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["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

One problem most people aren't aware of is that raccoons get distemper and can spread it to pets.  We have had a number of our farm cats die of it, or something like it, and whenever that happens, the local 'coon population takes a nosedive, too. It has happened this year and there are very few signs of 'coons this fall.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com  Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
On Sep 29, 2006, at 8:47 AM, Donna &/or Kieran wrote:

Our coon problem was always in the corn, seeing as apple trees wont' grow in our soil...  There was a coon population explosion about 8 years ago, we didn't hear a bobwhite for 5 years afterward.  There were dead coons all over the roads all winter.  This fall the dead coons are just starting to appear on the roads, but they are pretty thick.  Our dogs mostly chase away the deer and rabbits, but I'm sure that coons are more than they want to tackle.   However, I'd bet a pair of young Jack Russells would torment about any varmint till it left.  If they got too slow, they are easy to give away.  People have trouble dealing with them their first two years because they are too hyper.  I knew someone who had some Jack Russell crossed puppies, when they grew up they would kill anything.  Killed a full grown sheep of his and I know he wound up having to shoot the worst of the lot.  He said back in Europe that terrier crosses were called "Lurchers".  I don't know what it means, but I think they get the terrier fierceness and hyperactivity in a larger body.    Donna