Cant catch this predator, Updated last post

[Joyryder]

So sorry you lost a duck.
Maybe its the size of the trap. A raccoon trap is too big for a weasel and visa versa.
I remember some one saying tuna fish makes a great bait.
Good Luck

 

[AHappychick]

Ok to yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening making covering a dog kennel with 1/2 inch hardware cloth and burying it 14 inches down and having it 4 feet above. I added a huge plastic dog house and feeder and waterer and put the ducks in there for the night. I knew they were safe.

Then I set up that poison again in the original duck pen. I put down a plastic shower curtain held down by big rocks and then added 3 heaping tablespoons of that Goldin stuff and some home made preserves in a empty cat food can. I then placed that on top of the curtain on the ground in the middle and put an old cat litter tray over it with a rock lifting up one corner. This way whatever it was would have to lift the tray to get to the poison and if it rained the poison would not get wet. The hopes was that whatever was getting in would consume all of the food and then die preferably on the shower curtain to limit any exposure to this horrible poison to my ground.

Anyway it was undisturbed. But the garbage bag I put the left over duck carcass was ripped into (it was picked clean so I did not think anything else would bother it) . and worst of all my outdoor cat Pudus is missing. he is never missing.

WHAT ON EARTH is lurking on my property???? I have an old nanny cam I am going to try to set up today.

I ordered some traps and my friend is bringing me his 2 later today.

I am so confused... I live right outside the city, I know there are red fox, hawks, owls, possum, coons, and a few coyotes but maybe there is a bob cat or fisher cat??? Maybe it is a mutant coon with super powers

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know which predator it is. If you have the Have-A-Heart trap that is open on both ends, close one of the ends. You'd be surprised how much that helps in the trap rate.

A trap-savvy critter is rough and you do need the right size trap for a critter. You might try leaving some slightly damp fresh raked dirt around the bait to see if you can get a footprint to help identify it. Finding out which predator you are dealing with is a huge step in the right direction, both in size of trap and the right bait.

I have had some success by wiring the bottom of the live trap to a piece of plywood to stabilize it keep it upright. Then I built a box to set over it with the only opening in the box at the trap entrance. The only way the critter can get to the bait is to go in from the front. It may not work with a trap savvy critter, but who knows.

I'm glad you recognize the difficulties in discharging some guns in certain situations. That has special meaning to me since a friend's son lost a knee and a college football scholarship due to a shotgun blast riccochet. That said, a pellet gun may work or even a bow and hunting arrow if you catch it in a leg trap.

Good luck. These situations are frustrating.

 

[bobbi-j]

Coyotes will eat cats.

 

[yotetrapper]

Ok. First, you do realize that if you set that 220 in your pen you WILL kill your chickens if any can in anyway get near it, right??

If you are certain your chickens can't get to it, it may work, but I have my doubts a coon will go for it once it's in the pen. It's gonna be on high alert in the pen, and reluctant to stick it's head in the trap. The trap would work fine outside of the pen, in a bucket with fish, but it again WILL KILL any cat or dog that happens by.

As for dispatching a coon in a foot trap without a gun, a baseball bat does work fine, but if you can't do that... You can get a 4' hunk of hollow sturdy pipe and run a doubled up length of strong thing nylon rope through it. At one end of the pipe you'd then have two loose ends of rope, and at the other end, a loop. That loop can then be placed over the trapped coon head, and pulled tight by pulling the strings on the other end. This works great if you have a helper, but can be done alone. Using the pipe to hold the coon away from you, step on the levers of the trap to release it, and stick your coon on pole into a cage or your box trap. Close the door, and then let go one of your loose ends of rope and pull the other end to take the rope off it's neck. Drown as planned.

For coon, the 220 bodygrip is the size you want. For footholds, go with a 1.5 coilspring.

For trappinig supplies (including ready-made catch poles like the one I just described making) check out http://www.minntrapprod.com/ They're about the cheapest company, with the best selection and quickest shipping.

 

[mandyplo]

Okay I must say im a little disturbed.. You don't want to be cruel, but you are willing, and have before, drowned the predator? I'm sorry but that is cruel, just as cruel as a pitchfork / baseball bat.. And to the person who suggested a hose with car fumes? Also, JUST as cruel.. Since you can't shoot it because of where you are located, then If you do ever get the thing in a trap, then just kill it FAST with an axe or hatchet :S That isn't cruel, well I mean any way of killing an animal is cruel.. but atleast its fast, they don't suffer AT ALL, they will die instantly and if you want, do it over your shower curtain so you have no mess to clean up -.-

.. I hope you know that drowning them, which is what seems like you have been doing, is most definitely cruel and you put that animal through quite a bit of suffering when you do that.

I'm on your side and understand you want your ducks and chickens to be safe, as I would too, I do everything I can to keep my pets out of harm, but you can do it in a humane way, and please think about that when trying to get rid of your predators.

Seriously. Trap / Relocate yourself, or Trap & Hatchet / axe, or poison or shoot.

No pitchfork No drowning No car fumes No mutilating No baseball bat..

Thanks and hope you can get rid of your predator and save your kitty & other aminals<3

 

[chicknmania]

Why dont you just predator proof your pen, put your birds in it, and forget it. Leg traps are illegal here. They are incredibly cruel, as is poison. You don't even know what you're poisoning. There is no point in trying to kill every predator under the sun.

I'm gonna get off here before I go any further.

 

[yotetrapper]

Quote:
Wow what a bunch of misinformed people on this thread. Foot traps are not illegal in OH, in fact Ohio has a very large population of trappers, and last year was the state the hosted the National Trappers Association 50th Annual convention. Ohio has pretty liberal trapping laws, as far as some states go, and foottraps are most definitely legal there, LOL, I know many trappers from Ohio.

I am against poison myself, as too many other critters can get into it. We do use rat poison, but try to keep it in tight places that (hopefully) only a rat could get into. Someone suggested relocatinig, but I'm assuming the OP since she seems sensible, knows better than to do that, as it is cruel to release an animal into another's territory, wrong to make your problem someone elses, and illegal in most if not all states.

I suppose an axe could be used, but I never have as I've always saved the pelts, and I betcha I could put down a coon as quick with a bat as you could with an axe. One whack and he never knew what hit him.

Drowning is also an age old method of putting down unwanted critters. The Best Management Practices (BMP) found it to be a humane method of dispatch.

 

[rcentner]

predator proof your chickens, after learning the hard way about fox and bear, that is the only choice. Rebuild the coop if you have to. no holes...none what so ever. the entire coop must be locked down at night with no entries. Must require thumbs to open

( I am screwed if a monkey/chimp wanted in my coop, lol)
the other choice is a rifle and practice shooting it.
that's how I see it around my way

 

[AHappychick]

As I mentioned poisons were placed INSIDE the coop/pen so only the predator getting in would be able to reach it not some innocent one. I locked the coops back up so nothing could just wander in.

Drowning works best for me and is far less cruel than one would think, fact is killing in any way is cruel by definition and always my last resort.

I believe this coon is trap savvy probably from a catch and release now I am dealing with a coon that knows how to keep from getting caught in it.

As for my coops, all of the chicken coops are tight and secure, it is the duck pen that has flaws. Flaws which I am trying to fix but please understand I have hot wire, harware cloth, and everything to make it secure, it is accessing through the top, the pen is so large though that I am struggling with being able to afford to fix it perfectly at this time. I have contacted a friend who will help me run more electric fencing up at the top as well. Obviously this is not ideal but I have a lot of personal financial dificulties at the moment which are making this take longer than I would like.

As I also mentioned the ducks are safe in a new pen that is compleatly predator proof, but the original pen has a fresh running stream which they bathe and drink from and is better in the long run for them to live in.

As far as my cat he returned so I feel better about that.

As far as being cruel well I have spent considerable time, money and effort healing and raising all sorts of creatures my whole life I am not cruel, I am realistic though and have learned that at times when dealing with Mother Nature one has to be just as firm as she is.