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Rich,
I stumbled upon a link for this problem a few years ago…..try
http://www.scatmat.com/scarecro2.htm
I’ve no first hand experience with it, nor do I endorse it. In fact, I gotta believe I could make my own from materials readily available.
Brian
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My keen sense of the obvious tells me that what ever system you use ought to have a cut off switch so you don't get "rainbirded" while trying to tend the petunias.
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I wonder if something like this would work do deter burglars???
*Larry, my thoughts too. I have dedicated a circuit for this. It runs through a single light switch. Whenever that outside light is on, I know the circuit is open, locked and loaded, as it were.All you others: I haven't looked into the other sources posted yet, but I do appreciate the helpful responses.
*Try using the valve from an old washing machine. Make sure there is a ground fault protector on the circuit.
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I just saw such a thing in a catalog called "Solutions". It had a battery operated motion sensor connected to a sprinkler head. Looked interesting. It was 60 or 70 dollars though.
Good luck
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I've seen these with sensors so they only work at night, when the nocturnal bad boys come out to forage. They are also battery operated, which saves having to hardwire the setup.
The best way to protect the fish is with an initial drop off at the edge of the pond (24" works well), and with sufficient depth in the pond. Tough to change that after the fact, though.
Try for advice over at FG, they may have ideas as well. 'Course you could do what I did when I was little kid protecting our chicken coop...be at the ready with a 2-by-4 with a bunch of spikes driven through the end. Messy, but effective. My brother and I got a couple nice hats out of the deal, too.
*Herter's used to sell a good double coil spring steel jaw trap that worked great for coon, 'possum & fox. Only problem was is worked equally well on cats. Damn things made the most goddawful noise when they stepped in them; usually middle of the night.For some real fun pick up an old single shot 22 at a gun sale. Thread the outside end of the barrel for a female/female coupler that will accept the male threads of a cigar style lawnmower muffler. Then mount a 3 cell Maglite under the barrel. Mount a sight on your new "silencer" and dial in for dead on at 25 feet. Grab a twelve pack and a lawn chair and head out to the back yard about 11pm. If the fun's a little slow comin', try some fish guts for bait.The pride of my neighborhood,Eric
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I have a similar problem in my yard however it's not racoons, it's all those neighborhood dogs crapping on my lawn. If only a system like that could distinguish between dogs and people. All I need is for the mother-in-law to come over for a Sunday afternoon visit in her Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes, get nailed by that rainbird and I'd be in the neighbours dog house for days.
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ROFLMAO!!! Sounds just like a neighbor I had while growing up.
We lived on a "cat" farm.[g] Our neighbor a couple hundred yards to the south really objected to our herd using the shrubbery next to his bedroom window for a kitty litter box.
Every summer he would spend a night or so a month "trapping" cats. He used catnip to lure them into large gunny sacks. He could fit 3 or four in a sack. Once he filled a half dozen sacks, he would hang them on my mothers rotating circular clothesline and give it a good spin to get them riled up and fighting. His final act was to let his beagles out to keep things stirred up.
Quite a concert at 2 to 3 AM.
*Al, if my mother-in-law came over for a Sunday afternoon visit, crapped in my yard and got hit with the Rainbird......I'd probably hide in the neighbor's dog house with the camcorder.Jeffie
*Cure of the cures- Couple of times a year I run a electric fence around items I want to protect and use the old 220V. Takes the little raccons, belly up, once in a while I get a big one (once). Works on wood chucks & deer too, (No Kills though). It might take 2-3 nights to clean house but works well. Then save for presents for the garbage guy.
*Anderson-Oh Man! Can't bring myself to do that, but I've been close...Rich - I've been through some UGLY landlord/tenant issues with raccoons over the years, and I've found that they are A LOT more stubborn than a little sprinkler. Sure, if you do hook one up, it will work a couple of times-but once it stops scaring them they won't mind a little rain shower while they feast. As I heard once: "only one way to stop a raccoon - combination lock. They are clever critters, but they got no head for numbers"
*Mongo, when I built the pond, I put in perimeter shelves for some of the aquatic plants, so that may be a factor. But it seems we have a different breed out here. I've seen them swimming out in the middle which is 30" deep.Teo, I know what you mean. I've gone out there at night to find up to 30 hanging out, living the high life. They just stare at me for a minute, figure I'm no big deal and go back to their business right before my eyes. Since I don't want the Sherf showing up, the 22 is out. Besides, my wife would be skinning me. I am pretty good with the wrist rocket, nailed one right in the eye at 30 feet. I don't want to run a hot wire because I'd either have to put it smack dab in the garden by the pond, or run about a quarter mile. Glass shards stuck in the top of the fence boards may be the next step. Funny thing, when I go antiquing with the wife, my eyes glass over when I see those old spring traps hanging on the wall.
*As a treat for racoons, try feeding them fly bait (get it at your farm supply store) mixed in with cola. Seems they really love it, but never come back for seconds. In fact, they never come back :} I'm not sure if other animals will drink it, so don't put it where your favourite pooch might take a sip.
*....the sprinkler won't work with raccoons, they like your place.. the only way to get rid of them is remove the food source or trap them out...I like the Hava-heart... they're greedy little devils... caught two in the same trap one night..also, you catch the neighbor's cat ... you can let it go...... and then give them a glass bottom boat ride and show them what the bottom of the pond looks like.....don't transport 'em... that's probably where yours came from...our daughter came home from third grade , laughing, cause her friend at the other end of the island had a grandfather who was trapping and driving them up to our end....while i was trapping and driving them to his end...no telling how many raccoons were being driven up and down North Road...the other thing you want to keep in mind , Raccoons in the wild will have 3-4 kits, here in suburbia, they have 5-6... trap 'em out , and if you don't want to teach them the backstroke, call your animal control officer... she 'll dispose of them...
*For those who like to take the most direct approach, there are "subsonic" .22 bullets available, apparently legal. When used with long-barrelled rifles, I understand the only sound is the hammer click. (Sound "like cap pistols" when used with revolvers.) Do a search with .22sss or aguila for lots of info from gun hobbiests.) They are loaded with less powder, so don't have the range of standard loads, but reportedly have plenty of punch for small critters if they're not too far off. http://www.aguilaammo.com/22sss.htm  
*I found a web site for a company in Canada that made such a device. I can't find it now, I believe I was searching for boat dock bird devices.Bob
*Get a dog.You're welcome to borrow the doofster, (my dog, of course), just make sure you have plenty of pizza, and put faster motors on all the neighborhood cats.
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My wife's a gardener...she's got it real bad. She just keeps plantin' and prunin' and diggin' and plantin'. Now, we also have a big ole backyard pond. With fish too. But with the pond comes the army of Racoons eatin' and trompin' their way through our luciously landscaped backyard.
I've been thinking...there's gotta' be a gizmo somewhere that fires the rainbird in a fast sweep when the motion detector detects motion. (I've just been told by the boss proximity mines are not an option.) Is it possible that I can hook up the necessary electrical with the water supply?
*The motion detector (sensor) is an electric switch. You can wire it to turn on the water if done through a solenoid-operated valve. (such as an irrigation system might have)
*There is such a product Try http://www.smarthome.com
*Rich,I stumbled upon a link for this problem a few years ago.....try http://www.scatmat.com/scarecro2.htmI've no first hand experience with it, nor do I endorse it. In fact, I gotta believe I could make my own from materials readily available.Brian