Could a couple of 'coons operate one of those grabber devices? I sometimes carry one with me when car camping just to tidy up the campsite and leave it cleaner than when I arrived. I would hate to think that if I left the grabber on the picnic table that the 'coons might try to access my ridgeline organizer!
Jim
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It wouldn’t surprise me but thankfully, they don’t have opposing digits or we’d really be in trouble! I’ve seen them make short work of getting bungy cords off garbage pail lids in my back yard, relentless little bas……
On Cumberland Island, Ga., in the main campgrounds, racoons have of course learned to open coolers, even with bungies. You have to put your bungy closed cooler underneath the picnic table with the picnic bench part laying heavily on top. The racoons will come get anything not nailed down or put inside the provided food protection cages, day or night. Also you can't let your food get too near the walls of the protection cages, the racoons get their little fingers in as far as they can and try to pull the closer things out. First time I camped there, I woke around 4:00am or so to find 2 or 3 glommed on to the sides of the cages, trying their best...
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs
Yeah, the raccoons down there are SMART! Last time I was there a buddy had forgotten about a couple of packages of instant oatmeal in one of the side pockets of his pack...you pretty much know the outcome. Fortunately the little buggers opened the pocket's zipper and pulled out the oatmeal instead of ripping through the fabric...Originally Posted by NCPatrick
I busted out laughing at this one.
As for my personal anti-critter methods, I have five layers of defense.
1) I always set up my hammock at least 50 yards away from where I cook and eat.
2) I Always use a bear bag, and hang it high.
3) I wash my cooking set after every use with baking soda. This works out really well because it gets all of the food off, it takes odors with it, and even does the drying for you! Oh, and you can use it in place of toothpaste which further reduces your scent signature.
4) If something does come snooping around my hammock, there's 55 lbs. of Pit/Boxer/German Shepherd mix there in my hammock with me. Makes a great early warning system and deterrent.
5) This part is debatable, but you won't catch me camping without some sort of significant defensive weapon (or something that doubles as such). Often it is just a camp axe or machete, but it beats a fist or pocket knife any day.
I take security perhaps a little too seriously, but if you at least follow #1,2,3 and maybe 4, you shouldn't have any problems with racoons.
We had a "Tables Turned" situation on our spring trip to Bon Echo this year. We discovered a den 40 feet from our Camp Site, the mother was not impressed, she did some investigating when we first got there but didn’t take or damage anything in the site! We left a note out on day one....."Touch anything and we'll kidnap the kids!"
I kid you not, some of the racoons here in Oklahoma are the size of small black bears! At least it seems that way...
Sunny
"Mother Gue", I says "the Rocky Mountains is the marrow of the world," and by God, I was right. Keep your nose in the wind and your eye along the skyline.
I dunno, but they make a dang fine hat !!!!!!
A small airhorn will run off most anything at night.. even your hanging buddy
If you pitch a hammock close to a fire, will that ward them off?
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