Best Bait for Raccoons?

[HippieAtHeart]

So about a year ago on a dreary day I watched as a raccoon walked from our front yard along the side to our back yard under our deck. We didn’t see him after that. Fast forward to a few days ago, about 4 days after our fence was installed in our back yard, it was another dreary day and out was our lovely raccoon friend wandering the fence looking very confused. He eventually went under our upper building I’m pretty sure. We set a live cage trap with an apple but no luck. From experience what is the best bait to use?
We are getting chickens most likely this weekend so the faster we can relocate the boogers the better.

 

[Punkybrewster]

Raccoons love sardines and canned cat food.

 

[reluctant farmer]

Ya, stinkier the better.

 

[HippieAtHeart]

Raccoons love sardines and canned cat food.

Good to know, thank you!

 

[neo71665]

My girls love oysters, sardines, and bananas

I might know a lil something or 2 about coons

 

[HippieAtHeart]

My girls love oysters, sardines, and bananas

I might know a lil something or 2 about coons

Oh my goodness they are so cute! If we catch it and relocate it, do you have any suggestions for keeping them away? We didn’t care before but don’t want them under our porch where I’m sure our chickens are going to want to be.

 

[Howard E]

Coons are only dangerous to chickens if you have failed to do your part to provide safe housing. I'm up to my neck in all manner of varmints and as a matter of course, I don't trap em, because I don't have to. If you are going to rely on trapping to save your birds, prepare for losses. Plus there is an endless supply of varmints always waiting their turn......so pack a lunch.......you are going to be at this for awhile.

Where trapping comes in is as a temporary solution to stop any carnage until you can get the security shored up.

And as for relocation........that ain't the solution.....for a lot of reasons, many of which are about to show up to help explain it. So in general, assumption should be if you trap it, you kill it.......and if you can't accept that......then don't trap it. Find another way......aka, Fort Knox housing.

But that isn't what you asked for help with.........if you insist on doing it your way.....dry cat food......if you want to turbocharge that, give it a whiff of bacon grease. Make a "bread crumb" like trail starting just outside the door.....a morsel here, a morsel there.....leading to a bigger pile scattered around at the back of the trap. Scatter it loose on the wire.....so each piece is beneath the wire.

 

[HippieAtHeart]

Coons are only dangerous to chickens if you have failed to do your part to provide safe housing. I'm up to my neck in all manner of varmints and as a matter of course, I don't trap em, because I don't have to. If you are going to rely on trapping to save your birds, prepare for losses. Plus there is an endless supply of varmints always waiting their turn......so pack a lunch.......you are going to be at this for awhile.

Where trapping comes in is as a temporary solution to stop any carnage until you can get the security shored up.

And as for relocation........that ain't the solution.....for a lot of reasons, many of which are about to show up to help explain it. So in general, assumption should be if you trap it, you kill it.......and if you can't accept that......then don't trap it. Find another way......aka, Fort Knox housing.

But that isn't what you asked with help for.........if you insist on doing it your way.....dry cat food......if you want to turbocharge that, give it a whiff of bacon grease. Make a "bread crumb" like trail starting just outside the door.....a morsel here, a morsel there.....leading to a bigger pile scattered around at the back of the trap. Scatter it loose on the wire.....so each piece is beneath the wire.

I will take all that into consideration. My husband wants to kill it if we trap it, I just am not into that. My main concern with leaving it is that I have my backyard fenced in now so I was going to plan on this year just having a secure coop, no run, letting them “free range” in my backyard and work in the fall at building one to switch them to. If they are wandering around my backyard I’ve learned they really like to go under porches and if the raccoon is under there won’t it just pick them off one by one during the day?

 

[neo71665]

Coons are only dangerous to chickens if you have failed to do your part to provide safe housing. I'm up to my neck in all manner of varmints and as a matter of course, I don't trap em, because I don't have to. If you are going to rely on trapping to save your birds, prepare for losses. Plus there is an endless supply of varmints always waiting their turn......so pack a lunch.......you are going to be at this for awhile.

Where trapping comes in is as a temporary solution to stop any carnage until you can get the security shored up.

And as for relocation........that ain't the solution.....for a lot of reasons, many of which are about to show up to help explain it. So in general, assumption should be if you trap it, you kill it.......and if you can't accept that......then don't trap it. Find another way......aka, Fort Knox housing.

But that isn't what you asked with help for.........if you insist on doing it your way.....dry cat food......if you want to turbocharge that, give it a whiff of bacon grease. Make a "bread crumb" like trail starting just outside the door.....a morsel here, a morsel there.....leading to a bigger pile scattered around at the back of the trap. Scatter it loose on the wire.....so each piece is beneath the wire.

Couldn't have said it much better. We don't relocate. I grew up hunting, trapping, and selling the furs. I also like BBQ coon.

I'll only add to keep them away you have to make sure you don't give them a reason to be there. Hard to do with a big cage of an easy meal but main thing to do is keep everything clean. Coons look for easy food. Keep lids on trash cans and don't throw scraps out in the yard. Limit an easy food supply and they will go elsewhere to look for it.

 

[Wetmorechick]

They love a little peanut butter on bread!!!!