Coons attacking gourd rack....

[starling shooter]

Anyone ever tried carpet tack strips on a pole....will that work?

After catching 15 snakes in the past 5 years or so....seems finally battling coons.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

An electric fence charger will stop snakes and all animals. I never tried carpet tacks and never heard anyone say that they will work

[Louise Chambers]

A wobbly stovepipe guard works well for raccoons, with top no less than 4 ft above ground, and will stop some snakes too. Carpet tack strips is an idea I've heard mentioned often but don't know anyone who uses it and can report that it works. Plus tack strips would be a hazard for the landlord, ouch!

[Peggy Riley]

The carpet tacks DO NOT work. Several years ago I put them on a BB pole. They went right up and took all the birds. They left behind hair on the tacks so I know for sure it did not work.

I now use the 6" PVC guards over a 6 1/2 ft T- post. The PVC goes all the way up. No more problems.

I hope you come up with a solution that works for you. I have a no raccoon tolerance policy here. I still think they are cute but they need to go elsewhere.

Peggy

[jeffwilliams72]

I have guards on all my poles, but I also have a zero tolerance policy for racoons that raid my feeders.
I don't like killing nuisance coons in the summer, but the local Turkey Vultures love me for it. I have them trained to a feeding area downwind of my house. I will also take fresh roadkills from the road and place them where the TV's can eat in peace.

[Peggy Riley]

Starling Shooter if you need a quick fix you can set up a cheap perimeter fence around the colony. Use the fiberglass fence rods and
make a short electric fence about 2-3 feet high. I did that the year I had my coon attack. It kept them out until we electrified the poles the next season.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Peggy, do you really mean 2 or 3 ft high? I put mine about 3 to 6in high around the fruit trees.

[Peggy Riley]

Emil, yeah I would suppose it was overkill but I pictured them jumping over!!!

I'm sure it was too much!

[starling shooter]

Caught 3 last night in lives traps and one the night before....tack strips did not work the first night.

Hopefully, I've got things under control and will have a better set up next year.

Damn, predators sure can take the fun out of things....

[Peggy Riley]

Glad you got them. Hope you get the whole family!

[Goodnature]

Since losing 5 BB chicks, probably a snake, I wired three carpet tack strips
to the pipe supporting the BB house. It has been a week now and the 5 new
BB chicks are still alive and well. Mind you, the pipe supporting the BB house
is probably no more than 1 1/2 in OD. I have my doubts about using same (carpet tacks) on a 3 in square Al tube. As of this writing, it appears effective
for BB houses.

[starling shooter]

Up to 7 coons now... Tack strips DO NOT work.

[Goodnature]

Since posting my last reply, you guessed it, the snake, I believe, wins again.
The tack strip was clean - no feathers, no fuss and no muss. I also agree with the futility of subject tack strips. However, I am taking the bird netting snake barrier on my PM rig up a notch - adding more!

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Like Emil said, an electric fence charger works and it's no problem to protect multiple poles with one charger, just run the insulated fence wire underground from pole to pole.
My charger electrifies my fence for the animals ( 3 hot wires all the way around a 1 1/2 acre pasture) and 9 martin poles.
I wish PMCA would sell a good charger in their catalog so people don't go out and buy the light duty ones.

[Peggy Riley]

I agree Ray, it would make folks aware of the option.

I sure do sleep better knowing it works.

[starling shooter]

Up to 13 coons so far...