Coon b gone...

[mjuenem]

Got one last night with air gun. Sucker came up on the deck while I was sitting inside watching TV. Slider open screen closed - he didn't care. First time when I got up to go get the gun he ran down the steps and disappeared into the woods. An hour later after I had fetched the gun and everything was ready, he showed back up.....mistake!

 

[La_TomboyGirl]

I GOTTEM!!!

Yay! I wired that tuna can down & hid the trap in between some sterlite-tote nestboxes that I have in the pen just to give the girls new & interesting places to lay. I even put one on top of the trap. Just went out there & there he is....THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FOR ALL THE HELPFUL ADVICE/TIPS!!!

 

[Tala]

Quote:
if it wasn't staked they weren't trying to get in, they wanted out! Ruts around the trap mean the animal was inside and escaped. Raccoons, possums and skunks stick their fingers through the wires and dig around the trap trying to escape. You may have a trap-savvy predator now.

And buying tuna or sardines every trip to the grocery store gets old, IMO. I buy a 3lb bag of store brand cat food and it lasts and lasts if you just use a small sprinkling for bait. It's definitely smelly-enough to attract them. I've caught a plethora of raccoons, 2 foxes, several possums, a couple of skunks and occasionally domestic cats.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Id say the marks outside that trap indicate they are already saavy and worked out how to get the can or bait from the outside.

We dont stake cage traps, we wedge them in with heavy limbs that force our target to use the opening.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
An air gun will kill a raccoon?
What kind?
I'm in the burbs and can't use a real gun. And have a trap savvy raccoon after my chickens.

TIA

Imp

 

[bryan99705]

Quote:
An air gun will kill a raccoon?
What kind?
I'm in the burbs and can't use a real gun. And have a trap savvy raccoon after my chickens.

TIA

Imp

They aren't cheap but there are all kinds available advertised in PREDATOR magazine and those type of magazines or just google air rifles or pellet rifles

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
if it wasn't staked they weren't trying to get in, they wanted out! Ruts around the trap mean the animal was inside and escaped. Raccoons, possums and skunks stick their fingers through the wires and dig around the trap trying to escape. You may have a trap-savvy predator now.

And buying tuna or sardines every trip to the grocery store gets old, IMO. I buy a 3lb bag of store brand cat food and it lasts and lasts if you just use a small sprinkling for bait. It's definitely smelly-enough to attract them. I've caught a plethora of raccoons, 2 foxes, several possums, a couple of skunks and occasionally domestic cats.

to "spike" the cat food fish oil works well

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Not necessarily. Every time I catch a raccoon they dig a "mote" around the trap trying to get out --- then I have to dump all that dirt out of the trap before re-setting it so that the trip plate will work again. The last time I trapped a skunk it also dug a small "mote" but just not as deep compared to raccoons. Sometimes possums dig, sometimes they just curl up and sleep.
Sometimes when I approach I see the digging around the trap before I see the contents of the trap, but I already know there's something in there.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Oh ive seen them scratch through the trap as well, but ive never had a coon get out of a box trap as stated....and im well over a few 1000 coons caught LOL! Caught one that was so big it couldnt get out (big coon tried squeezing into a trap sized for skunk.) Its rear legs got wedged but its butt and tail were swingin in the breeze.

Also shot one that was asleep on top of the trap. It had triggered the trap before it entered, worked pretty hard at getting the bait and I figure it was satisfied and took a siesta. Thats why I dig and set bait in holes under the trap and block access to the sides.....they can work all they want, but that bait can only be accessed from inside.

 

[mjuenem]

Quote:
It's a Beeman. Purchased at Walmart. One pump - 1000 feet per second. It came with a scope and 2 barrels (.177 and .22). I only use the .22 caliber barrel. First shot (somewhere around the neck) slowed him way down, he then opened his mouth and barred his teeth so the next shot went right in...