WILD ANIMALS/NATURE
I’m Trying to Outsmart a Clever Raccoon
AND FAILING MISERABLY
Raccoons are not just sly; they are brilliant creatures. Their cunning, coupled with their resourcefulness, makes them a force to be reckoned with. Their problem-solving skills are superior.
As a dedicated birdwatcher, I’ve placed five birdfeeders in my backyard to cater to all the birds in my area. They hang on hooks. The problem is the feeders have to hang in an area where raccoons can attempt to access them. I had a pole installed with a large baffle to keep them from getting at the food.
I give the four-footed creatures corn and peanuts in the back behind my trees. I try to keep them happy there because they dig and destroy the grass and area under the feeders.
The baffle on the pole is supposed to keep raccoons from getting past it. But some mornings, my sunflower seed feeder for the songbirds and my grape jelly feeder for the orioles were turned upside down and empty. It had to be the raccoon that hung around my backyard every evening.
