catching a raccoon?

[KingsCalls]

My vote is for Shootin' em..........I tried the trap thing, it only works for a little while. It's like one of them figures it out and goes back and tells all the rest! I had to talk to the Wildlife guys first and explain the situation because they did not want me shooting them. After I explained that my ducks are not $2.00 ducks and I had a right to protect my property then they kinda understood. They just said, "they didn't want to know about it"

 

[foxtrapper]

As one who lives out in the "greenways", I certainly will not appreciate you dropping the coon off on me. My poultry is no less valuable than yours.

That said, I'd suggest switching traps. Go buy something like the little griz. Baited sweetly, it works wonderfully.

Back to the cage trap (I presume that's what you're using), many of them can be rather interesting to deal with when they contain a beligerant raccoon.

 

[Renegade]

You should never "rehome" a racoon. You will just be pawning your problem off on someone else. Racoons are also known to carry rabies. I know in Georgia it is against the law to relocate them. I spoke with the county wildlife agent last year when we had a problem. He told me to shoot them.

Donna

 

[bobeena]

Oh good lord, somebody mentioned RATS. I don't even want to read the word. Well I heard the raccoon a few nights (I remember what they sound like from childhood), so I figured it was still the coon coming, but who knows. Great suggestions -- thank you everyone.

Apparently (so said the hardware store guy who sold us both the chicks and the trap), our city requires some kind of trapping license if you do this yourself and are foolhardy enough to alert the authorities. (Also we are not certain of the rules on chickens here and are working on a 'don't ask, don't tell//pay the neighbors off in eggs' philosophy.)

He recommended drowning the trap and the raccoon inside. However, we are trying to do this with as few casualties as possible, haha. I find it hard to even get my arm inside this trap to wire the food...but will try again and use firmer bait, cover the trap, weight the trap and hope for the best.

I appreciate everyone making time to offer suggestions. Thanks again!

 

[ivan3]

I find it hard to even get my arm inside this trap to wire the food...

Please check pages 10&11 of this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=18496​