need advice for discouraging raccoons from under deck or house

 We've seen an adult racoon go under or come out from under the back
deck a few times now.  Presumably a mother as we've also seen a small
raccoon recently; haven't seen the small one go under or out from
under the deck which may only mean we weren't looking at the right
times.

Think they are or were nesting (whatever it's called when raccoons do
it) somewhere down on the nearby slope.  Possibly in an area we've
disturbed clearing out weeds and such.  Don't want them moving or even
visiting under the deck or possibly the house itself if they can
manage to get under there.

Any practical suggestions for encouraging them to stay away from the
deck and house?  Neither guns nor poison are acceptable methods.
Moderately rural part of Washington but with absolutely no direction
where a bullet couldn't easily hit something or someone other than
intended target and no way to use poison without risk of poisoning
something else such as cats.  Don't really want to kill them anyway,
just keep them away.

BEH

  Throw some chile peppers under there or some cayem pepper.  You'll
never see them again :)

 
Unless you find a racoon who is a chilihead.  We had one eating the hot
peppers in our garden last year.  Of course, a shot of lead therapy
cured him, but he was actually munching on the tabascos.

 Blue Event Horizon wrote:

Throw a handfull of mothballs around there and all animals will vacate.
Easy, cheap and it works.

Jack

 On 10 Jun 2005 06:17:28 -0700, tinacci336@sbcglobal.net wrote:


They are definitely not under the house and haven't been seen for a
couple days now though they might still be going under the deck
unseen.  Under the deck is not an enclosed space and it's often very
well ventilated by wind.  What I've read has consistently said
mothballs aren't effective outdoors (and warnings against using them
outdoors are pretty common).  This causes me to think mothballs, or
cayanne pepper, wouldn't be effective to keep them from under the deck
and mothballs might not be as safe to use as I'd like; especially if
unlikely to work.  Opinions?

An additional question.  Are raccoons likely to take up residence or
spend much time under a deck when there isn't food (except maybe some
slugs or such) or really enclosed shelter for them there and there is
dense foliage on the nearby hillside?  Trees, blackberry bushes, other
bushs and smaller grass, flower and weed type plants?

Thanks to all for the advice so far,

BEH