Is it just me/my area or are there about 5x as many raccoons as normal this year?

[Trevelayan]

They're everywhere! I've never seen so many corpses on the road as I have this last month, 1-2 every mile or so on the highways. They're active during the day or night, doesn't matter. People in my county are positing about it on Facebook, and I've noticed it too. They're bold, coming out during the day and getting close to humans, pets, and livestock. I don't ever recall seeing them in so many places so often and I've lived here for 30 years. Did they suddenly lose a predator or have an abundance of food? What caused such a change?

 

[AndreusMaximus]

Huh. Where I live just west of Bloomington it seems like we've seen a lot fewer than normal. Maybe they're all migrating to your area...

 

[spencer rifle]

Yes it seems to be more. I have a super raccoon breaking into the chicken pen to eat their food - it moves large rocks, digs under fences and bends fence wires apart to get in.
There need to be more r corpses along the roads.

 

[rhamersley]

 

[Magyars]

Tons here...10 caught and dispatched plus my dog got a yearling.
Been seeing them in the crop fields and on the rd during the day.

 

[patience0830]

Killed 30 at the bird feeder last year. Up to about 6 or 7 since April. More turkeys this year. So no. . . . This year's about the same as last.

 

[dieselrealtor]

We have some friends that have had some issues that are new, coming in through the cat & dog doors into the house. NEVER had this happen before, very bold & sometimes see them during the day. She has dispatched several with her .380 (outside)

 

[Creedmoor]

North Madison Co here, I have two live traps that are always baited at the house or friends homes around town.
Ive only dispatched two coons this year. Along with three? possums and dozens of feral cats.

 

[NHT3]

Killed 30 at the bird feeder last year. Up to about 6 or 7 since April. More turkeys this year. So no. . . . This year's about the same as last.

I'm sure you mis-spoke, you mean relocated to the underworld don't you?

 

[Mij]

Pelts aren’t worth anything, less hunting n trapping = more animals to breed = more animals in the wild. Don’t worry to much, when the population reaches critical mass, Mother Nature will take care of it with disease. Unfortunately those same diseases may infect other animals, pets, some human. Rabies for instance. But now you have to wait for population to cycle back up when the war stops so you can go hunting n trapping. Same goes for all Indiana fur bearing critters.

 

[Expat]

Haven't noticed that, but the rabbits are out of control here.

 

[teddy12b]

I started reading this topic as I lost 10 chickens a week ago and was wondering what the season and laws were on raccoons.

From the IN DNR website: "Resident landowners and tenants can trap a raccoon that is causing damage on their own property without a permit from the DNR. The raccoon must be euthanized or released within the county of capture on private property in which you have permission to release the raccoon."

Raccoon in Indiana

Raccoon in Indiana, including food habits, family life, habitat and population by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife

www.in.gov

So I'm understanding that to mean if it's on your property there's no season where they can't be trapped and shot.

 

[Mij]

Haven't noticed that, but the rabbits are out of control here.

Introduce them to Waylon. .

 

[Expat]

Introduce them to Waylon. .

He holds a very steady point on them as long as they hold still.

 

[Michigan Slim]

About normal here in the Fort. Lots of dead ones on the roads. Family groups getting hit. Shot one or two every trip to the cabin. More turkey and partridge this year too. I'd like to think I have something to do with that.

 

[Sigblitz]

Tagged for interest.

 

[Rookie]

I started reading this topic as I lost 10 chickens a week ago and was wondering what the season and laws were on raccoons.

From the IN DNR website: "Resident landowners and tenants can trap a raccoon that is causing damage on their own property without a permit from the DNR. The raccoon must be euthanized or released within the county of capture on private property in which you have permission to release the raccoon."

Raccoon in Indiana

Raccoon in Indiana, including food habits, family life, habitat and population by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish & Wildlife

www.in.gov

So I'm understanding that to mean if it's on your property there's no season where they can't be trapped and shot.

Correct.

 

[Leadeye]

Trapped 5 so far this spring, they were all after the gardener's berry plants.

 

[Rookie]

Popped four trying to get to my chickens.

 

[spencer rifle]

In Ohio and points east, you are required by law to kill all trapped raccoons - no exceptions. There was a rabies epidemic spreading west from New York (surprise!) and this, in combination with inoculated baits, seems to have stopped or slowed it.
Distemper can still be a problem, but people don't get it.