Not My Tomatoes!

  Ok, so I have done the "live and let live" thing just about long enough with the coons that roam the Bayou. I am trying to hold to that mantra but they are TRYING my patience!  They raided the pear trees and ate every single tiny pear before it had a chance to mature.  They literally tore up the peach trees to only nibble a bite out of each of hundreds of peaches.  They have ripped out flowers seemingly just out of mischief.  Now, however, they have crossed the line.  These varmints have found the tomato patch and pulled half ripe tomatoes from the branches.  The same method as the peaches...one nibble and go to the next one.  Their clumsiness broke branches and knocked off dozens of small, green tomatoes.  Ugh!  The garden is a mess!

  My problem arises from the fact that I do stick with the "live and let live" mantra as much as possible.  It just does not seem fair to kill critters just because they are trying to survive.  The folks who bought the property just west of us have clear cut the twenty plus acres.  This left animals no place to go except to our neck of the woods.  The Bayou is getting to be one of the only places around for animals to go and it is getting mighty crowded.  Too many critters on such a small place does nothing but cause problems for all.  Now that the animals have found my gardens, there will be nightly raids but I am hesitant to harm them in any way, shape or form.  Relocating seems to be the only option.  I guess I had better round up a live trap before I lose all of my garden goodies (and my mind!)