In the city. I've been trying to deal with Raccoons continually digging up a garden & flower beds. Some have been taken care of, but they just keep coming. Four more were seen on camera after the traps were taken down.

Neighbors to the left and right both have big fruit trees--one of the neighbors has seen a group of them eating the fruit up in the tree. There is a currently a fair amount of food in the immediate area.

Yards are fenced, but one side--not the owner's fence--with a wire fence with holes big enough for a raccoon to easily crawl through.

Is there much sense to continue trapping?

Obviously, raccoons are climbers, and they do it well. Fences aren't much of a deterrent to them, but it's something. I'd repair the fences. It will keep some less ambitious climbers out. Talk to the neighbor who owns the fence, they may not be against a patch being put on their fence.

What are they doing in the garden? Food? Latrine? If it's good, remove the food.

Are you doing ADC work. If so let the customer decide. If you are one of the owners it is up to you.

the 2 fruit trees are draw stations....hard telling how many generations know about it. Keep hammering. Fences should be fixed. Prob is it could be awfully expensive flower bed!!!

Sounds like my idea of heaven!

as long as they're paying you $50 per animal, yes!


What's wrong with repairing holes in neighbors fence?....other than they'll climb over.

Your customer should be able to talk to his neighbor to get them on board.

In Mo, fences on the property line belong to both. Check into it.

The neighbor's fence is a wire fence and the spacing between the wire is huge--4 or 5 inches square. Looks like fencing material they'd use on farms and it wouldn't keep any raccoon-sized animal out. You'd have to replace the whole thing to start.

The raccoons were eating out of the garden and digging for grubs and worms in all the beds--yes, a smorgasbord!

I guess what I'm really wanting to know is, if I keep pulling them out, does it substantially reduce the problem, or do new raccoons just keep coming and replacing the ones removed? The apples on the ground are quite fragrant and I'm sure can be smelled a longs ways off.

From what I can tell, the yard is not being used as a latrine, but the raccoons were using a crook of one of the neighbor's trees for that purpose.

This is our yard, but I'm considering taking up some ADC work as a hobby. As you can likely tell, I'm new to this game and rather in awe at the experience here and, as a newbie, rather overwhelmed at how much I don't know.

How many have you caught so far?

You can eventually get them all but at some point more will come. Trapping will help but as long as the fruit trees are there they will attract animals.

I guess we always have a choice to make, as long as there is some supply of food, water, and shelter, there will be critters of some sort. Since you're probably not advocating cutting down all the trees, you will have animals around. Fencing may help some, but I honestly doubt it has much of an effect on raccoons. You can keep food sources in your own yard to a minimum to keep them from coming to your yard. But since you're in between two neighbors with fruit trees, chances are they will travel back and forth, hence coming through your yard, which in and by itself shouldn't be a problem.
Other than that, you can manage population by trapping, obviously a perfect training ground for yourself as a beginner ADC guy. Will you ever eliminate the raccoons in your neighborhood entirely? Probably not. Will there always be new raccoons moving into suitable habitat? yes!
So perfect, trap raccoons in your yard, try a few things, see what works and what doesn't. You can also wait for fall and winter and trap them for fur if you'd like. Make a few nice hats. Where's the problem?

There is an end to the coons, but will more show up eventually.

Have you considered a hot wire 4-6" off the ground?

That would require putting it on the neighbors land. If you can stand the expense, string chicken wire on the fence to plug up the hog fence, and string a "Hot" wire along the top.

First, If you're using some sort of fertilizer for your garden make sure it doesn't have a fish or fish oil base, that will drag every raccoon in the neighborhood to your place. Same thing applies if your using your own compost. Next,just a thought, how about using an e-fence just around your garden.

So far, 4.

That's a good idea. I'm not sure whether I'm wanting to go there yet, but will definitely keep that in mind.

My first introduction into raccoon trapping were Sam Woods' videos, so if you've seen them, you already know what I was using as an attractant. But since I used fish oil after there were already raccoons digging around, it's possible the newer raccoons are just the opportunists looking for a different kind of meal. Not sure how long the fish oil stays fragrant, but it's been dry here for 2 months since it was last applied. Raccoons are not digging in the areas where the oil was squirted, so I'm assuming that they are smart enough to know that fish don't swim underground. Would you expect a raccoon to dig up the area where the fish oil was put down?

I'm also guessing that when trapping in the city, you keep your lures a bit more local--that if a raccoon is in the area, he'll find your food regardless and not attract a mob.

An opportunity in every problem! To reword a popular quote: if life gives you raccoons, make hats!

(Do you think that raccoons ever think: "You know, I think Roger looks much better as a hat!")

In my area, 4 is the usual number for a family group. You may have a few groups visiting the fruit trees. Gives you an idea of what you're up against. For me, in the ADC business, the second most important tool after a trap is a trail cam. Nothing like actually seeing the animals you're trying to catch.

I don't know what you're doing with the animals after catching them but if you are relocating, make sure you are bringing them as many miles away as you can. Animals having an amazing ability and desire to find their way home and once they have been caught they tend to avoid traps making the job harder.

Wait - let me get this straight, you are actually putting lure and bait out in your own yard, and then you are complaining about the number of raccoons you're having? LOL! Are you ok Urban? Just not sure what it is you're trying to do.
Raccoons digging are usually looking for grubs, not fish.