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| four foot weeds in front of the rocks and behind the shepherd's crook to the left Update below  |
Right now, two young men are cleaning up my yard and mowing it. There are limbs, small and huge, that have fallen this winter, along with weeds that sprung up to 3 feet with the last week of rain. Exbf is not, in my estimation, capable of doing what needs doing since he needs a hip replacement. He did everything for me in the yard until last September. But, I won't "ride a good horse to death." Sooo, I cannot bend enough or pull anything. We make a fine pair!
These guys are not expensive and talk like they will do a fantastic job. We will see. However, they made me an offer I cannot resist. They had spotted my trap--"a coon trap" they declared.
"$5 off mowing for each coon you catch for us."
They will run them, train their dogs, and then use their fur. What for? Beats me. Okay, I went out since they are just raking after part of the mowing. "I pelt them."
"What do you do with the pelts then?"
"We take a load of them up in Tennessee and sell them."
It appears I am now a trapper for pelts. Okay, new job for me. WOW! I was not aware there was a market for pelts around here. I am fascinated. I want to know more, but they are working.
$5 off each mowing! I am motivated.
Remember, I cannot re home them. The Animal Control destroys them. One officer said he take them to a relative in another county to train dogs. So, there is not much hope for them. Maybe the guys eat the raccoons. I will ask and add the information.
No, today, I paid for the yard work. I have no idea how I will afford it next week.
Note: If you are worried that the dogs hurt the coons, read the response I wrote to lotta joy's comment in the comments section. I just thought everyone knew how coons were hunted.
Your turn
Have you ever trapped for profit? What do you do with animals that you trap? What kind of animals do you trap?
Raccoon or rat, humans using any living creature to train dogs is why I own guns. The boys did a great job on your lawn and will probably have a more humane way to kill the coons, since they need the pelts in one piece.
ReplyDeletelotta joy,
ReplyDeleteCoon dogs do not kill or ever touch coons. The dogs are taught to tree coons. People kill coons.
This is not a blood sport like cock- or dog-fighting. The meat will be eaten and the pelt sold.
A raccoon would rip a dog to shreds. The guys don't want their dogs hurt. Of course, a dozen dogs could harm a coon, but the guys still don't want their dogs injured. Coon dogs are precious to men. There is a coon dog cemetery near here.
It is sort of like using a pointer or retriever in hunting. Coon hounds just chase by scent and tree a coon.
Maybe ooonskin caps! Ha Ha!
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteI figure that will be part of it.
I ate coon once but I can't remember the taste. I remember my friend boiled it first and then roasted it with sweet potatoes. The coon dogs I remember were treated better than most peoples house pets. Nice big kennels, cleaned on a daily basis and some in the south are air conditioned.
ReplyDeleteYou can search for raccoon coats and find many places that sell coats with the fur trim. I suppose one can find authentic coon skin caps still made as well.
Mamma Bear,
DeleteCoon dogs are valued, monetarily and sentimentally, far above family. The first meat I ever let pass through my lips was raccoon that my uncles killed. It was bbq coon. Mama said that after that, I ate meat ravenously.
I have perhaps a dumb question for you. With the types of raccoons more likely to be caught, very likely to be rabid, what precautions are they taking to avoid rabies ? Eating that meat could be hazardous too. In Virginia, raccoons are frequently rabid, and this is why when they behave strangely they are shot, and then an entire bottle of bleach is used over the carcass before it is removed.
ReplyDeleteJane,
DeleteActually, these that come into this neighborhood are not only liable to be caught but no more likely to have rabies. Of course, rabies is the top of my fears with any wild animal. Hopefully, they can tell when a caged animal is acting abnormally. You are asking me questions only they can answer.
In Alabama there are plenty of rabid raccoons. I can only hope they are careful. You really have a valid question and concern. Thanks for pointing this out to readers.