Raccoon!

For several months, we have been finding our garbage strewn about our back porch several mornings a week. We live in town, so our thoughts did not immediately fall to a raccoon, but rather to one of the stray neighborhood cats we see frequently running through our yard. Until one night about a month ago, that is.

Greg had left the house. It wasn't late, probably around 7, and I was home with the boys. I heard something on the back porch, and it was making such noise, that I actually thought it was a person stumbling around outside. I flipped on the porch light and opened the door. (Later, when I told someone else this story, they were shocked that I tried to apprehend a person outside my home. What was I supposed to do? Better to get them outside than let them break in! Anyway, I digress...) When I opened the door, there in the midst of all my shredded garbage, was Rocky Raccoon. The darn thing didn't run in fear. It actually, took several steps toward me! I think he expected me to give him a few extra pieces of dinner, perhaps something fresher! How presumptuous! I stomped and shooed it, and he got the picture. I wasn't inviting him in for dessert. He left. The war was on.

I called Greg. The next day, we made it a family outing to buy some traps and get the little bugger. We set trap after trap after trap. Raccoons are clever. The first day, he reached in the side of the trap and pulled the food out, without going in and setting it off. Greg tied the food down inside a nylon, so that he would then have to walk inside to get it. The second day, he walked inside the trap, but the trigger wasn't sensitive enough to release the door. Greg reset the sensor. The third day, we knew we had him! The trigger was sensitive, the food was tied down. There was no way he was escaping. Well, Greg sat the trap too close to the grill and the door caught on the wheel of the grill, so that although the trigger released, and the raccoon should have been captured, he walked away Scott free. We gave up for a while.

Two nights ago, we were playing charades with the boys in the living room. I had just put garbage out on the porch a few hours before and I heard some light rustling on the porch. I asked Greg if he had taken it to the garbage containers or if it was still on the porch. It was still on the porch. He excused himself from the game and got his gun. This was the end game for Rocky. I distracted the boys. They had no clue what was going on. There was a LOT of rustling on the porch. I was sure Greg killed that raccoon. He didn't. After scuffling for 15 minutes, the stupid thing jumped off of the deck, 15 feet to the ground. Raccoon wins again. Greg set the trap again. In the morning, the trap was AGAIN empty. We felt very, very defeated.

Greg and I went out to dinner and a movie last night, a rare treat for us. A date! When we returned, Greg decided to check the trap, just for the heck of it. Inside was Rocky! Maybe he was too scared to come back the night before, but the smell of sardines was too tempting to keep him away for long! At long last, victory was ours!

Greg brought him inside so the boys could have a look at him. Andrew was thrilled! We had a hard time keeping him away from the cage. The poor thing even stuck his hand out of the cage towards Greg, as if to say, "Hey, Brother, spare me, OK. I was just looking for a bite to eat!" I took some photos. We gave Rocky some marshmallows, for good measure, and Greg drove him off to humanely release him in the woods where he can find his food in nature - or at least in some other fool's garbage! They are beautiful creatures, but I must admit, I will not be sorry to see him go. Good-bye, Mr.Raccoon, and good riddance!