# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Livestock and Animal Husbandry >  Death to the Varmits!

## kyratshooter

A week ago I lost a hen to some critter.  No trace of anything except for two feathers about 20 feet from the pen.  I had come to the conclusion it was a cat, but now I am not so certain.

Nothing adverse for a week.

Then Saturday morning I see evidence of digging and wire being pulled on the pen.

I put landscaping timbers against the base of the wire and made sure everything was tight.  

Each night the timbers are pulled away from the fence, often rolled several feet.  These are the preasure treated timbers 3x3x8 and they weigh about 20 pounds each.  Whatever this is has the ability to roll them uphill for 2 feet.

If you give a critter long enough they will find a way in or dig their way into anything.

Last night I left the critter a "present".  This morning timbers were rolled around, digging was evident and the "present" was gone.

I really hope I have solved this problem.  My next step is a snare, or a night on the back porch with a rifle and my Toys-R-Us night vision goggles.

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## nell67

Raccoon....

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## Rick

Yeah. (cough, cough) Raccoon. (hack). What was in that? (sputter).

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## Onidah

I don't know whether it is a raccoon that is causing your problem or not, but we sure have a lot of them up here in Ohio this year.  I think that it is due to the mild winter that we had.  I've trapped and disposed of 8 nuisance raccoons in our back yard over the past week.  They were eating the cat food and getting in fights with our dogs at night.  I used the Duke dog-proof raccoon traps baited with small marshmallows dipped in anise oil.  I knew that there were at least 3 raccoons, but I'm surprised that I'm at 8 and counting. 

Onidah

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## hunter63

They can be pesky destroyers of hens, as well as dog/cat food.......had one steal a ham wraped in foil from a picnic table while we were sitting there.

Sounds like a reason to justifiy a night vision capable scope to me.......just saying.

Got a story about racoons.......

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## crashdive123

Rifle and night vision.  So much more fun than a snare.

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## Ken

I thought that political discussions were off limits.  This thread is about politicians, isn't it?

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## crashdive123

Nah.  I was going to say it was about lawyers, but if I did, 2d2k would think I was trying to weasel in on his territory....so I won't say that.

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## Ken

2dumb just phoned me and called you every vile and vulgar name imaginable.  Most of his comments were directed at your manhood and heritage.

I defended you with the highest degree of personal loyalty known to mankind.

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## crashdive123

Thank you very much counselor.  Still waiting on your offer, and more importantly receipt of the gold shipment.

While not quite the same as banning, I've moved him to call waiting.

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## Ken

The precious metals brokers are buying as we speak.

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## Ken

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## crashdive123

Now we're getting someplace.

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## kyratshooter

!!!!Got that sucker!!!!

It was a racoon, a young one.  

We are having a storm here and it got dark a bit earlier than usual.  I put the birds up and fed them.  I was on the proch in the near dark and the security light poped on.  There he sat beside the chicken coop, staring at his intended supper.

I was already prepared.  The long barrel .22 SS was by the door and I had a pocket full of Aquilia sub sonics.  He saw me moving to load and turned tail and ran,  I beaned him in the butt at about 50 yards and he caught high gear up a small maple tree.  My second shot dropped him out of the tree like a rock.  He was dead when he hit the ground.

Those subsonic loads sound like a hand clap out of that long barrel.  The neighbors did not even stick their heads out the door.  The thunder probably had a lot to do with that too.  

I am sure the girls will sleep better tonight without their visitor. 

If it were winter I would eat this critter.  He appears to be about a year old, young and tender.  I left him where he lay not wanting to deal with the fleas and ticks of late spring.  It was starting to rain pretty good by then too.  I will deal with the carcass tomorrow.

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## Rick

LIGHT
Raccoon: "Uh. High there. Just checking the fence for ya. Nice job on the pen by the way. Well, gotta run."

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## roar-k

I was changing out the water to my koi pond and it started getting dark so I decided to wait till morning to finish.  Well, later that night I heard movement out on the deck and turned on the lights and saw about 5 - 8 raccoons near the pond.  Didn't think anything of it after I scared them off.  Next morning I got up and was missing 4 of my fish.

I believe due to the water being low the raccoons took advantage.  This was the second time I have found fish missing.  The last time I found 1 up on a rock partial eaten.

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## cowgirlup

> I was changing out the water to my koi pond and it started getting dark so I decided to wait till morning to finish.  Well, later that night I heard movement out on the deck and turned on the lights and saw about 5 - 8 raccoons near the pond.  Didn't think anything of it after I scared them off.  Next morning I got up and was missing 4 of my fish.
> 
> I believe due to the water being low the raccoons took advantage.  This was the second time I have found fish missing.  The last time I found 1 up on a rock partial eaten.


Koi pond?  I bet they thought it was the sushi bar. :Frown:

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## Rick

now that right there is funny I don't care who you are. 

What?

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## Thaddius Bickerton

> Nah.  I was going to say it was about lawyers, but if I did, 2d2k would think I was trying to weasel in on his territory....so I won't say that.


Ya know what a hundred lawyers at the bottom of the ocean is don't ya?

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## crashdive123

A good start.

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## Sparky93

Those little .22 shorts are about quieter than an air rifle! Especially out of a long barrel.

Raccoons around here get disposed of quick, they can spread a nasty disease to horses...

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## hunter63

I just noticed that a ground hog has taken up residence under the Taj Ma Shed again....time to get out the ground hog medicine.......
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## kyratshooter

Ten after midnight and I just got another one!

I am getting real good at working a low power scope in the dark.  If this keeps up I'm putting an aimpoint on something!  Getting good at sniping from the shadows too.  I hit this one at about 15 yards and he flipped in the air and took off.  Doubt that I will see him again.

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## Rick

They are probably preparing a counter attack as I type.

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## hunter63

Just a note..... a rabbits eye, and I would imagine a coon's eye will reflect back a laser....so you can kinda tell a rabbit from a clump of leaves.....Just saying.

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## kyratshooter

I got another one last night.  That is 2 in two nights, three in a week.  PETA will be charging me with genocide and putting me up for trial at this rate.

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## hunter63

I would just call that good hunting......
Ground hogs have eluded me so far....course I haven't worked at it much.

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## kyratshooter

Calm last night.  No disturbance to the coop this morning. I may have wiped out the entire family, we will have to wait and see.  

It is really amazing how a little varmit shooting will change your perspective on hunting in general.  I believe almost every major firearms opinion I have, I have gained by shooting pests.   What works, what doesn't, what to use on which critter, and espically my opinions about "if it will not kill a possom how do you expect it to kill a deer?" 

I have made a scope swap in the past week and I am waiting for a shipment from Optic Planet as I write.  If my present trend is going to become a habit i need a dedicated "night gun" and I am strongly considering dropping the $200 for a federal tax stamp for a supressor.

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## Spartan300

Glad you are having some luck getting those guys. Our biggest problems here are coyotes as far as our large stock goes. As for our chickens and rabbit barns, our biggest enemies are foxes, chicken snakes, and opossums. If you leave a cage with a opening big enough to get two fingers in, there is a varmint that can squeeze in for a meal we have learned.

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## kyratshooter

Got another one a little before 1am.

I finally have the proper rig completely nailed down, thanks to Jerry Miculek.  I rigged a reflex sight off the scope tube at a 40% angle and sighted it at 25yds.  You can bean them in the dark with that dot as easy as if it was 12 noon.  

Wish I had had this sucker 40 years ago.  I can see why the GIs in Iraq loved them so much!

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## finallyME

So do I see in coon skin hats in your future?  Good shootin' Tex.  :Smile:

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## Rick

You just wait. Bad day's a comin'.

Alfred Hitchcluck's "The Coons"

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Sidney Salcluck's "The Great Chicken Massacre"

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George Romero Cluck's "The Night of The Living Dead Raccoon"

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Samual Clucker's "A Nightmare on Chicken Street"

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Bad days they be a comin'.

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## kyratshooter

Yes, I fear that camping in the back yard is not an option at this point.  They would be on me like the walking dead.

There was another trying at the pen last night.  I have gotten to know their habits quite well at this point.  I will probably get that one tonight.

They amble around and get downwind of the cage and come in to investigate at some point after midnight.  The cage is quite secure so they get discouraged and leave or the sun comes up and runs them home.  The next night they remember the pen and visit early intending to pull an all-nighter and dig under the cage.  That is when I catch them.  

It also seems that a single .22 shot in the dead of night does not even rate rollingover in bed to worry over in rural KY.  They know what is happening. 

And the fact that I have rigged the situation so that I can shoot from inside the house like a refugee from Enemy at the Gates keeps the noise down too. I decided to shoot from inside when 'coon #3 made a charge after being wounded.  I'm too old to run like that, espically in the dark and after midnight!  Darn garden hose tripped me and he nearly ran me down.  I had visions of that last photo flashing through my dreams all night.

The other two photos will not do my rest any god either.

Ever considered what might have been the result of evolution running through the racoon family rather than the apes?

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## Rick

There are rumors they are recruiting mercenaries. 

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## wholsomback

funny-pictures-evil-raccoon.jpgWell I did a number on coons this year in Texas with my 22 and light.Those little critters sure do tear up stuff but skunks are worse.Not many coons will live under your house but skunks ,oh my.

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## kyratshooter

At this point I have killed so many I have lost count.  

I have learned and been reminded of a lot too, like why I have never been a fan of the .22 as a game gun.  One of the things being that there is no such thing as "perfect shot placement", which is the standard recomendation with the .22, when dealing with a moving target and varrying ranges in dim light.  The suggestion is a joke.

And there is no passing on the shot when the critters are about to take down your livestock.  You shoot and hope they die now, but dying latter is acceptable too.

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## oldtrap59

KY As long as they figure there's something good to eat around your place they'll keep coming. I have no idea how many have bit the dust here but we keep two live traps out by the chicken coop at all times. Saves staying up so late.

Oldtrap

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