Try putting feeders on top of a 4" or larger PVC pipe. I have used them for years and never had one ground predator climb it yet, including squirrels. Also cheap. Bill Savannah, TN > > Yes, I am in the Mississippi Delta, and I have had an awful time with > raccoons. They have stolen most of my suet feeders; some of them I found in > the woods down the hill. They will also drink all the nectar from your > hummer feeders and have torn up one regular bird feeder. > > My best solution was an expensive advanced pole system with a racoon guard > from Wild Birds Unlimited. But I made the mistake of getting the top part > with hangers that have a curve instead of the straight-across kind. With a > tube feeder hung on the curved side, The raccoons can stretch up and climb > onto the tube feeder and empty it out. They ate holes in some of my thistle > feeders and emptied them completely. I think that if you buy the top > section that goes straight across, your tube feeders will be safe, too. > They cannot make it past the raccoon baffle. > > I also have an 18 year old cat. Once she figured out the raccoon was not a > weird looking cat intruding on her territory, she unfortunately could not > care less about it. She does not go out unaccompanied due to foxes and > great horned owls, not to mention stray dogs, that pose a real danger to > her. SHe does have what I call a "kitty atrium," basically a very nice > redwood and chicken wire type enclosure that is 6 x 6 x 6 that she loves to > sleep in til time to come inside at night. > > This year's raccoon has learned that there is cat food in the "atrium" and I > watched him (or maybe a pregnant "her") reach through the fencing with both > hands, pressing the side of his face against the wire, to get every bit of > cat food her could reach off her plate. Absolutely hilarious. Then s/he > washes her hands in the kitty water bowl and goes off looking for me food! > She is also fairly fearless of humans; she knew I was watching her from 6 > feet away inside last night. > > Go for the raccoon baffles and pole system. Or more havahart traps. > > Cindy Mitchell > Clarksdale, MS > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================