Raccoon raids have one purpose; to eat, drink, and be merry. Remove the food source, that was step one, but at the same time keep it available for my feathered friends. I had to find a way to keep them off the cable that supports the feeders. The cable is no deterrent at all. They wrap their little paws around it, flip upside down, and off they go not unlike a gymnast on the parallel bars.
But there was a way, one I’d used before, electrify the cable with a fence charger. It was wildly successful. It didn’t take the coonies more than once or twice to learn they must never touch the shiny wire or bad things will happen. It worked so well that I eventually dismantled it and yes, if you must know, I electrified myself more than once. Which only goes to prove (and I so hate to admit this) that the raccoon’s memory is superior to mine.
The next step was to use the leaf blower and scatter the hundreds of uneaten sunflower seeds and shells under the feeders to a wide, weedy area. No sense making it easy for them. I have a backup plan in case that doesn’t work.
As for the water, have at it bitches. In this heat, I cannot deny man or beast a cool drink. If I should happen to be awake when you come around, tap on the window. I’ll have one with you.
Come the dawn, I anxiously go to the videos for the results of my ingenious war plan. Confidence was high, repeat, confidence was high. But when I hit the playback button, there was nothing but a black screen. What? Had the coonies somehow called in outside help, an IT from China perhaps, and placed a virus in my software? Had this skirmish evolved into electronic warfare? I clicked every button, rebooted twice, no picture, no joy. My surveillance cameras are made by the Chinese. Do I dare place a trouble ticket with them? I think not. Reinstalling the software, that’s what fixed it…for now.
Oh, they showed up again last night, right on time. They began by scouring the ground under the feeders, but it was slim pickens tonight. Then, one of them quickly climbed the tree that held one end of the cable. Would he step out? Would the charger tickle his toes? See photos. The blur in the circle in the bottom pic is the coonie making a rapid, unplanned, descent. I’m sure he cussed me all the way down. Hee, hee.
COONIES 3 HUMANS 1
The saga continues.
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