In my experience, the only thing that works is a bird feeding pole that has a coon baffle on it. Sorry......they are very smart animals. Plus.....you need to put the feeder with the baffle where it can't be reached from a nearby tree. I've lost several suet feeders before I got the coon baffle pole. And.....I think they're the ones that stole all the bars of soap I had hanging from my pine trees, to keep the deer away. You gotta laugh!

Or take the auet in at night.

I've come up with another idea. I hung the suet feeder from the eves of the house, just outside the window.

We'll see if it works?

I hope you don't end up with coons on your roof!

So far it is working great. And it is better bird watching with them so close.

Taking the suet down at night, never thought of it! My suet feeders (4) in the last 2yrs have disappeared totally.First I thought squirrels but I wired it so well, no way. The suet I bought was $3 a single cake so I was upset. I will take it down at night, but will I REMEMBER?

Nothing really stops raccoons when it is hanging. They can climb almost anything. Taking it down at night is the best option.

If the tree is the only tree in the area (if they can't get to it from other tree), cover the trunk with mylar or aluminum sheet will keep them from climbing it unless the tree is narrow enough for them to grip around.

Paul

Spray the suet with Habanero spray, birds have no problems with it and it will set a raccons mouth on fire.
Also you can get raccoon repellent which is usually a scent of a predator like a Coyote.

I hung a bird suet inside a metal cage that fits perfectly around with the suet itself from a garden hook pole. It was only approx 4 ft off the ground and I suspect a damn raccoon just yanked it down and broke the cage attached thin metal wire with a hook. I dont think he will get that cage open whereever he disapperared with it. That cage door is a tight fit door on it. It has pissed me off, the cage and suet not expensive- its just that he got away with it all. I have thought about doing same again only lacing the suet and especially the cage with rat poisoning, I prob wont because I dont want other animals to come along perhaps after he drops it again somewhere and they try it and it hurts or kills them too. My squirrels in tree right next to this suet pole and I put sunflower seed for them at base of tree...raccoon does not seem to bother that. May try to rub some red pepper seasoning into suet and somehow make a sauce with it and line outside of cage....that or sit up late night and try to shoot the sob. Wonder where I can buy that in above post Habenero spray at ??....any ideas?

Just bought bottom feeders for our woodpeckers to try to solve the starling problem and first night with them up they are now on the ground and clean as a whistle...I am going to try the coyote urine...if that doesnt work then I will take them in at night...but what a pain. Or cover it in hot sauce.

I have the suet in it's cage, hanging from a narrow branch that nothing can climb down. The cage is secured by lots of wire wrapped around the branch.