My grandson got chased around the yard by this last night....

[kbproctor]

A Raccoon! About 15lbs and kept trying to get Brad to move so he could get to the water in our little water feature. I wondered why I was having to fill the thing daily but there were no leaks.

The Guard Poodle would have had a cow if she had seen this big 'ole squirrel looking thing.








He wanted to come in the house!

[Byron Zuehlsdorff]

Good fly tying material?

[Bluegill222]

I see streamer possibilities, dubbing....

[CharlaineC]

Is it ok its not normal for them to do that

[Fatman]

I'd darn well be calling fish and wildlife or the cops, any raccoon that will come up when people are around is DANGEROUS!!!!!!! Had one keep coming in my Dad's backyard while the kids were out and we shot it. They had it tested and it was rabid.

Be real careful

Fatman

[Betty Hiner]

<Oh my gawd! NOT a rabid raccoon ... PLEASE!!!!!>

Really, though. Do alert your animal control people (unfortunately, police can't do much about it). It could be someone reared it from an early age (lacking fear of humans), it could also be rabid (no fear of humans), OR, it could be that it knows you have Guard Poodles food and water on the patio, and it's all about a free lunch!

[EdD]

Good fly tying material?

Byron, are you talking about that grizzly-dyed-ginger hair extension it's dragging around behind it?

Ed

[kbproctor]

I think we will know pretty soon if it is rabid. I am pretty sure the dogs next door have tangled with it a time or two.

Betty, I was thinking the same thing.

He was trying to get to the water and Brad was in the way.

We have talked to Game and Fish. County Animal Control won't do anything unless the animal actually attacks someone. Brad was between the 'coon and water but the flash on his phone would scare the critter off for a bit. I was going to stay up last night and watch for it, but wore out too soon.

We have had foxes in the yard and I saw coyote tracks in the snow last winter. Game and Fish says that the best way to get rid of the pests is to run the rabbits off and drain the water feature. Considering that the village idiot next door keeps 50+ lbs of dry dog food in a 20 gallon trash can with regular lid on the patio, I don't think the rabbits are the worst of the problem. That lid is no challenge for the raccoon(s) and once the can is open, the foxes have nothing to stop them from a free meal, either. We could get rid of the two rabbits under our spruce tree but that won't get rid of the other 20 or 30 in yards all around us.

We are going to let nature do the work for us. The predators will clear out the rabbits and then the predators will move on.

[mnklagoon]

This is a job for Callie! lol

[Kerry Stratton]

.410 shotgun. Works well on coons, rabbits and starlings. I have little problems except for the latter. Pesky starlings are hard to get with a .410; fast flyers and a .410 doesn't throw a lot of lead out.