In this case, what appears to be 3 orphan coon kits. I hear there is a lot of nuisance coon trapping going on in neighborhood and momma is MIA. No adult supervision. Showed up about 5 days ago and have been hanging around. Appear to be eating japanese beetles, but also did some damage to an apple tree. Apples are faulty and no good, so no loss, but interesting to see they climbed a tree and helped themselves to green apples off the tree.

So these guys gotta go and I've started pre-baiting hoping to get all 3 at same time (2 hang around steady......one comes and goes). But until then, good research study project. First noticed them out in yard at least 2 hours after sun up. Odd.......but appeared to be grazing in the yard. Next day all three showed up about an hour before dusk. This taken two days ago........8 PM......or about 30 min before dusk to dawn lights come on. Taken from dining room window......shot thru the screen.



Telling in many ways.........first that dark blob is a coon about size of barn cat........coon eating dry cat food I put out as bait. Turns out chickens dumber than a door knob.......and came to investigate. Last night it was all 3 kits and about 5 chickens........3 feet away. This begins to explain how it is possible for an adult coon to reach thru a 1" x 2" wire fence to rip head off a chicken. Apparently they are dumb enough to walk right up to them to get killed. Curiosity kills more than a cat. When they coons do go to roost........they just go up the nearest tree or bush. Never same twice. One day spent day in a very dense shrub about 5 feet off the ground......wedged itself into a clump on horizontal limb and went to sleep. Could have picked it like an apple. When approached, they go up a tree, halfway up or more then pick a horizontal limb then follow it out to end and disappear in clumps of leaves out on the ends. Get close enough in any way they seem to be able to find a place to hide and just disappear. They can go under a chain link fence less than 1 inch off the ground like water. Don't even slow down. Interesting education project........but still......knowing that they are about to grow into........they gotta go.

Baits being tested include dry cat food, marshmallows, jelly beans (several kinds) and licorice sticks. These guys confirm what every other coon has taught me........they always go for the dry cat food first. When it's gone........they eat the other, but the cat food is always first. It IS the bait of choice. For cages, just scatter it loose on ground in front of cage, down center of cage and leave the jackpot on the ground in a pile in back of cage. Just enough in front and down center to lead them to back......not trying to fatten them up. Or to pre-bait, just scatter it around, fill some DP's to train them, then when ready to catch, just fill the DP's.

Again,interesting education project........but still......knowing that they are about to grow into........they gotta go. Chickens may be that stupid, but I'm not.

Good luck with your observations and successful termination of your plans.