Raccoon bait ??

periwinkle · 01-30-2004, 09:19 PM

Ok...I live in suburbia and have a ring tailed dude that spends some time in my backyard.. I think for awhile he lived in one of my trees, only coming out at night.. My 70# GWP goes crazy in the morning when we let her out and she runs around the yard checking out the 'smells'. Now my neighbor tells me he discovered this coon had found its way into his attic...(wish it would eat his 2 worthless cats)

I'd like to trap this critter in my 'have-a-heart but haven't had much success with this trap before and what would be a good bait??

I want to get this bugger before my wirehair does -- I'm sure she would kill it but I'd most likely be making a trip to vet for patching up, (Frasier vs Allie)..

Any suggestions?

:grin:

Redbull · 01-30-2004, 09:44 PM

Call animal control, audubon society, or ..., but they will often provide you a trap to 'relocate' the animal.

I agree, my GSP could ALWAYS find ways to spend my money with the vet. Oh, let me count the ways!

Oh, you already have the bait - cat or dog food is always topshelf for coons.

[ 01-30-2004, 10:45 PM: Message edited by: Redbull ]

01-30-2004, 09:59 PM

Apples should work.

Boedy · 01-30-2004, 10:06 PM

Peanut Butter works :grin:

[ 01-30-2004, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: Boedy ]

Bait Bucket · 01-30-2004, 10:12 PM

When I was a kid back in West Virginia I trapped those buggers for hide money. I used sardines for bait (that's when they cost 10 cents for two cans).

SLEDDER · 01-31-2004, 06:45 AM

Can of tuna fish. Or just something shiny hanging in the back of the trap like a cd or aluminum foil. Helps if the shiny object smells sweet like honey or watermelon or fishy. Coons are fairly easy to catch. 22 short with a balloon over the end of the barrel works also. Balloon is a poor mans silencer.

FishFearMe · 01-31-2004, 07:10 AM

I have caught them before along with opposums and peanut butter and bread works good for the coons.

pdxkevin · 01-31-2004, 08:22 AM

You can catch them with a lot of things from sardines in oil to dry dog food. One that works on racoons, but not on cats and dogs, is eggs. Here is a decent "How to" guide

Get Bit · 01-31-2004, 09:50 AM

When I had a coon problem, I used a live trap and a little grape jelly on the pan. Worked like a charm! Caught 3 that way.May also want to talk to the neighbor about making sure he brings that cat/dog food in the house at night. I've had my cats standing a foot a way from the coon as he eats out their bowl. Way too big a chance for distemper/rabies etc. for your neighbor to risk it.

Get Bit

jokester · 01-31-2004, 10:33 AM

Canned cat food is your ticket!! I've seen it work PLENTY of times!! :grin:

-jokester

farm5 · 01-31-2004, 02:49 PM

You do have other alternatives. You can trap to your heart's content but you will never be able to
rid your world of the critters that come out in the dark.

Here's the one that takes the most amount of effort. Teach your dog that racoons and skunks are a natural part of it's environment. Teach that is OK for them to be there. They are no threat and the dog is not to chase or harass them.

Trapping is fun, it might make you feel better, but you won't solve the problem. There is certainly more than one and for certain an endless
group that you will never be able to wipe out.

If you use eggs in a trap you have about a 70% to 30% chance of catching a skunk instead of a racoon. Then what are you going to do? If you catch a skunk, which is likely, throw a drap of black plastic over the trap. Pick up the trap and carry it to a place where the skunk has free range to take off when you open the end of the trap. The last thing on earth they want to do is spray. If you hear the sound of stamping hind feet then look out, a spray is eminent. Usually, if they can't see what's around them, they will take off out the end of the trap and seek safety.

Your best bet is to learn to live with what naturally exists around you. You can keep the dog in at night. For sure, do not leave dog or cat food out at night to attract those critters who are looking for nothing more than something to eat. They are not looking for a dog to attack, thay are just trying to survive as we all are.

It is a lost cause to attempt to mold your environment to what you think it should be. It is much more productive and sucessful to learn to live within it.

1pump · 01-31-2004, 03:21 PM

I also had a raccoon/dog food problem. I stopped putting out dog food and they just moved next door to my neighbor's veggie garden, complete with pond.
After my dog got shredded by a cornered 'coon, ODFW told my wife that raccoons don't have saliva glands and they prefer juicy fruits and veggies or food near a water source. My neighbor had both, and we had 'coons by the dozen, especially in late summer.

willametteriveroutlaw · 02-01-2004, 12:14 AM

Farm 5,
I have to disagree, we as humans, have the capability to mold our enviroments as we see fit. My dad could proably just get rid of his chickens, or teach them that raccoons want to eat them

, but we find it easier to just shoot the offending raccoon, coyote, possum, or skunk. After we had shot about 10 or so coons, and a couple of yotes, we haven't had anymore chickens dissappearing. :smile:
I have found the best way to get rid of them is to catch em in a live trap and put them in a 5 trash can full of water. Alot of Raccoons in the South Valley have Distemper so be careful handling your trap.
If you have a skunk problem, set the trap where you have an open shot at the skunk w/out him seeing you (dead skunk, not much stink) CB caps are very quiet and as long as you are a capable shot and safe, you can make them dissappear. They aren't endangered and you aren't threatening a population. Besides that you wouldn't want somone dumping a problem critter in your backyard, would ya? [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

[ 02-02-2004, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: willametteriveroutlaw ]

MasterCaster · 02-01-2004, 01:14 AM

Ryan,

You need to teach me how to shoot a skunk without it stinking lol I have shot 2 in the past few days right in the head. Dead in one shot and yet the stink still "leaked out" all over after they were dead.

As for the coons I would say use some cut up apple. Im sure there are more than one around but hopefully its just a small family group or something and after you get rid of them hopefully no more will return for awhile if your lucky.

Jon :smile: :grin: :smile:

SLEDDER · 02-01-2004, 05:48 AM

Mastercaster, The skunks do smell after being shot dead, but not near as bad as if they were alive. The smell you catch as you drive by a squished skunk on the road is nothing. As a kid, when I trapped I was sprayed several times . The stuff will blind you, and give you a real good head ache. It is amazingly strong. WRO said "not stink much" He is right, compared to what they can smell like. It pays to be accurate! :grin:

wade · 02-01-2004, 08:23 AM

I had a family of raccoons eating my chickens a few years ago. I tried the live trap using tuna, dog and cat food, jelly, bass, I even used a whole dead chicken! Nothing worked that I tried, although I did discover a few feral cats. Then the killing just stopped. I have an acquaintance that insists grapes are the best for coon traps.

Kevin

Chrome Bumper · 02-02-2004, 07:25 AM

We have a big coon in the yard. We gave up on keeping chickens and don't leave cat food out over night. Kind of neat seeing them right at the back door, cute fellas. They haven't bugged our cats to much. Having them in the attic would be unacceptable though.

02-02-2004, 07:59 AM

My "Live Trap" has solid sides. When I catch a skunk I fill the trap with water and drown it, no spraying. When I catch a coon I put the trap in my truck and drive to the high end part of town and release it :grin: Cats get turned loose at home.

We have chickens but raccoons are rarely a problem. Our biggest problem is loose running domestic dogs, they get shot on sight by me or several of my neighbors. Skunks like to den up under the house and spray so they get killed.

Grantspastor · 02-02-2004, 08:07 AM

Expensive exotic fish in a decorative pond in your yard work REALLY well as coon bait!

jokester · 02-02-2004, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Expensive exotic fish in a decorative pond in your yard work REALLY well as coon bait!

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">LOL

I've heard that will work too GP!
:grin:
-jokester

periwinkle · 02-02-2004, 04:49 PM

Very funny Pastor ----- A neighbor on the next block had such a pond. Fist a heron flew in and cleaned out the exotic fish. So he put a net over it and restocked. Mr coon then cleaned him out. I suggested he put a caiman in the pond :grin: .

So I'm going to make a smorgasbord of cat food, tuna, p'butter, jelly, and pigeon egg. I just need to get some balloons.. Do those work for 410's also Sledder?

Thanks for suggestions..........will let you know if I succeed..

Grip It-N-Rip It · 02-12-2004, 05:06 PM

there is another way you are forgetting. It is sweet tasting and many animals love the taste. It makes no noise and no mess as the animal usually gets away before it realizes there may be a problem. It is called anti freeze. Just make sure all of your pets cant get to it or they to will become a memory. I only use this on the worst problem and as a last resort. I know it is mean but so is letting your dog out to roam through everyones trash so you dont have to feed it.
Fish eggs might work also for your bait forlive traps

B-run · 02-13-2004, 07:11 PM

Yall wanna come over to my house this summer for a coon hunt?
Lost a nice 24" sturgeon and 8 koi along with numerous crawdads to the beggars.
Caught a few live trapping and transported them to my moms farm 20 miles away.
But they keep coming and coming and.....
They were established here before I was, but please gimme a break!
Caught a fatty in my drift boat the other morn @ 5 am sniffin out some sand shrimp.
Threw a rod holder at the bandit.
PS tried the antifreeze, along with tinfoil in my coyote traps, they have walked over both to get into the pond to awake me at 3 am to the sound of blood curling screams and shale rock clanking.
Too bad I can't respond with a B80 auto.
Lord I miss the farm.

[ 02-13-2004, 08:16 PM: Message edited by: B-run ]

GOT2FISH · 02-13-2004, 09:53 PM

I've heard cat food works

Spotted Owl · 02-16-2004, 04:04 PM

canned cat food and bacon works for us in the live trap. Wet canned cat food mixed up with cooked and/or uncooked bacon pieces. Works good for skunks to so when you check the trap come up from behind and very slowly and quietly.

Chrome Bumper · 02-17-2004, 09:11 AM

Those extra short 22s don't make much noise in a rifle. Our racoon sits on the porch with our cats waiting to get fed.

I try only to have food out during daylight to co-exist with the natives. If he gets aggressive, bye-bye

Miss B Haven · 02-17-2004, 09:20 AM

I always thought that full garbage cans were the best Coon bait. Amazing how they know it's the day before the garbage man comes.

I've seen them tip the cans over and get all the garbage out (doesn't take them long to re-decorate the entire yard) and the lid is still double bungie cord'd on the can. Can you picture one or two coons holding the lid open while another one goes in and pulls the garbage out? :grin: