A few weeks ago I left my garage door open after it had gotten dark. I went on a test drive and didnt get back until after the sun had long since gone down. When I got home I thought nothing of it, shut and locked the doors and went to bed.
The next day I noticed some insulation panels had fallen. I figured the nails must have been loose or something I was storing above got shifted. About 20 mins later I was looking at the windshield of my Super Duty only to notice fresh coon prints where the little sucker had gotten up into the rafters. I then decided to leave the side door open for a few hours at night so he would leave. Given the fact I left the garage door open and basiclly trapped him in there I let him free without incedent.
The next night I was working late on an engine and it sounded like someone was trying to break into my garage! Sounded like they were lifting on the garage door, then a few loud bumps on the doors. I thought for sure I was going to have to kill somebody until after a few minutes I could hear the little bastard walking across the roof. I was somewhat scarry, only because I have never had to shoot anyone before and at first I thought it was someone trying to break in! What nerve they had, I could obviously be heard and all the lights were on. After realizing it was just that pesky coon trying to get back in I decided to borrow a trap.
My kid set the trap with apples and lettus and at first we caught a bunny rabbit. Frustrated because my kid insisted on keeping it, then cried for days after I let it go, we tried some diffrent bait. This time we used some bread and caught a ground hog. It must have been the same one the dog has been chasing living under the 2nd garage we store the bikes and lawn equipment in. I took that sucker 4 miles down the road to let him go.
Finally it was just regular trash pulled from the garbage that caught the coon. He was a mean little sucker too. I guess he didnt enjoy being couped up for 12 hours with two kids observing him all day in the hot sun.
Anyway, I took him to the same spot 4 miles down the road where I let the ground hog go. Only Racoons arent as easy to let out of a cage. They can climb quite well and really arent affraid of anything. I was lucky to get him out of the cage without incedent. I wonder if he will be back?