Operation Racoon elimination

[bman]

Well last night was a success. One in each trap.



Honey bun in one and pnut butter in the other.

[bman]

I'm on fire!

[wally]

I'm thinking about resurrecting the North Florida Backyard Trapping Club (NFBTC). We could hold tournaments once a month. In the past the hardest part of the tournament was measuring the coons for the slot as gloves are not allowed.

[bman]

First Morning in a week that the bait is still in each trap and neither door is tripped.
Either they are getting smarter or I put a dent in the population!

[RiverRunner]

I'm thinking about resurrecting the North Florida Backyard Trapping Club (NFBTC). We could hold tournaments once a month. In the past the hardest part of the tournament was measuring the coons for the slot as gloves are not allowed.

HAHAHAHA

[countryboy]

I put a stake thru the end of the trap and it keeps it down just fine. Short piece of rebar works great.

[Luv2Yak]

First Morning in a week that the bait is still in each trap and neither door is tripped.
Either they are getting smarter or I put a dent in the population!

Hey bman,

What do you do with the critters after you've live-trapped them?

[RodBow]

What do you do with the critters..?

Are you kidding!! BMan is THEman on special preparation and cuisine! When he runs out of duck paddles.. he just goes to the freezer for the backyard roasters.

[MudDucker]

First Morning in a week that the bait is still in each trap and neither door is tripped.
Either they are getting smarter or I put a dent in the population!

Hey bman,

What do you do with the critters after you've live-trapped them?

Here it comes .... I would not answer this one. I would especially not show the pictures of your coon coat!

[Luv2Yak]

Got it a few too many raccoons in the yard. They have been harassing the chickens and raiding the bird feeders.

One got in the garage and that put my wife over the edge. So I decided it was time to take care of the problem.

Are you releasing the trapped raccoons in an area away from your yard or are you euthanizing them?

The "problem" isn't the raccoons - the "problem" is YOU are inadvertently attracting them to YOUR yard with food sources, i.e., bird seed and chicken feed, during the winter months when the raccoons' natural and normal diet of berries, insects, amphibians and reptiles etc. is not as plentiful.

If you're relocating the trapped raccoons, well, good for you because that's better than euthanizing them (although by relocating them you are putting them into an unfamiliar and perhaps unsuitable habitat). If you're euthanizing the trapped raccoons, well, that's just wrong.

Maybe instead of trapping the raccoons you're attracting you should try containing and housing your chickens in a raccoon-proof chicken coop and quit feeding the birds (that frankly don't need to be fed).

Are you an ethical fisherman? An ethical fisherman abides by regulations, either legally harvesting and consuming his catch or practicing good management of "catch and release".

As outdoorsmen, who utilize our natural resources, it is our responsibility to be good stewards and protect ALL our fauna and flora, including the oppossums, raccoons, etc.

The raccoons don't desrve to be baited, trapped and killed just because 1.) they're hungry and 2.) because you're attracting them to your yard.

[bman]

I was about to give up.. Thought I got them all. Then this guy showed up



As far as what I do with them. Relocating is illegal and i would hate to pass the problem off to someone else.
I don't eat them. Good news, I found some one who does.

[big bend gyrene]

Luv2Yak,

No worries... know Bman fairly well, and can attest to the fact he doesn't believe in letting things go to waste. In fact he's fairly resourceful in seeing things are put to multiple use.

[Luv2Yak]

If bman isn't 65 years of age or older he needs a trapping license. Also, it's illegal for anyone to transport wild-trapped raccoons.

Hunting raccoons or opossums at night is allowed, but only .22¬-caliber rimfire firearms (other than .22-mag¬nums) or single-shot .410-gauge shotguns (using shot not larger than size 6) may be used. Hunting raccoons or opossums by displaying or using lights from moving vehicles, vessels or animals is prohibited. It is illegal to transport wild-trapped live raccoons within, into or from the state, except by FWC permit or authorization.

Furbearer hunting regulations
Furbearers
 bobcats
 otters
 raccoons
 opossums
 coyotes
 beavers
 skunks
 nutrias
License requirements: A trapping license is required when taking or attempting to take furbearing animals using live traps or snares. A trapping license is required to sell the fur of furbearing animals to licensed fur dealers, whether taken by trap, snare or gun. Trapping licenses are not required of residents 65 years of age or older.
Methods of taking: Furbearers may be taken with firearms, live traps or snares and recorded game calls.

http://myfwc.com/hunting/regulations/fu ... -falconry/

[bman]

You only have to register if your selling the fur or meat.
See below:

http://myfwc.com/license/wildlife/nuisance-wildlife/

Nuisance Wildlife Trappers - Businesses
The FWC does not license nuisance wildlife trappers. Nuisance wildlife trappers may voluntarily register to have their name and contact information added to the Wildlife Trapper List. Persons contacting FWC looking for help with nuisance wildlife are directed to the wildlife trapper list.

Nuisance wildlife is wildlife that...
causes (or is about to cause) property damage,
presents a threat to public safety, or
causes an annoyance within, under or upon a building.

[leonreno]

Luv2yak, I think the link you site is for WMA areas only, on private land use this link:
http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profi ... d/raccoon/

It reads in part:

Raccoons should not be handled by inexperienced individuals because of the risk of rabies infection. It is lawful for landowners to humanely destroy (take) or live-trap nuisance raccoons without a permit from the FWC as long as approved methods are used to take or trap the animals.

It also says care should be taken to not feed raccoons:

Prevention is the key to dealing with raccoon problems. Do not feed raccoons! It is illegal to place or offer food or garbage in a way that it attracts raccoons and creates a public nuisance. (Rule 68A-4.001 (3)). Do what you can to eliminate their artificial food sources.

I don't think we are going to run out of Raccoons, but we should be careful how we feed wildlife and livestock.