Raccoon + Havahart live traps... not working so well

After losing three more a week ago to, I suspected, raccoons, I bought a Havahart live trap that was advertised as useful for opossums, raccoons, etc.


Night 1: Baited with peanut butter- trap sprung, no raccoon
Night 2: Same
Night 2, Round 2 a couple hour later: Same
Night 3: Baited with a can of sardines- caught smallish female
Night 5: Baited with peanut butter- trap sprung, no raccoon


20% success rate = Failing grade


One time the trap was upside down. Every time the bait is consumed and most of the time the ground around the trap is shredded from claws digging and scratching. I've nailed the trap to a board, placed it on a sheet of plywood, run a section of rebar down through the top and into the ground to secure the trap, but they keep escaping.


Now the darn things have discovered my every ripening blackberries, ate them and broke up the cane.


*grrrrrrr*


I've thought of sleeping out on the trampoline with the .22 at my side and have not totally abandoned that plan but presently I am looking for trapper style traps. We have no dogs or cats in the neighborhood so I am not worried about catching the wrong animal.


What has worked for you in trapping?

Back when I was a kid, the best thing I ever used on a raccoon is a .20 gauge. I also got a couple with the business end of a shovel once.

First, try oiling the trap. Crud built up on the metal could prevent it from working. Of course, too much oil could cause it to spring at the slightest bump.

After many failed attempts and lots of wasted bait, I found the perfect plan...

Wire a wedge of watermelon to the end of the cage. This prevents them from reaching in and snatching it up and leaving without springing the trap. They have to scoot in closer to eat the fruit. My success rate shot way up after I did this.

What size trap are you using? If you have a large coon, he will be able to muscle his way out. This happened to me once, I heard the trap spring, saw I caught the raccoon, and my DH was going to take car of it in the morning (since it was 11p) By morning he was LONG gone. A larger trap work better to keep him in.

I would also wrap the trap in a tarp. They can reach in and take the bait without ever entering the trap.

Good luck!

Don't use a good tarp though, they will shred it.

I have a live trap but it is one of the guillotine types without springs and is very heavy. Got it at the feed store for about 100 and was for large coons/small dogs.

I've seen the havahart type at home depot with the slanted doors, and can imagine a large coon being able to easily get out of one if they are determined. Coons are pretty strong and witty. A once trapped coon is often one you'll have to get long range without trapping as they will figure out how to get bait without getting caught. I usually use marshmallows for bait. Wrapping the trap and securing it to plywood all sound like good ideas.

This has worked really good for me.

Something that worked for me, somewhat along the lines of the tarp comment. First, I attached the bottom of the trap to a sheet of plywood a little bigger than the trap. I drilled holes in the sheet of plywood and wired it to the plywood. Your nails to a board would work as well. Just details. It is something to steady the trap.

Then, I built a box to fit over the trap out of 1/2"plywood. It has a top and two sides, plus a back. It fits with about 1" or less clearance over and around the trap. It is not fastened to the trap or bottom plywood. The idea is that the only way the raccoon can get to the bait is to enter the trap. One was eating my blackberries and I got it the first night. For bait, I wrapped a little less than a teaspoon of peanut butter in a piece of paper towel and threw that in the back of the trap.

Another potential advantage to the box, other than he cannot shred it, is that if I catch a skunk, I have some protection.

I can't think of any predator, other than maybe a dog or cat, that would hesitate to go into a hole after food. Just make sure the box does not interfere with the trigger mechanism. It could with that guillotine type trap. My trap is 10" x 12" x 32" long.

Good luck!

Great Idea about the box and tarp. I guess another thing you might do is wire the sardines in the back of the trap on the top wire...upside down with the can lid peeled back a little - facing down into the cage. They'll have to go in and work for the sardines a little harder and it'll take a little longer. So, more opportunity to spring the trap. I like using sardines because they are so easy to smell - it gets their attention and draws them in. They sure can be crafty and destructive!
Good Luck...

Heard that the havahart trap doesn't work too well. Maybe you can borrow a better one from your animal control?