Vintage vehicle winter storage

[mike mckinley]

in addition to the above mentioned methods of rodent control, here is one that works pretty decent. get a plastic bucket..say 3 gallon, dump in about 2 gallons of used engine oil. take a piece of wood strapping and set it up so that the mice can crawl up to the top of the bucket and dive in. there is something about oil that attracts the mice, and once they get in the drink, they can't get out, and end up drowning.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Rot-tawa is feeling the effects of a resurgent rat population. Mild winter, wet and humid summer, new city-sponsored curbside compost pickup, low price street drugs, the return of Parliament, etc. Added together, we have more critters than even last year. I have gray and black squirrels in my immediate area, a skunk fell in a window well, and ... a family of raccoons that prowl the garbage cans. The mono-coloured beggars get killed in traffic and avoid the Jeep shelter. But the stripey ones have free run of the yard, to the point one crapped on the back porch right beside the back door.

Before I have to argue with a raccoon for drivers' seat privileges, any suggestions on how to 'deal' with them? A fresh pan of anti-freeze and a half-dozen apples? A few bricks of mouse or rat poison?

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Before I have to argue with a raccoon for drivers' seat privileges, any suggestions on how to 'deal' with them? A fresh pan of anti-freeze and a half-dozen apples? A few bricks of mouse or rat poison?

Don't call the city's pest control organization (easily found by calling the number in the city directory and being transferred at least seven times). Some politically correct dingbat will inform you that you will have to "humanely" trap the offending beast(s) and transport them one kilometer away from your home where they should be released. Now, if you live in a built up area, the release point for pepe lepew will be in someone's neighbourhood...When I trapped a racoon, I called the animal control knobs and spoke with a pablum-puking save-the-whale type. She gave me firm directions as mentioned above. I indicated that I would only be transporting the critter to someone else's yard, and that made no sense. It replied (in a snotty, talking down to an idiot voice): "Sir! They were here first." I replied that I didn't think the racoon was 50 years old, but who am I to argue with an "expert". After some polite thank yous, Jesse and I loaded the less-than-pleased racoon into the trunk of the car and headed out of town. I looked for the first liberal election campaign sign and released the racoon in their yard.

Now I have a skunk residing under my shed. The next trick is to get the bastard out without getting sprayed, and keeping him out. Can't poision him, can't shoot him, don't want to transport a stinking skunk in the car, so I will have to wait until he comes out at night and seal off his front door. Hopefully the neighbours won't call the tactical squad out while I tackle the lil runt...

[Bob Carriere]

You can catch a skunk quite eaily with left over chicken meat/bones using a Coon trap...... the trick in moving the trap is to cover the trap carefully with a heavy blanket or tarp........ pick up gently..... don't trip on the way to the car.... put him gently down the back section...... if you wish you can drive with the rear hatch open...... nearest city ball park..... again remove gently the blanket and fromone end only and open the trap....... you will no doubt have to coax the little sucker out of the cage by big lifting one end to slide him out...... once inside a darkened area they will be slow to move out........

If that does not work or backfires don't come to the barn for a few days...

Boob

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

You can catch a skunk quite eaily with left over chicken meat/bones using a Coon trap...... the trick in moving the trap is to cover the trap carefully with a heavy blanket or tarp........ pick up gently..... don't trip on the way to the car.... put him gently down the back section...... if you wish you can drive with the rear hatch open...... nearest city ball park..... again remove gently the blanket and fromone end only and open the trap....... you will no doubt have to coax the little sucker out of the cage by big lifting one end to slide him out...... once inside a darkened area they will be slow to move out........If that does not work or backfires don't come to the barn for a few days...Boob

All rightee then, will do. May I borrow your "humane" critter trap? I will follow your instructions, but be aware, if the striped rat farts, I will be residing at the barn until the persistent agents disperse...Not to worry, you get use to the stench after a few days...

[Don Dingwall]

Rob:
If the skunk is in a burrow, get the garden hose, run it into the hole and fire it up till the burrow is full....then whip the offending carcass out the window as you speed by Ottawa city hall....

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Don Dingwall

Rob:If the skunk is in a burrow, get the garden hose, run it into the hole and fire it up till the burrow is full....then whip the offending carcass out the window as you speed by Ottawa city hall....

Don, I don't think the liberal candidate for mayor will appreciate the competition, but I do like the flooding out part...

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally Posted by RHClarke

All rightee then, will do. May I borrow your "humane" critter trap? I will follow your instructions, but be aware, if the striped rat farts, I will be residing at the barn until the persistent agents disperse...Not to worry, you get use to the stench after a few days...

Just shoot the bloody thing. Use a .22 and if you need a silencer, you can find the plans for it on the bloody internet. Pests are pests.

Of course, if you wish to be humane, trap it and then release on Bob's property. He will probably appreciate your gesture......

[cletrac (RIP)]

Out here in the wide open West, I still use strychnine to get rid of skunks. Take a hypodermic needle and inject the liquid into an egg and cover it to keep dogs away. Skunks can't resist eggs even if they've been in the sun for several months and they'll die within a few feet of the egg. This might not be politically correct but I don't really care. Like Geoff says, a pest is just a pest. One year I killed 22 of them in my yard using this method.

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball

...Of course, if you wish to be humane, trap it and then release on Bob's property. He will probably appreciate your gesture...

Geoff, Since this thread will forever exist in the ether of the internet, I choose the humane method of disposal. I do like the idea of catch and release at Bob's cathouse, but I don't think Bob's cats are that desperate for some cross-species breeding...yet.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball

Just shoot the bloody thing. Use a .22 and if you need a silencer, you can find the plans for it on the bloody internet. Pests are pests.

Of course, if you wish to be humane, trap it and then release on Bob's property. He will probably appreciate your gesture......

If I lived in Bob's neighbourhood I'd have an OP on the rooftop with a .22 and a silencer. But, I live with a professional musician on one side and a retired Mountie on the other. One would freak out at the sound of gun shots, and the other might overreact.

I saw the story about Alex's fishy goo. So I'll give that a try. The politicians have almost finished their door-to-door work, so I won't be able to report on its effectiveness on them.