Raccoons in the last release pen.

The other half of my crazy day releasing and relocating raccoons.....

Baloo, Scootch, RJ, Rosie, Flipper, Willie and Einstein....along with food, water, supplies and tools are packed into the truck and off we go to their release site!

(I should note, River did not go with the group....she had a seizure one day and I may keep her overwinter with the small babies to make sure they don't get worse then release her with them in the spring. )

We had to haul everything uphill for the first release site, we had level ground for the second one were Laurie's gang went, and for this one....you got it! Another hill. This is downhill though so it's a lot easier getting all the heavy stuff there and carry out all the empty buckets, carriers etc.!

Down the hill.....into a nice thick wooded area....thus the dark picture...

an adjustment in the camera....and the smallest of clearings and a bright, little, flat (sort of!) patch appears..

The cage is set up nestled in a beautiful area....there is a nice brook running through on the other side of the cage...(you can kind of see it just to the right of the den box in the background of the picture).

I decorated the cage the day Laurie and I and her dad...THANKS DAD!!....dragged it down there and set it up so it was ready to go when I put the gang in there! They wasted no time exploring and running around like maniacs. One thing about raccoons....a move is not terribly stressful, it's more like something new and exciting and fun! (as long as they are with their buddies/support group!!)

They waste no time scoffing up acorns that are EVERYWHERE!! It's a very good year for the mast crop around our way which is good for the releases!

The brook behind the cage that runs through the area. They are gonna LOVE IT!!

So after a couple weeks in there, they too will be ready to go.

A special thanks go out to the family of this property!!!! Flipper, Willie and Einstein are literally returning home as they were found in the driveway to this property. When they were brought to me they offered to let us set up a release site here...and what a perfect place it is. It's a little haul from home for me....about 45 minutes....but the trade off for any inconvenience is knowing it's perfect for the coonies!! It's not so bad though....I work halfway between home and the release site, so if I head out there before or after my shift it's nothing!