Raccoons Coming During Rains

[neo71665]

Like me some Orschlens, wish they would come further down south. Then again I don't think ya'll guys got Atwoods up in yankeeville.

 

[Howard E]

Turns out that Missouri is not only infested with coons, but also with outfits that make coon traps. These two only 30 miles apart.......Union and Warrenton.

For a pull only trigger.....

http://trapsusa.com/

For a trap with push / pull ring style trigger.....

http://suddenvalleysupply.com/product-category/traps-and-snares/dog-proof-traps/

The latter you can find retail at Charlies Hardware in Wentzville.

Main reason for the pull only trigger is if you are trapping in a populated area with dogs and cats running around. When I got these, I worked both over pretty good with a corn cob. If you jabbed at it long enough, you could eventually get a pull only trigger to fire, but it wasn't easy. The push / pull trigger would fire at first touch.

You can also filter what you catch by the bait you use. But even if you do snag a dog or cat, they are unharmed and can be released.

 

[Matejka]

Biggins (at least 2) and proving hard to get. Primary target has been sweet corn, but tonight gamecock. Trap line of dog proof traps (4 units) baited using sweet corn kernels was passed up. Rain heavy, like I am soaked after 30 seconds. Dogs penned to prevent them from cleaning traps or running off coons not yet trapped. Game cameras show both those go on. I was asleep at 0220 when dogs started chuffing then when balistic trying to get passed door. I got up with flashlight and out barefooted and shirtless to release them. Soon as rounded house corner I could hear rooster squalling (raccoons had him and trying to pull him through pen) and another step I could see at least two adult raccoons with flashlight. Dogs had gone silent and were almost on raccoons when bolted and went into the heavy brush. Dogs were briefly fighting at least one raccoon as all ran down the hill. Underbrush too heavy and everything to wet. The raccoons got away and would not tree, or at least dogs could not line them out if the did. Rain real heavy and I cannot see my feet in the stuff. German Pointer got dinged up a little, but I think that may have been caused by the very thorny vines. I can see no actual wounds on her. She is licking legs and shoulders a lot. We may have gotten into nettles too. If so, then I just got into the edge of them. Also must remember not to leave muck boots at work.

Rooster released from pen so he can be taken into core area. He would not let me pick him up so he had to walk with dogs back to garage on his own. He followed light beam real well. Long walk in the rain. Garage door open so he could walk in and jump up on a cooler. He is too wet to fly. He will be tended to at dawn. Right now he is not keen on being handled.

Tomorrow a second trap line will be set further down the hill and baited with protein / fat rich materials. Pathway will have to be mowed so I can run traps even when raining like last couple nights. It is no fun trying to fight way through very wet and often thorny vegetation when rain already so high you cannot see. These raccoons I want to kill rather than simply run off. They have been coming in whenever we get a couple night of heavy rain and dogs cannot cut them off from woods or culvert between house and woods.

I may setup hot-wire as well. Too many patches to adequately defend from raccoons. Next year corn will be planted closer to apple orchard. They must know all the corn patches in the county.

Sounds like you had a busy, frustrating, miserable night.
Nettles are no fun.
Barefoot outside--anytime-is not good.
More traps-try marshmallows.
Keep digilent-you'll get um

 

[svh]

I saw a dog on a trail cam, set off a Dukes by pawing at the trigger ..... He even got the top off, and was sticking his tongue down the hole !!! Luckily for the dog, he had already sprung the trap.

That could have been quite a surprise for the dog, if it was a push pull !

Part of me wanted to see the K9 get snapped ..... He was a (not well liked) neighbors dog, and was about a mile from home, and was a major PITA to me and my animals, going onto other peoples ground, and threatening people, and animals alike.

Despite being aware of his dogs wanderings, the owner did nothing to stop this behavior.

That dog "disappeared" one day .....

That being said, I still would like to modify half of my Dukes, and compare results. I've never used a push / pull.

 

[centrarchid]

More fun just before a made short jaunt to work to open up. As son and I ran trap line with dogs, fox came in behind us and went after Aseel chicks. I do not know how long fox invested in effort but could only see hen trying to flog fox through wire. Fox wanted her. Dogs were on it in a flash running fox off hard. It sounded like they almost got him.

When son and I looked for chicks we could find none. Son assumed complete loss. Not enough time for fox to catch all. We looked all over for about 5 minutes and found none. So I said let hen out so she would calm down and start clucking. As soon as she started clucking the chicks started coming out of grass. Some more than 30 away. Lost only one.

All three broody hens at house now penned up with broods over flat cock pens that have been pulled together.

 

[centrarchid]

My son wants to help make a nasty trash panda bait made from black licorice and sardines. Traps will be arranged in two lines, first of three along route we are pretty sure they take from woods to south. The other made up of four is very close to southern row of pens along path between house and barn.

Bait ingredients will be minced and mixed so as to make boy want to puke. The bait will be applied to traps and immediate surroundings. Dogs will again be penned to allow raccoons time to check out traps. All chickens will be penned at dark. Young (juvenile) birds currently out foraging to clean up spilled feed.

 

[centrarchid]

Traps armed and baited. Both my kids got a kick out of the whole process. Bait is truly nasty, yet chickens and dogs had to be denied access to it. At first the chickens had no interest in the licorice, then they did. Female English Shepherd had to be confined as she was going hardcore after the sardines.

 

[Matejka]

Traps armed and baited. Both my kids got a kick out of the whole process. Bait is truly nasty, yet chickens and dogs had to be denied access to it. At first the chickens had no interest in the licorice, then they did. Female English Shepherd had to be confined as she was going hardcore after the sardines.

Ok. So it's morning now, how are/did traps work?

 

[centrarchid]

Ok. So it's morning now, how are/did traps work?

Nothing. No critters came into range of cameras either. It rained heavily for a couple hours. I got total of 3 hours sleep so not account now.

 

[Matejka]

Nothing. No critters came into range of cameras either. It rained heavily for a couple hours. I got total of 3 hours sleep so not account now.

Well, naptime it is. The only thing I know for sure about predators is
THEY WILL COME BACK
so you'll get another chance. Sleep while the enemy sleeps (if you can)
Good luck!