Story – I got back from the park this evening a little after dusk. I went around the back of the house to the patio to let the cats in as they had been out for the evening. As I’m walking, I see some sort of shape moving past on the ground. The cats see it too, and they are real interested in whatever it is! It moves into the shrubs, and I shoo the cats inside. I go in the house, get a flashlight, turn on the floodlights, and go back out. Whoops, missed a cat! Which is sort of good because he’s pointing toward whatever it is. And he’s the big, slow orange cat that is easy to catch, not the little black one that you can’t find in the dark! So, grab big cat and put in the house. And investigate shat it is.
It’s way too slow to be a cat, and it’s not barking so not a dog. The animal is walking, not hopping like a rabbit. It’s not black and white and smelly, so not a skunk. It doesn’t have a rat like tail, so not an opossum. I get a garbage can that I use for leaves and sticks in the yard, and use a stick to get him into the can. After the obligatory photos, I put on leather work gloves and grab the can, hoping that it will pull off its head. The aminal comes up with the can. Try a couple more times, same result.
Then I remember that my neighbor volunteers at an animal shelter and walks the dogs there. Go next door in the dark, ring the doorbell. Her shelter only deals with dogs and cats, she suggests calling a 24 hr vet in the area for ideas. I go back to the can, put the gloves back on, and give it another try. I pick him up by the can, and give it a pretty good shake down. SUCCESS!
A small groundhog. I roll the can on its side after more photos. He scampers off.
Soup can and glove for scale: