Marge was so ready that as soon as Bill set the cat carrier down on the ground, she was somehow out. I must not have latched that cage as tight as it should have been. She was out so fast that I didn't have time to get the camera up and ready. When I finally got into position to film, what I mostly got was them in the water enjoying that fresh fishy stream taste. And then mostly blurs because they were moving so fast exploring everything it was hard to get good still pictures.

Right away they started catching things in the water. It was rather hard to tell what they were catching but whatever it was they were eating it. I think Cheyenne scored a small crayfish. She was very intent on the fishing part; she did the most of it. The others were traipsing through the water like kids at a water playground. They didn't know where to explore first. They scampered from one side of the creek to the other, over on top of the heap of trees that had logjammed on the one side, and then over to the upright trees growing straight and tall on the banks. They pretty much ignored me the first hour. So much for raccoon motherhood. I think Marge knew that this was the big freedom day. She came over to me twice and put her paws up on my knee and looked up at me without any fear that I was going to catch her again and stuff her in a cage. Cheyenne completely forgot about me. I didn't exist for her anymore. Not with all that fun stuff to smell and play with. Midge came back to me once and snuffed at my feet and then was off again.

They hightailed it into the trees as far up as they could go after they had explored enough of the creek. Bill went back home because he had to get ready for work. I stayed ensconced in my chair with binoculars and mosquito spray at the ready. I wanted to stay for awhile to make sure they were going to be okay. They spent over half an hour up in a tall tree playfighting and investigating all the nooks and crannys. Then they came down again, drank from the creek, and found some small something to munch on.

Then it was back up into the trees again. After two hours I felt like it was time for me to go home. I waited till they came back down to the water again before I left. Just to be sure that they saw me leave and to see if anyone of them was going to follow me back to the car. That would be the sign that they weren't really ready yet to be set free.

I crossed over the rocks to the other side to walk back up to the parking lot. All three of them were in the water taking long drinks. I called out to them. They didn't even look up at me. I said my goodbyes and told them I'd be back the next morning and then left. They were oblivious to me. When I was almost to the car, I looked back not expecting to see any raccoons following. And there weren't. Good. I had done my job well. They will buddy up for awhile then carve out their own territory. I have no idea if they will stay in that area or how far they will move on.

We've gone back to the woods this past week and set out more dog food for them in an open bag behind a bush that can't be seen from the trail. We haven't seen them since. The only sign of them was a bunch of muddy footprints downstream under the bridge that goes over the creek. I've tried being there at dusk but haven't heard a sound from them. All I can hope for is that they are enjoying themselves immensely and are getting enough to eat. So, they won't live as long as they would in captivity but they will live their life more fully and naturally.