# Racoons. Its him or me. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041 "2007-05-07T00:49:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/1 "2007-05-07T00:49:19Z")
Anyone know of a reliable way to deter racoons? Anything up to and including nuking from orbit will do. I was willing to coexist with all forms of widlife but know he is coming up on my deck and eating my plants. Any suggestions of products or techniques are welcome. I’d rather not use firearms since I don’t want to put holes in my deck. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/2 "2007-05-07T00:51:00Z")
So you planted something only racoons like? Solution: plant something else. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/3 "2007-05-07T01:00:02Z")
Sometimes installing motion activated lights helps, although if it’s something they really like, they’ll adapt. The best thing is to remove any insentive. If it’s your plants, hang them high enough that the racoons can’t reach. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/4 "2007-05-07T01:55:58Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] So you planted something only racoons like? Solution: plant something else. [/QUOTE] You’ve obviously never had racoons. He could plant a sock bush next to a turd tree and still have problems. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/5 "2007-05-07T01:57:49Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] So you planted something only racoons like? Solution: plant something else. [/QUOTE] Thats right, only racoons like tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/6 "2007-05-07T02:07:06Z")
Nitpick: Unless these particular 'coons happen to be devotees of the Egyptian sun god (which gives rise to highly incongruous visual images ), the standard spelling is with a double C: raccoons. I’d strongly suggest contacting your County Extension Agent – unless you’re in a **totally** urbanized county, of which there are only a few in the U.S., you have one. And they have most likely handled the issue before, with particular reference to your specific environment, and even if not, have quick and easy reference to solutions that have worked in your general area. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/7 "2007-05-07T02:16:53Z")
[QUOTE=ForumBot] You’ve obviously never had racoons. He could plant a sock bush next to a turd tree and still have problems. [/QUOTE] Actually, I have always “had” raccoons. And I’m not aware of any particular plant in my yard that they eat to excess. They do enjoy kitchen leftovers and bird food, biscuits, crackers, potato chips and old pizza. Deer are the wild animals my neighbors carp about the most. I have never understood why a person would buy/build a house in the woods, then complain about all the wild animals. You didn’t expect they’d be there? If someone told my mother that a raccoon was eating her new plants, she would say, “That’s great. I’ll plant some more for them tomorrow.” ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/8 "2007-05-07T02:37:26Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Actually, I have always “had” raccoons. And I’m not aware of any particular plant in my yard that they eat to excess. They do enjoy kitchen leftovers and bird food, biscuits, crackers, potato chips and old pizza. Deer are the wild animals my neighbors carp about the most. I have never understood why a person would buy/build a house in the woods, then complain about all the wild animals. You didn’t expect they’d be there? If someone told my mother that a raccoon was eating her new plants, she would say, “That’s great. I’ll plant some more for them tomorrow.” [/QUOTE] Raccoons, deer, and squirrels can all become pest animals and you don’t have to live in the “woods” to come into contact with them. Living outside the city center of a major metropolitan city doesn’t equate to “living in the woods.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/9 "2007-05-07T02:43:15Z")
[Raccoon repellent](http://search.yahoo.com/search?&btn=Search&tab=Web&ei=UTF-8&p=raccoon+repellent). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/10 "2007-05-07T02:44:00Z")
[QUOTE=Martin Hyde] Raccoons, deer, and squirrels can all become pest animals and you don’t have to live in the “woods” to come into contact with them. Living outside the city center of a major metropolitan city doesn’t equate to “living in the woods.” [/QUOTE] Hell, living in a major metropolitan city doesn’t exempt you from raccoons. Raccoons are commonplace in pretty much every city in North America. They just love being around humans. I can’t figure out a way to get the little fuckers to stop getting into my garbage, short of padlocking it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/11 "2007-05-07T02:45:08Z")
Havahart traps. Catch the pest, release in some wonderful place where creatures cavort in harmony, Disney-like. Not legal in all jurisdictions. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/12 "2007-05-07T02:58:13Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] Havahart traps. Catch the pest, release in some wonderful place where creatures cavort in harmony, Disney-like. Not legal in all jurisdictions. [/QUOTE] Have you every tried to get a pissed off raccoon out of one of those? They don’t exactly cavort. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/13 "2007-05-07T03:18:23Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Actually, I have always “had” raccoons. And I’m not aware of any particular plant in my yard that they eat to excess. They do enjoy kitchen leftovers and bird food, biscuits, crackers, potato chips and old pizza. Deer are the wild animals my neighbors carp about the most. I have never understood why a person would buy/build a house in the woods, then complain about all the wild animals. You didn’t expect they’d be there? If someone told my mother that a raccoon was eating her new plants, she would say, “That’s great. I’ll plant some more for them tomorrow.” [/QUOTE] I’m sure it would be better if I could live in harmony with all the woodland critters. Thats not how it is. I am not spending money and making an effort to plant for their benefit. If your mother wants to that is fine for her. She can start her own thread. The bastards can have the rest of the yard, I just want them to stay off my deck. I also eat meat. [QUOTE=John Mace] Raccoon repellent. [/QUOTE] I know there are a lot of products. Do you have any knowledge of any that work? Kind of what I am looking for. Anecdotes welcome. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/14 "2007-05-07T14:23:27Z")
[QUOTE=Jackmannii] Havahart traps. Catch the pest, release in some wonderful place where creatures cavort in harmony, Disney-like. Not legal in all jurisdictions. [/QUOTE] That is what I’ve done. The idea is to keep the population manageable. I trap, kill those that are rabid/sick, and relocate the healthy individuals. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/15 "2007-05-07T14:28:46Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] Have you every tried to get a pissed off raccoon out of one of those? They don’t exactly cavort. [/QUOTE] A friend of mine catches his problem raccoons in a Havahart® trap, then shoots them with his pistol while they’re still in the trap. Havahart, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/16 "2007-05-07T14:33:15Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] I also eat meat. [/quote] Then there’s your solution. BBQ raccoon-burgers. Every one you eat is one less that will be munching your flowers. ---
**Author:** ![KidKaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/779978/32.png) [@KidKaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidKaos)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/17 "2007-05-07T16:55:16Z")
I know this is not really much help in solving your raccoon issue but maybe it will help you not get suckered like we did. We had a rather bad problem with the raccoon tearing up our trash. The so called “Animal Proof” trashcan was no problem for this guy to get into. We went to the local garden center for advice and they sold us a rather expensive bag of dried deer blood. They told us to rub it into all the areas where the raccoon was coming from and spread it around and on the trash can. It had little or no effect on the raccoon but did seem to keep the squirrels away… sorta. I would not recommend this as a solution if it is ever suggested to you. Also we already have a double flood light on the back porch right above the trash can. When I turned it on with the raccoon out there he would look up at it for a moment and go back to raiding the trash. When I went out on the porch he walked right up to me as I dove back into the house. No way Im messing with a raccoon hand to paw. Investing in auto flood lights probably wont keep the raccoon away for long. I did solve our garbage problem when I bought some strong bungee cord. I drilled holes on all 4 sides of the can and pulled the straps over the lid. This has now worked like a charm for the last 6 months. Obviously it will not keep the guy away from exposed plants. Im keeping my eye on this thread to see if anyone comes up with anything that really works. I hope this at least helps save you some useless expenses. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/18 "2007-05-07T17:06:32Z")
[This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=370957&highlight=raccoon+ammonia) suggests that ammonia can be used as a deterrent. It specifically mentions adding it to the garbage can; I’m not sure how one would do this with keeping a raccoon off the deck though, without damaging the plants or the deck. I’d definitely avoid the “nuking from orbit” approach though - if you think **firearms** would damage the deck, imagine what that nuke would do 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/19 "2007-05-07T17:14:05Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] I know there are a lot of products. Do you have any knowledge of any that work? Kind of what I am looking for. Anecdotes welcome. [/QUOTE] From experience firearms work well. You perhaps more than any body else should know the risks, and problems associated with this method. FWIW if you use a 22LR do not go for a head shot, it will ricochet off. :eek: A .22 shot shell with scare them off, but will not kill them. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041/20 "2007-05-07T18:12:53Z")
You could move. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racoons-its-him-or-me/403041.md?page=2)