Unleashing Hell on the Raccoons.
Sorry it's been a while. So re. our raccoon problem...as you know, my wife and I have spent months tearing down our old backyard, prepping it for grass, and finally laying down a gorgeous 90/10 blend of fescue and bluegrass lawn. I've been hyper meticulous about watering it at proper intervals and times, as well as making certain it is well fertilized
Three weeks ago, however, I began to notice cone shapes holes all over our lawn. They weren't gopher holes...just holes. A few days later, critters came upon our lawn in the dead of night to pull and roll up the sod! It was unreal! Given the sod had not completely taken into the soil, it was quite easy to pull it up at the ends. Thank goodness nearly 50 percent of the sod had rooted well enough that the bastards were unable to pull ALL of it up. But none-the-less, it looked as if some person were playing a cruel trick on us. Also, nearly every seam was separated!...I imagined there little grubby noses working their way along the entire length of the lawn and tearing it up like a pair of scissors.
I, of course, declared War. Mind you, I certainly do NOT want to kill them. I did have the idea of using my airsoft gun and unleashing full automatic hell upon them, but I'd probably get arrested for animal cruelty. So, I went to my local nursery and Home Depot and invested in some incredibly expensive "solutions". The first was a product from the company "Havahart", a "kind solution to your critter problem". Half a can every week at 18 bucks a can. I tested the product on our cats. I opened the top and pushed it under their noses. One of them ran off and hid, while the other ran from me with a twitching nose. I felt optimistic. After applying the product "liberally", I waited a couple of nights to see if it had worked. Well, it didn't....in fact the problem got worse. I literally emptied the remaining 3 weeks supply and again, the next night, the bastards were at it again. In fact, they seemed to relish in it's odor, mocking me by pulling up sod in those areas where I had placed extra chemical emphasis.
So, I turned to an even more expensive solution....crystalized Coyote urea. The product manufacturer had a guarantee and had 3 products available....basically, strong, stronger, and overwhelming. I chose "overwhelming" and proceeded to inundate our lawn with the stuff. At least the directions did not promise the world...it said to apply the product every week for 4 weeks and monthly afterwards, and that it should be it's most devastating after 3 weeks. This time, I had a more realistic attitude and decided to be a bit more patient. After 5 days, I saw no evidence of raccoon incursion. I applied the second dose. Unfortunately, on garbage night, they were at it again. This time, I saw them! My wife was happening to look out into our backyard when she turned and said, "Oh No". We clicked on the light and there they were. Two raccoons jamming there little faces into the lawn edge and right into the product!! DAMN THEM!!
I went back to the nursery and they helped me analyze the situation. They said that they were clearly pulling up the sod to feed on grub and insects underneath. So the cure would be to obliterate all life in our backyard with a wide spectrum chemical death concoction....all for 28 bucks a pop. The stuff is quite caustic, so after taking the proper biohazard precautions, I blasted our lawn with the chemical. Well, to make a long story short, that didn't work either. They were at it again last Sunday.
I've decided to take it to the final level....ultrasonic movement initiated electronic counter-measures. Unfortunately, the Home Depot doesn't carry this product so I'll have to order on line or pick it up from another nursery in the area. I'm seriously frustrated and our poor lawn is struggling to take root. If anyone reading this has any ideas, that does not include murder however, please let me know.
Thank you...
Three weeks ago, however, I began to notice cone shapes holes all over our lawn. They weren't gopher holes...just holes. A few days later, critters came upon our lawn in the dead of night to pull and roll up the sod! It was unreal! Given the sod had not completely taken into the soil, it was quite easy to pull it up at the ends. Thank goodness nearly 50 percent of the sod had rooted well enough that the bastards were unable to pull ALL of it up. But none-the-less, it looked as if some person were playing a cruel trick on us. Also, nearly every seam was separated!...I imagined there little grubby noses working their way along the entire length of the lawn and tearing it up like a pair of scissors.
I, of course, declared War. Mind you, I certainly do NOT want to kill them. I did have the idea of using my airsoft gun and unleashing full automatic hell upon them, but I'd probably get arrested for animal cruelty. So, I went to my local nursery and Home Depot and invested in some incredibly expensive "solutions". The first was a product from the company "Havahart", a "kind solution to your critter problem". Half a can every week at 18 bucks a can. I tested the product on our cats. I opened the top and pushed it under their noses. One of them ran off and hid, while the other ran from me with a twitching nose. I felt optimistic. After applying the product "liberally", I waited a couple of nights to see if it had worked. Well, it didn't....in fact the problem got worse. I literally emptied the remaining 3 weeks supply and again, the next night, the bastards were at it again. In fact, they seemed to relish in it's odor, mocking me by pulling up sod in those areas where I had placed extra chemical emphasis.
So, I turned to an even more expensive solution....crystalized Coyote urea. The product manufacturer had a guarantee and had 3 products available....basically, strong, stronger, and overwhelming. I chose "overwhelming" and proceeded to inundate our lawn with the stuff. At least the directions did not promise the world...it said to apply the product every week for 4 weeks and monthly afterwards, and that it should be it's most devastating after 3 weeks. This time, I had a more realistic attitude and decided to be a bit more patient. After 5 days, I saw no evidence of raccoon incursion. I applied the second dose. Unfortunately, on garbage night, they were at it again. This time, I saw them! My wife was happening to look out into our backyard when she turned and said, "Oh No". We clicked on the light and there they were. Two raccoons jamming there little faces into the lawn edge and right into the product!! DAMN THEM!!
I went back to the nursery and they helped me analyze the situation. They said that they were clearly pulling up the sod to feed on grub and insects underneath. So the cure would be to obliterate all life in our backyard with a wide spectrum chemical death concoction....all for 28 bucks a pop. The stuff is quite caustic, so after taking the proper biohazard precautions, I blasted our lawn with the chemical. Well, to make a long story short, that didn't work either. They were at it again last Sunday.
I've decided to take it to the final level....ultrasonic movement initiated electronic counter-measures. Unfortunately, the Home Depot doesn't carry this product so I'll have to order on line or pick it up from another nursery in the area. I'm seriously frustrated and our poor lawn is struggling to take root. If anyone reading this has any ideas, that does not include murder however, please let me know.
Thank you...
posted by supergoober at
8:37 AM
3 Comments:
I guess you could just try buying a roll of mesh and line it along the edge so they can't pull it up? Heh, heh;)
Stephen
Yeah what the Discourser said. With the insane rof of the custom STang M4 they will bother you no more. Besides you need to use every now and then.
You can always get traps from the humane society. They go in the traps (non-lethal I might add) then you call the humane society and they take them and release them somewhere more wild than your house.
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