Disregard for suffering is disregard for life.

We now have “how to poison coons with antifreeze tips” being posted.

Sick, twisted sadistic world.

And God watches.

[cubreporter]

I agree. Making them suffer like that is inhumane. They are animals/critters. They only know their natural instincts. Understand wanting to make them go away but to torture them? Nope. Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.

[Salamander]

People like you are why I have a huge UV flashlight to check my yard at night.

Shoot, shovel, shut up, indeed.

[cubreporter]

Gosh, why would anyone chain their pet if the wolves come around and kill them so easily? Good heavens...

[Salamander]

“Rather than fight them in hand to hand combat, a $70 trap, a can of cat food and a few marshmallows did the trick.”

There’s your ticket, right there.

I used tuna, though and carried them up the mountain and turned them loose.

Once they’ve been trapped in a place, they tend to avoid it after that.

Bad memories.

[momtothree]

I fully understand if a person needs to protect their livestock, family etc... from animals. Heck, I posted that I would shoot wolves if I lived in Montana. That being said, there is a humane way vs a cruel way. Poison is cruel. I was probably about six and someone in our neighborhood poisoned my cat. Yes, he suffered greatly. His mouth was burned by whatever substance and I remember finding him under our deck. I remember it to this day. Any person that relishes in torturing/inflicting unnecessary pain on an animal is twisted and a POS IMHO.

[Flycatcher]

Pain is pain, regardless of species. There is NO excuse for causing or prolonging it.

I totally agree. These animals should have been put down as quickly and efficiently as possible -- without any qualms of emotion.

But, thanks to the two melodramatic reporterettes, emotion was inserted into this story again and again.

I expect better from a professional journalist. But perhaps I'm being naive.

[americanophile]

Trap them if you have to, it's easy and painless.

They make a lot of noise when fighting or in distress; I heard that screaming not too long ago and went outside to find that a baby raccoon had managed to get it's foot caught between two tree trunks; down in the 'V' like a wedge. The mother was trying to get it out; it was sad, and the little guy was terrified. The more I tried to get it out by pulling the trees apart, the more his foot got wedged in, crushing it. No, I didn't go get my gun. I finally got him freed and didn't get bit; I had to cut down one of the trees however. That's life.

[Salamander]

We had a passel of them come through several years ago.

Took about a week to live trap them all and haul them up the mountain.

They haven’t been back since.

They’re smart animals and will avoid whatever they consider to be a “danger zone”.

They were totally freaked out by being stuck in the trap for a couple hours and not in a hurry to repeat it.

Nobody got hurt or died.

[digger48]

I had a buddy when I was growing up who trapped ‘em, knocked them on their heads, skinned ‘em, and sold their pelts.

I did that in my youth. And I'd also sell the carcasses to folks in a black community.

One of em once said, "OOOhhh! I know what we're havin' for Christmas dinner now!"

I've tasted it before, but it seemed a bit greasy.

[dainbramaged]

A rat trap baited with peanut butter works well for squirrels and chipmunks around here.