# Raccoons are digging up my lawn



## g3troll (Sep 24, 2010)

Every year for two months (Sept-Oct), they come digging for food in my lawn.
About one new dig per night.
Last year I tried granulated pepper oil, didn't seem to help.
I also tried fox urine, no help.

This year I tried using grub killer, but they're still digging.

I'm in town, and I can't trap or kill. At this rate, there will be no lawn left by October.
Any suggestions?


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## g3troll (Sep 24, 2010)

Three nights' work...


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## moondawg (Dec 17, 2008)

g3troll said:


> Every year for two months (Sept-Oct), they come digging for food in my lawn.
> About one new dig per night.
> Last year I tried granulated pepper oil, didn't seem to help.
> I also tried fox urine, no help.
> ...


Why can't you trap or kill? A live trap and a quick trip to the country(or a call to animal control) will fix the problem. You generally ALWAYS have a legal remedy (trap or kill) for non-protected nuiscance animals.

The only other remedy is to figure out what they're eating and remove the source of food.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

Updated post follows.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

Since you are in town, call the police and the animal protective (whatever it is called). Raccoons can be dangerous thay may agree to set up traps if there good evidence of raccoons.

I had 4 young ones that climbed my pipe supports to tip and raid a couple of bird feeders. One was climbing my 6x6 post supporting a deck and one was looking through the screen of my slider and staring at my 15# cat, but I just turned the lights on and they left. I also had an adult prowling around a day earlier and called and a trap or two are scheduled to come soon when available. Unfortunately they have no traps for the bears that destroyed some feeders or for the deer that ate my hanging peppers and strawberries. They do like to know about the bear movements and patterns. I live 1/4 mile from White Bear Lake, MN, but all we get is black bears.

Dick


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Some areas you are not allowed to trap & release a nuisance animal somewhere else
Why would someone else want your nuisance ?
We have woods to the side of us, never had a problem w/raccoons
Its the skunks that dig looking for grubs
I treat every year with grubex etc...ever since a skunk ripped up the front yard
It either kills the grubs or they don't like the chemical
One year may not do it
And depends upon when you applied it

I did have 4 raccoons come up onto the old patio after I cooked lobster out there
They were left with hot water only
I did see them....and later that nite put the lobster remains far away from the house
They ate every last bit


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## g3troll (Sep 24, 2010)

I suppose I could trap, but raccoons travel as a family and if I trap the momma then the kids are doomed to die.

It's possible it's a skunk (haven't seen), but I figure I'd have smelt it by now. The neighborhood has some stupid dogs who would chase a skunk until it sprays.

Our animal control services will only handle dogs.

I figure I waited too long to spread the grub killer.:huh:


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## moondawg (Dec 17, 2008)

g3troll said:


> I figure I waited too long to spread the grub killer.:huh:


Yes, I've heard it won't kill mature grubs, only the little ones. And judging by the fact that I haven't heard the Grub-X commercial that I used to hear EVERY MORNING...... it must be past time to use it!

I'd say see if maybe you can borrow someone's dog for a few nights and tie it up out front on a runner. That should discourage them.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

In the spring the grubs are big and you need four or five times the grub killer per square yard or whatever compared with August.

I'm not sure whether Grubex (tm) is already formulated so the spreading rate shown on the package is for springtime.


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