Ok, I am new to the camping world and have a question about Raccoons. We had three raccoons that visited our campsite about three times a night looking to score some loot. They would show up around 5:30 P.M. One had no fear. While we were eating at the picnic table one raccoon jumped up on the table (with us right there) and grabbed a bag of chips. I wrestled with the raccoon..ok more of a tug of war with it and won. But as soon as I won it grabbed a Sausage dog and ran. It kept coming back. I tried squirting it with the water hose, hitting it in the butt with a broom, and I even threw a ball at it and nothing would faze it! So, my question…..How do you keep raccoons at least 25 foot from your campsite? I know the obvious, keep your food inside but these raccoons were relentless! I have thought about taking my electric fence and running a wire around our campsite but that probably wouldn’t go over very well with the park rangers or campground owners {
I have never had that problem. Obviously some one before you had fed the guys and got them used to people food. I would let a ranger know about that if in a state park or forest service campground and the owner if in a private campground. That could turn into a dangerous situation.
Raccoons can carry rabies. I sometimes here warning on the radio about avoiding them in a certain spot because one tested positive. One way to tell, is that they get very aggressive. Be careful. We carry a can of wasp spray that is accurate up to about 10 feet to deal with pesky animals (and humans). You can get them at Home Depot or Lowe's.
I use the same method to keep unwanted critters from the RV that I use around my house that is in a rural setting... a BB pistol. It's value is in discouraging animals without harming them. That would include a stray dog or two who barks at and scares away the deer on my front lawn. If that doesn't appeal to you because you think you might injure an animal with a BB gun, then may I suggest a quality water gun filled with an irritant liike vinager or hydrogine peroxide. In either case, I guarantee that they will get the message and leave you alone.
RLM beat me to the same reply: bb gun. We have the pump variety, so a couple pumps usually does the trick. Does not make enough noise to scare the neighbors, but the critter does move on down the road to a more 'friendly' site. B)
Thanks for the info! Looks like I will be packing my boys BB gun in a few weeks when we head out again.
I would most definitely let the owners or the managers of the park know that the raccoon was that agressive with you, they may be liable if the raccoon bites someone.
Personally, I would use a pepper spray. Some others in the area MAY mistake your BB gun for a real firearm and it may cause trouble.
Dixiefire53, My question is, where was this and in what park? I have had a lot of experience with camps where the coons have been fed and became aggressive, but none even close to that bad. On what to do, I think that the hornet/wasp spray is a much better way because most parks are not tolerant of the use of any kind of weapon and a BB gun is considered to be a weapon. In some parks it could be illegal and in others it might get you thrown out.
The wasp spray is also good for any type of personal protection. It shoots about 12 feet. It can be gotten from the big box stores.
