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07/02/07, 01:29 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 15,516
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Trapping raccoon.
We're baffled!
We've been trying to get this coon which is brave enough to come into our front yard at night. We've tried bread with apricot jam twice and marshmallows last night. All three times, the bait is gone and the trap isn't tripped! Roger washed the trap and checked it too to make certain it isn't stuck somehow.
Any ideas?
I hate raccoons. They're large rats IMO.
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07/02/07, 01:39 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,798
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You might need a larger trap. I've had them big enough here that they can grab the bait and have the door rest on their back. I'm trying to get one right now. I borrowed my neighbor's large trap. Here's hoping! Good luck to us both!
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07/02/07, 01:41 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,798
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P.S. Maybe a homeless person wandered into your territory!!!!
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07/02/07, 01:46 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Central WV
Posts: 5,390
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We lost lots of chickens to raccoons this year. The drought brought them out in droves. We caught TEN of them in box traps baiting them with peanut butter. You have to wire it down or they'll reach in as far as they can and grab the bait without going in enough to trip the door shut.
We asked a friend of ours who had raccoon problems last year and he said this worked like a charm for him. Worked great for us too.
Pics and detailed instructions are in my blog:
http://gardenplotter.com/rospo/blog/...r-raccoon.html
__________________
Our homestead-in-the-making: Palazzo Rospo
Eating the dream 
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07/02/07, 02:16 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 831
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We use a large heavy duty trap (anchored securely) with sardines for
bait. Seems to work quite well for raccoons, possums and the
neighborhood cats!
Linda
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07/02/07, 02:23 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 3,224
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The drought! That's why we're having coon problems! I was wondering why after living here for three years we just started having problems with raccoons. Take care all. Mary.
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07/02/07, 02:28 PM
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Karaoke Queen
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 964
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The problem I have heard, is some of the critters that go into these traps are so darned HUGE that they can walk in, trigger the trap, which comes up and hits them in the rear. When finished eating, they just back out because the weight of the critter is holding the trap open!
Our elderly neighbor watched a woodchuck do just this when we set our traps for her!
Mom - Scott's gotten 4 coons recently. One weighed over 25 lbs! But then again, he was eating 50lbs of cat food a week!
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07/02/07, 03:31 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 656
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We also had a brave coon coming right up to our back door and shaking out bird feeders. We tried trapping and having dog and dh marking everywhere but had the best luck waiting up for him with a 22.
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07/02/07, 03:50 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: northcentral MN
Posts: 14,383
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A snare on a leaning pole works well too. Put the bait beyond the snare. It will also take dogs and cats too so be careful. Make the loop about 6" and have the bottom resting on the pole. Nail guides on each side of the pole and lightly clip the snare to each guide.
If the coon can reach the ground anything within reach will be chewed to pieces.
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07/02/07, 05:21 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,192
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I use the old fashioned fly bait to kill them. Get the yellow fly bait crumbles and mix them with Coke (to a paste consistency). Set it out where the coon can find it. They love the stuff and it kills very quickly. Cats, dogs and chickens don't seem to want to bother it, but try to keep them away if you are nervous about the bait.
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07/02/07, 05:54 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: lat 38° 23' 25" lon -84° 17' 38"
Posts: 3,051
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Turtlehead,
I set mine in a similar way. I use an old tuna can, punch two holes on opposite sides under the rim, run a straightened length of clothes hanger through the trap, connecting the ends to the sides of the trap. Our best bait to date has been viena sausages. I press a couple through the top of the trap and land them into the tuna can. I also like to stake the trap down so they can tumble it around. I like to polish the metal bits that make up the trigger with a little emery cloth and grease them up so they'll slide easier. Got no use for coons killing my birds. Well, not till cooler weather when they're back into winter pelt, then I'll be looking for a coonskin hat.
__________________
"Only the rocks [and really embarassing moments] live forever"
"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands..." tick-tick-tick
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07/02/07, 05:59 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 15,516
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I'd love to use tuna or peanut butter for bait but I have some really silly ourside cats who all love peanut butter and also tuna! I can imagine coming out and finding ten cats in one trap.
Zookeeper, I wonder if Scott's trap is bigger than ours.
(For those who don't know, Zookeeper is my DD and Scott is my SIL.)
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07/02/07, 06:11 PM
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 15,516
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by zookeeper16
The problem I have heard, is some of the critters that go into these traps are so darned HUGE that they can walk in, trigger the trap, which comes up and hits them in the rear. When finished eating, they just back out because the weight of the critter is holding the trap open!
Our elderly neighbor watched a woodchuck do just this when we set our traps for her!
Mom - Scott's gotten 4 coons recently. One weighed over 25 lbs! But then again, he was eating 50lbs of cat food a week!
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What has us baffled is that the trap is STILL set-like it was never touched, but the bait is gone.
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07/02/07, 06:57 PM
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Karaoke Queen
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 964
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Maybe a weasel or something of that sort jumping over the part that sets off the trap?
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07/02/07, 07:18 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UT
Posts: 3,840
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how about ants or other small critters like mice getting at the bait w/o ever touching the pan
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07/02/07, 10:04 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Mid-Missouri
Posts: 528
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Cherry Pie Bait!!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ardie/WI
What has us baffled is that the trap is STILL set-like it was never touched, but the bait is gone.
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Perhaps you need to adjust the tension so that a lighter touch will set it off. Also...in the past we had trouble with coons climbing the pole and raiding the Purple Martin nests. A friend told us about using those Hostess Cherry Pies as bait. WOW....they absolutely cannot resist those pies! We use the Mrs Bairds...cut one in half and put it in the trap. We caught 8 coons one right after the other!
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07/02/07, 11:18 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: East central WI
Posts: 1,002
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This is a live trap? What are the dimensions? Any chance of just shooting it when it raids the trap?
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07/03/07, 06:47 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Central WV
Posts: 5,390
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ardie/WI
What has us baffled is that the trap is STILL set-like it was never touched, but the bait is gone.
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Did you wire the bait down to the trap and anchor it real good? Raccoons will barely enter the trap, then reach as far as they can, and nab the bait without ever touching the trigger plate. If the bait is wired in place, they have to go further in and worry at it some, and that will trip the trap.
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Our homestead-in-the-making: Palazzo Rospo
Eating the dream
Last edited by turtlehead; 07/03/07 at 06:50 AM.
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07/03/07, 06:47 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Central WV
Posts: 5,390
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ardie/WI
Zookeeper, I wonder if Scott's trap is bigger than ours.
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We use two sizes of traps: 32"x10"x12" and 42"x15"x15"
Some of the raccoons we've caught wouldn't fit into that smaller trap. We set them both every night, on opposite corners of the chicken coop.
__________________
Our homestead-in-the-making: Palazzo Rospo
Eating the dream
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07/03/07, 06:49 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Central WV
Posts: 5,390
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Farmerwilly2
I use an old tuna can, punch two holes on opposite sides under the rim, run a straightened length of clothes hanger through the trap...
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WOW! That is one tough setup.
We might try that. The raccoons totally destroy the soda can bottoms once they're trapped. They get really mad and it's amazing how strong they are.
__________________
Our homestead-in-the-making: Palazzo Rospo
Eating the dream
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