'coon terror in Harlem

[GunnyGene]

Anybody see this? I have coons here all the time. Always thought of them as a moving target opportunity, but I guess that's not acceptable in NYC. :lol:

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — West Harlem residents say a posse of raccoons has taken over their neighborhoods and in some cases even broken into their homes.

“These things think they live here and they actually walk in if you leave an opening,” said resident Lauren Flanigan.

Pictures from residents showed a raccoon making itself comfortable on the patio of a West Harlem home, and even coming up to the door. And that raccoon was not alone, residents said.

“They came in the kitchen, and they’re not that friendly, and they also pushed the window screens in,” Flanigan told CBS2’s Tracee Carrasco.

“They climb over the fences to the next backyard and they keep going from backyard to backyard, so that’s why it’s not one homeowner’s problem. It’s everybody’s problem,” Maria Freeman said.

Residents complained that the raccoons wreak havoc in the streets daily, and believe they make the trek from Central Park. They want the city to do something because the problem is only getting worse.

“These raccoons don’t behave normally. They’re out during the day time when they should be sleeping. They are not afraid of humans. They’re aggressive,” Flanigan said.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/12/18/west-harlem-residents-are-fed-up-with-aggressive-raccoons-terrorizing-neighborhood/

Here's a photo of one:

 

[sfhogman]

We used to have what seemed like hundreds of them at the San Francisco VA, which is on Point Lobos overlooking the Gate. Day or night, it didn't bother them a bit. All over the place. Sounds like Harlem imported some of ours.

Then about two years ago, the coyotes moved in, either from San Mateo County to the south and up Ocean Beach, or Marin County, over the GG bridge, which is certainly believable. Up from Golden Gate park, past the Safeway and Cliff House, and there they are. I've seen 'em during the day and heard 'em at night.

Haven't seen many raccoons lately.....

Jeff

 

[wheelgun1958]

A good whack from a pellet rifle will send them packing. Then again it is NYC.

 

[Mike J]

A good whack from a pellet rifle will send them packing. Then again it is NYC.

I was thinking a sling shot with a ball bearing might be more appropriate there.

 

[Don Lovel]

please do not call me racist, but really, growing up around the old rednecks I did, the term "Coons in Harlem" sounds like just that it is what it is........ I am just sayin, please don't slay me for being a southern boy influenced by his onery elders as a child. My momma washed my mouth out with castile soap for using that terminology one time, but when I told her I learned it from grandpa and Uncle Ray, she just frowned and took out her displeasure on me with more soap than was necessary I think.

 

[Fox Mike]

Remember, it is New York...a 'gun free area', so they have just move in. :roll:

 

[gramps]

Them things are edible. A good whack with a baseball bat should suffice.
gramps

 

[Mobuck]

Make quite a mess if they enter through the "pet door". I had a call from an older lady about such a problem. Fortunately, she had the door into the kitchen closed solidly. Otherwise the damage in the foyer closet would have continued to the rest of the house.
I was opening the back door to "pop" a coon on the back porch when Mr. Coon reached out and pulled the door right out of my hand leaving us nose to house slipper toe. I shot from inside the house while the coon was still holding the door open.

 

[427mach1]

Them things are edible. A good whack with a baseball bat should suffice.
gramps

You probably don't want to get close enough to have to use a baseball bat! My college advisor's son was determined he would kill one with a bat. When it hunched up, bared its teeth, and hissed, the son decided he didn't want to kill that racoon after all.

 

[gramps]

Them things are edible. A good whack with a baseball bat should suffice.
gramps

You probably don't want to get close enough to have to use a baseball bat! My college advisor's son was determined he would kill one with a bat. When it hunched up, bared its teeth, and hissed, the son decided he didn't want to kill that racoon after all.

:shock: Ok, a golf club-four! :mrgreen:
gramps

 

[contender]

Well, I own a Nuisance Wildlife Control business. Raccoons can be a big problem, and aggressive. I love it when I get coon calls, as I know I'm gonna make money! Coons have bought me many a Ruger!

 

[Ugly Hombre]

I had a pet racoon when a kid our neighbor- who was a game warden gave it to me after asking my dad- fed it with a toy baby milk bottle, fun as heck pet.

Smart and clean funny little devil, they have a trilling voice call that they do I can still imitate it. got big and hell on dogs had to turn it into the wild after it got to bigger and chewed up a kid who was messing with him. No worries grown by then and he could catch frogs and minnows independent like.

Sad day for ole ugly when we had to turn him loose.

To this day- I feel bad when I see one that's been hit by a car. Cool little critters- but can be mean that's true.

Biggest racoon I ever saw lived in the bushes outside of a pizza parlor on a military base, he would waddle out of the bushes and grin at the GI's when they came out with pizza and the kids would give him a slice of pizza ha ha! he was huge!

 

[Mobuck]

Fairly common to club smaller coons on the trapline. Gotta save that expensive 22 ammo. Whack 'em once and then stand on their rib cage until they expire. Bigger ones are a different proposition-I had one bite through my old rubber boots last month while trying the "step on the ribs" termination of the supposedly unconscious coon.

 

[stevemb]

I made a hook from 3/8" rod and afixed into the top of a rake handle when I trapped as a boy and young man. It was used to pull up 'rat traps and whack 'coons behind the ear. In the last 10 yrs now have had to kill 2 'coons that were wobbling around in the yards in mid-day. A third wobbled into the neibhors yard and right into their 2 chained up dogs, in daylight. Rabies my guess. Our county dropped meds from aircraft, but can't say how effective that is.

 

[contender]

Ugly Hombre, that's a common story. When they are juveniles, they are great. But once they mature they usually become a bit aggressive. If I had a nickle for every time I've heard a story like that,,,,,,,,,,,!

stevemb, due to the spread of rabies in many areas, the vaccine drop from the air was tried all over WNC trying to prevent it from spreading to other states on our western borders. It failed,,,,,,,,,,!

 

[bobski]

if it hisses at me, it dies.

 

[Jeepnik]

From time to time I have coon's try to move in. .22 short takes care of them nicely. Thought about trying to cook one but I've never been that hungry.

Oh wait, this is in New York. Well that explains everything.

 

[Mobuck]

There's steep learning curve involved with cooking raccoon(and I don't know anyone who can climb that slope). Gotta have a way to drain the grease away from the meat-I know that for fact. We tried cooking some once when I was just a kid and it didn't turn out well at all. My Grandma cooked it (cause she'd lost her sense of smell) but then no one could stand to stay at her house for about a month.

 

[Ugly Hombre]

I don't think I would eat one unless dang hungry, I did have a davy crockett hat when a kid though

 

[blume357]

I once pulled three almost grown raccoons out of a chimney.... meanest things I've ever had to handle... then last year I removed 4 little ones and they were cute and friendly... so go figure.

I forget the exact number given on a documentary I watched a while back... but it was something like there were 10 times as many raccoons in an urban environment than in the same area of the wild... lots more food and not only are these critters smart but they have an opposing digit which allows them to easily open things like garbage cans and such.

 

[GunnyGene]

I once pulled three almost grown raccoons out of a chimney.... meanest things I've ever had to handle... then last year I removed 4 little ones and they were cute and friendly... so go figure.

I forget the exact number given on a documentary I watched a while back... but it was something like there were 10 times as many raccoons in an urban environment than in the same area of the wild... lots more food and not only are these critters smart but they have an opposing digit which allows them to easily open things like garbage cans and such.

I trapped 4 or 5 this past year. I use a live trap with corn bait sprinkled with molasses. Head shot before I open it and dispose of the body. Don't often see any during the day, but have occasionally had the opportunity for a rifle shot. I suppose some folks would think I'm not being "sporting", and they'd be right. Just getting rid of destructive vermin, and don't see any reason to let them loose for somebody else to deal with.

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

There's steep learning curve involved with cooking raccoon(and I don't know anyone who can climb that slope). Gotta have a way to drain the grease away from the meat-I know that for fact. We tried cooking some once when I was just a kid and it didn't turn out well at all. My Grandma cooked it (cause she'd lost her sense of smell) but then no one could stand to stay at her house for about a month.

Not really that hard!!! :wink: SLOW roasting and the right seasonings. You have to make sure to get the glands out and trim off ALL the fat you can.

I've ate a lot of them small and big,,,and they were all good!! :wink: Every year down in Danville they put on a yearly "Coon Feed" in February and sell out every year!

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/02/04/raccoon-dinner-a-danville-delight.html

Terry

 

[rugerguy]

tell the folks back in the hood to "smoke 'em" and that they taste like chicken...the neighborhood determines what stays and lives, , no stray cats or dogs up the road where there are Korean and Chinese restaurants, and the Vietnamese folks other side of town, eat about ANYTHING they can put in a skillets, same hold true for over near the nursery land, the day labors, kill and cook whatever, they sell LOTS of "roadkill' helper east end of the county :? 8) :roll:
now with the coyotes moving in downhill, folks are losing their small dogs.....me I got owls ,hawks and fox, they take care of MOST of the rest of it....I catch the chipmunks in rat traps and feed them to the crows,life is wonderful :wink:
yes, I agree, the title is a bit "catchy"..... :shock:

Tis the season,,,,,,,,Merry Christmas