A rabid raccoon on the back porch!

[Circe]

Sun shining, full daylight, I heard this awful high-pitched continual whining animal sound and went out to the front porch: it was a raccoon in the bushes that kept the noise up and came toward me, didn't shoo away. I thought maybe it had been killing a rabbit, that was the only sense I could make of the noise, but it kept it up.

I heard it making that noise again half an hour later at the back door, and when I went there to run it off, it came at me aggressively twice and clearly meant to get into the house with me --- I barely got the door closed in time.

So I went directly to wake up Mr. Shotgun, and he prowled around the house several times and the barns; we could tell from the livestock behavior that nothing was scaring them, so it's gone for now. We clearly have a rabid raccoon (I looked it up -- the noise and the aggression are diagnostic) and I'm afraid it will attack me going out to the car or gardening.

I'm worried about calling Animal Control because they'll try to blame us, they won't catch it (we've called them about dogs occasionally, they can't catch nothin'), basically it's better to stay away from local government as much as possible. I saw one of those big beautiful red-spotted Chinese moths on a telephone pole here a few years ago, but had better sense than to call the number they put on TV! They'd have trucks here, hit us with a hundred coercive rules, tell us we can't drive here, can't drive there, spray pesticides on everything ---- and how would that stop the moth invasion? It wouldn't. They have the strangest immature instars that are also large and leap around --- I see them every summer. They seem attracted to humans, but they don't bite. I never saw another of the adult moths. IMO it's useless to try to stop these invasive species.

We have large-animal cage traps and Himself catches raccoons every summer in some numbers (it's them or the corn and melons, one or the other). We'll try to catch the rabid one ourselves first, but if it keeps going after us, we may have to call the police after all. I hope not. I'm worried about the neighbors and kids in the small subdivision up the hill. Does anyone think there's a moral issue here, about warning people? I did call a favorite neighbor.

 

[White 6]

Sun shining, full daylight, I heard this awful high-pitched continual whining animal sound and went out to the front porch: it was a raccoon in the bushes that kept the noise up and came toward me, didn't shoo away. I thought maybe it had been killing a rabbit, that was the only sense I could make of the noise, but it kept it up.

I heard it making that noise again half an hour later at the back door, and when I went there to run it off, it came at me aggressively twice and clearly meant to get into the house with me --- I barely got the door closed in time.

So I went directly to wake up Mr. Shotgun, and he prowled around the house several times and the barns; we could tell from the livestock behavior that nothing was scaring them, so it's gone for now. We clearly have a rabid raccoon (I looked it up -- the noise and the aggression are diagnostic) and I'm afraid it will attack me going out to the car or gardening.

I'm worried about calling Animal Control because they'll try to blame us, they won't catch it (we've called them about dogs occasionally, they can't catch nothin'), basically it's better to stay away from local government as much as possible. I saw one of those big beautiful red-spotted Chinese moths on a telephone pole here a few years ago, but had better sense than to call the number they put on TV! They'd have trucks here, hit us with a hundred coercive rules, tell us we can't drive here, can't drive there, spray pesticides on everything ---- and how would that stop the moth invasion? It wouldn't. They have the strangest immature instars that are also large and leap around --- I see them every summer. They seem attracted to humans, but they don't bite. I never saw another of the adult moths. IMO it's useless to try to stop these invasive species.

We have large-animal cage traps and Himself catches raccoons every summer in some numbers (it's them or the corn and melons, one or the other). We'll try to catch the rabid one ourselves first, but if it keeps going after us, we may have to call the police after all. I hope not. I'm worried about the neighbors and kids in the small subdivision up the hill. Does anyone think there's a moral issue here, about warning people? I did call a favorite neighbor.

Mr. Shotgun is the correct answer. Trust me. He'll have a blast, handling the problem! Do remember the "double tap". I learned it from Zombie Land.

 

[1srelluc]

I came home from squirrel hunting one morning and there was a rabid coon in the front yard.

I shot it with the .22 I had hunted with, bagged it up, set it on the curb, called, and animal control came and picked it up.

No muss, no fuss.

 

[Circe]

Mr. Shotgun is the correct answer. Trust me. He'll have a blast, handling the problem! Fo remember the "double tap". I learned it from Zombie Land.

I hope so; it was moving fast, very scary. I'd rather we trapped first, used the shotgun second.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Sun shining, full daylight, I heard this awful high-pitched continual whining animal sound and went out to the front porch: it was a raccoon in the bushes that kept the noise up and came toward me, didn't shoo away. I thought maybe it had been killing a rabbit, that was the only sense I could make of the noise, but it kept it up.

I heard it making that noise again half an hour later at the back door, and when I went there to run it off, it came at me aggressively twice and clearly meant to get into the house with me --- I barely got the door closed in time.

So I went directly to wake up Mr. Shotgun, and he prowled around the house several times and the barns; we could tell from the livestock behavior that nothing was scaring them, so it's gone for now. We clearly have a rabid raccoon (I looked it up -- the noise and the aggression are diagnostic) and I'm afraid it will attack me going out to the car or gardening.

I'm worried about calling Animal Control because they'll try to blame us, they won't catch it (we've called them about dogs occasionally, they can't catch nothin'), basically it's better to stay away from local government as much as possible. I saw one of those big beautiful red-spotted Chinese moths on a telephone pole here a few years ago, but had better sense than to call the number they put on TV! They'd have trucks here, hit us with a hundred coercive rules, tell us we can't drive here, can't drive there, spray pesticides on everything ---- and how would that stop the moth invasion? It wouldn't. They have the strangest immature instars that are also large and leap around --- I see them every summer. They seem attracted to humans, but they don't bite. I never saw another of the adult moths. IMO it's useless to try to stop these invasive species.

We have large-animal cage traps and Himself catches raccoons every summer in some numbers (it's them or the corn and melons, one or the other). We'll try to catch the rabid one ourselves first, but if it keeps going after us, we may have to call the police after all. I hope not. I'm worried about the neighbors and kids in the small subdivision up the hill. Does anyone think there's a moral issue here, about warning people? I did call a favorite neighbor.

Well, since it sounds like you live out in the country, my advice would be to keep a gun somewhere close by the doors so that if you hear the animal again, you can take it out of its misery without having to call animal control.

As far as warning your neighbors? Might be a really good idea. If they aren't aware that there is a potential problem like that, they might end up getting bit, and if they don't know that there's a rabid animal around, they might not get treatment in time. Rabies is a VERY bad thing to get, and if not treated immediately, can result in death in most cases.

Besides................maybe one of those neighbors will take it on themselves to call animal control and assume the hassle that goes with it so you don't have to. But, I do think that anyone you like/care about/are friendly with should know that there is a rabid animal wandering around. And, if you tell just a couple of people, that will spread around the neighborhood and get the whole area informed to the danger.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Mr. Shotgun is the correct answer. Trust me. He'll have a blast, handling the problem! Do remember the "double tap". I learned it from Zombie Land.

And cardio....you know, to run away from the rabid raccoon.

 

[Dekster]

Could be distemper or parvo as well but either way, coon probably a goner.

 

[Circe]

Well, since it sounds like you live out in the country, my advice would be to keep a gun somewhere close by the doors so that if you hear the animal again, you can take it out of its misery without having to call animal control.

As far as warning your neighbors? Might be a really good idea. If they aren't aware that there is a potential problem like that, they might end up getting bit, and if they don't know that there's a rabid animal around, they might not get treatment in time. Rabies is a VERY bad thing to get, and if not treated immediately, can result in death in most cases.

Besides................maybe one of those neighbors will take it on themselves to call animal control and assume the hassle that goes with it so you don't have to. But, I do think that anyone you like/care about/are friendly with should know that there is a rabid animal wandering around. And, if you tell just a couple of people, that will spread around the neighborhood and get the whole area informed to the danger.

Yeah, we now have a shotgun at each door and I got a quickie tutorial review in case I need to use one.

We're putting out the cage traps today because it's still able to eat; it was pawing at a food dish for the cats. That won't last, but while it can still eat is a good time to trap.

We have so much trouble with wild animals. We only saw one other rabid coon, some 15 years ago, and it was staggering on its last legs in the pasture; Mr. Shotgun just went up and shot it. I didn't want him to get close or touch it to bury it --- I said I didn't think the sheep would bother it at all! And they didn't.

There is a moral issue here and if we can't deal with it, we will have to get help, I think. Also serious danger. A woman in the country about ten years ago was attacked repeatedly by a rabid groundhog (!?) and was hospitalized for days. It just wouldn't stop.

 

[White 6]

I hope so; it was moving fast, very scary. I'd rather we trapped first, used the shotgun second.

Pretend it's one of the balloons, under the new policy, shoot first and ask question to assuage any doubts, later.

 

[1srelluc]

If you can, shoot it in the heart....A .22 HP or two to the "boiler room" will suffice.

That way animal control can remove/save the head in case it has bit someone (or pet) and has not been reported yet or if it has.

If it's shot in the head it worthless in that regard.

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

Soooooooooo..........RABID, huh???

I had no idea racoons could be Democrats.

 

[luiza]

We have no Raccoons here in God's Garden, though Tummy Turd is apparently often mistaken for one .

My mistake with Tummy . Apparently that is baboons .

 

[1srelluc]

We have no Raccoons here in God's Garden, though Tummy Turd is apparently often mistaken for one .

My mistake with Tummy . Apparently that is baboons .

How many do you need? I can round you up a bunch within a few nights.....Just pay for shipping.
They will even be alive.

 

[White 6]

If you can, shoot it in the heart....A .22 HP or two to the "boiler room" will suffice.

That way animal control can remove/save the head in case it has bit someone (or pet) and has not been reported yet or if it has.

If it's shot in the head it worthless in that regard.

He was worried about missing. I am surprised you didn't post one of your magazine fed semi-autos, for those where 2 or 3 shots, just might not be enough.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

If the coon is that far gone he wont live much longer.
Keep the guns at the ready for a week or two at most and the problem will fix itself.

 

[badger2]

One can't always carry a gun. One can't always tell how many local animals have rabies at the same time. For instance, in the middle of Wisconsin's capital, a possum on the sidewalk, with needle-sharp teeth, as the pedestrian rounds the corner. It was forced against the wall of a building though just having made it across the street and safe from the traffic, here comes another human.

Possums apparently are immune though can be carriers. They won't act crazy and can vector a crazy-making virus.

 

[notmyfault2020]

Sun shining, full daylight, I heard this awful high-pitched continual whining animal sound and went out to the front porch: it was a raccoon in the bushes that kept the noise up and came toward me, didn't shoo away. I thought maybe it had been killing a rabbit, that was the only sense I could make of the noise, but it kept it up.

I heard it making that noise again half an hour later at the back door, and when I went there to run it off, it came at me aggressively twice and clearly meant to get into the house with me --- I barely got the door closed in time.

So I went directly to wake up Mr. Shotgun, and he prowled around the house several times and the barns; we could tell from the livestock behavior that nothing was scaring them, so it's gone for now. We clearly have a rabid raccoon (I looked it up -- the noise and the aggression are diagnostic) and I'm afraid it will attack me going out to the car or gardening.

I'm worried about calling Animal Control because they'll try to blame us, they won't catch it (we've called them about dogs occasionally, they can't catch nothin'), basically it's better to stay away from local government as much as possible. I saw one of those big beautiful red-spotted Chinese moths on a telephone pole here a few years ago, but had better sense than to call the number they put on TV! They'd have trucks here, hit us with a hundred coercive rules, tell us we can't drive here, can't drive there, spray pesticides on everything ---- and how would that stop the moth invasion? It wouldn't. They have the strangest immature instars that are also large and leap around --- I see them every summer. They seem attracted to humans, but they don't bite. I never saw another of the adult moths. IMO it's useless to try to stop these invasive species.

We have large-animal cage traps and Himself catches raccoons every summer in some numbers (it's them or the corn and melons, one or the other). We'll try to catch the rabid one ourselves first, but if it keeps going after us, we may have to call the police after all. I hope not. I'm worried about the neighbors and kids in the small subdivision up the hill. Does anyone think there's a moral issue here, about warning people? I did call a favorite neighbor.

you could kill it with a BB gun ( I believe that would kill it?) and I don't think anyone would do anything about that... but that's just what I s ay off the top of my head. Some busy bodies maybe a big deal out of nothing so you just never know...

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

you could kill it with a BB gun ( I believe that would kill it?) and I don't think anyone would do anything about that... but that's just what I s ay off the top of my head. Some busy bodies maybe a big deal out of nothing so you just never know...

Not a BB gun.
But a good quality pellet gun will do the trick,assuming you aim well enough for a headshot.
You can buy very expensive pellet guns that'll kill a deer or a hog.

 

[Circe]

you could kill it with a BB gun ( I believe that would kill it?) and I don't think anyone would do anything about that... but that's just what I s ay off the top of my head. Some busy bodies maybe a big deal out of nothing so you just never know...

I am clear that if we did kill a rabid raccoon furiously attacking people as this one was trying for, people would thank us for it!!

However, we looked for it that day and my husband set out traps which usually catch raccoons very well (in the corn) but it apparently immediately left the area and we never saw it again.

Happily. In all the years here on this farm I have of course had a lot of dangerous interactions with livestock and wild animals, but I will say that one was the scariest --- it was it's eerie whistling noise and rushing at me.

 

[badger2]

I am clear that if we did kill a rabid raccoon furiously attacking people as this one was trying for, people would thank us for it!!

However, we looked for it that day and my husband set out traps which usually catch raccoons very well (in the corn) but it apparently immediately left the area and we never saw it again.

Happily. In all the years here on this farm I have of course had a lot of dangerous interactions with livestock and wild animals, but I will say that one was the scariest --- it was it's eerie whistling noise and rushing at me.

Sylvania, Ohio, rabid German shepherd came into the yard, had to stay in the car with windows up. Yelled from opposite side for people to stay in the house. It acted very calm, but was frothing. Scary.