Nice smoke till I got a late night visit...

Bloodhound · Post by **Bloodhound** » 18 Aug 2023, 12:53

I was on the patio about 9PM enjoying a bowl of Mountain Camp and 3 fingers of Tincup when I saw a dark form coming down the steps from the deck above...it was a racoon...I hissed at it and stomped my feet. It just sat there about 10 feet from me and stared at me. I stood up and grabbed a stick and started towards it hoping to scare it away...it retreated to the edge of the patio and sat there for a while. I sat down and watched him, and then I caught movement from my left side and there was another one coming right up to me...I stomped and hissed at the new one, and he stopped but didn't retreat. Then I noticed the first one coming back onto the patio towards me...The didn't even seem cautious just slow and steady towards me. I grabbed the stick and chased them off the patio...then I saw a 3rd one coming down the steps from the deck above...he sat on the stair step for a min or so and then joined the other two and sat looking at me...I threw the stick at them and they left the yard climbing over the fence one by one...

I have seen racoons in the yard before, but they have never stalked me before...I decided the smoke was done and I went inside where there were no animals trying to smoke my pipe or drink my whiskey.

I live in a subdivision, but I think the .22 "Quiet" rounds would be passed off as firecrackers so I may be armed next time I smoke on the patio...

FredS · Post by **FredS** » 18 Aug 2023, 12:58

We all know raccoons aren't going to attack, but still, I bet it's a little unnerving for a pack of them to be circling in the night. Glad you made it out alive.

Hovannes · Post by **Hovannes** » 18 Aug 2023, 13:18

FredS wrote: ↑18 Aug 2023, 12:58 We all know raccoons aren't going to attack, but still, I bet it's a little unnerving for a pack of them to be circling in the night. Glad you made it out alive.

A .20 Sheridan Blue Streak should discourage them

Jocose · Post by **Jocose** » 18 Aug 2023, 18:50

ONE WORD:

.22 CB

jmg · Post by **jmg** » 18 Aug 2023, 19:54

Bud, you're living my dream. I wish a gang of raccoons would come hang out with me while I have a pipe.

sweetandsour · Post by **sweetandsour** » 19 Aug 2023, 00:26

I believe that I would've done what you did, and then do what you plan to do.

Del · Post by **Del** » 19 Aug 2023, 06:09

They just wanted something to eat.....

MrPiper · Post by **MrPiper** » 19 Aug 2023, 10:54

FredS wrote: ↑18 Aug 2023, 12:58 We all know raccoons aren't going to attack, but still, I bet it's a little unnerving for a pack of them to be circling in the night. Glad you made it out alive.

RABID raccoons will attack. They are nosy and more brave than is wise. As such, they do stand there and look at you as if they are your peers. This makes it difficult to tell if you are dealing with a regular trash bandit or a rabid one. If you shoo them off and they don't retreat, you may be dealing with rabies and a bullet is best but even then, you don't want any contact with the blood or fluids!!!!

Bloodhound · Post by **Bloodhound** » 21 Aug 2023, 12:32

I don't mind sharing space with the rabbits that like the smoke and sit with me. The racoons are a little un-nerving. I have seen what a racoon can do to a dog and it is ugly.

A couple of years ago, I had a very large racoon come down the steps while I was smoking and I stood up to scare it off and it growled and hissed at me...i gave ground and went inside for the evening.

Bloodhound · Post by **Bloodhound** » 12 Sep 2023, 11:53

OK...So I was at the cabin this weekend, I had bird hunted all day, and I was enjoying a FredS pipe with an adult beverage on the porch. I was relaxing when a fox came around the truck and jumped onto the porch with me...he was as surprised as I was...he just froze...then he turned and ran across the road into the weeds. It was less intense than the 3 racoons but still very cool