Any one know how to get rid of raccoons that are coming up on my deck and wrecking stuff?

Question

Everyone just says to shoot them but is there a way to make them just leave without killing them. I don't have any pet food out there or give them access to anything but they just keep hanging around. I do have a large garden but it won't be actuallly producing anything etable for another month yet. They show up on the deck at 2 a.m. or so and pull the deck chairs off, and get into everything out there. Any ideas?

Answer 1

I tried everything.  Big squirt gun with smelly ammonia.  Leave cans with rocks to wake me up then chase them with rocks.  Run out real quick so the mother goes away and the young-ins are stuck in a tree.  They just took it in stride and came back the next day.  I refused to kill them, they were here long before humans were.  I did remove my grape vines, they really made a mess when they dined.  They still come around but there is nothing for them but what the birds leave in the bird feeder.  They also like my fruit trees, but I can share.  Someone suggested a have-a-heart trap, but you rarely can catch a mother and all the kids so I haven't tried that.

You cat will run off before they kill it, but they can easily win with a full grown cat.  I have seen them chase feral cats away.

Answer 2

Yes,

get a dog.

Answer 3

try tacking bubble wrap to the floor of the deck I bet the popping noice will scare them off after awhile

Answer 4

shoot them....they are rabid....... often...........

or trap them and drop them 30 miles away..

Answer 5

May need to put metal sheets (metal trailer skirting or metal roofing) on all climbing sides.  Walking areas have cardboard with thumbtacks.  Walking areas have newspaper with tape - - such as wide packing tape, put in circle and stuck onto paper - - if step onto tape the paper with additional tape 'circles' come toward them & stick to fur.  The scotch tape & newspaper works great to teach cats to stay off table.  It will take them awhile to get the tape & paper off.

Raccoons have been known to drown a large dog if been chased by it.  Raccoons will not attack the cat unless it was defending itself or protecting its young.  Yes, it could kill a cat.

Answer 6

The best way would be to shoot them other than that maybe spray ammonia on the stuff they get into, but then you have to smell it as well. Maybe get a big dog to go after them, small or med size dog might not fair well in a fight with a raccoon.

Answer 7

if you live in an area where fire crackers are allowed buy some, then next time the raccoons visit toss several lighted firecrackers out the door, after a couple of scares they might leave

good luck