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Posted on 06/10/2002 8:41:48 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Sorry, I should have explained further.
I live in a subdivision just outside of Detroit in an area that is considered the fastest growing community in Michigan if not the United States. There is very little, if any, natural habitat left for the skunk, possum and coons in this area of S.E. Michigan. So, rather than move on, they have chosen (been forced) to attempt to coexist with humans. Unfortunately, there is no happy medium with this type of creature (varmint).
If you had a problem with mice in your house would you prefer to livetrap them and release them outside rather than use a snaptrap? Probably not. So in terms of potential destruction to your house, why would you choose to exterminate the poor mouse and ignore the skunk, possum or coon? Of course this is not to imply that you would.
The animal control in this area is administered by the Michigan Humane Society. They will rent you a trap ($50) and then come and pick it up when you have caught your problem. What they do with it I do not know. Used to be a time that they would catch and release but that is now out of the question due to the extent of the urban sprawl. Would they simply take your problem and deposit it in another subdivision 5 miles away? Probably not. They would put it under in the most humane way possible.
As I have said, I have already caught 2 possum and 1 coon. The coon I released in another sub but will not do so again. The cats I released of course.
I have already noticed coon turds on my roof and another on my front porch this morning. So, my only alternative is to set my trap again. When caught, the only way to dispose of it with the least amount of pain is to drown it. If I lived in the country I would shoot it but it is illegal to discharge a firearm where I live. But again, if I lived in the country I probably wouldn't have this problem anyway.
I realize your statement made regarding meat or skins was based on the implication that I was doing this trapping only for the fun of it but as stated, that is not the case.
If you drive around the roads here you would be amazed at the number of road kill.
My dad was the chief park ranger at a metro-park not far from here and periodically, when the coon population grew out of control, they developed a virus similar to distemper which would cause them to wander around aimlessly in the daytime until they died. This was nature's way of controlling their population. Fortunately for dad and his rangers, they had the legal authority to shoot them on the spot. I remember golfing one Sunday during that time at the golf course at that park. I saw 5 such coons on the course....
My brother trapped for fur for several years but there isn't much of a living to be had.
I took his 10/22 to bed with me that night and in the morning he had four dead coons in his front yard.
If I remember correctly, years ago there used to be a bounty on coon hides here in Michigan but that is not the case anymore. If it was, I could quit my job and cruise the roads picking up road kill. (yuck!)
Last year I lived in an apartment and for about a week I could smell a skunk which was hanging around. Finally one evening as I was coming home from work, about 200 yards from the entrance to the complex I saw the damn thing. Roadkill, end of problem....
S.E. Michigan also has a horrendous problem with deer but that should be left to another thread....
Good, just don't tell Sungirl.
LOL
Are you talking people or coons? ;o)
In our back yard they get up to about 60-70 pounds, and they only get mean if you try to put a noose around their neck or mess with their litters.
Probably a 'coon conspiracy.
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