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Old July 2nd, 2011, 11:31 AM
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Talking Raccoons revisited...or look who came to dinner!

I was on my way out to the blind last night, but some visitors beat me to it. So I stealthily climbed up on our hemlock stump (it's easier than you think--raccoons seem to have really bad eyesight) to get a view over the fence and started snapping away.

Name:  Checking for pesky hoomanz 7-1-11 A.jpg
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The big brown raccoon showed up, cautiously looking around for any sign of that pesky Hooman.
Still hasn't learned to look up, though. I thought this one, big as it is, must be a male. However....


"Pssst....coast is clear! Come on out!"
Name:  Hey, what's so interesting out here, guys! 7-1-11.jpg
Views: 999
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"Good grub here, kids! Help yerselfs!"

I seem to have mistaken her gender. Hope she's not too mad at me!

"Now, if you kids wanna get the really good stuff, you'll have to learn to climb!"
Name:  Climbing lessons 7-1-11 A.jpg
Views: 1134
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 11:37 AM
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The sight of Mom shinnying up the pole and leaving them behind
sent the kits packin' back into the thickets.
Mom was unconcerned.

"Yummmmmm! Time for nomming!!"
Name:  Cute little hands! 7-1-11 A.jpg
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Name:  There be food here! 7-1-11 D.jpg
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"Oh, ya!! That hits the spot!"

Meanwhile, back at the forest edge...

Name:  Lookit Ma! What's she doin' up there! 7-1-11 A.jpg
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"Lookit Ma!!! What is she doing up there?!"
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 11:42 AM
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Name:  Ooops...I smellz hoomanz!  7-1-11 A.jpg
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"Oops! I smellz hoomanz!"

Name:  Lookit Ma! What's she doin' up there! 7-1-11 C.jpg
Views: 1041
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"Mom! What you doin' up there?! Are you comin' down?"

"Shhhhhhh! Don't go out there! I smell hoomanz!!!"
Name:  I smellz hoomanz!  No, I smellz food! 7-1-11 A.jpg
Views: 790
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"I don't smell hoomanz. I smell FOOD!!!!!"
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 11:48 AM
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"Do you really smell hoomanz?"
Name:  I smellz hoomanz!  No, I smellz food! 7-1-11 B.jpg
Views: 791
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"I can really smell food!!"

"Any of you other guys smell hoomanz?"
Name:  I smellz hoomanz!  No, I smellz food! 7-1-11 C.jpg
Views: 799
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"Nope! Just FOOD!"

"And Mom is still up there! Must be okay to go out, don't you think?"
Name:  The runt is the adventurous one 7-1-11.jpg
Views: 1335
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"Okay, then! Follow me, guys!!


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Old July 2nd, 2011, 12:44 PM
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Oh Wow! How many did you count?

That one of momma sittin' in the feeder smiling back (or growling) at you is cute.
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 01:31 PM
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There were four kits in all.

This raccoon has some odd habits--a certain way of frenetic digging with its 'hands' and that goofy grin. She's also a bit of a bully when it comes to other coons. She ran off that other smaller mom back in mid-June that night I was out in the blind.
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 01:35 PM
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I love your pictures
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 02:30 PM
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Thx, LL. It helps when your subject matter is so cooperative and so darn cute!!
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 03:52 PM
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Hazel,I absolutely adore Raccoons,I know people think of them as pests,but even they have to survive.
The females are such good mothers and the babies OMG,soooo cute
Great pics Hazel!!!
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 06:28 PM
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They are cute, I'll give them that!

I get such a kick out of how they don't look up, and even if they're looking right at me, they don't seem to see me unless I move. Makes taking pics a little easier.
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 07:05 PM
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That photo of the four kits sniffing the air is a real beauty, Hazel. Now, I didn't know they climb, and wouldn't have thought it could get up smooth pipe. Was the pipe put there to deter such critters because if so, it isn't working. LOL.
Chico, what sort of mischief do they get up to?
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 07:34 PM
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Hazel, you took some awesome photos!
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 10:29 PM
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I love the pic with the babies hiding in the weeds looking at Mom.
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Old July 2nd, 2011, 10:48 PM
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Thx, ladies.

Don't they just look awestruck that Mom should be so bold as to be up there, lindapalm? I like that single kit looking out at (but not seeing) the camera, too. They're just adorable little critters!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldfields View Post
Was the pipe put there to deter such critters because if so, it isn't working. LOL.
Yep it was, and no it isn't! It still works for the small red squirrels, but the PVC is getting weathered enough now that the larger gray squirrels and the raccoons aren't having any trouble climbing it. We were going to change it for new (and therefore slippery) PVC, but to do that we have to get the shepherd's hook apart at the ferule, which is hidden by the pipe, and the blasted thing is corroded so it won't come apart. So we're sorta stuck with the sticky PVC. The raccoons and gray squirrels don't seem to mind.
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Old July 3rd, 2011, 02:19 AM
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Awesome shots The kits are so adorable w/their short little tails & curious little faces
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Old July 3rd, 2011, 07:15 AM
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GF,there was a mom and kits living in my neighbors roof,the house had been empty and under renovation...they can do a lot of damage.
They are also experts at opening just about any garbage-container,very smart little guys.
But I still love them,they are just trying to survive.
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Old July 4th, 2011, 05:59 AM
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oh my god, I love it!!!! I can't wait for my daycare to arrive so I can read/show them *L* they love your doggie stories, I envy you....no matter what I put out the raccoons will not enter my yard!! yet the trailer court beside me complains about them all the time! thanks for sharing the pics and story Hazel.
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Old July 4th, 2011, 10:18 AM
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You're welcome, Melinda. I'm thinking of reviving my Setters' Corner site and setting it up for Storytime, instead. If I do, I'll pass on the link. Need to stop taking pics, though, so I can get it set up (so many pics, so much editing to do = not so much time to build the new site )

They look like stubby little mini-Moms, don't they, growler? I was amazed that after a few minutes I was able to tell them apart by their faces! With the adults I have to go by fur color, which is much easier to do--by the time they're grown, all the faces look alike to me. Mom is our biggest fem, so I suspect these guys are going to end up pretty big. Right now, the runt of the litter is the most adventurous of the four.

I think they do more damage in a suburban setting, chico. Here, with so much wild all around, they occasionally damage a feeder, but not much else, so we're very fortunate to be able to enjoy them with minimal hassle. The worst of it is bringing in the nectar feeders at night. If we forget, we have a lot of sticky raccoons on sugar highs running around outside for a few hours.
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Old July 10th, 2011, 09:10 PM
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Omg, omg, omg, omg .

I would have thrown the camera aside and dove right in amongst them for some great big smooshies

Cuteness overload!
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Old July 10th, 2011, 09:35 PM
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I wanted to join in, but then I thought of the hospital bills that would have followed. Similar thoughts kept me from givin' the bear a big ol' hug when it came around, too.

They are cute, though, I'll give them that!
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Old July 10th, 2011, 09:42 PM
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You crack me up

I hope I can foresee the way you do if I ever come across some smooshable looking bears, lol. If not, I'll be sure to post pics once...or if....I recover .
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Old July 10th, 2011, 09:44 PM
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Bear-smooshing falls under the category of "Don't try this at home!"
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Old July 10th, 2011, 10:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hazelrunpack View Post
I'm thinking of reviving my Setters' Corner site and setting it up for Storytime, instead. If I do, I'll pass on the link. Need to stop taking pics, though, so I can get it set up (so many pics, so much editing to do = not so much time to build the new site )
Storytime would be an awesome sight Hazel! Viewer discretion advised!

I just re-did our car site and while it took a couple of nights to revamp, it took me about a week on how to remember to upload it.
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Old July 10th, 2011, 10:50 PM
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Ya, me, too. Once I get started again, it'll pick up speed as I go along. It's trying to remember how to get started that takes me so long.
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Old July 11th, 2011, 08:29 PM
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But with all them there story time pictures, how could you not remember?

You have lots of bears, racoons, birds and of course our beloved pack to tell about.

What an awesome...once upon a time storybook.
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Old July 11th, 2011, 08:45 PM
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I haven't built a web page in ages...that's the part I don't remember. The stories I have...
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Old July 11th, 2011, 11:09 PM
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Those are some awesome pictures Hazel..wish I would get a few of them around here
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