You are indeed lucky that you avoided a physical altercation -- raccoons are notoriously aggressive and frequently come out on top. I live in an outer ring SW suburb of Minneapolis in a very wooded area, and see the raccoons almost daily as they pass through the woods behind my house. Fortunately, the fence has prevented any up close and personal interactions between my dogs and the raccoons.

Having a family with protective parents and young ones living in your backyard is a bit too close for my personal comfort. How old are the babies? Maybe they'll be leaving on their own shortly . . . I'm not familiar enough to know whether the parents will return to raise another brood in the same location next spring - might be worth investigating.

One of my neighbors a couple blocks over has had a fox raising her young ones under their shed. They're thrilled, as are the rest of us. More critter control!

We live smack dab in the middle of concrete suburbia, with 6' fences. We've had as many as 5 racoons at once clomping on our roof and tearing up our yard. They climb a tree in front, go over the roof, then down another tree in back. They live in the storm sewers here. Well fed, 30 pounders.

-Babka

Maybe you live in a subdivision where they once called home. We invade their woods, their homeland, and then just want them gone. Where are they suppose to go? I live in the woods and have been around raccoons for 20 years. My experience with them is that they get a bum rap. They have never done any damage here. I find them sweet and gentle and just like dogs or cats, well at least to me. They run if you are outdoors, they are afraid. I think the only mean coons are the ones being attacked by humans. They would not attack unless provoked. It is their instinct to protect themselves. Wouldn't you feel threatened if someone big came after you with a club? I have raised several over the years, when their Mothers have been killed. Right now I have a little girl, I've had her since May, her Mother was hit by a car. I bottle fed her at first. She is very sweet, eats on her own now. She plays just like a kitten and is very loving. Over the years I have fed raccoons day old bread, they learn their names really fast. I have had a few that I could sit on the deck with and hand feed. They are super gentle when they take food out of your hand. They never failed to touch me as if to say thank you. I didn't try to pet them as they are wild and might get scared. You have to have respect for them. I know many people hate them, but there are also many like me that do love them. If they get in your garbage cans, keep them in the garage. They are usually just hungry. If they are raising a family under your shed, maybe it's the only place they could find. Maybe all the den trees were cut down.

I have to agree with Nancy. I also live in the woods,and there are Raccoons here,also. They are nocturnal,and only appear here at night. Once,some have knocked over and made a mess of my trash cans,and sometimes they appear on my rear deck,looking for birdseed. I don't leave my trashcans outside with anything in them,and never leave birdseed out either. Problem solved. I admit,I did smack a vole once,but that after some hostas were eaten,It was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I also brake for grounghogs,but then,I'm not a farmer,and I try to avoid killing any animal. I'll get off my soap box now. Phil

Thanks Phil. I think people over-react sometimes when it comes to wildlife. I can understand being frightened by a wild animal, but they are usually always more afraid of you and will run. I doubt if you slowly back off and walk away, they will not follow you. If I see a raccoon or anything walk through my yard, I just see the beauty of nature. Most people never see the things I see living in the woods. Yes, I am an animal and nature lover, and can't ever get enough. With the exception of coyotes, I get chills when I hear them holling in the woods and making noises like they have just killed something. I always worry about the raccoons, did they get one. Everyone has their opinions about raccoons, I just hope I eased peoples minds. I was just out playing with my little girl. If you could only see her play, she is like a kitten. Then she wants to cuddle. Some people will probably think I'm nuts, but I feel everything deserves a chance. Oh, and since this is the hosta forum, they have never damaged a hosta, I even think they eat slugs. I will tell you why in another post. Now deer and hosta, that's another story.

The area where I live was developed in the 1950's, and before that it was apricot and prune orchards. These animals aren't looking for survival food or water, but rather dessert in the form of grubs. They are all fat and happy. The big problem is that even after the grubs are gone, they keep digging for them anyway, and then bring the next generation to teach them about all the lucky spots.

I'm not, when I see the hundreds of dollars of damage they have caused to landscaping and fish ponds. If I can find some old photos, I'll post them. One year we spent many months with chicken wire laid over plants...it had to be anchored, because they would lift it up to go digging. Then they broke a good sized branch off our 30 year old, 10' high Crimson Queen Jap. Maple. We have a 2,000 sq. ft. house on a 9,000 sq.ft. lot. Subtract the sidewalks and the two car driveway and deck, and that doesn't leave much area for plants. I'm not willing to share it with racoons.

Our next door neighbor walked into her kitchen one morning to find a raccoon eating her cat's food. It had come in through the "kitty" door.

We have the Coastal Range mountains within sight and I wish they would go there to join the mountain lions and wild pigs, and enjoy a more healthful diet.

-Babka

Babka I guess every area has it's pests. Here we have moles who make raised tunnels all over our yard. They are looking for grubs. Makes the yard ugly for sure. My husband puts down grub killer and that keeps the moles away for a few months. He says if you kill the grubs they leave. Maybe grub killer might help you. I know I have read ponds need to be 3 feet deep or is it 4 foot deep to keep coons out. My neighboor has a beautiful pond with a waterfall, they don't ever damage it. I have pots sitting all around, they never bother them, and I've never seen them dig in the yard. I guess they have plenty of woods to do that in. I feel for you as I know gardening can be frustrating when something ruins it. I get frustrated with deer eating everything unless we spray with hinder. This year they ate 90 % of my daylily buds, I was soooo mad. We couldn't keep them sprayed enough because it rained practically daily. This year the rabbits ate tons of stuff in the veggie garden, and it's fenced. My husband about pulled his hair out, what is left of it, trying to figure out how they were getting in. I get so mad at the slugs and bugs eating everything, I swear I'm going to quit gardening, then I just go buy more hostas. I wish it was a perfect world for all of us. Everyone has problems I guess. Maybe you should try trapping them and taking them to the mountains. Or put up a fence. OOps that won't work since they are using trees and the roof. I guess about all I can say is good luck. I must be lucky my raccoons are pretty well behaved.

I use beneficial nematodes to kill the grubs. All the yards are fenced. We tried the have-a-heart trap, and even camouflaged it because they know about those... but they wouldn't bite. What finally stopped them is chicken wire between the roof and the one maple they were coming down. I know this because I heard them on the roof, and I heard that strange bird chirping sound of the baby ones that mama raccoon was trying to teach.

It is against the law here to relocate any wildlife, even if we did catch one, due to possible spread of diseases.

So the chicken wire stays on the roof, and I just have to deal with those !@#$% tree squirrels that dig little holes everywhere, even in hosta pots, planting the !@#$%^& peanuts that some body is feeding them. But don't get me started on squirrels.

Happy Gardening. On to aphids and mites. Yes it never ends, but we do it anyway.

-Babka

I forgot to mention...these are "city 'coons". They've lived for generations in the storm sewers. They are really clued into those Have-A-Heart Traps. They would probably die if they were released in the wild...no cat or dog food there.

-Babka

I have had raccoons in the neighborhood every house I have lived in. The only problem was in my mother's house they decided to raise the young ones in the chimney (got the chimney guy out to wire the chimney off while they were out) and the family had to start putting a brick or two on the trashcans, no biggie.

We always enjoy seeing the wild critters come around. Well, the rest of the family enjoys seeing the snakes, I just go inside.

chris

Nancy--In my post I wrote that I had lived in my home for 42 years among a various assortment of wildlife with no problems. I am in a situation right now which could be very dangerous to me, my visitors, and grandchildren as mother animals of most species will protect their young--sometimes voraciously. I have hired a wild-life specialist to capture and relocate this family. I am an educator and since children are naturally interested in animals and need to learn to respect them, I have used many animal speakers and demonstrations as educational tools in the classroom. The main point we always stress is that wild animals are just that. They may look cute, cuddly, needy, hungry, etc. etc., but they and their territory must be respected. And one must be especially careful around mother animals with babies-- i.e. you don't ever put yourself in a dangerous confliction with them. I did this because I had no clue I was in this situation, and it could happen to anyone anywhere. Most of the animals that are roaming our populated territories are not there because they have no where else to go (I live next door to a huge park), but because they have adapted to city life because that is where the "easy" meals are. Hosta-Junkie--a mother raccoon raises a litter alone mostly in tree nests that they build for that purpose. Her litter stays with her the first year of their life at which time they will often relocate in the same vicinity as she. Babka, I feel you are in a situation that would be past the fun stage of viewing wildlife as an interesting past time, and I feel bad for what you are going through as you can never let your guard down and feel safe in your own yard. I didn't mean for this post to be anti-wildlife. I just wanted no one else to have the experience that I had--like I say, be aware and careful even in areas you normally feel very safe in. Mary

Notoriously aggressive.

Squators.

Hoarders.

Scavengers.

Pests.

We're talking about humans or animals? Can't tell sometimes.

-Will

You are young...I am old...we are talking about animals, I can tell.

-Babka

greenthumbz... I by no means thought your post was "anti-wildlife". I just feel raccoons get a bum rap most of the time, and wanted to share my views. I have had wonderful experiences. I wanted you to hear about another side of them. You didn't say she attacked you, so I assume the raccoon was as scared as you were. I do understand, and I in no way meant to offend anyone either. I still feel they don't attack unless provoked. I know people can have problems with them, I just never have. I've had 20 years of nothing but enjoyment from them, they've never caused any damage or problems for me. They are very smart. On a lighter side, my little girl I think is eating slugs. When I sit on the porch she circles the hostas around the porch, digging in the mulch and eating something. She has never damaged a leaf. No coons have ever damaged any of my hostas in anyway. That said, I wish everyone good luck and hope you will be more understanding of raccoons. I know there are situations where calling someone to relocate them is needed, and should be done. Oh, and babka I don't know who you are calling young, but I am 60...LOL

I was lucky enough to spot two babies sitting on each side of a platform bird feeder on my deck. It was the cutest thing seeing them dining on the bird feeder. They always scurry off after I start talking to them. Raccoons along with foxes will come up to eat the cat food if it is left out. I do have to protect my chickens really well, nothing better than a free chicken dinner to a raccoon.

I love God's creatures and always love watching them.

Yes babka, squirrels are a pain. They seem to choose one or two hosta to aggravate. I have a radiant edger that they dig up repeatedly. I go out and find it laying on the ground by the pot, so I stick it back in. By the time summer gets here, they quit, but the plant is really beat up by then and never grows at all. (I would toss it, but then they might start on another one.)

We also have city racoons and possums. There's always some soft headed person who puts out food for the wildlife, not realizing they are feeding rats, mice, roaches and feral cats as well.

Well, off my soapbox and on to other things.

bkay

I agree the raccoons can be pesty. The ones in my yard drink the nectar out of the hummingbird feeders hanging over the deck (they stand on the railing, reach up and tip it, and just drink it down--I've caught them at it) and clean out the bird feeders the same way. I now have a bungee cord over the trash can and hardware cloth over the attic vents so they can't get in there again! But other than that, they aren't a problem (well except for the one that fell in the pond, tore up the plants and made a general mess before it got out, but that was only once). I have way more problems with ground hogs, deer, and robins!

While I'm definitely for protecting wildlife and against animal cruelty, I don't want chipmunks burrowing around and underneath my foundation. Called an exterminator, they are running rampant here in the city, digging various nests around my 1/8 acre lot, smoking them out hasn't worked, removed all bird seed from my property and detached garage, still exterminator can't help - they need a special permit - it's a DNR issue. I also have small pets, so leaving retail poison traps around not an option. But, the damage they may cause to my foundation - they are known to burrow under and destroy foundations - so far they have burrowed next to my garage and under my retaining wall - they will have to be poisoned professionally. One owner in the entire neighborhood attempting to trap and relocate a gazillion chipmunks not a viable option, unfortunately. They gotta go.

Did you try to place the HD or Lowe's mouse poison pellets deep into the runs (I use sticks, not fingers), then cover the entrance with bark pieces? It works for me, and I still see neighbor's cats run around, but less mice and chipmunks.