Trapping raccoon.

I was having the same problem. I'm pretty sure that the coon wasn't going back far enough to trip the trap - just far enough in to reach the food. I had read before about tying the food down in some way and thought I might have to try that. But luckily, after being robbed of bait 3 nights in a row, he tripped the trap. I've used lots of things for bait. I too have to worry about cats - so canned cat food, dry cat food, or any kind of fish is off the bait list. I've had great luck with peanuts. I didn't have any of those so I tried (on different nights) cheeze its, an oreo cookie, and I even chanced catching a cat one night by putting in a hot dog. All apparently liked by the coon cause it robbed every bit of it. Finally caught the bugger with the last bite of a granola bar and a handful of dry dog food. I scattered the dog food around the whole cage so he would have to move around a bit more to search for it all. Unfortunately, I still have some of them out there. Besides the big male that I got in the trap, my dh has killed 3 young ones that the dog has treed for me. I know there are still some small ones (seen them) and then there is Momma coon somewhere too. It's one of those things like laundry and dirty dishes, you'll never REALLY be done. I have a bluebird trail on my property. All the nestboxes are baffled to prevent coons from getting to the eggs and babies. I have seen evidence of the coons trying to get passed them, but so far they haven't figured out a way. Those critters are smart though, and I don't doubt for a minute if given enough time they would find a way. So, control is absolutely necessary. One time there was a group of them getting into the feed shed. Making a fine mess and eating up the feed. It was like they were having a coon party in there. It happened several nights in a row until I finally figured out how they were getting in. I was sure I had shut the door! Turned out that they were climbing up on the window ledge next to the door, undoing the latch, and then in they went. Muddy pawprints on the ledge and by the door gave their game away.

Dig a small hole in the ground, just big enough for your bait. Set the trap on top of the bait, While he is trying to get to the bait, he will trip the trap. I set a cement block on top of the trap.

I don't know the dimensions off hand and the raccoon only shows up at night.

Can you imagine a mad granny on an electric scooter chasing a raccoon around the front yard in her nightgown brandishing a 9 mil !

[QUOTE=Ardie/WI
Can you imagine a mad granny on an electric scooter chasing a raccoon around the front yard in her nightgown brandishing a 9 mil ![/QUOTE]

I think more than a few here would travel a long day to see that sight!

I caught something last night. Unfortunately, it was just Mr. O. Possum!

Know any coon hunters in your area? Most would be glad to come trap the coon for you. Some hunters use coons to train their dogs. Just a thought.

If a person could keep them caged and had access to table scraps through a restaurant I think they wouldn't be bad to raise. During the right time of the year their pellet is worth a lot for making hats and other things. I have thought of this before. They could even breed caged and if a person got even some good reliable dumpster sites they wouldn't cost anything to feed.

get leg traps then shoot them in the morning. I've killed 7 in the last 6 weeks. Down to 6 chickens.

I have gotten 3 in the past week and am after another now. Made 2 trips to the back door already but he leaves before I can get a shot off. We have to many other animals here to use traps or they would be set all over. The best thing we have found for them is a good 22. We are afraid to go off in the evening without closing up the house as we are afraid the will tear out the screens to get in. All 3 I have gotten has been within 6 feet of the door and they will just stand and look at you when you push the door open until this little guy tonight. Good luck with your coons Sam

The coons managed to pull 2 of my half grown ducks through the wire cage they were in and completely eat one and left the other one with just one leg and it died.
Then they got into the feed shed and tore up several bags of feed and Dh put out a steel trap in the feed shed and managed to catch one, but it chewed its foot off and left it in the trap before we got back the next morning. Reset the trap but none has gotten in it or bothered the other feed, so maybe that is all for a while.

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Put a radio in the chicken coop! We used to have a coon and possum problem raiding the chicken coop and the horse, chicken and barn cat food. We started playing a radio over night in th barn and haven't had a problem since. Country music seems to work best!

My husband catches them all the time. We had a problem with them not tripping the trap. He put a rock on the trigger to make it heavier thus easier to trip. He then put he bait on the rock. Then he just barely sets the latch so it trips easy. It worked for us.

up to 8 one in the trap this morning

A couple woodcutting buddies of mine were trappers, they had to mothball legtraps due to a change in regulations.

A licensed trapper can take care of it, dispatching the animal quickly.

.22 or .410 will do it.

They try to get in our house every spring late at night, a bright flashlight and .22 takes care of the job nice and quick.

We use the largest "have a heart traps" putting chuchronis......fried pork rinds for bait......the racs love them more than just about anything around here. There is always war on raccoons as our sweet corn is prime food for us........not them. They are hogs, we have so many around here, I can't believe it. Beware, they carry rabies in their scat and one of our cows got it from them pooping in the feed. I am not fond of raccoons just big nasty rats. We either then shoot/drown but never relocate because they will find their way home.....trust me.

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Disease is not an entity, but a fluctuating condition of the patients body, a battle between the substance of disease and the natural self healing tendency of the body......Hippocrates

Caught another one last night. It has assumed room temperature. Now, that's a good coon.

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"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

This is incorrect.

2. Q: Can I get rabies in any way other than an animal bite?

A: Non-bite exposures to rabies are very rare. Scratches, abrasions, open wounds, or mucous membranes contaminated with saliva or other potentially infectious material (such as brain tissue) from a rabid animal constitute non-bite exposures.

Other contact, such as petting a rabid animal or contact with the blood, urine or feces (e.g., guano) of a rabid animal, does not constitute an exposure.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/Ques&Ans/q&a.htm
I cut some of the text. You can read it in its entirety at the link posted.

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Our homestead-in-the-making: Palazzo Rospo
Eating the dream

turtlehead......I thought the same but 2 veterinarians have told us otherwise. We had a cow get really sick and the vets told us could be rabies from raccoons and they don't have to be bitten. Argue with them, it's news to me.

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Disease is not an entity, but a fluctuating condition of the patients body, a battle between the substance of disease and the natural self healing tendency of the body......Hippocrates

Cha-ching! At this rate we'll be coon free until the next family moves in. Our baby geese said 'Thank ya, thank ya very much'

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"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

In that case, she's gonna need a bigger trap!!

UPDATE! Last night I saw that raccoon and no wonder we can't catch it in that trap! It's huge! It would be like trying to get two tons of fecal matter into a one ton truck!

We need a bigger trap! This one is 12" by 32", I think!

BTW, thank you for the PM's!