What is the best bait for raccoons in a live trap?

[zebralady]

Neighbor has a HUGE raccoon problem in her coop. She is using a large live trap. (I have recommended a dukes trap) What is the best bait to use? She has tried raw pork chop, wet cat food, dry cat food, live rats, eggs, cooked bacon, and honey. Any other suggestions. Still NO luck!!!! she is down to 1 chicken, 1 quail, a few ducks, and a goose.....any ideas would be eagerly accepted and tried. Thank you so much!! (Oh, I think she has tried both covering and uncovering the trap as well)

 

[Mehjr10]

When you catch one Dispatch it. Don't release it somewhere to be another persons problem... All of mine get a 22 short or CB cap to the head, others may stick the cage and all in water. This may offend some people but it offends me more when they are killing chickens.

 

[thomasboyle]

I have had great success with marshmallows. I take an empty tuna can, punch two holes in the bottom with a screwdriver and zip tie the can to the floor of the cage, so the raccoon cannot reach in from the sides or top and grab it. I put 7-8 large marshmallows in the can, stuffed tightly together so they won't come out easily. Have caught many raccoons with this method. Happy trapping!

 

[Mehjr10]

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?tabid=5674

The last paragraph on Raccoons

"Nuisance or sick raccoons may be trapped without a permit, but it is illegal to live trap and relocate them to a new area. In order to prevent the possible spread of raccoon diseases in Ohio, all live trapped raccoons must be released again on the homeowner's property or humanely euthanized. Consult your district wildlife office for further information."

It would not make much sense to release them on your property again after catching them, So IMO do as Troy would say Chootem.

 

[keirys]

I am learning about this too so I do not have any information to offer, just a question to add to this... What are we legally allowed to do with the racoons once we catch them if they have been a eating our livestock?

kill it !!!

 

[JackE]

kill it !!!

X2

 

[Ted n Ms]

For a live trap use corn. For Duke's trap use a marshmallow.

 

[Wrooster]

As far as I know it is now illegal in all 50 states to live trap a raccoon and then release it in any location except where it was originally trapped. So what is the purpose of using a live trap on coons?...........

Live traps are easier to buy - I don't think our Tractor Supply sells leg-hold or anything similar. They are more versatile - you can always make the animal in a live trap dead but you can't bring a dead one back to life. They don't kill the neighbor's cat by mistake (whether that's a good idea or not). You don't have to negotiate with soft-hearted members of the family before putting the trap out. And in many jurisdictions, lethal or leg-hold are not legal.

Trap-and-release is a mistake on several levels in my opinion. Trap and execute does the job and doesn't make permanent mistakes.

 

[Wrooster]

.... I have a problem with killing one of God's creatures just because I don't want it around......

So do I, but Man has tampered with what was provided for him and must assume some responsibility. We have created the conditions that let raccoons, coyotes, coywolves and deer, to mention a few, flourish without natural predators. Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is to asume the role of the predator in keeping a population under control, whether you eat the "prey" or not.

 

[REDNECK TRAPPER]

I use canned cat food and it works good. Coons need to be managed because they kill wood ducks and songbirds and livestock.