We've been invaded...

[somegirl]

...by a raccoon (or possibly raccoons).  It's moved in under our deck.

The dogs can hear it moving around at night and get quite upset.  We're not too happy about it either.

Any suggestions on how to get rid of it?  Anybody successfully remove one?

[IZ]

It seems like we just had a thread about getting rid of a skunk.  I'm sure it's similar to get rid of?

[Mother]

[Buckethead]

They make "Have a Heart" traps designed for raccoons.

How successful the relocation technique is varies.

If they're getting under the deck, the best thing you can do is make that area as unappealing to them as possible.

I suggest a pepper spray fogger. Hose down the area under the deck a couple of times a week for a few weeks in a row, and they shouldn't be an issue. Once they're out, try to seal up any sort of entry point you can find.

Pertinent info here.

Motion-activated sprinklers work well, too. Especially if you plan to have a garden.

[OwnyTony]

throw a bunch of moth balls under the deck as well

[Desmostro]

Those are pretty good suggestions.

A raccoon was the first animal I couldn't readily scare away. I tried to chase one out of my garbage area. I ran at him yelling and shaking my hands in the air.
He turned and ran at me on two legs screaming waving his paws in the air.

I was so surprised I started laughing hysterically and jogging backwards.
I went for the hose. He came back the next night.


Repelling Raccoons

Dr. Glenn Dudderar                                         
MSU Extension Wildlife Specialists                         

"The best way to keep raccoons out of the garden is to       
fence them out. Two- or three-wire electric fencing, a     
floppy, C-shaped chicken wire fence or a barrier of sturdy 
cloth may be effective.      "

Trapping means you then have to let it go somewhere.
25 miles minimum. Then you have to trap all the other ones...

Adding something obnoxious gets obnoxious for you as well.

Other tricks they figure out pretty fast. They're wicked smart little buggers.
Bears actually. They are small bears.

Put a little fence under the deck. Nail it up good.

[TiNi]

hopefully it's not the mommy getting ready to add to your collection 

i would think that the dogs would be enough to keep the critters away...
grover & watson better start earning their keep around there 

good luck!

[Got Duc]

A buddy of mine traps them, then drives them away.

Works really well for him. He usually catches 50 a year.

But we have urban Racoons not mountain ones like you have.

[KnightofNi]

i say get a pack of wolves or some lions or something. that should keep them away.

[Scooter Montgomery]

Squirrel sling shot, but built bigger to handle racoon.

Fire in the hole!!!!

[ZLTFUL]

Man...yer such a puss sometimes. That's not a raccoon gun. THIS is a raccoon gun.

[somegirl]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!  We've got a big deck and crawl space so quite a bit of fencing to put up.

i would think that the dogs would be enough to keep the critters away...
grover & watson better start earning their keep around there 

The dogs have tangled with raccoons a few years before...they did pretty good but raccoons are probably rabid and weigh as much as the dogs if not more...Grover lost half an ear the last time.

Grover and Watson are kept in the house and can hear the dang thing scrabbling around outside, gets them very upset if it happens when we are not home.

[corey]

"FRONT TOWARD RACCOON"

[Scooter Montgomery]

I was sitting here thinking about Carl from Caddyshack.

"Hi Mr. Racoon its me Mr. Bunny, want to play together?"

[ducatiz]

Hav-a-hart's Critter Ridder
http://www.havahart.com/store/animal-repellents/3146

it is basically distilled black pepper oil and granules.  the smell is like black pepper and it will fade away, but it will work for 2-3 weeks and they'll pick up and move.  i had squirrels under my deck and i spread this stuff under the deck and sides. .they were gone in 2 days. 

it's non-poisonous so you don't have to worry about kids eating it (although they would probably sneeze to death if they did) and it's organic too.