My unwanted thundering herd

[Bad Water Bill]

HELP HELP

There is a thundering herd of red eyed raccoons thundering thru my attic this mourning.

At 79 getting into the attic is now a problem and using a live trap is impossible.

Yes I live in the city so using any guns is illegal.

Can anyone suggest a way of driving it or them out of my house?

[starmac]

Lord lord, can't help, but I bet they are aggrevating, probably sounds like a herd of buffalo.

Working on a job down at Orange Texas one year, I had the 35 foot travel trailer parked on a lake, just 30 feet or so from the water. My wife kept complaining about a flock of geese trying to land on it. I probably worked a month before I had a day off and was still in bed when the sun was coming up, and a herd of buffalo ran the whole length of the roof. I jumped out of bed thinking something terrible was happening, and my wife said I told you, it is them dadnabbit geese, maybe not in those exact words. lol

[tryNto]

An Electronic Pest Repeller has worked very well for me with Mice, Squirrels and Bats.
This model has done well, I have 3 in use. > http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FG8B50?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

[w5pv]

You may try moth balls or the flakes,it works for skunks trying to set up house keeping under my shed.

[Bad Water Bill]

Well they are back again this mourning playing socker up there so I guess I will get a couple boxes of moth balls and when it gets dark tonight dump them into the hole they have dug into my roof.

When I am sure they have moved on I will replace the destroyed wood and cover it with a 10" wide strip of steel role like we uuse for gas checks then replace the lost shingles.

Keep your fingers crossed that they take the hint they are NOT welcome in my home.:twisted:

[Beagle333]

I'm guessing you got too many other yard critters to live trap em at the point of contact where they come down?

[Smoke4320]

Moth balls should work

[jcwit]

If worse comes to worse check out in your local area for an outfit called "Critter Control", they may be of help to you.

[fryboy]

a bee keeper's smoker ... they detest the smell of smoke - especially old wood and damp leaves , to get them to stay out however you're right have to block point of access and sadly roofing at o dark thirty is neither enjoyable nor neighbor approved , got a tree close to the house ? helps if there's no way for them to get to the roof

[Lance Boyle]

If they are actually coming in and out the hole, make yourself a one way door where they can push out of the attic, exit, but have difficulty opening the door from outside. That's what they use for bats. Bats aren't near as handy with their hands like raccoons though. Maybe fashion something on the door like a mouse trap spring for a bit a tension. Or maybe a bit of weight on a cable.

Alternatively a 180 or 220 conibear trap installed to guard the hole. You'll be making them dead one by one though. After the first one it might be more difficult to trap the rest.

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/898zr2n3/raccoon-pot-roast.html

[mjwcaster]

We just used ammonia soaked rags to dissuade a coon at my folks house a few months ago.

Saw him leave one night, and shoved the soaked rags into the opening using a long handled pole.
Used the whole jug on a couple of towels, strong enough for my eyes to water and make breathing interesting.

Haven't seen him since.

I still need to get up there and fix the soffits where he was getting in, not going to be fun, very steep roof, small area due to multiple roof angles.
Last time I was up there was a blast, trying to hand on and push the soffit back into place, now I know I need to come up with a better fix.
And no good access to the eaves from in the attic.

[Charley]

Napthalene crystals (moth balls or moth flakes) will repel short term. Take a walk around the outside of the house, looking for entry points. Check your gables and pitch changes closely. Look for rub marks on surfaces...oil on their fur leaves marks when they brush against a surface repeatedly. Look for access to the roof. Hw are they getting up there in the first place? Trim trees as needed, make it harder to gain access to the roof in the first place. You are likely going to need a professional. Many PCO's do rodent/animal exclusions, most people either can't (sounds like your case) or won't do the work needed to block the animals from the roof and then the attic. Just a suggestion...don't call Terminex or Orkin, find somebody local. They will tend to be much more responsive to your needs, as well as less expensive.

[blackthorn]

Snare! Or low velocity .22 shorts. The LV shorts will only just penetrate a one inch pine board. Fired point blank (about 1 inch) you will find the slug laying on the ground under the board. They are quiet when fired indoors so unlikely to attract the attention of the neighbors. I use them in my cabin on packrats.

[ShooterAZ]

Consider a live trap outside on the ground nearby if that is a possibility. They will leave the attic on their nightly forays to find food. They come to my yard at night to dig up earthworms from the lawn, but they also dig up the flowerbeds. I have relocated dozens of them over the last several years. Leave a little trail of dry dog food leading into the trap, and you will be sure to catch them. It may take several sets, but you can do this or pay someone else to do it. Once they are established in your attic...they ain't gonna leave.

[Light attack]

Try calling the State Game Warden. They should have a critter control of some kind.

[Red River Rick]

HELP HELP..........Can anyone suggest a way of driving it or them out of my house?

Bill:

Throw a pair of your old dirty shorts up there.............that'll chase them out!

RRR

[Bad Water Bill]

Thanks for the idea but I think I will wear a pair of sox for about 3 days then carefully drop them in the crawl hole with a long string attached.

The string will help me retrieve the sox before they kill off some of the local birds.

[Bzcraig]

Is Girty ill? Can't she take care of em fer ya?

[Bad Water Bill]

Girty B fein.

She B on a speshl blak opz asinmint fer sum 1 startn polez.

[Bzcraig]

At least she's ok!

[dakotashooter2]

Dog proof trap on a short chain and a thump on the head with a baseball bat when you catch them.

[country gent]

In the barns and out buildings Dad uses a mixture of purple marlin fly bait and coca cola. Coons woodchucks possoms normally are found within 5 feet of the mixture. You do need to keep it away from pets. I dont care for poisoning but it is sometimes the only way. Get carcasses picked up and disposed of so other animals cant get to them as you can poison the whole eco system.

[GaryN]

The problem with poison is they might die in the attic out of reach. I am often reminded how smart and tough they are. I sometimes have to dispatch one. They have a tough hide. I use a 12 ga. with #4 buck. But I don't live in the city.

[MaryB]

22lr works but have to hit them in the head! Otherwise it might just bounce off the fat and hide!

[mjwcaster]

Here in IL the game warden will do nothing, most local animal control offices don't do pest removal.
You can only trap during trapping season, with license or you may be able to get a nuisance permit from the DNR.

The local animal control may have traps available, if you tell them you have stray cats.

I did the research when my folks were having an issue with 'Rocky' and my mom brought up the legalities of it, she had done a little research and all the pest control places love to mention that it is illegal to trap.
They don't tell you there are legal ways around it, I wonder why?

Afterwards I just laughed.

[Bad Water Bill]

Years ago my barber started a business of removing critters from your home.

He immediately found that just trapping coons and releasing them into the local woods did not work as they were back in a day or two.

He started spray painting a color on them to tell him how far he had to remove them before they would find their way back to YOUR home.

25 miles was the MINIMUM if he never wanted to see them again.

Amazing critters and they are not dumb.

Sure wish I had kept my critter trap.

Catch one cover the trap with a big black construction bag and drive out into the boonies.

Park the car and pump up the air rifle.

Remove the bag and POP one to the head and problem is solved PERMANENTLY..

If you dump the remains in the nearest ditch the local critters will say thank you for their FREE meal.[smilie=1:

[Sasquatch-1]

I am not positive about this but, check with your local animal control office, they may have live traps that hey lend out.

[country gent]

In Ohio and most states relocating live trapped wild animaals is actually illegal with out a quarintine or inspection. This is due to the fact certain areas may have radies distemper or other diseases and relocating spreads the disease much faster and farther in a short time than nature would normally, think a short trip in the car of 30-40 miles just moved it that far in a short time. Live traps sound good but create other issues to deal with. Local game warden told Dad this regaurding wild animals. Most states allow for nuisance animals to be disposed of

[Sasquatch-1]

This is the part of Bills response I was responding to:

Sure wish I had kept my critter trap.

Catch one cover the trap with a big black construction bag and drive out into the boonies.

Park the car and pump up the air rifle.

Remove the bag and POP one to the head and problem is solved PERMANENTLY.





In Ohio and most states relocating live trapped wild animaals is actually illegal with out a quarintine or inspection. This is due to the fact certain areas may have radies distemper or other diseases and relocating spreads the disease much faster and farther in a short time than nature would normally, think a short trip in the car of 30-40 miles just moved it that far in a short time. Live traps sound good but create other issues to deal with. Local game warden told Dad this regaurding wild animals. Most states allow for nuisance animals to be disposed of

[trapper9260]

As for what I would do is set 220 in the hole and after remove and find a place for the body and do not say anything to anyone and just keep doing that you will get them or the rest will learn to not come back ,do not try to find a new home for the live ones,they will find there way back like is stated.put end to them and then problems are not anymore.Also if it is a female she might have young ones with her also.If there is a path or trail you find them travel to get to on the roof that would be and best place to start to set a trap but put it in a open ends box with the trap fix to be inside that the springs will be able to open and if you make the box long enough you can set a trap at each end and have some thing sweet in the middle and a trail to the center you will get them and will not have to shoot any if you use a 220,just remember that trap will kill what ever that get it head in it.

[cainttype]

A friend once had a large boar coon giving him fits. His efforts to discourage the coon's late-evening raids had little effect on the obviously educated marauder.
It seemed that the beast didn't understand AC electricity very well, though. A dedicated breaker and a little bare wire in the right place found the breaker kicked off and vandal stiff one morning... I was told that there was a well-defined scorch mark across his hand where he had grabbed the lead that was wired to the opposite side of the breaker from the metal framework he stood on.
It would be easy enough to rig 2 wires high enough on a tree where pets wouldn't have access... as long as you don't have cats climbing the same tree.

[SSGOldfart]

Well I've used mothballs,live trap is the best way bait it is dry dog food

[Rockydog]

I've read that a live trap and a 55 gallon barrel of water works well. Even for skunks. Trap them and toss a tarp over the trap. Drop trap and all in the barrel. Drowns coons, skunks, feral cats, etc. in the city with no gunshot noise or other hassles. A hole in the garden for a proper burial and it's a done job.

[coleman]

A good ole fashion electric fence shocker around the entrance will help.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

Dog proof trap on a short chain and a thump on the head with a baseball bat when you catch them.

that but use a big hammer, steel pipe or pick axe handle , the bat I had just seemed to have to much give and bounced of their heads to much

I trap coon in the the city limits , with a city trapping permit , I went to just carrying my 28oz eastwing framing hammer , trap , stakes and bait , I opened the end of the claw up just a bit with a grinder to fit the 3/8 inch re-bar stakes with a 1/2 inch nut beat on them that way I had my all in one tool


for bait I use a washed out and dried milk jug filled with dry dog food , a healthy squirt of fish oil and a few drops of liquid smoke shake it up , and it pours right into a DP without ever touching it with your hands

sometimes you get a cat but you just hold them down by the neck and release the foot with the other hand , if they wouldn't let you get close to hold them down with a gloved hand then they are a feral and its hammer time.

[country gent]

Marshmellows will really attract coons and wood chucks also.