# Overrun With Raccoons!



## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

We live in a rural area and there appears to be an explosion of ***** around here now. We have a few bird feeders and my wife used to feed some feral cats at night in an area in the woods, on our deck, and in the driveway(cheap dry cat foods. That has been stopped except for in the woods). Plus we have three dogs that we keep indoors at night but would think the dog scent in the yard would be a deterant but not so far! The ***** still roam around at night and reward us with piles of black droppings on the deck, the roof of my woodshed and at the bottom of every yard tree! They haven't got in the trash can yet. Don't think they could since the lid locks. 
Shooting, or live trapping(just way too many!) is not an option and we're looking for something to spread around that might keep them away.(We have radios going in the barn and carports-doesn't faze them. Also, we are currently experimenting with mint oil impregnated sponges which we read somewhere they do not like. Jury still out on that one.) Any suggestions appreciated.(again, "shooting" is not feasible near the house, plus the wife won't let me kill them-yet anyway!).


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## backlashed (Mar 19, 2011)

***** are major carriers of rabies and distemper, make certain your dogs shots are up to date, ***** are not fazed by the smell of a dog.

Put away ALL the cat food. 

They will start tearing up your plastic garbage cans soon enough. 

I live in 'downtown' and use a .22 solution. Not a problem here since nobody here sees them as a cute cuddly critter. My neighbor traps and then leaves them out for me to plink.


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

backlashed said:


> I live in 'downtown' and use a .22 solution. Not a problem here since nobody here sees them as a cute cuddly critter. My neighbor traps and then leaves them out for me to plink.


You don't know who you're dealing with.


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## 1basshunter (Mar 27, 2011)

If you would stop feeding the cat for a bit the ***** will stop coming in to eat the cat food your not feeding cat's now but the ****'s and they will fight with your dogs over food.
Just stop for for a month or so the cats will be fine till then they can and will eat field rats and moles and so on


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

yea I use to think ***** were cute and cuddly but in the last 4 yrs they have gotten into 3 of my boats and tore the interior up. one boat was in the pole barn and they dug under the sliding door and tore the seats and some of the interior panels up. but that **** got his. we went out to the pole barn and my son put the dip net up in the bow of my 21' cobia. later when we found the damage we found the **** dead he was tangled in the net. I guess he was in one of the bow compartments and my son put the net over the hole.

the second boat was a 28' sea ray. the ***** went through the dash and got down in the bathroom and tore out all the padding in there. and somehow they got in the motor compartment and built a place to live with all the foam rubber they took from the bathroom. they also tore the [email protected] out of the blower hoses.

then this last winter I put a cover over my 16' starcraft open bow tri hull. there was some water build up in the back of the boat and it pulled the cover off the very front of the bow. this spring when I took the cover off they had tore the seats to shreds and tore the interior panels.

I say kill them all and let god sort them out, LOL.
sherman


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## shwookie (Jun 15, 2007)

I had a raccoon eat through the gas cap on my lawn mower this year. Lol wtf???


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## Lazy 8 (May 21, 2010)

A friend of mine used to catch them in a trap and then drown them. Which I think is actually legal? (What do I know?) The only think illegal is trapping and relocating them.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Lazy 8 said:


> The only think illegal is trapping and relocating them.


And that right there is part of what's wrong with the "system" in my opinion. I get the "spreading diseases" thing but these seem fat and healthy. If I caught one foaming at the mouth, no question what I'd do. I live near several large, wooded state parks and other large wooded tracks I could release them on but dare not get caught! I think a large part of the population explosion is the anti's who have effectively killed the fur trade and **** hunting in general. I don't know many **** hunters anymore but the ones I knew in the recent past usually ran their dogs til they tree'd the ****, then called off the dogs and moved on. Little or no market for pelts, so they just left them in the tree. I do see tons of them splattered on the road but that's a drop in the bucket. Taking up the food at night seems the best thing but I really think they'd still continue to come around because of shear numbers.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Call Turtleman!


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

I live on the metroparks in Cleveland and about 10 years ago I saw my first coyote, then a few months later I saw a large group of coyotes and now its not even a surprise to see or hear them, also bald eagles are in this area. My point is ever since the coyotes and bald eagles came around I see less skunks, *****, and possum but now their is an insane amount of red squirrels. Crazy how the ecosystem works

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Quit feeding the cats. Buy two large haveahart **** traps. Bait them with marshmellows, old bacon greese, peanut butter, or oreo cookies. Do that for a couple of weeks and you will put a dent in them. Drown them or shot them on the head with a .22 pellet gun. Just dont relocate them and make them someone elses problem.


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## tandem (Apr 20, 2004)

We live on Lake Lormine, lots of ***** this year. They are getting into boats shitting on the seats. Farm supply sold the guy down the street something they call blue stuff. Mix with pop they love the stuff. Kills them in just a few mins. He's got 14 so far.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

***** will find a way into houses and "secured trash containers" easily. They can climb the corners on your siding, gutter down spouts, and electrical service drops easily. Once up to the soffit they open it up with their hand like paws and they are inside your attic. The damage gets expensive fast with chewing, urine and crap. The crap at the bottom of trees is likely there because they are sleeping up in your trees during the daytime and crap when they climb up at dawn to their sleeping spots in your trees. They will get bolder and come up to you if they smell food or begin to associate you with the feedings. Watched a **** open the heavy 3/4 inch plywood lid on the neighbors trash dumpster he built to keep them out. It was like watching a person putting the trash out except he went in for his 1 am snack. Setting food out or trash out where they can feed at night keeps them coming back. They are attracted to the food source eliminate it and they are likely to move on elsewhere.


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

What you are referring to is Golden Malrin fly bait granules. Available at TSC.
A few tablespoons in a shallow pan mixed with Coke or Pepsi is deadly.
They are attracted to it and will be dead within 10ft after taking a drink. I am not advocating this method, but it was something someone had to resort to when the ***** were slaughtering his chickens every night.


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## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

I just hit one with my company car last week, Ford Fusion, $1,850.00 damage to bumper front and rear, thump, thump. He was a big one. I used to give them a free pass while in the stand, not so sure of that now. My buddy has live trapped over 10 in his barn since spring.


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

The fly bait is deadly !!!!! Like you said you have 3 dogs that run around during the day. If by some chance one of them licks a little up that gets spilled, xxx. 
The ***** are out with there young right now. there not going away just because you stop feeding the cats. Like what was said, get yourself 2 have a heart traps. Bait them with the cat food. If you catch a cat just turn it loose, (if you want to.) A 22 short hollow point will take out the ****. Your either going to have to do this now or later when they start getting into everything. 
Calling in a ADC trapper will cost you a lot more then 2 box traps will and you can just keep reusing the traps even next year when more **** show up.
Next year set those traps out early spring well before the **** have young. With having woods close to your house your always going to have **** moving through and feeding wild cats out in the woods will not help you one little bit.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

tandem said:


> We live on Lake Lormine, lots of ***** this year. They are getting into boats shitting on the seats. Farm supply sold the guy down the street something they call blue stuff. Mix with pop they love the stuff. Kills them in just a few mins. He's got 14 so far.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


When does the open season on fur bearers start in this state?


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## half pole (Feb 10, 2014)

November for *****


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

half pole said:


> November for *****


Thanks I thought so


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Look it up you do not need a trapping licence or season to get rid of nusience *****. Kill them and do not relocate them and you will be fine.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

***** are mean little beasts. I think I would rather fight a black bear!

Noticed a decline here in Bedford too with more coyotes around.

Eveytime I see one of them lil b*****, I just say, "Y'know in the old days, they just shot the sob's. . . "

Neighbor lady said in the day, the guys in the neighborhood would actually have a couple of **** drives each year before it was so populated.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Flathead76 said:


> Look it up you do not need a trapping licence or season to get rid of nusience *****. Kill them and do not relocate them and you will be fine.


Better check that again. I know a retired game warden who tells me different


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## Cornelius74d (Jul 29, 2012)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Better check that again. I know a retired game warden who tells me different



Just checked the ohio revised code. He is correct on trapping nuisance animals. Squirrels,rabbits, skunks, oppossums, and a few other species are legal to trap on your own property and dispatch while "out of season". Deer are the one animal you "need permission from the state wildlife officer" before going after. (Damage permits). **** are fair game.


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## Cornelius74d (Jul 29, 2012)

But of course, make sure that your traps are labeled with your name and address or customer id# even on your own land.... Friend of mine learned that on by way of a friendly reminder.


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## fished-out (Dec 20, 2005)

Use the flybait. I've used it for 20 years to keep them out of my sweet corn, sometimes getting two a night. Cats and dogs won't bother it--DON'T use diet soda--only the stuff with sugar attracts them.

I've never had a dog or cat affected; did get a possum once. If you're worried, just put it out in the evening, and put it up in the morning. Have your holes pre-dug. I use old stainless steel pans to put it in. Given the numbers you're talking about, if you put out 3 pans, you may have 3 dead ***** every morning for awhile.


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## fished-out (Dec 20, 2005)

By the way, they use this stuff in dairy barns with cats and dogs galore around.


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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

I have a family of them in my chimney, I think. It's either ***** or Opossums.

Recently purchased the house and they had no chimney caps. I have the caps now but do not want to put them on until the animals are gone, other wise the wonderful smell of rotting animal will be in my chimney and house.

Wife called a couple places, could be between $300 and $500 to get them removed.

Any advice that is way cheaper would be helpful.

Thanks.


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

OrangeMilk said:


> I have a family of them in my chimney, I think. It's either ***** or Opossums.
> 
> Recently purchased the house and they had no chimney caps. I have the caps now but do not want to put them on until the animals are gone, other wise the wonderful smell of rotting animal will be in my chimney and house.
> 
> ...


Try putting a bowl of ammonia in the fireplace, maybe set up a fan to blow the fumes up the chimney.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

OrangeMilk said:


> I have a family of them in my chimney, I think. It's either ***** or Opossums.
> 
> Recently purchased the house and they had no chimney caps. I have the caps now but do not want to put them on until the animals are gone, other wise the wonderful smell of rotting animal will be in my chimney and house.
> 
> ...


Where are you located? I have removed a few families of ***** before. Tom


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I second the ammonia - it will chase them out immediately!


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## FOSR (Apr 16, 2008)

creekcrawler said:


> I second the ammonia - it will chase them out immediately!


That comes from an incident here at the house in the 1970s. We had an animal "stuck" in the chimney and my parents called an exterminator, not knowing what it was, thinking it was a possum.

They said, it's a raccoon and it's not stuck. They gave the ammonia tip. We tried that and I climbed up on the roof to get this shot.


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## OrangeMilk (Oct 13, 2012)

Going to try the ammonia, if that fails you are getting a call Saugeye Tom.

Thanks everyone.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Better check that again. I know a retired game warden who tells me different


Your game warden is wrong on that one. Have him check the Ohio Revised Code.


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## bass pro (Mar 16, 2009)

just a friendly suggestion do not put the fly bait out it is illegal to use it for this purpose plus any animal that gets in it will die. dont think u want that for your pets. you will get burned by authorities even if its on your own property for improper usage just a friendly warning


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## BigDave (Jun 3, 2004)

bass pro said:


> just a friendly suggestion do not put the fly bait out it is illegal to use it for this purpose plus any animal that gets in it will die. dont think u want that for your pets. you will get burned by authorities even if its on your own property for improper usage just a friendly warning


Everyone please heed this statement. It is against the law to use fly bait for *****. I can promise you that you do not want to be the one that DNR makes an example of. It is coming and sooner than later they will burn someone and it will be bad. Pay and ADC guy or trap them yourself and drown or shoot them.


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## crappiefish (May 17, 2012)

where do you live at sounds like i should bring my dogs up that way to **** hunt.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

Fly bait works great....just don't get caught using it to kill *****. You'll most likely get animal cruelty charges brought up against you if the wrong person finds out. It sure does work wonders tho from what I hear. Otherwise trap and kill or just shoot when you see em. Trapping and relocating is just passing your problem on to someone elses area. There is no shortage of ***** anywhere.


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## fishinfelon (Jul 16, 2014)

I know this won't help immediatly, but this fall when trapping season comes in I could put a serious dent in your **** population. I trap using dog proof **** traps which doesn't catch anything but *****, skunks and opossum so the dogs and cats will be safe. I don't charge the land owner as long as they don't mind me taking the **** with me. Let me know if you want me to and we can meet up to get my permission slip signed


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## ignantmike (Apr 30, 2005)

fishinfelon said:


> I know this won't help immediatly, but this fall when trapping season comes in I could put a serious dent in your **** population. I trap using dog proof **** traps which doesn't catch anything but *****, skunks and opossum so the dogs and cats will be safe. I don't charge the land owner as long as they don't mind me taking the **** with me. Let me know if you want me to and we can meet up to get my permission slip signed


didn't think anyone traps ***** anymore......they cant be worth much anyway.....just choot yum


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

ignantmike said:


> didn't think anyone traps ***** anymore......they cant be worth much anyway.....just choot yum


My nephew made over $500 last year trapping raccoon, fox and coyote. 

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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

I declared war on ***** about four years ago. They stripped every fruit tree(apple, peach and pear) in the yard. Raided the garden and destroyed all the corn. 

I probably shot 40-50 **** the 1st summer. I set traps baited with old donuts or anything else sweet I had and would shoot them. Also, would spot light them at night in the yard.
One thing I have found they don't like is the smell of ammonia. But it's a pain in the butt putting down every other day.

You do need to keep the cat food along with any other food up.


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## krustymc223 (Jul 19, 2009)

... At Ohio State Trappers Associations Jan. and Feb. fur auctions, 2X raccoons averaged over $15.00 ea.


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## Lazy 8 (May 21, 2010)

I've read somewhere about trapping them in a Havaheart type trap, put a tarp or something over the trap, hook a hose up to your exhaust...
Is that legal?


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## BigDave (Jun 3, 2004)

fishinfelon said:


> I know this won't help immediatly, but this fall when trapping season comes in I could put a serious dent in your **** population. I trap using dog proof **** traps which doesn't catch anything but *****, skunks and opossum so the dogs and cats will be safe. I don't charge the land owner as long as they don't mind me taking the **** with me. Let me know if you want me to and we can meet up to get my permission slip signed


Please dont advertise that these traps won't catch cats. They can and will even with pull only triggers. You can help avoid cats using sweet baits and nothing fish based but I have found cats that like marshmallows. A

For prices of **** this years avg for well handled Ohio **** sold at the canadian auctions was about 14.00 next years prices will be much worse. There are over 500,000 **** sitting in NAFA's warehouse alone not counting FHA or any other smaller auction houses. then you have local dealers and individuals that didn't sell due to prices so there could be well over 1 million **** hides in the pipeline waiting to be sold before this year even starts


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Drill a ****-hand size hole in a lay down log. hammer 6 nails in on a angle like a funnel. Put some tin foil and oily fish in the bottom of the hole. When the **** reaches in, he will grab the mess an refuse to open his hand. It works and won't catch dogs or cats!


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

My neighbor got a **** in his chimney during the Summer. I told him to set some newspaper on fire in the fireplace which he did. After a few minutes the **** came out of the chimney and my neighbor put a stainless steel screen over the top. No more problems with *****. However I get one every night on my bird feeder. It climbs up the 1/2 inch galvanized pipe and eats all the sunflower seeds that are left over each day. That's all the trouble I have with them if you can call that trouble.


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## Skippy (Dec 2, 2009)

Whaler, Just buy a cheep 1lb. can of axle grease and coat the pole. Sort of fun watching the squirrels and **** try to climb it. Then they walk around sort of bowlegged trying to get the grease off of there feet.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

Here's a suggestion from a friend of mine. Dig a hole about 3'x3'x 4' deep. Fill the hole with ashes. Then surround the outside edge of the hole with peas. 
When the raccoon comes to take a pea, kick him in the ash hole!


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## Andy L (Apr 3, 2014)

c. j. stone said:


> And that right there is part of what's wrong with the "system" in my opinion. I get the "spreading diseases" thing but these seem fat and healthy. If I caught one foaming at the mouth, no question what I'd do. I live near several large, wooded state parks and other large wooded tracks I could release them on but dare not get caught! I think a large part of the population explosion is the anti's who have effectively killed the fur trade and **** hunting in general. I don't know many **** hunters anymore but the ones I knew in the recent past usually ran their dogs til they tree'd the ****, then called off the dogs and moved on. Little or no market for pelts, so they just left them in the tree. I do see tons of them splattered on the road but that's a drop in the bucket. Taking up the food at night seems the best thing but I really think they'd still continue to come around because of shear numbers.


So you think is OK relocate your "healthy" problem to my area for it to become my problem? By that standard I should be able to sump mine in your are. I live near one of these large areas you speak of and know first hand how that works out. Once they see a house as a food source, they have been trained.

Right now the young are getting weened to an extent. That is why it looks like an explosion. Remove the food sources and you problem will move to other food mostly likely.


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## Andy L (Apr 3, 2014)

Saugeye Tom said:


> Drill a ****-hand size hole in a lay down log. hammer 6 nails in on a angle like a funnel. Put some tin foil and oily fish in the bottom of the hole. When the **** reaches in, he will grab the mess an refuse to open his hand. It works and won't catch dogs or cats!


This sir is not only inhumane it also is very illegal . In addition, there is no guarantee another animal won't get caught. I am a trappper and have caught other animals in the dog proof traps including Sylvester. These traps are similar reach and grab type traps like you suggest.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Andy L said:


> This sir is not only inhumane it also is very illegal . In addition, there is no guarantee another animal won't get caught. I am a trappper and have caught other animals in the dog proof traps including Sylvester. These traps are similar reach and grab type traps like you suggest.


That Was how they did it in Where the red fern grows


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## Andy L (Apr 3, 2014)

fished-out said:


> Use the flybait. I've used it for 20 years to keep them out of my sweet corn, sometimes getting two a night. Cats and dogs won't bother it--DON'T use diet soda--only the stuff with sugar attracts them.
> 
> I've never had a dog or cat affected; did get a possum once. If you're worried, just put it out in the evening, and put it up in the morning. Have your holes pre-dug. I use old stainless steel pans to put it in. Given the numbers you're talking about, if you put out 3 pans, you may have 3 dead ***** every morning for awhile.


This is illegal as well. I believe it is punishable by a LARGE federal fine.


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## Andy L (Apr 3, 2014)

Saugeye Tom said:


> That Was how they did it in Where the red fern grows


This is Ohio and we have laws regarding capture using traps, not a novel.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Andy L said:


> This is Ohio and we have laws regarding capture using traps, not a novel.


If you will read this post it refers to nusiance ***** and I have been spanked before. LOL


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

> Whaler, Just buy a cheep 1lb. can of axle grease and coat the pole. Sort of fun watching the squirrels and **** try to climb it. Then they walk around sort of bowlegged trying to get the grease off of there feet.


Or just add an 90 deg. elbow and a PVC extension to the top of your vertical feeder pole and move your feeder out on the end of the PVC extension. I did this with PVC pipe and the squirrels/***** climb up the straight part of the pole but when they try and go out to the feeder they fall. Want to have some real fun, spray the horizontal PVC pole with some Pam cooking oil spray.

Seems the squirrels get smart after awhile and leave it alone but the ***** never seem to wise up. I watched one **** try his best to try and figure out how to get to the feeder. Including climbing a close by tree and trying to drop down on the feeder. He feel about 15ft. two or three times before he decided he was getting beat up to bad.


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## Andy L (Apr 3, 2014)

Saugeye Tom said:


> If you will read this post it refers to nusiance ***** and I have been spanked before. LOL


Nusaince animal trappers have laws they must follow as well.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

You a game warden? 25 posts and a expert? I spoke with a retired warden and he was WRONG. Looked it up myself


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

Andy L said:


> Nusaince animal trappers have laws they must follow as well.


Andy, Read 1501:31-15-03 ODNR rules


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

polebender said:


> Here's a suggestion from a friend of mine. Dig a hole about 3'x3'x 4' deep. Fill the hole with ashes. Then surround the outside edge of the hole with peas.
> When the raccoon comes to take a pea, kick him in the ash hole!


That's how we caught a yeti. Much bigger hole, of course.


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## Saugeye Tom (Oct 6, 2010)

c. j. stone said:


> That's how we caught a yeti. Much bigger hole, of course.


LOL I thought you filled the hole with ice


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

> Quote:
> Originally Posted by polebender View Post
> Here's a suggestion from a friend of mine. Dig a hole about 3'x3'x 4' deep. Fill the hole with ashes. Then surround the outside edge of the hole with peas.
> When the raccoon comes to take a pea, kick him in the ash hole!
> That's how we caught a yeti. Much bigger hole, of course.





> That's how we caught a yeti. Much bigger hole, of course.


Once caught a thief that was stealing out of my garage this way but had to dig a big hole and bait it with tools.


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## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Rimshot! Topic exhausted, no more to see here... movin along...


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