Raccoon Infiltrates Soft Top!

[Step]

So first of all, this could have ended up being a lot worse than it did. I was always a little concerned about the soft top with bears getting at it, but I didn’t think a raccoon could weasel its way in. It looks like a raccoon was able to smell some food that was packed inside my car. All of the food was sealed but I had not put it inside my Rubbermaid container. It looks like the raccoon walked all around the top of my car and finally found an entry point by standing on my spare tire and undoing the Velcro around the top of the back window and squeezed in. It had its choice of several treats but the things that like the most were the Doritos and the grapes. After it had its fill it tried to get back out the way it came but could not find something to stand on to get all the way out. Instead it chewed the rubber seal at the top of the back window. And also managed to chew a little bit of the stitching for the fasteners from the back window to the roof. When I came to my car in the morning I saw the food everywhere and knew something was in there so I just open the doors and walked away and it ran out. I took it to the car wash and got it all cleaned out and I keep expecting to find piss or shit, but I think I really lucked out with this one. The rubber lining does not seem to cause any issue with water getting in. I may have to take another look at the threading on the fastener, but don’t think I’ll need to replace anything for now.

Has anyone else had any issues with wild animals and the soft top? I am in a pop-up camper which has a canvas top as well as the bronco that has a canvas top. So far my solution has been to pack everything up in a Rubbermaid container (which I guess I wasn’t diligent with)and keep it in the car. Seems better if a wild animal gets into the car than if it gets into the pop-up camper. Anybody have any thoughts on solutions or if anything like this is happened to you?

By the way, we are having a blast on our trip. I’ll post pics and vids soon. Heading back up the mountain now and won’t have service.

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[indio22]

Dang. Haven't had that occur, but have had trouble with raccoons, due to living near a forest preserve. A raccoon got into our garage, drank some radiator fluid, and then curled up and died in the eve of the roof. Couldn't figure out where the smell was coming from, just kept getting worse, what a mess.

 

[Bronc-Itus]

 

[Headsong]

You are so lucky!!! They can do so much damage. Actually had one tear itself out of the bottom of a garage door!! Very sharp claws and very determined critters....

 

[pitviper68]

food draws animals. always put food away from everything. one good way is to hang it from a tall tree limb well away from your bivouac area.

Food ignorance got this woman: Woman who scared off grizzly bear was killed when it returned later and attacked, investigation finds (msn.com)

 

[Dayton1984]

Dang. Haven't had that occur, but have had trouble with raccoons, due to living near a forest preserve. A raccoon got into our garage, drank some radiator fluid, and then curled up and died in the eve of the roof. Couldn't figure out where the smell was coming from, just kept getting worse, what a mess.

Have an exposed wire on our power line at the pole so whenever raccoons climb up they get fried and drop, power company won’t touch it since power works to house and animal control won’t since it’s live wires so we just keep getting fried raccoons. Last one hung for about a year in the weather before the skeleton fell into the yard. First one was on its back all stiff and was day after trash day that was horrible

 

[Headsong]

Have an exposed wire on our power line at the pole so whenever raccoons climb up they get fried and drop, power company won’t touch it since power works to house and animal control won’t since it’s live wires so we just keep getting fried raccoons. Last one hung for about a year in the weather before the skeleton fell into the yard. First one was on its back all stiff and was day after trash day that was horrible

You should have to pay extra for that feature.

 

[Scopebit]

Have an exposed wire on our power line at the pole so whenever raccoons climb up they get fried and drop, power company won’t touch it since power works to house and animal control won’t since it’s live wires so we just keep getting fried raccoons. Last one hung for about a year in the weather before the skeleton fell into the yard. First one was on its back all stiff and was day after trash day that was horrible

Seems that you have a built in 'trap' - should be happy. I have a "certain set of skills"...i can help...

 

[Tricky Dick]

bivouac

Today I learned a new word.

 

[lil_mule_4x4]

I had a remarkably similar experience while tent camping at Pennecamp state park in the FL Keys in the 90's. We failed to roll the windows up on the Blazer, which was storing our food in plastic totes and coolers.

As it turns out, those sneaky ba$tard$ have figured out that: (1) they are protected species and it is illegal for people to harm them while on state park property, (2) there is safety in numbers, and (3) the more you try something, the better you get at it.

We return to camp (from visiting with a couple girls from England at another campsite) and find a raccoon running from the Blazer into the woods. We investigate, roll the windows mostly up, and secure the cooler (also in the Blazer) by placing a 15 lb. lead dive belt on top. Content with our solution, we call it a night. I don't remember what woke us up, but the raccoon got the gang together and had come back while we were sleeping.

Again, a raccoon was somehow able to squeeze thru the mostly closed window, get into the Blazer, open the plastic container, and get the loaf of white bread out. But, it didn't stop there. They must have smelled lunch meat on the cooler because it removed the 15 lb. dive belt, opened the cooler and got the package of ham out as well. We figured it was making a sandwiches for the gang. I guess raccoons like plain sandwiches because it left the mayo and mustard in the cooler. It must have gotten hungry after doing a curl workout with my dive belt.

Even though we closed up the Blazer nice and tight after that, they still kept coming back. We would chase them into the woods and 30 minutes later they would be back. Not only were they good, but those little shitheads were persisent! Even us throwing things at them didn't chase them away. Needless to say we were ready to drive to the new camping location the next day.

 

[Dmorty217]

A little pew pew will solve this issue

 

[Step]

We’ll he came back the second night night but I set up our cooking table as a blockade. I also put some cans around the roof and spare tire so that I would get woken up when he came. He came back 3 times over the night. I had stored the food in the Popup camper with me so there wasn’t even any food there this time. I am not sure that storing the container of food in my camper is a great idea either of course. I think my. Only solution is ordering a hard top. I don’t even think they are available right now.

 

[JimL]

We’ll he came back the second night night but I set up our cooking table as a blockade. I also put some cans around the roof and spare tire so that I would get woken up when he came. He came back 3 times over the night. I had stored the food in the Popup camper with me so there wasn’t even any food there this time. I am not sure that storing the container of food in my camper is a great idea either of course. I think my. Only solution is ordering a hard top. I don’t even think they are available right now.

MIC top 3.0?

 

[JimL]

On a more serious note, tell us what size KO2's you're running on that BB, and if you leveled it? That looks surprisingly good!

 

[Biff]

This scenario calls for a not so subtle warning to masked intruders.

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