DIY Critter Proofing Takes A Funny Turn For One Texarkana Couple

Living in East Texas is the best, and we love our porch-pirate raccoons, right up until they started pilfering our peppers. Something had to be done, and we're just the goofballs to do it.

There's a reason we call my wife Donna, Elly May, as in Elly May Clampett from the old TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies." While we don't have a cement pond and, unlike the TV character, my Elly May CAN cook. We do, however, have a critter issue at our house. She loves them and feeds them, and would never hurt one for all the tea in China, but somehow, we had to figure out a way to keep them out of our Texarkana Bucket Peppers.

What's a Texarkana Bucket Pepper?

Don't overthink it, it's pepper plants growing in buckets on our back deck.

My Elly May (Donna) will feed anything that wanders onto the deck, raccoons, opossums, stray cats, even rock musicians.

The Serranos - Photo: Jim Weaver

So far, we haven't had a problem with the animals (or musicians) eating the hot Serrano peppers. Apparently, raccoons are not fans of the heated variety. The sweet peppers, however, are another story.

Exhibit A:

The half-eaten evidence - Photo: JimWeaver

This happened a few weeks ago: The very first peppers to start popping out were pilfered by the raccoons and partially partaken... of.

We Needed A Raccoon Blocking Solution!

Oh Lordy, this was beginning to look like a major project;

• 2x4's
• making a frame
• chicken wire...

None of which sounded like a good time to me. Surely I could find something at our friendly neighborhood Big Box store that would work, so I went shopping.

I Think Foxworthy Would Be Proud

Jim Weaver

• I purchased the outer cage/fence at Lowe's
• Had tons of Zip Ties to hold everything together
• I did have some chicken wire in the backyard (don't ask)
• Fake owls in the flower bed
• The foil cupcake tins were in the pantry

Jim Weaver

Donna watched some YouTube videos and learned that raccoons don't like owls or tin foil, so that's how those items were added to the project. Laugh at our redneck contraption if you will, but so far, it's working.

Baby peppers - Jim Weaver

READ MORE: Texarkana Searches For Two Missing Louisiana Men

Look at those! Photo: Jim Weaver

You know, it's the little victories in life that make it fun. Hopefully, Elly May's critters will leave these beauties alone long enough for the people to do the pillfering. Those look tasty!

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