march 20, 1980 - Raccoons: They're Curious, Cute and CantankerousSECOND SECTION MARCH 20, 1980
Raccoons: They're Curious, Cute and Cantankerous
Years ago when I was full of youth and
vinegar and the world was one to be
conquered, I'd often go on coon hunts with
one of the hallmark people in my life, Bill
Jackowski. In those youthful days a night
hunt with him and his hounds was
something special.
It was usually one of those nights when
the cold would sneak in every crevice of
your clothing and you were glad when you
heard the hounds start calling in the
distance, for it was then that you had to
"get going ". Through the dark woods we'd
follow, across lots, through swamps --
along old roadways -- all the while
stumbling and a- cussing as the branches
and twigs snapped at us from all sides.
It was on those night safaris that Mr.
Raccoon showed me his true side. As the
great naturalist John Burroughs once said
of him, "he's pure grit ". He'll run for
hours -- using every trick of diversion in
the book. Often the hounds would lose him
for what seemed hours as they circled and
backtracked trying to pick up the scent.
Then, when they would pick up the scent,
there would again be a crescendo of howls
that would cut the cold night air seemingly
miles away.
As population has moved in and much of
our natural environment has decreased,
the raccoon has been able to withstand its
pressure. Take away his lofty den in an old
oak and he exchanges it for an old culvert
or even your unused chimney. Take away
his natural food supply of just about
anything that grows or lives and he'll take
over your garbage pail. Adaptability is his
specialty.
Raccoons Not Hibernators
Raccoons do not hibernate in the true
sense of the word, but comes winter's
bitter cold he finds a cozy, dry spot and
tam- -a AQng winter nap. Should the
temperature warm up, he's up -- and we
find his evidence in overturned garbage
pails, ripped trash bags and his character-
istic footprint in the soft, newly- thawed
mud. He's a curious and intelligent fellow
and it takes a genius to outsmart his
determination when he sets about a task of
food gathering. What kind of food doesn't
matter. In the wild he'll eat berries, fish,
mussels, bird eggs, mushrooms -- anything
that the world supplies.
It won't be long now before the four to six
young will be born. The male, long since
gone, will leave the rearing of the kids to
the mother exclusively, and I might add
there's no more devoted mother as far as
food- gathering and protection go. Lo and
behold the foolish person who comes
between a mother raccoon and her young.
Raccoons are like bears when it comes to
protecting their young.
Young Not To Be Trusted
Each year we hear stories about folks
who come out to their summer cottage,
only to find that when they start up their
fireplace it is clogged because the rac-
coons chose it for a nursery. We've had our
share of these orphan raccoons. Our son
could never turn his back on an orphaned
animal with the consequence that there
always seemed to be a bird to be fed or an
animal to be tended. Of all of the wild
creatures we've taken care of, none can
compare with the clever raccoon. It's
long -toed front feet give it an almost
uncanny handhold, and as the raccoon
develops these hands seem to get into just
about everything. Our patio still displays
the paw marks of one of these rascals. He
had to test the paint in the can I was using
and then deliberately walked across our
new patio floor. Curious, playful, cute,
robust, friendly -- all are good adjectives
for the young raccoon, but there should be
a warning put in here strong and clear.
Never completely trust them! They can
bite and as their cuteness fades away and
they grow older there's a chance of the
other side of their personality emerging.
Therefore it's best not to become involved
in keeping them as pets whenever pos-
sible. Our experience with them came
when they were separated from the
mother and the young were too little to
forage for themselves.
Win Fight To Survive
Raccoons are found in almost every
state in the Union; some grow to be as big
as thirty pounds. They're a match for
almost any dogs when cornered and
deadly when a dog attacks one in the
water. Many a hound has found this out, as
the heavy coon will cling to its head till the
dog drowns or gives up.
Sooner or later most of us will in one way
or another come in contact with this
common night prowler. Often our head-
lights will pick him up lumbering across
the road bear -like, or hurriedly disappear-
ing around the corner of the garage after
tipping the garbage pail over and scatter-
ing its contents about. Yet others only see
his big footprints in the soft spring mud
around their place or along the water's
edge after he's made his nightly rounds.
BABY RACCOONS -- Survivors of a misplaced den in someone's
fireplace. Cute and charming when young but a distrusted collection of
curiosity, aggression and grit when older. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
He's a reminder of coonskin hats of has been strong enough to survive even
pioneer days, fur coats of the 20's and though man has turned his world around.
above all a touch of the natural world that PAUL STOUTENBURGH
cflzecial% �
G"i1QG`�1C;1G\44QG�J
SATURDAY -MARCH 29th
"FAMILY FUN DAY IN NEW YORK"
Enjoy visiting anyl of the many Museums, the Planetarium, Rockefeller
F Zug Center, Empire State Building, Twin Towers, United Nations, New York
Experience, Burlington Mills Exhibit, Statue of Liberty.
SIGHTSEEING a LEISURELY DINING a SHOPPING
F1190 ift/iU 1101IRS X TOE CITY • COME ON A80ARi0 FORA GREAT OAY
BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
The Circus Is In Town.► Send now for tickets for the 10:30 A.M. or 3:00 P.M. performance.
Mailing Address: Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey
Mail Order Dept.
Madison Square Garden
4 Pennsylvania Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10001
This is the 1 10th edition of "THE GREA TEST SHOW ON EARTH ". New exciting acts never before
seen in America. Don't miss this great opportunity.
"ALONE IN ITS GREATNESS"
CHILDREN -s2.00
(5 -11 Yaars) , ONE DAY ROUND TRIP FARE Adults
_ Going SCHEDULE Returning $5 ■00
Tickets May Be Purchased in Advance By Mail or Purchased on Board the Train
(Tickets Not Valid On Road N' Rail)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
TELEPHONE: 694 -4600 or 732 -4300
The Long Island Rail Road1980
(read downl
7:20 a.m. Lv
Oreenport
(read upl
At. 8:49 P.M.
®(AI
..........................
......... _...................
ti^
7:31 a.m. Lv ..........................
Southold . ...............................
At, 8:36 p.m.
7:43 a.m. Lv ...
Cutehogus ..
At. 8:24 p.m.
\ r
7:51 a.m. Lv.. ....................... .
Mattituck ...............................
AY, 8:16 p.m.
8:11 a.m. Lv ..........................
Riverhead
At. 7:44 p.m.
`.
9:48 a.m. Ar ..........................
..............................
JAMAICA ..............................
Lv. 6:00 p.m.
transfer
9:50 a.m. Lv ..........................
JAMAICA
At. 5:56 p.m.
10:06 a.m. Ar. .........
NEW YORK ...........................
Lv. 5:40 p.m.
Tickets May Be Purchased in Advance By Mail or Purchased on Board the Train
(Tickets Not Valid On Road N' Rail)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
TELEPHONE: 694 -4600 or 732 -4300
The Long Island Rail Road1980