Hi everyone, I found a raccoon in our coop about a month ago. Luckily no chickens killed (only because I stayed in the coop until it left). Next AM I called a very reputable wildlife company and they arrived by afternoon and set 3 havahart type traps for over a week and.... nothing. Convinced the raccoon had "moved on" they took the traps away. I was not convinced. A day or so later I found raccoon footprints around the back of the barn and near the door of the coop. The company returned with cameras. I thought she might still be hiding in the hay mow so cameras were placed both inside the hay mow and in front of the coop door. Nothing happened except she was seen on camera go into the hay mow (using the hole she made in my barn) and left. Again convinced she had moved on they pulled the cameras. The next day we lost a chicken but I think that it was a fox attack.
Within about a week or so she returned and tore through the roof of my tenant's cottage. (I think she was trying to get in but the trappers determined she was getting out). Either way I need to replace the roof. Two nights later she tried to pull off the access door in the gable area of the tenant's cottage to get into the attic. My tenant went outside and said raccoon was hanging off of the roof by the gutter.
The following day our neighbor showed me she had pulled off the house siding and two gable vents. He chased her around the roof but was not able to kill her. The following night she tore off the window sills of his bedroom windows on the second floor. So this is where she was for the few days she wasn't here.
Based on my reports about the raccoon tearing a hole in the roof -and the neighbors reports- the company returned yesterday and set up several of the traps recommended on this site (dog proof traps) and cameras. As the trappers were setting up the neighbor stopped by to say she had been on his roof again the previous night-for the third time.
The traps are behind tenant's cottage and baited with marshmallows. Last night she was again trying to get into the tenant's attic and didn't bother going near any of the traps or cameras.
TLDR; we have a very smart raccoon doing a lot of damage.
It's been over a month and everything we have tried has failed. Every theory about raccoons "moving on" when they have been discovered hasn't happened. The idea that she would surely smell the marshmallows and go for these if she was anywhere in the area didn't work. I believe she is so determined because she's looking for a place to give birth. I also believe she has been trapped before and knows exactly what to avoid.
All that said does anyone have any other ideas?
Within about a week or so she returned and tore through the roof of my tenant's cottage. (I think she was trying to get in but the trappers determined she was getting out). Either way I need to replace the roof. Two nights later she tried to pull off the access door in the gable area of the tenant's cottage to get into the attic. My tenant went outside and said raccoon was hanging off of the roof by the gutter.
The following day our neighbor showed me she had pulled off the house siding and two gable vents. He chased her around the roof but was not able to kill her. The following night she tore off the window sills of his bedroom windows on the second floor. So this is where she was for the few days she wasn't here.
Based on my reports about the raccoon tearing a hole in the roof -and the neighbors reports- the company returned yesterday and set up several of the traps recommended on this site (dog proof traps) and cameras. As the trappers were setting up the neighbor stopped by to say she had been on his roof again the previous night-for the third time.
The traps are behind tenant's cottage and baited with marshmallows. Last night she was again trying to get into the tenant's attic and didn't bother going near any of the traps or cameras.
TLDR; we have a very smart raccoon doing a lot of damage.
It's been over a month and everything we have tried has failed. Every theory about raccoons "moving on" when they have been discovered hasn't happened. The idea that she would surely smell the marshmallows and go for these if she was anywhere in the area didn't work. I believe she is so determined because she's looking for a place to give birth. I also believe she has been trapped before and knows exactly what to avoid.
All that said does anyone have any other ideas?
