Minnesota Raccoons

Christian1971 · Sat Feb 07, 2015 4:08 am

Anybody here live in rural Minnesota? Do you have to deal with many raccoons in your garden?

rainbowgardener · Sat Feb 07, 2015 6:45 am

Don't live in rural anywhere (urban Ohio), but I have plenty of raccoons. They do hibernate in the worst of the winter, but we've seen them out again lately when we've had some warm days. They are urban raccoons, used to foraging from people's garbage cans, compost piles, gardens, and the cat food we put out for the outdoor cats. They are very bold and unafraid of people. We put some dry cat food right outside our back door, hoping to discourage raccoons. They don't mind coming right up to the door to get it. Drives the dog crazy. Even if we open the door, as long as the screen or glass storm door is closed, the 'coons know he can't get out and get them. Dog will be barking and jumping and raccoon will be 18 inches away coolly eating and thumbing its nose at the poor dog. We don't like to let the dog out at that point, because raccoons are such nasty creatures to tangle with, but as long as the raccoon has a little head start and a tree nearby to climb, they will just run (they can move a lot faster than you think).

To keep them out of my garden, I wrap my raised beds with deer netting and pull it over the top, so the plants are caged in. My compost pile is similarly caged with a lid. Not everything has to be caged. 'Coons don't seem to bother my peppers (even sweet ones) and unlike the woodchucks, they aren't real big on greens, if they have a choice. But they sure do love corn and tomatoes!

In the spring, we will see mama raccoon with as many as SIX babies trailing behind her!

jal_ut · Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:58 pm

I am sorry and may get banned for saying it........... but in these parts it is:
KILL THE RACCOON.

PaulF · Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:44 pm

Raccoons have become a menace everywhere. Here in SE Nebraska they have not bothered the garden much. The devils love birdseed and suet cakes. I do not raise sweet corn since it takes up so much room and plenty of folks grow it and sell at roadside stands, cheap. Tomatoes never are bothered by raccoons here. I take the bird feeders in at night to discourage them. If I can ever see them, the .22 is at the back door.

pepperhead212 · Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:57 pm

I am lucky where I live, as there are no problems with raccons, but less than a mile away I know people who have major problems with them, and trap them throughout the summer, like I do squirrels.

Something strange has happened around here, with both coons and skunks - seems they have been coming out of their hibernation when it is extremely cold. There has been road kill all over the towns I drive, near wooded areas. Not that I'm complaining, except when I have to drive or deliver near one of those dead skunks!

jal_ut · Mon Feb 16, 2015 5:28 pm

I have trouble with skunks wanting to eat my bees. They will go scratch on the hive until the bees come out to fight then eat them.
This past week saw two skunks dead on the roads. Ya, cars get a few.
In this valley where I live there were no raccoons when the valley was first settled. Later some houndsmen who liked to hunt bobcats decided coon hunting would be fun and imported the critters. Arguahhh!

ganeshshenoy · Mon Feb 16, 2015 6:37 pm

This is a major problem, one of my friend had faced lot of troubles with these raccoons. He made plan and placed a music system with pretty loud sound around his garden during night times this prevented raccoons heading towards his garden.

jal_ut · Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:49 am

Yep, music in the garden helps keep the critters out.

I too cheer when I see one dead on the road. Clap, clap!

Christian1971 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:23 am

Some talk radio perhaps. Just enough for critters to think someone is there.

madonnaswimmer · Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:15 am

OK, I have a real problem with chipmunks here. They ate the bottoms of all of our pea plants (leaving them suspended, dead, in the trellis), and like to nibble on our tomatoes.

I will spend my days off in the garden with music playing. This bastards will STILL come right into the garden, with me there and music playing.

Last year, we also had raccoons come and eat all of our corn in one night. We can't play music in the garden at night because it is very close to the neighbors (and very far from an outlet). Any other ideas for keeping the raccoons away?

rainbowgardener · Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:21 am

Has to be fencing. The deer netting I mentioned above is cheap and easy.

jal_ut · Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:24 pm

Question: is it legal there to kill the raccoons? If so that is just what I would do. You may find that a conibear trap would do the job? Also #3 foot traps work well, followed by a ball bat. Not likely firearms are an option if you are in a city limits? There are some good Air Rifles that can make even a critter as big as a raccoon miserable or even kill him with the right hit.

A dog? Get a cable as long as the garden and peg it down with a pulley on it then a short chain to tie the dog to. I did this when I was on the lot out by the river. The dog could run between the river and the garden on his cable. It was a big help.

Shotgun? Put the shoe on the other foot. Go after the raccoons. I used to keep hound dogs for hunting bobcats and lions. These dogs will also hunt raccoons. Know any raccoon hunters with dogs? It is big sport. Ask around. Maybe you can find a hunter who would come thin them out?

Ya fencing........ know how long it takes a raccoon to dig under a fence? About 30 seconds. You gotta dig it in about ten inches deep if you want it to work. Some have said that a horizontal piece of net 20 inches wide laid on the top of the ground next to the fence and attached, works too. The critter doesn't think about starting the dig back away from the fence.

OK, just tossing out some options...........