I have proof that coons and possums only eat what they can see at night.  I have the following trees with fig ripening every day since last week:

Latturula
Italian Black
Celeste JR
Black Triana
Hardy Chicago
LSU Tiger
Improved Celeste
Hunt
Black Mission

Whenever, I cover single ripening figs with white coffee filters.  The next morning, only those figs with white coffee filters are gone and the paper is on the ground.  Whenever, I cover the figs with brown or green burlap, the figs are untouched the next day!  I have a small Latturula in a 5 gallon pot.  The figs turn a bright yellow and swell nicely.  Every morning those with white filters are gone and those wrapped in burlap are untouch.  I use to think it was the smell of the figs getting ripe.  I do not think that's true now.  I hate loosing fruit to critters.  I need to get some of those brown coffee filters. I like using those better than the burlap but the burlap has better reuse value.

talking about racoons.. i was at boy scout camp with my son last month. one of the scout leader's backpack was missing overnight. i know that racoon visited us that night.

we searched everywhere and we could not find the backpack. one second day, we found the pack about 20 yards into the wood from our camp.

apparently, the owner left an apple in the bag and racoon was after that.

now the funny thing is, i would have imagined that the racoon would have tore the pack apart to get to the apple. but it didn't. it actually opened the zipper and only took the apple out and left everything else in the bag.

That's a very good observation!
I'm glad you shared that!

I just bought some burlap from Walmart in the fabric dept.
for a couple of dollars a yard!
and I noticed they sell it in natural brown, and dyed dark green!
 Thanks!

This is very good information!  Pretty labor intensive, but if it works, it works!

Here where I live, you see bags all over these 3 story high date palm trees.  The bags cover the fruit clusters.  I discovered that the bags are only there to protect the dates from rain.  But what a pain putting them up!  Ladders, thorns, YIKES. 

Somehow burlap over figs seems much easier.

What about those snap plastic strawberry type containers?  Can a raccoon outsmart those?

Suzi

Suzi, I think they can open those containers.  I have a very strong and powerful noise.  My wife says I part k-9.  I think if there is a very ripe fig on a tree, then the coons can smell it.  Last year, I had only one tree that got wiped out in one day by the coons.  It was my Latturila.  It was over 7 feet tall and full of figs.  I did not cover the tree,  The next day, the tree was bent down to a 45 degree angle and all the figs were gone.  But they did not touch my Marseilles and Alma tree which were ripe and only 8 feet away.  Maybe they can smell and only go for certain kind of figs.  I need to do  more research. 

Pete, I like the backpack story.  Coons can open things very well.  I heard the best food to use to catch them is marshmallows.  I haven't tried it but plan on setting my hav-a-heart trap tonight to see if I can catch is guy.  I've seen the coon in daylight but I think its more than just one.  Time to do more research.

Try cat food, you'll catch racoons with that, half a can ought to do it

I used newspaper to keep the birds off, and it worked well until the crows arrived. They take the fig, the newspaper, everything. I am pretty sure it tells them where the ripe figs are as they so not bother the others.

I wonder if camo material would work. There are quite a few different patterns from 'traditional' to more life-like.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-yds-of-Camo-Fabric-Cabelas-3D-Seclusion-1-Pc-/140807837833?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20c8cd1889

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Yards-Camo-60-Wide-Camouflage-Camoflauge-Material-Cotton-Lightweight-/271023513744?pt=US_Fabric&hash=item3f1a42a090

Gina, it will work.

So I just have to find camo material for my fig trees. LOL obsession drives us all.

I think food grade camp paint may be the answer. It sure makes me wonder about the 4 motion sensor lights I just installed. I'm waiting on a sprinkler with a motion sensor. I have had success with "Deer Off" and human urine lately. Something, though, is stealing fig buds right as they emerge. When they are just a bit bigger than a BB something is nibbling these new buds off at night. odd.

I don't have a any problems with critters,,,, YET, but if and when I do I'm going to hook up an electric fence, the kind used to keep horses inside the corral. They're relatively inexpensive and you can run the fencing to any pattern you need. If it'll stop a horse from touching the fence it'll sure stop a racoon.

I think I got rid of the coons.  Last week, they got my shiny yellow Italian honey figs for the last time!  I was pissed off!  So I cheated and got some "Just one bite" rat poision.  I put out 3 baits at night and the next day all were gone.  

Since then, I have not lost any figs using white coffee filter or burlap.  I picked 10lbs of Italian Black figs and 9lbs of Hardy Chicago figs.  Fig picking has been restore back to normal.

I with you Darkman i have one from 1976 semi auto with an accu choke on end of barrel.
I can adjust its pattern from full choke to a nice wide spread.

Martin that's sweet.

Allows you to adjust for a flock of Starlings (a non native destructive invasive species that is not protected by any laws) or a single tree rat!