Forum:

meaningless drivel

Would you rather have your garden eaten by deer or by raccoons?

Matt McSpadden

gardener

Posts: 3239

Location: Central Maine (Zone 5a)

1776

I like...

posted 2 years ago

1
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I started a thread to get "Would You Rather" style questions to start conversations here -> https://permies.com/t/238000/Permaculture-Edition#2203263 That thread is more for thinking up questions. This thread is for answering them.

So... Would you rather have your garden eaten by deer or by raccoons?

"When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind." C.S. Lewis
Visit https://themaineingredient.com for organic, premium dried culinary herbs that are grown, processed, and packaged in the USA.

Timothy Norton

Steward of piddlers

Posts: 7913

Location: Upstate New York, Zone 5b, 43 inch Avg. Rainfall

4548

I like...

posted 2 years ago

5
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Easy!

Racoons, I would become king of the trash pandas by feeding them.

(Credit to the Artist)

- Tim's Homestead Journal - Purchase a copy of Building a Better World in Your Backyard - Purchase 6 Decks of Permaculture Cards -
- Purchase 12x Decks of Permaculture Cards - Purchase a copy of the SKIP Book - Purchase 12x copies of Building a Better World in your Backyard

PEP - BB60 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

K Kaba

pollinator

Posts: 226

Location: MD, USA. zone 7

posted 2 years ago

6
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Deer. They make for better chili.

Anne Miller

steward

Posts: 19165

Location: USDA Zone 8a

4830

I like...

posted 2 years ago

2
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Raccoons because ...

I think raccoons would eat less than deer unless there were many raccoons.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

Pearl Sutton

steward & bricolagier

Posts: 16224

Location: SW Missouri

12604

I like...

posted 2 years ago

7
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Deer. It's more predictable what they will eat, they are easier to fence out, and have better meat if you harvest them.

no-raccoons.jpeg

Coconut crab, and yes they get this big, and yes they are trash pickers

Gardens in my mind never need water
Castles in the air never have a wet basement
Well made buildings are fractal -- equally intelligent design at every level of detail.
Bright sparks remind others that they too can dance
What I am looking for is looking for me too!

oddball - sand badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by Nicole Alderman

Riona Abhainn

pollinator

Posts: 1582

Location: Milwaukie Oregon, USA zone 8b

192

posted 2 years ago

4
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Deer, for the reasons mentioned, plus the thing about raccoons, even though they're adorable they are also potentially aggressive if you cross them wrong.

Celtic/fantasy/folk/shanty singing at Renaissance faires, fantasy festivals, and other events in OR and WA, USA.
RionaTheSinger on youtube.
Pop-up garden/vintage+ yard stand owner.

Faye Streiff

pollinator

Posts: 369

Location: Appalachian Mountains

179

posted 2 years ago

6
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I agree with all the other venison connoisseurs out there. Raccoons always travel in family units and there is usually a lot of them, so they do a lot of damage overnight. I can put up bamboo trellises over my 5 foot fences, to raise it up to 8 feet and that keeps out most deer. Hav-A Hart traps for ‘coons, but don’t always catch them. We don’t do a trap and release, they are chicken feed. Otherwise they just come back and do it again.

With appropriate microbes, minerals and organic matter, there is no need for pesticides or herbicides.

Eric Hanson

Steward and Man of Many Mushrooms

Posts: 6185

Location: Southern Illinois

1941

I like...

posted 2 years ago

5
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Deer in a heartbeat. I have found the racoons are just too destructive. Not only in the garden, but they also get into all other sorts of trouble.

Eric

Some places need to be wild

Joe Hallmark

pollinator

Posts: 335

Location: Central Texas

posted 2 years ago

6
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Deer by far. Raccoon digs holes everywhere on top of eating the veggies.

Bethany Brown

Posts: 247

Location: Rural Pacific Northwest, Zone 8

I like...

posted 2 years ago

6
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I have had both and the deer have done less damage. And if I were needing meat, I would rather eat venison than raccoon.

C. Letellier

pollinator

Posts: 1204

Location: Greybull WY north central WY zone 4 bordering on 3

371

I like...

posted 2 years ago

3
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Deer. They are easier to get rid of. I am sorry but I belong to the only good Raccoon is a dead one school. They are cute and intelligent and one of the most destructive creatures on earth.

Country oriented nerd with primary interests in alternate energy in particular solar. Dabble in gardening, trees, cob, soil building and a host of others.

M Ljin

master gardener

Posts: 2693

Location: Zone 5

1560

I like...

posted 2 years ago

3
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

At first I thought deer. But if they’re going to eat my garden anyway, why not raccoons? They’re cute, not as common around the garden, and I suppose slightly less destructive. Deer have been quite a nightmare, chopping down my forest of rare, healthy and vigorous wheat varieties so that I’m scared to even try again (not to mention that the heirloom grain seed sharer stopped listing most of the wheat varieties!)

One can never be too kind to oneself or others.
Never our fault, always our responsibility

PEP - BB5 Badge (verified skill)
Skill verified by gir bot

Sara Hartwin

pollinator

Posts: 268

Location: SE USA, southern Piedmont Uplands, zone 8b

232

I like...

posted 2 years ago

3
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Deer! What if I plant enough for us all? And what if I cook up some bone sauce for the absolutely off-limits things? And, yes - tasty, tasty venison.

Aspirations: She seeks wool and flax, considers a field and buys it, girds herself with strength, opens her mouth with wisdom, and does him good all the days of her life. (pieces of Proverbs 31, NKJV)

Riona Abhainn

pollinator

Posts: 1582

Location: Milwaukie Oregon, USA zone 8b

192

posted 2 years ago

3
Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Well I was going to say raccoons because they're so fuckin' cute! But the poster just above me changed my mind, because after the deer eat my garden I could eat them, so going with deer?

Celtic/fantasy/folk/shanty singing at Renaissance faires, fantasy festivals, and other events in OR and WA, USA.
RionaTheSinger on youtube.
Pop-up garden/vintage+ yard stand owner.

r ransom

steward & author

Posts: 47301

Location: Left Coast Canada

19319

I like...