Darn Raccoons, why do they have to be so cute!

Last year I bought a trap to catch our stupid Raccoon, but every morning I woke up looked out the window and the trap was sprung, but no Raccoon so I finally gave up. Yesterday I thought I would do a little tweaking to the trap and give it one more try and low and behold, I caught a Raccoon, unfortunately it was a baby Raccoon and its Mommy and sibling were frantic. Here he is right before I killed him.................................................just kidding!

Here is the mommy and other baby after I reluctantly let the baby out. I just couldn't do it, they are so cute and I felt so bad. They were watching from our tree when I let the baby out and apparently they didn't see where he ran which was on the other side of the pond. They spent a long time searching for him.

Now I feel bad, but I'm sure they will reunite soon. They just wreak havoc on my pond every night and they drag stuff all over the lawn. But I didn't realize it was a family, I thought it was just one ( I wasn't going to kill it, just relocate it). I guess we will just have to live with them.

Everything I have read about trapping Raccoons say that you need to euthanize them, that relocating is illegal and ultimately more cruel, but there is no way I could do it, I would have to take my chances and relocate them and hope they thrive. I don't see any way to catch all of them, so I am going to give up and just let them have at it.

That darn Raccoon!

Craig was in the kitchen this morning and happened to look outside and saw our raccoon. We have never seen him during the day, he usually only destroys the pond at night, that is why the plywood is over the pond. He is getting pretty bold, which makes us afraid, raccoons are pretty mean, he may be cute, but looks are deceiving. Today he just came out for a drink and a quick bath and then he went back up into the ivy so we are thinking that is where he lives. I think its time for an electric fence.