Yes, We Have Coon!

Over the past month that we have been living here in our new house we've heard some suspicious sounds. One night about a month ago, just as we had gone to bed we heard a squeaking noise. Not a cute squeaky noise, but one that was definitely coming from some sort of animal that I did (and do) not want to share my house with. This sound freaked me out and I made Rick investigate the closets that are in the side eaves of our house. Oh no...had we just bought a house with an animal infestation. He didn't find anything but I decided that a war was upon us. The next day I purchased some good old fashioned mouse traps and hoped that we just had a couple mice in the house. Crossing my fingers that we were not dealing with squirrels or bats in our attic, Rick took care of the dirty work and put out the traps.

One night Rick and I were relaxing in the living room when Phoebe happily pranced into the living room with a baby mouse in her mouth. Ah! She doesn't kill them, I think she just likes to play with them. The baby mouse fell out of her mouth and Rick finished the job that needed to be done...with a shoe. We eventually caught another mouse in our attic. It's been warm here the past few weeks and we have been mouse free. I'm hoping that as it gets colder the neighborhood mice look at our house and remember that two members of their mischief did not return. It probably also helps that there are three neighborhood cats that wander through our yard.

We have a ton of leaves in our backyard. Since our yard is tiered, it really isn't rakeable. At night you can hear things rustle around in the leaves. I had always assumed that it was squirrels or mice until last night. My assumptions were wrong. As we turned out the light and snuggled into bed I heard that horrible squeaking noise. I cringed and made way onto Rick's side of the bed. There it was again, squeak squeak. It sounded like it was coming from under the bed. This is not possible since we do not have a bed frame. The head of our bed is up against the windows in our bedroom. I heard some leaf rustling and saw some movement out the window in our backyard. Rick got the heavy duty flashlight and we investigated. Sure enough, three raccoon were hanging out on the rock wall in our backyard making their way onto one of the large oak trees. Rick was able to point the flashlight right at them as they looked back at us! Oh no! We have coon in our yard!

So as I fell asleep last night I wondered where to raccoon sleep during the day? Do we have a burrow in our yard that they go down during the day? I then fell asleep until they woke me up again an hour later with their squeaking and leaf rustling.

So this morning (after I fell back asleep for another hour after Rick left...so tired from the raucous raccoon ruckus) I have been researching raccoons. When my sister-in-law and brother-in-law first moved into their house in Maple Grove they had a bit of a raccoon problem. Our brother-in-law received a BB gun for Christmas and the problem was taken care of. I kind of felt bad for the poor raccoons that entered A and N's yard after N received the BB gun. But now I understand.

So here is what I learned about raccoons this morning:

1. Their conservation status is listed as "least concern." - Good, nobody will notice if three mysteriously disappear from my yard.

2. Average life expectancy is 1.8 to 3.1 years. - Hopefully we'll be bringing that range down in our neighborhood.

3. Raccoons in urban settings are usually met with a range of outrage to intensive feeding. Wildlife authorities caution against feeding wild animals as they may become obtrusive. - I am obviously outraged. This statement made me think of Rick's aunt Lori who has been known to leave food out for the "cute little mice" that live around her house.

4. The fur of raccoon is used for fur clothing, especially for coats and characteristic coonskin cap. - Hmmm, I like fur coats. I'm sure my nephew Reilly would like a coon skin cap.

5. The first edition of The Joy of Cooking, released in 1931, had a recipe for preparing raccoon. - One of the farmer's markets that we used to frequent in St. Louis had a meat market. One Saturday as we passed the meat market there was a huge sign that read "Yes, We Have Coon!" So I do know for a fact that people still eat Raccoon.

So after my vast research of raccoon on Wikipedia (everything on that site is for sure true), I am most certain that a den of them is living under the oak tree in the backyard and they must be dealt with. Maybe Rick will find a lovely Red Ryder BB gun under the tree this Christmas.