MIDNIGHT SNACK GUEST

As I sat in the den early this AM, I kept hearing all of this noise. I thought SURELY those squirrels aren't up already---it will be dark for another hour or more. The noise continued---so I thought---PERHAPS I caught a squirrel late last evening and didn't notice it (HIGHLY UNLIKELY!). I turned on the deck light and who is looking at me but ----MR. RACCOON! He has his long slender claw/fingers/hands out of the caged scratching at the deck trying to figure out how to get out. I felt bad for the fellow--BUT---first things first--it is time for a run. I put the towel over the cage like I do with the squirrels so he would be calm until I got home.

When I got home, this is what I discovered---

He had pulled the towel into the cage and covered his face with it. You know sort of like an ostrich---if he can't see us then we must not see him.

It is not easy to trip the cage door and takes some maneuvering. I have it down to a fine science with the squirrels. I leave the towel on their part of the cage and aim the door away from me. When I pull up the trap door----they are OFF to the races. It is a little different with a coon. For one thing--he is so big that he fills the cage up. I get inside the house and put the cage right outside the door. I then work on releasing him with my hands through the crack in the sliding deck door. It is quite the fiasco! FINALLY BC comes to the rescue and figures out how to prop the trap door open. Mr. Coon was still hiding his head and would not come out! It seems that BC gets a LITTLE irritated with me when I am playing "Great White Trapper". He enjoys and laughs about how many squirrels I have caught and taken off---but he does not like to see how I release them. He thinks I am not cautious. SO FAR----I remind you I have NEVER been bitten or scratched. The trick is to not ask for or need help. That's when I get the scolding!

NOTE TO SELF------don't leave the trap set at night----might be one of my black /white striped buddies in there one day---NOW THAT WOULD BE A MESS!