Raccoon pole guard
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
You...sitting outside all night with your gun.
Most of the commercial stove pipe guards should work to stop raccoons. They should wobble, and the top should be about 4 feet high, to prevent a raccoon jumping up above it.
I might prefer larger diameter, but I make some using 8 inch stove pipe round duct, 24 inch long, from the home centers. easy way I do it is loosely put a hose clamp around the pole at 4 feet high. drop in three L brackets, about 2.5 inch brackets, spaced around -- then tighten the clamp.
cut out a circle of wire mesh, one fourth inch mesh, about 7.5 inches round and fit around the pipe, laying on the L brackets. this will make a plateform and fill in gaps to stop snakes.
place the open stove pipe around the pole and snap it shut using thumb pressure. lift it above the brackets and mesh platform and use tin snips to cut tabs at the top all around and bend those down, using needle nose pliers, so it hangs on the little mesh platform. be careful -- probably should just h ave bandaides on hand -- I get nicked just taking the ducts off the shelf at Lowes, but I'm impatient.
there is a diagram on page 11 of this brochure, although they used a 7 inch diameter duct -- think you better get 8 -- and they attached the L brackets with screws, I prefer the bracket as the screws might weaken the pole.
http://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/r ... 8_6759.pdf
John M
P.S. 20 feet is pretty high -- I'd worry about storms too. If your site is open, lower will be adequate for martins.
Most of the commercial stove pipe guards should work to stop raccoons. They should wobble, and the top should be about 4 feet high, to prevent a raccoon jumping up above it.
I might prefer larger diameter, but I make some using 8 inch stove pipe round duct, 24 inch long, from the home centers. easy way I do it is loosely put a hose clamp around the pole at 4 feet high. drop in three L brackets, about 2.5 inch brackets, spaced around -- then tighten the clamp.
cut out a circle of wire mesh, one fourth inch mesh, about 7.5 inches round and fit around the pipe, laying on the L brackets. this will make a plateform and fill in gaps to stop snakes.
place the open stove pipe around the pole and snap it shut using thumb pressure. lift it above the brackets and mesh platform and use tin snips to cut tabs at the top all around and bend those down, using needle nose pliers, so it hangs on the little mesh platform. be careful -- probably should just h ave bandaides on hand -- I get nicked just taking the ducts off the shelf at Lowes, but I'm impatient.
there is a diagram on page 11 of this brochure, although they used a 7 inch diameter duct -- think you better get 8 -- and they attached the L brackets with screws, I prefer the bracket as the screws might weaken the pole.
http://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/r ... 8_6759.pdf
John M
P.S. 20 feet is pretty high -- I'd worry about storms too. If your site is open, lower will be adequate for martins.
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Peggy Riley
- Posts: 885
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:21 pm
- Location: TX/Tolar
Glad you caught him Joe! If there were others around they will return.
After the attack at my colony we went with electric guards at the bottom of the poles. Basically wire wrapped around a piece if PVC pipe and connected to the charger. This guard takes care of both snakes and coons.
They left no pole or gourd untouched. It was really bad.
My poles are 14', I bet he got dizzy at 20'!!!
Peggy
After the attack at my colony we went with electric guards at the bottom of the poles. Basically wire wrapped around a piece if PVC pipe and connected to the charger. This guard takes care of both snakes and coons.
They left no pole or gourd untouched. It was really bad.
My poles are 14', I bet he got dizzy at 20'!!!
Peggy
PMCA Member
2017 101 pair
2017 101 pair
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
I use 4ft of pvc, slip it on the pole before the pole is raised. It keeps out snakes and racoons. I never had a racoon climb the pvc.
When using 4ft of pvc there is an area of concern, you cannot lower the rack all the way to the ground, you may need a stepladder if you have 2 or 3 levels.
When using 4ft of pvc there is an area of concern, you cannot lower the rack all the way to the ground, you may need a stepladder if you have 2 or 3 levels.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
8 inch stovepipe or PVC would be good. I know Emil has not had a problem and has raccoons around, but I know that some raccoons can climb 6 inch pvc. I'm so glad you got him before there was real trouble - they could wipe you out very quickly.
The 8" PVC does have a great track record.
Emil reported only 1 breach, in all the years he's used it.
With as many poles as he's been using for years, and in a raccoon abundant area like southeast Texas, I'd say that's definitely a great record.
Emil reported only 1 breach, in all the years he's used it.
With as many poles as he's been using for years, and in a raccoon abundant area like southeast Texas, I'd say that's definitely a great record.
