Stepped outside a few minutes ago and heard some huge loping animal scurring away, out of sight until it popped up at the end of my patio and stared back at me...it was a huge racoon. First time I've ever seen one in the wild. That guy was bigger than my cat! Must have been a good 25-30 lbs...so now I have to add this to the destructive critters eating my fruits...I wonder if he's the one that took a bite out of a developing Barnisotte, cutting it right in half.

Raccoons are bad news. He'll keep coming back if you don't remove him or kill him. And he'll bring friends.

They have a sweet tooth for sure and are clever and strong. 

Living in a rural area I have at times had problems with racoons. Mostly with them raiding my bluebird boxes for the hatchlings. A simple $29 fence charger will train a racoon with only one encounter.

I've given racoons swimming lessons.  They are slow learners.  I relocated one once but that was too scary, seemed like a scene from a horror movie.

Turn it into taxidermy with a fig in its mouth.

Racoons are smart and destructive. They know how to open using a door knob so one has to have an extra latch. That is our experience with the garage back door where we keep garbage bags before the pick-up dates.
They were used to coming into the garage from the backyard side. After adding extra latch they now try to remove the concrete from under the garage front door. They made big hole but gave up before getting in. They used to look cute to me before but I hate them with passion now.

Agree to what John said!  The only way to get rid of that dude is to get a big dog or to trap him.  They do have a sever sweet tooth.  I use havaheart traps and use marshmallows as bait.  You have to melt the marshmallow on the bait tray and secure the trap so he can't spin it around.  Trust me, I went through 2 cans of potted meat and an apple until I learned how to trap him using marshmallows. 

I am surprised that this is your first encounter.

At least the raccoon didn't do more damage. I had one or more break a number of limbs in a 20' Santa Rosa plum tree in the process of getting the plums at the end of the branches a couple years ago.

    It isn't normal behavior for a raccoon to be moving around in the daytime so there is a possibility that your raccoon could be rabid.It needs to be put down permanently and not released so it becomes a problem to one of your neighbors.

The good news is raccoon is tasty, although the big ones tend to be tough, from age. If he manages to fatten himself, you can get your figs back, if indirectly.

In California raccoons and opossums are everywhere, but mostly at the night time. They dont like the lit spaces so a bright light bulb could help a little. But they are smart and will figure something out.

Thanks everyone. I'm getting a trap for sure. I have opposum to get rid of too. Thanks for the marshmallow idea Dennis. I will try that first. Jon, racoons are nocturnal beasts probably why I've not seen one before. This guy was out in full sunlight, very surprising. Barry, I assume all wild critters have rabies, keeps me from being to stupid in dealing with them. Trust me, if I catch the rascal he's a gonner. My neighbor will take care of it for me. I'm too soft-hearted even in the face of fruit-loss. :-) Dale, recipes?

You can try the water spray, something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370989786&sr=8-1&keywords=scarecrow+water+sprinkler

it has a motion detector.

Racoons also like cat food. Maybe a half can and some marshmallows. That'll probably get the oppossum too  

Live traps will work, but you do run the risk of catching non target animals. If raccoons are your specific target the best option is a coon cuff. It is baited with a small marshmallow. Basically you bury the trap, it looks like a small hole with a marshmallow in it. The raccoon puts its paw in to retrieve the bait, trips the trap and can't remove it's paw. Of course you do have to dispatch the raccoon to get it out of the trap......unless you want some high adventure.

Also any mammal can be a carrier of rabies, but despite popular belief seeing animals out during daylight hours is not a diagnostic symptom of a rabid animal.

Dude, your days are numbered...just picked this baby up today.

Does anyone know of a good bait for rabbits? Cabbage, lettuce? Once I dispatch the racoon, opposum and rabbits are the next targets. War has begun...

Womack as long as I don't catch a skunk, I'm OK.

Broccoli and of course carrotsfor rabbits and ground hogs, unfortunately skunks like all and any bait

I think you have to move the raccoon about 5-7 miles away from your house or they will come back.
Check the distance online.

Skunks. Sigh. I catch one or two a year in the process of catching and euthanizing many, many ground squirrels each growing season. They're relatively easy to deal with, though definitely stinky. Approach slowly with a tarp in front of you, lay it over the live trap, pry the trap open with gloved hand and wedge a rock or piece of wood in the keep the door open and back off and allow the skunk to skedaddle. It may wait until dark to leave the trap.

I've had to prod one or two out of the trap when they refused to back out (they do not seem to like leading with their smelly end), but letting them go is a better alternative than dealing with a skunk carcass. They stink very badly once they die. Quadruple bagging in plastic hardly makes a dent in the smell.

Haven't had a coon problem in my orchard or garden yet, but they are in the area. I bet I see them once I get the chicken coop up and running.

  In fairness to Opossums, a veteriarian told me they dont carry rabies because their body temp is too low.  In So Cal an organic, 200 acre avocado ranch let people release opossums there because they are the only thing that eats large quantities of snails and they couldnt use snail posons.

Soni

I think you only have 3 choices....buy/borrow a trap and relocate; mix up a "mickey" and poison him; employ a little lead poisoning....22 cal ought to do it.  Everyone is right...when they find a food source, they will keep coming back and bring friends.

On a more serious note, be careful: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/agricult/pdf/raccoons.pdf

Or you could get a dog.  

Sue,
Skunk would probably provide the most adventure.
For rabbits dried apples and or cut sweet potato are good baits. If you really have a lot of rabbits to deal with you can purchase a lure attractant that works really well. I have had better luck with rabbits covering the sides and top to make the trap look like a tunnel. Just make sure that whatever you use does not have odd scent as this will prevent rabbit visitation.