Good News Bad News Raccoons and Pythons

[Rob Stevens]

   I was worried as I drove down I-95 then across the Tamiami Trail when I saw no road kill, unless a black shoe (don't know whether left or right) counts. Not till going to pick up Al at the airport in Fort Meyers did I see two dead raccoons near Naples. I've read they are comparing road kill counts to see how bad the python problem is. Well all you raccoon lovers not to worry. Our previous two trips we saw only one raccoon, on Mormon Key. This trip we saw three raccoons oystering on Turner River and the channel to House Hammock Bay, three raccoons using a tree to bridge the Wood River and four visits one night on Mormon. I pile our food etc. around the tent so any raccoon activity will wake me. On Mormon I found I had to pile sea shells around the tent so the noise would wake me. It sure didn't scare the raccoons. Even throwing a shell at the raccoon just made him get all huffy and wander off muttering about tourists who camp right on his nightly rounds path.

   At Camp Lonesome the ground was a bit muddy so I gathered up dead palm fronds and laid them around the tent. Again I placed our food etc. around the tent. Well here we were visited by rats, or at least one rat multiple times. In my sleepy state I looked at this creature just feet from my face and wondered "Not a raccoon, too small, a rat?, maybe some sort of Native American trickster little man with the big feet type just screwing with us."   And any little creature that walked over the palm fronds made enough noise to startle me awake. Not a good tactic.

   So don't worry, at least the raccoons are holding their own.

  

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Fascinating Rob! What do you mean by 'Again I placed our food etc. around the tent'. Were you trying to see what animals would take your bait (food) ?  I'm sure you meant something else?

[Rob Stevens]

   No I didn't mean anything else. That's just the way I am. I guess I always assume a critter given the chance will chew through anything given enough time. By putting the containers right by my tent I'm hoping the critter will wake me. In my cabin and workshop squirrels will chew through wood siding, metal flashing, and drywall. I have a canvas Duluth Pack briefcase that mice have chewed holes in the inside. They have chewed my rubber dry bags that have never had food in them. I've had a critter chew through the back of my tent when the whole front was open.

   But I figure if I keep stuff near me I'll wake up. Plus what the hell if something is going to come eat my stuff I'd at least like to get to see it. Raccoons are good for coming onto a porch and peering in the window.

    I'm curious, do people who stay a day or two at a ground or beach site have trouble with the tent or anything else they have left behind when they go out for the day? Do you leave your sleeping bags? Do you leave your tent open?  Do critters ever chew into bags or tents that haven't had food?