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Author Topic: Now I Have A 'Coon Problem  (Read 15920 times)

Offline Rebel Rose Apiary

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Now I Have A 'Coon Problem
« on: August 01, 2009, 09:00:27 pm »
It has been some time since I was on here, but I am back! Things seem to be happening too fast for me lately (heart attacks to cancer in the family leaves little time for the hives and computer) and of course the 'coons are starting to bother my hives right at the worst possible time.

I have added some entrance reducers to the hives that are being hit the hardest by the new crop of baby 'coons the big mamas have been bringing to the bee yard. We went  from a wet spring and summer to dry and cold! It finally rained some last night and this morning, so the 'coons did not come back last night. Here it is the first of August and I am about ready to light a fire in the woodstove! (Hey it is cold and wet here!)

I hope that the entrance reducers will keep the little paws out of the hives for now. It is pretty cool here and the nights are extremely cool. I do not think the bees will get too hot. This has been one weird year for weather!
I was also worried that some of the hives would have chilled brood! Yes, it is that cool at night. (There was hundreds of people wearing hoodies and jeans at the stockcar track and watching the parade at the local festivals today....so it is not just me feeling the chill.)

I finally got the mess cleaned up from the storms and now I have to deal with cold weather and 'coons....plus the health problems going on in the family...and I have had to feed my bees already! Nothing is blooming other that some of the commercial pumpkin fields and the blooms are 'spotty' with not enough blooms for the pollenator hives that have been brought in. So, I am feeding my bees. The hay fields are all mowed down and might make another hay crop, but it will be some weeks before there are any blooms.

I hope that something good happens here soon! Please someone post something good!

Brenda


Offline BearCountry

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2009, 09:36:00 pm »
Regarding the raccoons, you probably won't be wanting to take the time and expense to build a fence, which is the most secure method.  I would imagine that maybe there is some kind of repellent you could spray?  I use liquid fence deer and rabbit repellent on my orchard, which works like a charm, I dont know if it would work on other rodents, but I guess it might.  I also dont know if getting it on or near your hives would hurt.  It only really stinks for 5 minutes, but the bees have a much better sense of smell.

Deadly force is maybe an option?  Maybe cruel to some, but I would probably be taking these 'coon raids a bit personal.  It's also permanent.  Until the next 'coon family starts raiding.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2009, 09:42:44 pm »
if you can't shoot around your area, you can get those live traps.  drop them in the stock tank when they are full.  just make sure the tank is deep and the trap is weighted.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline harvey

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2009, 10:59:17 pm »
To rid yourself of racoons,  go to the local feed store or co-op and ask for Golden Marlin  (aka flybait)  Be very careful using this stuff as whatever drinks or eats it will be dead before they can walk away!   Wear gloves when handling this stuff!  Do not breath it or get it on sweaty skin!  put a small amount in a pot pie dish or I use a clay pigeon, mix in a little coca cola just enough to make a slurry,  The coons, skunks, opposum and fox love this stuff.  Normally there nose will still be in it by the time they are dead,  it is a neuro toxin.  It is legitamly used in milk houses to kill flies.  Make sure no other animals will have access to it as it is very deadly but also very effective.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2009, 11:16:49 pm »
wouldn't that also attract the bees?
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline wildbeekeeper

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2009, 11:18:44 pm »
To rid yourself of racoons,  go to the local feed store or co-op and ask for Golden Marlin  (aka flybait)  Be very careful using this stuff as whatever drinks or eats it will be dead before they can walk away!   Wear gloves when handling this stuff!  Do not breath it or get it on sweaty skin!  put a small amount in a pot pie dish or I use a clay pigeon, mix in a little coca cola just enough to make a slurry,  The coons, skunks, opposum and fox love this stuff.  Normally there nose will still be in it by the time they are dead,  it is a neuro toxin.  It is legitamly used in milk houses to kill flies.  Make sure no other animals will have access to it as it is very deadly but also very effective.

This is also very illegal...... i would advocate the use of live traps to stop raiding hives... using any type of poison runs th too high of a risk of affecting other wildlife species

Offline Pond Creek Farm

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2009, 11:20:15 pm »
Coons are a problem, but killing anything that gets near the hive is not the answer.  Use a live trap.  If it is honey they are after, bait the trap with honey.  Deadly force is sometimes necessary, but do it after you have caught the offender.  The off-label use of such a powerful insecticide is not necessary nor advisable.  
Brian

Offline Bee-Bop

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2009, 09:27:47 am »


 :imsorry:

If You use a live trap DON"T bring them out to the country and drop them off !
We have enough of a problem getting rid of the puppies {drop dogs } that the city people take for a ride and leave by the side of the road, so " they will have a nice home on a farm".
 Sorry that seldom works !

Bee-Bop
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Offline fish_stix

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2009, 10:31:38 am »
Before using poison I'd try some Coyote Urine which you can find at a well stocked sporting goods/gunshop. I had very good results from this, keeping coons and possums out of my yard. BTW, I found some at Ace hardware also; seems some people use it to scare away birds from areas they don't want painted with poop.

Offline trapperbob

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2009, 10:35:37 am »
 Not sure how many hives you have but you could take some thin plywood and drive nails or or long staples in it making a kind of pin cushion. Put these in front of your hives entrances this will deter them and skunks both. The coons will move on to easier pickings this way you do not have to handle them or dispatch them. Make sure if you do this you anchor them down this can be acomplished by using a couple of long spike nails. If you don't they will just slide them out of the way and go about there business.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2009, 10:57:51 am »
Quote
If You use a live trap DON"T bring them out to the country and drop them off


that's why the stock tank suggestion.  we even have people turning horses loose out here.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline poka-bee

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #11 on: August 02, 2009, 08:14:14 pm »
It's so sad to see the dumped dogs & cats.  Seldom do they make it past a couple of days with the cars, coyotes & cougars...
I never wanted possum or coon "cooties" in my stock tank so I have a special 33gl garbage oops,  I mean swimming pool just for for them! :evil:
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Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2009, 10:13:00 pm »
I am dealing with a drop off right now a german shepard, that wandered in, I have fed it ,defleaed it and now it lives under the porch. hmmm anyone want a dog. wife says no way..
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Offline David LaFerney

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2009, 11:47:32 pm »


 :imsorry:

If You use a live trap DON"T bring them out to the country and drop them off !
We have enough of a problem getting rid of the puppies {drop dogs } that the city people take for a ride and leave by the side of the road, so " they will have a nice home on a farm".
 Sorry that seldom works !

Bee-Bop

That's right - never just drop them at some random location.  Drop them at someone's house that you don't like. At least 10 miles away.

 :)
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Offline David LaFerney

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2009, 11:54:22 pm »
Not sure how many hives you have but you could take some thin plywood and drive nails or or long staples in it making a kind of pin cushion. Put these in front of your hives entrances this will deter them and skunks both. The coons will move on to easier pickings this way you do not have to handle them or dispatch them. Make sure if you do this you anchor them down this can be acomplished by using a couple of long spike nails. If you don't they will just slide them out of the way and go about there business.

I'm betting carpet tack strips would be just the thing.  I've read many places that either elevating the hive or using top entrances deters skunks and 'coons.  Is this not so?  I hope so because I have many of both types of varmints - so far no hive predation though.  Probably because they don't know what's in there yet.  All I need.

BTW, it can be extremely difficult to live trap a raccoon if it gets wise to you.  Might want to start saving for a solar fence charger.
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

Putting the "ape" in apiary since 2009.

Offline G3farms

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #15 on: August 03, 2009, 01:52:22 am »
I use the live trap for everything, but since I live in the country (well sort of anyway) I take them to the city and turn them loose, most time to the jobsite I am working on. Let out a coon in the projects one time and will always wonder what happeded to him.

Sorry to say but stray dogs don't last around me, will not tolerate them. Have had to many to get into packs and kill or injure calves.

As far as bait for what ever you are trying to catch, just leave the scat of the previous catch in the trap, they can not resist a good smell of it. It sounds a little weird but it does work, have caught many coons this way, no other bait in the trap.

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Offline luvin honey

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #16 on: August 03, 2009, 02:49:47 am »
We bait our live traps with black licorice in a cut-off soda can. And since we ARE in the country, we don't let them loose :D Hubby shoots them (sorry if that offends anybody) and adds them to our compost pile. Makes gardening a bit gruesome the next year, but that's how we protect our sweetcorn patches around here.
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Offline CBEE

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2009, 09:29:25 am »
Live trap and kill them is the only sure way. I use CB caps which are pretty quiet if you are in a more urban area. Not that my neighbors care anyway. They are glade to see me get rid of them. I have also found that carpet tack strips work fairly well as a deterent.

Offline Rebel Rose Apiary

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2009, 09:33:48 am »
I cannot use poison, as I have too many of my own animals, plus the local wildlife I want to keep safe and I think that it would attract the bees too.

I am already a 'victim' of the 'drop 'em off at the farm and they will live happily ever after' idea. I DO live in the country and it seems that each winter I get at least 20 cats dropped off the first blizzard of the season....the cats do not know where to go to keep from freezing and then I find them dead.....ditto with the expectant dogs that are dumped out here.

My problem stems from an elderly couple who FED 'COONS about a mile from me at there country home....then THEY MOVED into town and no longer feed the coons!

So, they found my place and my hives....and are bringing along theire new flock of babies to sample the delights of honey!

I do not have the time right now to put up a proper electric fence....not sure it would work either, as the hives are scattered over a three acre area that has trees close enought together that the coons would figure out how to climb a tree and go tree to tree to get into the hives again. (I used to go coon hunting and seen them do some awesome things to get away from the dogs)

Brenda

Offline Rebel Rose Apiary

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Re: Now I Have a 'Coon Problem
« Reply #19 on: August 03, 2009, 09:43:11 am »
Live trap and kill them is the only sure way. I use CB caps which are pretty quiet if you are in a more urban area. Not that my neighbors care anyway. They are glade to see me get rid of them. I have also found that carpet tack strips work fairly well as a deterent.

They used to sell the CB caps here, but no longer sell them, or at least I cannot find them....I asked about them about a year ago and the clerk told me that it was not legal to sell them anymore????

Brenda

 

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