MudderChuck

Central Germany, there are Raccoon around but we are right at the edge of where they have expanded to, from an accidental release many years ago.

I had to run a family of Coons out of my MIL attic a few years back. Ten miles north where the lease I hunt is, I've never seen one, no tracks at all. Another lease I hunt maybe twenty miles to the west, I see Coon tracks fairly often.

We do have Minks, some freaks broke into a Mink farm and released all the Minks. For a decade most of the ground Bird population was decimated.

What we do have is a large population of Fox; everywhere. I live in a small town and I can walk a quarter of a mile in any direction and find a den. Out in the farmland the Fox population density is even higher. The county sponsors hunts and a nice new rifle to whomever brings in the most carcasses. I typically shoot twenty Foxes a year.

Oldtimr

OK, that would explain it. When you started talking about your neighbor being royalty and game keepers, somewhere in Europe came to mind. It may help it you would include your country with your screen name.

MudderChuck

I'm going to have to fix up my profile some. Though I do take periodic trips back to the states and hunt whenever I can.

Funny story about a Raccoon. We set up a shooting tower near a large thicket and cleared a patch in the center of the thicket. I had a giant sack of week old biscuits. I spread about half into the clearing. The other half of the sack I stored in the tower. After putting away my tools, I returned a couple of hours before sunset with my rifle and kit. I'm climbing up the ladder balancing my possibles bag and my rifle and just as my head cleared the floor of the tower I come face to face with a Coon. He did about three quick circles around the tower basket looking for a way out and decided climbing up my face and jumping was his path to freedom. I'll never forget that Raccoon crotch sliding up my face and trying to hold on for dear life. That Coon jumped around fifteen feet to the ground and did a belly flop, bounced once and took off for the brush. I almost followed him, but managed to hold on with my finger nails.

Sorry if I went off topic.

Oldtimr

That would make your heart beat a little faster, nothing nastier than a coon when it wants to be