Should racoons be re-classified as small game?

[Steve]

Just a little poll here...

[Coldwater Charters]

Steve, what makes you ask that question anyway, or poll?

[stelmon]

I dunno, what are they considered right now?

[kingfisher 11]

They are considered a furbearer. A seperate license is required to hunt and trap them. Unless they are a nusiance I believe.

The price of hides has dropped so bad that only the die hard hunters and trappers persue them.

At one time I could pay for all my gas, licenses, shells and dog food for my hounds. It was quite fun to do something you really enjoyed and make money at it.

[shooter921]

Maybe they should make them small game. They are pests, maybe it would take there population down.

80

[Steve]

What makes me bring it up? It's always been a pet peeve of mine. With fur prices where they are there's not much incentive to help decrease to population of these overgrown rats.

[stelmon]

Then I go with yes

[JasonTheOutdoorsMan]

i think they sould be consittered small game. there are so many of them and they cause a lot of problem. the less of them the better

Jason

[marty]

I shoot every coon I see. The lady vet told me that they are the worst carriers of diseases.She does the same thing. The other week I was out in the woods and coming back in I was watching a fawn in the field when all of a sudden I heard a hiss and looked down to see five baby coons. Four took off but one was real aggresive and started toward me. I went back to the house and came back to introduced them to my shotgun..........marty:D

[yoda]

They need to be put into the same catagory as the Coyote, Shoot On Sight !!!!!!!!!!

[Steve]

Good for you guys, I certainly wouldn't turn you in.

[david]

a couple weeks ago my wife saw something running across the roof of our neighbor's across the street. she called me outside to take a look, it was a big coon. I told the neighbor the next day, but she didn't believe me. thought it was probably a cat or a possum. I told her she better check her chimney because there might be a nest in there. well, her son checked the chimney from the roof and inside the house, no nest.

a couple of days later, the lady woke up at 3:00 a.m. because she heard some noise -- well, lo and behold there were two baby coons running around in her bedroom. the lady had to leave her house and sat outside till 7:00 in the morning till the pest control company came out. while she was waiting she could see the coons pissing on her rug and tearing up her house.

where was the nest? the son forgot to check the other chimney that went into the basement:eek: cost her some money to get them out, and no sign of momma. told her she should have called me as I need some target practice with my bow. have a feeling momma's at the next house where no one lives.

[Al, L]

:mad: I was told once there were no racoons in the U.P., don't you belive it. They were chaseing my brittany & a cocker out of the kennel and eating their food till I found out why they were so skinny and fixed the problem. Then they got in my pole barn and ate a hole in the g.can I kept the dog food in. Next it was the gradge ripping the seal off the lower part of the door, to get at the bird feed.

My son got really good at hitting running coons with a 22, jeeps and shot guns. I got 6 young and a adult in a tree one night in the back yard. I got 8 with the truck another night in Withee Wisconsin. I saw onc3e where some one got what looked like 2 familys on the hiway one night, there were coons all ovet the road.
I'd rather have a skunk around than a stinking coon. :D

[hoytshooter]

six people have voted that no they should not be reclassified, but yet no one has posted as to why they feel that way. I do not have a strong feeling one way or the other, but voted yes simply because I'd like to see fewer animal require different liscences. I was just hoping that some of you that voted no would explain, you may have some interesting points that the rest of us have not thought of

[rick adams]

I have no problem with shooting a coon that is a problem/ causing damage. I don't want to see idiots shooting them and leaving them just because they feel like it. Wild coons don't carry any more germs than any other preditor. Suburban/ city coons are a different story, they carry all sorts of nasty bugs.
Just because a coon is on your property doesn't make it a nuisance. I just have a problem with killing one" just because"they might. The people that spend the money on a furbearers licence are probably less likely to shoot them and let them lay. That's why I voted the way I did!

[boehr]

I voted no. I think that as sportsmen we should not define ourselves to shoot something just to shoot it and leave it lay. Isn't this the main reason to want it to be reclassified? How many eat coon? I have and it's not bad but wouldn't want it all the time.

How many coons do you see out in the woods that are a nuisance. We are not talking about coons that are doing damage or about to to damage. Then there was a post to treat them just like coyotes, kill everyone you see. I also don't agree with that although at least you have a little justification for that, coyotes getting fawns etc., which I don't share that justification with. Coons like coyotes have a place with mother nature and for anyone to kill something just because is beyond me.

As far as fur prices, it's true fur prices are bad but, what has made them bad? Anti-hunters who don't like people taking animals using hunters that kill just to kill against us and people who do engage in trapping or hunting furbearers that don't know or are just to lazy to realize how to take care of fur and the stock market. Coon takers in the past have flooded the market with fur that is not prime, small animals because they took everything they seen and fur that was handled improperly. If everyone that had a small game license took every coon they shot to a fur dealer then we would really flood the market and really have some bad fur out there!

Then I see a post that says they carry desease and to shoot everyone you see. Geez, deer have TB, do you take that attitude with them too? Now before you jump and try to mix apples and oranges, because you think that the DNR is with deer, ask yourself how many deer can you shoot with a license and how many coon can you shoot with a single license.

I'm sorry but poaching is poaching, doesn't matter how you want to justify it, still wrong by law, morally and ethically. I think many of these posts have shown we don't practice what we preach and that's sad.:mad:

[Shoveler]

I voted no because I could not come up with any reason for changing the classification. What would be the purpose of the re-classification? Would it be for predator control, disease control or Sunday dinner? Do not know much about trapping and the folks who run racoons with dogs but what would a re-classification do to them?

Shoveler

[marty]

Racoons carry more that any tb Heard a fellow last night at the store that said he got 19 already this year and still has more coming in. Coons are the leading carrier of rabies and have contributed to the spread of it. I read in 1993 there was almost 9500 case of rabies in this country. Sorry but if you really want to eat them when you're up this way I'll put a few in a gunny sack for ya . LOL..........marty:D

[boehr]

Interesting....your post marty, states you read a 1993 study then you post some big numbers but did that study state how many cases of rabies by coons were in Michigan? Your post also indicated 9500 cases of rabies but did not say those were all coons even nationally. Your post indicated you opinion in attempt to be hidden in fact from the study you indicate. Opinion is fine and we are all entitled to opinion but lets not try to sell opinion as fact. Maybe, you would also propose killing endagered species of bats too because of rabies and it would be my guess they are bigger carriers than coons. I bet more deer have been found with TB that coons in Michigan with rabies.

I would like to hear more responses of my last sentence in my previous post though, kill to kill and practice what we preach.

[boehr]

marty...not going to make this a long post but did want to update you on your data. If your interested you can go to the web sites for the factual information and see it for yourself.

Rabies surveillance in the United States During 1996
Summary: In 1996, 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico reported 7,124 cases of rabies in nonhuman animals and 4 cases in human beings to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 92% (6,550 cases) were wild animals, whereas 8% (574 cases) were domestic species. The total number of reported cases decreased 9.6% from that of 1995 (7,881 cases). While much of the decline was the result of fewer reported cases of rabies in raccoons, fewer cases were also reported among most groups of animals.

Source: Center for Decease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/


Total cases of rabies reported in Michigan (Wild and Domestic Animals)
1995-43, 1996-31, 1997-28, 1998-37, 1999-92

Source: Michigan Department of Health
http://www.mdmh.state.mi.us/

Most cases seem to be found along the east coast although the line, and we will keep the conversation pointed towards raccoons since that's the topic, is and has been moving toward Michigan for a number of years. That is one of the reasons I do not approve rehabilitation permits for raccoons to be rehabilitated. This is also the reason for the few rehabilitators that we do have are under strict rules (law) of the release of a coon when one has been rehabilitated.

[flatsman]

I thin raccoons are always about to do some sort of damage:rolleyes: the little egg suckers:mad:

test

[Bob S]

Originally posted by old hunter
test Was the test successful old hunter?

[Hamilton Reef]

I can accept a yes or no, but finally voted yes. I would prefer to harvest the fur in the prime colder weather, but I'm now taking the overpopulation of nuisance animals to protect the local wildlife.

The last time I sold racoon at the Ravenna fur auction I got $60 straight. I thus kicked myself for targeting fox when I could have taken many more racoon for the same effort. I got $77 straight for the fox. That should tell you that it was a long while ago that I was trapping. My 300+ traps are still hanging for a future day. If the fur prices would ever go back up I could trap to pay the property taxes of my wildlife area.

The last two years I have been live-box trapping racoon, possum, and mean wild feral cats as predator control for the wildlife area. I now use box traps so I can turn certain animals loose. Last year we removed almost a 100 problem animals within a half mile. The result has been a large improvement in the nesting survival of grouse, turkeys, rabbits, and nongame wildlfe in general. I have a elevated turkey feeder and my neighbor's garbage cans as places to set the traps. Another neighbor got permission to train dogs early because of crop damage.

I place the carcasses out in the wildlife area were we can watch the vultures up close from the viewing shacks and monitor other wildlife. One vulture sat on my peterson style bluebird house, but before I could get the picture he moved. I really wanted that picture of the biggest, meanest, ugliest Michigan bluebird for the Birds & Bloom magazine photo section.

[hoytshooter]

Thanks, Boehr, Rick, and Shoveler. I asked for the reasons for the no votes, because I couldn't think of any reason, and you have shed some light on the no vote. I agree that they shouldn't be shot and left, and for that reason I agree. I do however carry the opinion that whatever license is required, won't change some peoples opinion of the animal and they will still be shot and left for dead.

[marty]

Boehr pretty interesting read. Yes more deer than rabies but how many racoons do we check? We check a gazllion deer. How many coons do we check before they cause damage or bite someone? I've had them tear down my bird feeders Walk around my grandsons pool and even doing a power dump close to it. Sorry but at the this area coon's are not welcome.

Like the report says:That is one of the reasons I do not approve rehabilitation permits for raccoons to be rehabilitated. This is also the reason for the few rehabilitators that we do have are under strict rules (law) of the release of a coon when one has been rehabilitated.

Have a good un..........marty

[boehr]

Originally posted by marty
Like the report says:That is one of the reasons I do not approve rehabilitation permits for raccoons to be rehabilitated. This is also the reason for the few rehabilitators that we do have are under strict rules (law) of the release of a coon when one has been rehabilitated.

Have a good un..........marty

The report doesn't say that, I say that to prevent the decease. I'm the one who issues rehabilitator permits in my District.

Also, rabies is a much easier decease to see without sending it to a lab than deer with TB. Not all the time but much of the time. I'm sorry I just can't buy that thought process of killing an animal, out in the woods where it's suppose to be, for no reason other to kill it.

Have a good one too!

[Joe Archer]

Houtshooter, I voted "no" before reading any of the responses here. After readin them though, I can understand the argument of treating coons as you would a cyote. Anyway, I voted no because I felt that coons were harvested mainly for fur, and small game harvested mainly for food. This may not be fact, but just my perception. <----<<<

[Benchshooter]

I belive that they carry to many rabies and they will go after the little one (kids) and bite them I say a good coon is a dead one..

Happy shooting

[jay szczesniak]

I believe that they have been killing my young chickens and between my neighbor and I we have killed 16 so far this summer and there seems to be no end. I get at least 2 in my trap by the barn every week and I still see them everywhere at night.Has antone ever heard of coons killing chickens? I don't think a coyote could get in the fenced in area I have put up?

[marty]

Hey Jay I know why you got so many coons. When you killed the first one when the others came for the funeral the food was so good they decided to stay..............marty:D :D :D

[NEMichsportsman]

I don't mean to sound preachy or judgemental in this post, so please realize that I am only speaking about my personal beliefs and not how some of the previous posters should feel... I think that a regulated hunting season through the small game license should be considered, game management is an important element to reducing the nuisance instances that individuals encounter with various species of wildlife. I personally feel that random killing in an unregulated and illegal manner of any kind of wildlife is unnecessary, and gives ammunition to those radical goups that portray sportsmen as bloodthirsty killers whose sole goal in hunting is to decimate animal populations... I dont feel that any element of sportsmanship is involved in the intentional flattening of a family of coons on a highway! I often explain to those people that are non hunters that sportsmen help with game management, provide $$'s to much needed programs to preserve hunting for the future, provide a source of food both for the needy, and those who enjoy eating from the land, and often work to improve habitats and species for the benefit of hunters/non-hunters. I would not be able to argue that a species was a pest so I felt it necessary to run it over with my Ford and left it to rot.

[jay szczesniak]

My wife has just called at 11:36 am to tell me that there are 4 coons in our yard and my brother in law is on his way to remedy the situation. I am losing count on how many we have killed so far this spring and summer . Do coons feed on young chickens (allmost fiull size)?

[Bushwhacker]

You bet, coons love chickens, any shape or size. When I was a kid on the farm, many years ago, Dad tried to raise a chicken/pheasant cross. Although we built coops for them, the darn things loved to roost in trees at night. I can still remember waking up at night and listening to the sound of a chicken squaking as a coon dragged it away, and listening to Dad cussing and trying to find the shotgun,
Bushwhacker

[boehr]

I have no problem with a person killing coons that are causing damage. Yes they will kill chickens, get into and scatter your garbage all over and just about anything else you can come up with. Hence, that is the reason for the law (Hunting Digest page 41). And you don't even need any license if that is what is happening. As my first post indicated, I don't think it's right to kill a coon that is out in the woods where it is suppose to be, not causing damage. To kill a coon in that situation, without a furharvesters license and/or out of season is poaching.

[fishinlk]

I was also one of the "no" votes. Although coon are virtually a mortal enemy for me because of my love for grouse and pheasant hunting vs. their love of eggs I could not vote yes. I have no problems about thinning them out when they're doing damage. I used to trap until about 6 yrs ago and helped eliminate a lot of nuisence critters during the trapping season for farmers and developers. I base my vote on the same feelings as boehr that it is wrong to waste an animal in the woods and I feel that this would become more common if they were legal as a small game animal As much as I don't like them they have their place. Yes, I do understand the rabies argument and agree somewhat but this is really more of an eastern problem. We've had a taste of those problems down here in OH.

Anyway I've said my 2 cents now.

[Hamilton Reef]

I agree with Boehr and that is why I notified my local CO to my activities. I followed his instructions. I also use live havahart traps to release any animals or pets that are not problem targets.

[Brock]

The coons around my house are really on my list. They have uprooted 5 of my new White pine transplants. They were digging in the fresh dirt around the base of the tree for grubs. I have gotten 4 of them in the last week. There are still at least 2 more that I have seen. They can have the place out in the woods, but not around my house.

[trapper_carl123]

i would like to see them as small game. that way when we lose trapping i don't have to buy a fur harvester liscense for just one thing.for all you people waiting for fur price to go up. get off your @$$ and help fight antis. carl