So I'm sitting here in my new house in Isla Vista and I hear an awful screeching coming from outside my window. The hissing and growling becomes louder till until I am sure a murder is in progress. Remembering the family of skunks who paid visit to my porch the night prior I feared to worst. Perhaps a house cat had decided to bully one of the lil fellas? The mom attacking a house cat? I flip my light switch off, haul my blinds aloft and then slide the window open peeking into the darkness. The creatures voices cease but I locate their movement. There under the neighbors trailer they crawl! As the palm tree in the far neighbors yard sways I dart back into my room frantically pull my flashlight from my dresser and locate my loaded semi automatic CO2 bb gun. Thus armed I investigate, the beasts abandon their position retreating to the corner of the neighbors yard across the chain link from me. Seeing no immediate pray save for each other I observe the creatures with my light as they make their attempted escape over the link. These boys where big. Not your average creek dwelling minnow fisher. Their sleek gray and black bodies and telltale black robbers mask gave away their identity. Coons! The far neighbors being alerted by my light scared the creature back into my neighbors yard and I was impressed by shear size of the dude bending the chain link and the human like behavior him hauling his hips over the razor fence top.    

DSFS

Disclaimer: This photo was taken during a prior encounter with a raccoon on the Mesa

Canine skulls in my collection: