I know what you mean. I've trapped and disposed of 7 in the last three wks. And they keep on coming.

The Fruitnut

Every year they raid my corn. This year I found scat before the corn was ripe so I paid $35 for a trap.
So far nothing.
I've seen the fat culprit (or one of them) running the fence line in daylight bold as ever, of course on the neighbor's side, it (or they) have a path worn.
Now the corn is ripening, I'd better keep the bait fresh.

So far they haven't bothered my apples. My grapes are another fence closer to my dog so hopefully they won't even think about those.

Great. Yet another thing to worry about protecting from the coons. I just planted concords and muscadines this spring. I've battled coons over corn and lost so that I don't even try corn anymore. I seem to have kept them mostly off my peaches, but that may be just this year. I've trapped and disposed of more than thirty of the darn things in the last 2-3 years. I didn't think about them also getting into the grapes, and where my grapes are is right on the path they take to my peaches and the cat's food. Ah well. Time to start baiting the traps again I suppose. If you feed an outdoor cat, as I do, they get very used to cat food and it makes a very good bait.

Chuck

Mine are stripping the apple trees. But they haven't caught on to the sweetcorn, yet anyway!!! They are dead suckers for a great piece of stone fruit, dead being the operative word.

The Fruitnut

You can keep them off the apples if your trees have enough trunk to staple 24" of alluminum flashing around them starting at least a foot above ground. They need to get their claws in the wood to climb.

This morning I am happy to report: The carnage has begun. Today there is fewer grape robbing %#$@$#%%s, then there was yesterday. Along with teeth, hair and eyeballs blasted about the premises...

Congratulations Melvinn. Did you trap first or just catch it/them in the act? I don't like to set up late or get up early, so I trap. It also doesn't challenge my marksmanship that way! I have a spot where I dispose of the product, and the natural undertakers seem to be aware or it. Last one I put there was just bones within 24 hours. The place didn't even stink. I did finally figure out that all the "eagles" I was admiring flying over my place were actually turkey vultures.

Chuck

We use a hillbilly grape 'arbor' - cattle panels held up by horizontal beams on standing posts, and the contraption covers the back porch and shades the back door. When the raccoons are on the thing, they rattle the panels around and you can hear them. When they're there, we load up the shot gun, open the door, and flip on the lights.

Lets see. The first time, I waited until they just climbed down and were going to start running off across the lawn and fired from about 8 foot away - missed the raccoon but I did get the buried irrigation pipe, which shot up a fountain. Couple nights later, I waited until they were further away, shot one, and the next day found out I had a perforated garden hose as well. Third time, I nailed an old soccer ball.

Traps are easier.

Thanks for the idea of pet food, chuck60.
First night with it caught one.

I got to thinking a neighbor told me a lady who should know better intentionally feeds them. She's a dog lady so I figured dog food. Sure enough, that was the ticket.

I got a smart one that dug under the cage to get the dog food. So I threw in a couple marshmallows. That's really working good so far.

I'm kind of amazed that if they like marshmallows they haven't ever gone after the marshmallow plants I have (do not plant them, they are invasive and hard to get rid of).

Here in so il, coons have become a PLAGUE. I livetrapped and relocated until I learned they return--no matter how far you take them away. Here is a simple, guaranteed permanent solution for coon problems:Golden Maldrin fly bait. I put honey or an egg in a small container and cover it with the bait. Most coons die no more than a few feet away. I've been using this for years and have experienced no collateral damage with other wildlife except possums, which is not bad either.

Fruitnut, when you say your trap and dispose of them, what do you mean by dispose of? Do you transport them far far away, poison them, or just do it the old fashioned way?

Ya, I poison them with 40 grains of lead at about 1200 fps. Have taken out 9 and they just keep crapping in my open shed and tearing up the trees. Will be after another one tonight.

I really don't care for the killing part but I'm not hauling one anywhere while he's alive.

The Fruitnut

HAHAHAHA