Hello, 
My husband and I planted 6 fig trees in ground (planted close together with the intention of pruning to keep them small) this past spring. We were excited that the first of our kadotas was getting big and close to ripe...and now it's gone! It's not a huge surprise because we have a lot of raccoon and skunk activity in our area, but of course still disappointing. What do you folks recommend we do to protect our crops from four-legged thieves? 

We have used netting on a potted fig to protect from birds in the past, but I'm not sure that would work for raccoons - they are clever and dextrous and I suspect they might be able to just crawl right under the netting. 

Any suggestions??
Thanks, 
Karen
Santa Barbara, CA

A big trap.  

For raccoons, it's the only option short of hounds.  Catch 'em, then relocate them.

You're right that they'll make short work of nets.  

I love my hounds. Check your laws to be sure you are allowed to relocate a trapped raccoon. Many states don't allow it due to the risk of spreading rabies. Cpntact your local pest control company. They should be able to advise you and may be willing to pick up any that you trap.

Dear Karen, you have a challenging problem. Are you certain it is raccoons taking your figs rather than crows, ravens, opossums,  neighbors?  If raccoons, you have a formidable adversary/competitor. Check for tracks.

You can trap some of them, using a large Tomahawk or other live catch trap.  Transporting them and releasing them elsewhere is unlawful in California, and rightfully so, as any area suitable for raccoons already has them, and the new comer will surely have a hard time.  You will be passing on the problem not dealing with it.  Trapping and killing them is a partial solution, like crime, you can keep it down to a tolerable level but it will never end, they will replace lost soldiers... and some are too smart to be trapped in a live catch type trap.   Think this through, as you can not afford to bitten or scratched, raccoons have a few diseases of concern, and are tough and strong and defensive when caught/cornered.  You can PM me if you need to know how to euthanize them.  Wear tough gloves and long sleeves and think about what you are doing when dealing with a mad/scared raccoon in a trap.

Excluding them is best, but easier said than done.  Electric fence might work well, but it looks like you are in a neighborhood, that might be problematic.  Some folks have made clever use of water jets and rain birds, that react to a sensor when an intruder enters the area, and it might be worth looking into.  Works on deer, not sure about 'coons. They are so smart, they may learn to adapt to it.  If you fenced the yard, an average terrier type dog might keep the 'coons away, but of course having a dog is a responsibility you may or may not want.

If you want to do it right, you might want to contact your Cal Fish & Wildlife, they may issue a depredation permit or advise you. Or do as the old timers say..."shoot, shovel, shut up".  Be discreet, keep traps out of public view, as they may be vandalized or stolen.  This topic is controversial, some folks react emotionally and do not address the issue, but will think you are the devil for taking what they regard "their" cute raccoons.  Until they suffer a loss, they just won't understand.

Exclusion is always best, but not easy. Let us know if you succeed and how it goes, as most of us are likely to face this issue over time.

Raccoons are pretty fastidious, I wonder if putting tangle foot, an exceedingly sticky resinous  product made for excluding insects/ants would keep them from climbing up the trees?  Of course you will have to train your figs to be trees rather than bushes, having a single trunk...

Good luck, Vic

Vic --

Great post.  Personally, I'm one of the old-timers you mention. But the question does require careful thought.  One of RI's former governors got himself into a lot of trouble shooting raccoons.  From Wikipedia:

<< In July 1993, when he thought three raccoons on his 4-acre (16,000 m²) estate in Newport were rabid, Sundlun shot at them with a 12-gauge shotgun. Later the Providence Journal-Bulletin reported that the act was illegal according to state fish and game laws. The day of the publication, Sundlun turned himself in to the state police for arrest stating that ethics was the cornerstone of his administration. The state police reluctantly complied, so the case went to court and Sundlun pleaded guilty. But state officials and his own lawyer, Robert Flanders, convinced Sundlun that his actions were not a crime because his estate did not constitute a "compact area" and because the threat of rabies that year had led the state to waive restrictions on shooting raccoons. His guilty plea was withdrawn and all charges were dropped.^[54]

After the raccoon shooting incident, Sundlun agreed to pose for a calendar photo for local charity wearing only a raccoon hat while aiming a shotgun and displaying his 8th Air Force tattoo on his shoulder, and he occasionally showed up at downtown eateries in the middle of the night in pajamas and bathrobe to pick up coffee and a late-night snack.<sup>[55] >>

Evidently "to Sundlun" then became a local expression, describing the shooting of a pest.

If you read the guy's bio, you will nevertheless be willing to cut him slack.  He was shot down during WWII over Belgium, managed to escape capture in France, eventually escaped to Switzerland then returned to action.</sup> 

Hi,
For any pest, the only solution is fight and keep them out of your fruits.
If you let them have some food in your garden, they'll come back, more numerous with time.
Fencing the garden is a solution... and keep them out of the garden.
At some point disposing of the critters might still be needed ...
I only have rodents and sparrows. For rodents I trap, for sparrows I try and scare them.
Having more production helps too. You could then afford to lose some fruits...

Dear Karen, I have given this some thought, and there is a lot of red tape (typical of Ca...) in trapping/destroying fur bearing mammals such as raccoons lawfully.  Exclusion is the best solution in the long run.  

Here is a suggestion:  train your young trees to grow as a single trunk tree, sort of a lolly pop or popsicle shape.  With the single trunk, you can put a sheet metal collar around the trunk and they won't be able to climb up the tree to steal your figs.  Obviously low branches will be vulnerable, but you can sustain a few losses if most of the fruit is higher up and out of raccoon reach. Collar will also stop squirrels.  

Anyone have experience with this?  I don't, it is just an idea in my head.  I am anticipating problems with wildlife taking my new figs, so I will be trying this method and training my trees to grow from a single trunk.  IF this does not work, you just may have to go to the expense of a well engineered fence that will exclude them, the average fence won't be adequate, they are smart and strong, resourceful. 

Good luck and let us know if you solve the problem.

Vic
Zone 8B
Chicago Hardy and Excel, and lots of plans for the future/2018 season 

Thanks, Vic and others, for your thoughtful responses. I'll let you know what we try and how it goes!
-Karen

Vic --

I'm trying something similar with my bigger trees, such as peaches and apples.  In contrast to usual practice, which favors low branches for easy picking, I'm going for higher branches that will keep fruit out of the reach of deer.  While the trees grow, I am fencing them.  This is working OK for the deer, but I despair when I imagine good climbers like raccoons and squirrels.  Any structure on the trunk just ends up seeming like something new too climb on.
'
'And in this zone, I can't grow fig trees with branches that raccoons won't be able to reach.