The Return of the Racoon

This weekend we had an encounter with a racoon. I'd gone out to do morning chores, opened the hay barn, turned on the light, and there he was curled up on the top of my straw bales. I was none too pleased to see a big racoon. Of course the hair on the back of my neck went straight up! And the racoon scurried down into the bales or under the pallets.

I went back to the house to get Mike. But when we got back he hadn't reappeared. Mike came prepared since I only told him to bring a gun. So he brought out my gun, Elmer Fudd, and the pistol. We waited around for the racoon to reappear while I did chores but he didn't show. I'm sure I was making too much noise.

When I finished my chores, Mike stuck around to see if the racoon would reappear and he did. Mike got one shot on him but it wasn't a killing shot. I know what some of you are thinking. I should be more sympathetic and release them back into the wild. Those people in town, release them into the country and those in the country release them in a differnet spot. Well, my theory is, if you didn't want them at YOUR place, I don't want them at MINE!

I've had too many possums and a rabid skunk. I'm not prone to let any wild varmits on my place from now on. We erradicate them when they come on our place, including the bunnies that are destroying my hay.

Ok, back to the story. So Mike shot the racoon but it didn't do much good. This was a BIG racoon. We set the trap, hoping we could catch him but no luck. So each time I've gone into the hay shed to do chores the hair on my back of my neck stands up and I'm on high alert knowing that he's been in there. He's left a poop trail a mile long!

Last night Mike set the live trap in hopes of possibly trapping him. This morning when I went in, the little bugger was in the live trap along with half my tarp. I'm not sure how he managed to get the tarp stuck in the trap but he did.

So now we will be one racoon less. I know it's cruel to destroy a helpless racoon but you should see the trail of destruction he's left me to clean up. If they want to be at Borderlands, stay out of the buildings!