Our local nemesis raccoons, Ed and Louise, started raiding our garbage can this year. (Hey– when the fruit and veggies aren’t in yet, you gotta do what you gotta do!)
The last straw was when, the morning after one of their nocturnal raids, we found the garbage can on its side with the shredded contents– spoiled food and trash– scattered around the back yard.
The raccoons had figured out that all they needed to do was to lower the can’s locking handle and tug hard enough at the tight-fitting lid with their busy little hands. This can had previously been raccoon-proof for 9 years.
And what really stung was that they even left their cute little muddy handprints on the lid. Clearly, they were mocking me. This was personal.
On a serious note, I’m sure the food sources are scarcer here in these western North Carolina mountains this winter in the aftermath of late September’s Hurricane Helene. Devastation is everywhere, and the wildlife is suffering.
So, after that last successful raid I knew I had to come up with a solution. But I knew I had to be careful: the movie “Mouse Hunt” came to mind.
I googled the problem and found several products for sale, some expensive and some downright silly. But one of them gave me some inspiration… In only about a half hour I rigged an effective DYI solution using two bungee cords and some eye screws that were laying around my workshop.
Problem solved. My easy setup defeated the raccoons’ busy little hands, and they apparently got so frustrated they tried to gnaw their way through the plastic lid (see the photo). This was my secret revenge…
Items needed to defeat your own local midnight gangsters:
2 X 24” stout bungee cords (unstretched length, and not loose and springy) with the C-hook attachment ends.
4 X eye screws (the 5/8” eye diameter works well.
4 X 1.5” squares of 3/8” or ½” plywood.
A drill for holes in the garbage can and for pilot holes in the plywood backing. Match the drill bit diameter to the diameter of the screw thread.
A file
Steps
- Drill 4 holes the diameter of the eye screw thread, and 3-4 inches below the lid. Looking down at the top of the can, place them at 12, 6, 3 and 9 o’clock.
- Since the eye screws are intended for wood, I cut 4 pieces of ½” plywood into 1.5 inch squares to place on the inside of the can and to screw into.
- Before screwing the eye screws into the plywood, file away the sharp edges on one side of the plywood squares. You will place the filed corners on the inside of the can. Otherwise they can rip your plastic garbage bags!
- Drill a pilot hole equal to the diameter of the eye screw thread into the center of each plywood square.
- Don’t screw the eye screws past the face of the plywood squares, or they can also rip your plastic garbage bags. And your hands. This means the eye screws may be a little floppy, which is OK.
- Now just attach the bungee cords, one at 12 and 6 o’clock and the other at 3 and 0 o’clock.
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