Hello, Dotty.

My razor-sharp mind quickly noted the use of a question mark in your post. Ergo (oh, how I love the word!), you might have some doubt as to whether or not your pest is, indeed, a Procyon lotor. Have you spotted any distinctive paw prints in what I must assume to be damp soil? What's growing in your veggie garden this time of year that would attract them? I know they love corn and melons, but they usually don't raid my lettuce patch here in Pugetropolis (which is the only thing growing in my pea patch thus far). When established sod/lawn is disturbed, a raccoon is looking for grubs. "Grubbing" is more common in late spring and summer, as that is when the kits are being taught to forage by dear old mother.

Rain

Right on Rain. I'm not certain the culprits are racoons -- it's getting close to Easter, so it might be a miserable wabbit or perhaps the neighbour's cats. I built a small raised bed out of wood chips with some good soil on top and have planted lettuce, raddish, snow peas. The holes have been made in the edges and it looks like the animal is trying to find worms or grubs in the chips. The seedlings are collateral damage. We do have coons in the area and are close to a lake so we know the masked bandits are not moving out.

Perhaps skunks?

Whether skunk or raccoon, varmint (another word I love, brought to mind by your reference to "wabbits") removal is heavily regulated by statute in Washington. I'd check with your local Ag department to see what you are legally able to do in BC and what control methods are recommended. To get them to "move on", as your post inquires, without shuffling them off this mortal coil, usually involves making your yard and garden less attractive to them; e.g., not leaving animal food or water outside, cleaning up under bird feeders, controlling lawn grubs. Perhaps scheduling a re-match of the US/Canada hockey game in your backyard would create enough noise and commotion to send the furry pests off in search of a quieter habitat?!

Good luck,

Rain

Possible norway rats, they are guests in my compost.
For raccons i like to use hot pepper. Put something sweet on ground (i use mashmallow). Leave one as it is, put crashed pepper on second. Helps.

What about squirrels (the large grey ones, not that I can tell you how to get rid of them...)? They dig everywhere at my Mom's house - garden beds, lawn, flower pots, etc.

Pests!

Cathy in Olympia

We sure have lots of squirrels, so I think they are likely the culprits. Thanks for your suggestion, I hadn't thought of them. I think if it were racoons the holes would be bigger.

Raccoons trash my ponds but they don't touch the garden.