How to keep coons and skunks out of the sweet corn?

Eldon (WA) · Jul 16, 2015

Sweetcorn is about ready, what do you guys do to keep out the coons and skunks? I hate to invest in electric fence to cover all my fields, but I might have to....would like an easier fix.

wolfman · Jul 16, 2015

I always used about 5 box traps per acre; baited them with sweet stuff, ho hos and store cup cakes etc.

Eldon (WA) · Jul 16, 2015

(quoted from post at 19:02:11 07/16/15) I always used about 5 box traps per acre; baited them with sweet stuff, ho hos and store cup cakes etc.

and then what....

JD Seller · Jul 16, 2015

Billy was talking about some repellant down in another post. That may work for you.

Most of the serious produce farms around here have eight foot tall fence around the fields. I do mean tight fence. They are more worried about deer but the coons are a big problem too. They then run several dogs inside the fence to help out with the coons as they can climb the fence.

The coons are so thick around here that the only way you get much sweet corn is to have a bunch of it planted so you get some after they destroy a bunch of it.

I have also started planting the sweet corn on the inside of a large field not along the edge like I always used to. This year it is in the middle of a sixty acre field of corn. I also have a few rows right along the drive way and they seem to stay away from that as there is little cover for them. Plus the dogs go along there too.

da.bees · Jul 16, 2015

I once made a deal with a neighbor to furnish his family sweet corn for their freezer if he saved my field. He had 3 good farm dogs he took to the field to check for coons 2 and 3 times per night. Didn't lose much more after that. It will only be a few days until hearvest when coons start doing real damage. Never had a problem with skunks in corn,they don't climb well so what are they doing?

fixerupper · Jul 16, 2015

My neighbor sprinkles chlorine pellets in the sweet corn and he claims it works. This is for a small patch. Human hair works too but again for a smaller patch. I just put up an electric fence but the patch is only six rows wide by 250 feet long. The fence worked in this location two years ago. Three strands with the bottom strand six inches off the ground. The next two strands are eight inches apart. I don't have a deer problem to worry about.

notjustair · Jul 16, 2015

I have mine on the edge of the milo field not far
from the house. I run three strands of hot wire and
check it daily. I have to use it to keep the dogs out,
too. If I don't have hot wires I have a dog that goes
in and gets herself a couple of stalks a day. She
brings the whole stalk up to the shade tree to get
the corn from it. You should see her peel and eat it
off of the cob. Looks better than a human did it. I'm
always sure to pick her a couple of pieces every
time I go through the patch. She's so scared of that
fence but wants that corn SO bad.

Billy NY · Jul 16, 2015

Liquid fence, the whitetail deer seem to hate it. I sprayed this afternoon, then had to run 50 miles to pick up a small implement, picked up a friend out that way to help, rode around a little in a favorite area, nothing but farms! I got home just before 10pm not one deer near that apricot tree and whats fallen. Have to get out there early, been picking as many as I can, let ripen, then remove pits and flesh, then the flesh goes into the dehydrator, they sure are good! 100% natural too.

I'm not sure what a skunk would be doing with sweet corn per what Eldon said, bending a stalk over to get to the ear ?

Also not sure if this liquid fence deters racoons. I had my larger garden 50x70 of it at least, all in sweet corn for 2 consecutive years, never saw any racoons or signs of them in there. We have them here, and I shot one last summer, but don't seem to have much trouble with them in the fenced garden or the sweetcorn patch, which was sprayed regularly with the below deer and rabbit repellant.
Liquid Fence

Stephen Newell · Jul 16, 2015

I don't think there is any way to stop a coon other than killing them. If you had an electric fence they would figure a way to turn the power off.

Bryce Frazier · Jul 16, 2015

Well, for example, when ever I catch raccons or porcupines, I take them to one of our millionare neighbors, where they HAPPILY ACCEPT THEM and FEED THEM through the winter...... omg.......

Eldon (WA) · Jul 16, 2015

(quoted from post at 19:33:47 07/16/15) I once made a deal with a neighbor to furnish his family sweet corn for their freezer if he saved my field. He had 3 good farm dogs he took to the field to check for coons 2 and 3 times per night. Didn't lose much more after that. It will only be a few days until hearvest when coons start doing real damage. Never had a problem with skunks in corn,they don't climb well so what are they doing?

From what I have seen, the coons eat a portion of the ear on the stalk, go to another and waste a lot. The skunks break the ear off and root it around on the ground but eat the cob clean. Coyotes will take an ear out in the grass and eat it like a dog would. One year we had about 10 coyotes around here and almost no corn damage, so evidently they kept the coons from getting to the corn. Every year I have found one dead skunk in the corn patch...not sure what killed them, but figure it might be a coyote. Just a little matted fur around their neck.

RusselAZ · Jul 16, 2015

Easier way? Don't plant sweet corn. (I just had to)

Have the low wire 4-5 inches off the ground. Use a powerful fence charger. One wire should stop the coons but if they figure it out, put another wire the same height and 4-5 inches outside of it. Deer really don't like to be shocked so one high wire is enough for them.

Eldon (WA) · Jul 16, 2015

(quoted from post at 21:30:14 07/16/15) Easier way? Don't plant sweet corn. (I just had to)

Have the low wire 4-5 inches off the ground. Use a powerful fence charger. One wire should stop the coons but if they figure it out, put another wire the same height and 4-5 inches outside of it. Deer really don't like to be shocked so one high wire is enough for them.

Fortunately we do not have deer.....but, it would take about 3 0r 4 miles of wire to cover my 7 fields....

CenTex Farmall · Jul 16, 2015

You should charge a "Re-Homing" fee or some other nonsense for some pocket money.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 17, 2015

I trap Coons year round and I 'rehome' them to a hole in the ground,Coyotes have about
wiped out the skunk population.Get a dog called a Mountain Cur they had rather run Coons than eat when they're hungry.

John_PA · Jul 17, 2015

I hear Johnson's flybait and dr. pepper, mixed in an aluminum pie tin will kill them almost instantly.

I would never do something like that. ever... nope, not me. No, I never had that recipe mixed up and I can tell you that having 15 to 18 dead raccoons in a single night is not something I have ever experienced. Nope. Sorry, I never did that.

I would never kill animals and I would never poison them.

I have never ever, ever ever EVER done this. I hear that you put the fly bait in a pan dry then pour the sweet soda over top of the dry powder. I couldn't tell you if it works, and even I could I would never suggest doing this as it kills everything that drinks from that pan.

It is horrible. Just pure dead klling and carnage...

not me...

Actually, you should never do this. ever. That is why I am telling you this.

I am telling you NOT to do this.

Don't do it.

Johnson's fly bait powder and sweet cola. You better not do it. Ever!

Geo-TH,In · Jul 17, 2015

You figure out how to keep the critters out and you'll be rich. Neighbor has a small
garden. 3 rows of electric fence, plays a radio, has a scare crow called Elvis, he traps
coon, even shoots the critters, uses solar lights that change colors and he still loses
corn.

He plants his corn at three different times. When he needs me to do something, I don't
charge him a penny. His way of paying me back is to bring us some sweet corn, sure
tastes good, had some last night. Cooked it on the grill, SOOO GOOOD.

rustyfarmall · Jul 17, 2015

Just put up an electric fence and be done with it. It is the only sure fire way to keep them out.

Bonnan · Jul 17, 2015

I always wondered why I never see coon when I drive thru Washington County!

Married2Allis · Jul 17, 2015

John(OR) · Jul 17, 2015

Plant extra ! When I farmed had lot of trouble with Pheasants digging up and plugging corugates in sugar beets had a strip of land that wasn't farmable, planted in with a mix of wheat wild rice corn and grass waste water keep it watered gave them a place to stay. Don't farm anymore but have 2 acres big garden not a lot of deer right here but a few pairs like to watch them eat corn and apples so I plant twice as much as I can use.

FarmDaveCle · May 31, 2017

I'm Definitely not going to do that this year.

I lost better than 1/2 of my 1 acre corn plot last season due to skunk and coon. They can take out 12 rows in one night real easy. Makes you kind of sick to walk out in the field and see all that damage.

It seems like an inhumane way to rid yourself of every last one of those pesky varmints.

I think this year I'm going to sit out all night and meditate to commune peacefully with the animals and ask them nicely to leave the property.

How to keep coons and skunks out of the sweet corn?

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