Killer Raccoon
This is the raccoon that killed Georgie yesterday.
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This is video of it today. It was back again at EXACTLY the same time it killed her yesterday. The ducks were on the deck when the raccoon appeared today, and I was right inside the sliding glass door watching them. They saw the raccoon before I did and alerted me. I opened the door and they all came inside. I saw it go into Flapper’s pen so I tried to run out and shut the door to trap it, but it heard me and took off.
Washington State Law says, “A property owner or the owner’s immediate family, employee, or tenant may kill or trap a raccoon on that property if it is damaging crops or domestic animals (RCW 77.36.030). In such cases, no permit is necessary for the use of live (cage) traps.”
Live traps arrive tonight, though I may wait ’til morning to set them. Unfortunately this raccoon cannot be relocated. It will be euthanized. Sorry raccoon-lovers. I like them, too. But once they’ve killed my pets in my yard, they can’t stay.
I will post a separate update on the ducks later.
17 Comments
Why can’t he be relocated? I’m not a raccoon lover per se, but I feel bad that he has to be euthanized. There’s been so much sadness already.
I understand your point of view, though, Tiff — obviously, protection of the duckies must take precedence.
They are territorial, and according to the state handouts, cannot be relocated as it results in more suffering. They try to return to their home territory and get hit by cars or get in fights with other raccoons along the way. I was actually surprised about that. Fish & Wildlife was all too eager to kill the raccoon. But everyone else I spoke to agreed they can’t be re-released.
Once that raccoon has returned again to the same spot, same time – it’s a given that you have to do something drastic because he will be back and he will bring family and friends. Take it as a compliment tif – you fed your ducks well and that raccoon and all his buds know it. I’m so glad that there weren’t more ducks killed or maimed. Raccoons are really cute but they are predators. It’s what they do but when they get our pets or family members, crops, etc.; you usually have to do something drastic like euthanizing them.
Maybe it was the smell of french fries (Flapper’s treats) that caused the raccoon to come over to your place. All kidding aside, we all know they love to go through garbage cans, eat cat/dog food placed outside. You are doing the right thing. A raccoon once took after my sister’s cat across the roof of their house. That thing bit my sister’s cat’s back foot trying to catch her. This was no small cat. Luckily the raccoon didn’t have rabies and her cat healed up eventually and lived a long life (staying indoors at night).
That makes sense, as sad as it is.
I’ve seen raccoons walking around the pond in Central Park in the daytime, and it always makes me worry for Whitey and the mallards. Thankfully the pond is large and offers a means of escape.
Then there are the hawks, who have to eat, too. Nature is not always what we would consider pleasant. But we have to do what we can for our special feathered, and non-feathered, buddies.
Truthfully I have raccoons and opossums in my yard almost every night. I’m not putting the traps out ’til morning because I don’t want to catch just any raccoons. I want the one that is oddly appearing at 1pm in the afternoon. Even so, my ducks won’t be out again unless I’m with them, and we’ll be building them a big predator-proof enclosure that includes BOTH of their ponds, but that will just take time. Until then, this daily day-time visitor that is terrorizing them has to go.
Watching the video, my first reaction was, “Cool! He’s feeling around in the water for edibles.” But when he started checking out the pens for “edibles”, it got creepy really fast! So glad you were home to be able to share this! Peas for all the ducks!
This is so crazy scary.
I don’t feel bad for the raccoon… after all he killed Georgie. And, he will be euthanized and die quickly and peacfully, unlike Georgie. If the monster raccoon would be willing to eat fries, I am sure Tiff would give him his own dish of fries every day just so he doesn’t terrorize the ducks. But he really crossed the line with bothering the ducks. Domesticated ducks are innocent and helpless, they depend on us to protect them.
Years ago, a coworker of mine who bred cats had a raccoon climb down her chimney. It killed a litter of kittens and so severely wounded the mother cat that she had to be euthanized. My friend came home to a nightmare. Fortunately the raccoon wasn’t there when she returned, for I suspect she would have been in danger, too. Those f***ers are nasty.
Tiff, I know you’re full of recriminations, but I’m not sure there was much you could do. My friend’s cat and kittens were locked inside her house.
I’m glad you’re getting a trap and will dispatch the raccoon humanely afterwards.
I’m so, so sorry about Georgie.
Wow. I had no idea raccoons were so tenacious that they can’t be relocated. Maybe it’s different in your part of the country (west coast?), but it’s kind of odd to see raccoons out in the daytime here (NJ) and the first thing we’d think in that case is maybe it has rabies. Is it normal for where you are for raccoons to be out during the day? Just curious.
Hugs, Tiff. It’s a hard decision and I feel that you are making the right one.
Pringles read a study where raccoons relaocted within 50 miles very often make it back to their original territory. Raccoons relocated over 50 miles from their territory die from starvation and loss of territory. So sadly there really isnt many options for the relocation of raccoons.
Once they know there is a food source they will return day after day.
I hope u and ur ducks feel better soon and also wat type of duuck is flapper ? as im getting to aylesburys soon.
Euthanize? sheesh, if it killed my pets, in my yard? I’d douse it and torch it, Renaissance style!
2 nights ago, my mother muscovy duck was killed, I had a 16′ x 16′ web fence covering all except a spot over the gate,,, she had hatched 4 healthy baby ducks 2 weeks ago in my shavings trailer (wood shavings for horses), and I covered this,,, I thought this was a safe place, however, she was killed and totally eaten except for bones and a few feathers,,, however the babies were still there, so me and my husband covered what I thought every possible space,, we assumed this was a coyote, it couldn’t have been, my babies were all gone except one, and he killed it too, I am absolutely heartbroken as I watched every day for 35 plus days till she hatched these, and all killed in one night, he ate 3, he didn’t have to kill the 4th, but he did, in the middle of the night,,,, I have d con for the mice, do you think he would go for this?? This is a killer, he has tasted blood, and now I am worried about my kittens in the barn, daddy duck and my geese…. I don’t know what to do, he is so sneaky I have no idea how to get him…. ideas welcome please, thank you
Yesterday I saw a racoon climbing on my tree heading towards the backyard. I had no idea that this coon would go for my ducks.A few days later at night time i went to feed them and the first one i got was dead. his wing had been half broken of and the other if i remember correctly was gone. His head was half torn. I am afraid for my other ducks and have little mercy for this culprit.I have laid out some popcorn to see if it will be eaten to make sure he is still here. then i will by a trap and hopefully kill or euthinise him.i have 3 other ducks in danger ive had for 4 years.
I use to love racoons, but now that i see what these animals do I cant stand them.