GOT HIM!! But there is another...

[tellynpeep]

It is illegal to release a predator anywhere other than the exact place that it was trapped.

Not necessarily. I checked with F&G when I recently caught a fox. They gave me specific areas I could release it legally and told me how far I needed to take it to make sure it didn't return. Actually, I had two friends who were happy to come shoot it if and when I did trap this animal. Unfortunately they were both out of town this week, and I don't have a gun (or the killer instinct to dispatch the critter.)

I agree with the previous comment that drowning is NOT a humane way to kill.

 

[tellynpeep]

I would have thought my coop was pretty darn secure, Jak. Hardware cloth and fencing on the run... But one weak spot, and BAM, lost all my silkies yesterday to a coon. Turns out now that this is a trap smart coon. It managed to eat the bait in the trap and not get caught. It was a pretty good size turkey leg... Now what do I do? Hmmm. I guess I will just let it go, and hope it doesn't find another weak spot that I don't know about.

Yeah right. I will set that darn trap again, only this time, I might add a little poison to the trap and tell my neighbor to keep his cat inside.

edited by staff

Poisoning is not the way to go. WAY too many non-target animals can be exposed. A better option I've read about: try tying that turkey leg to the back of the trap with some monofilament. Then when the coon has to wrestle with it to get it free it will undoubtedly trigger the trap. Good luck with this one..

 

[slabcrappy]

Today's coon is no longer with us.

 

[pomchick3]

I have had chickens for years and years. My Mom and Dad raised them most places we lived so I grew up with them as pets. In our current location I have had flocks of RIR's (LOVED THEM), PWL's (NOT SO MUCH) and Barred Rocks with a few Coo Coo Marans thrown in (LOVED THOSE TOO). We had coons bad and catching and killing then did not even seem to put a dent in the population. We reinforced the chicken house often but it was an older building and the coons would chew or pull wood away to get in. Our county Agent said coons here (Alabama) live in families of as much as 20 and hunt together in packs .So we gave what was left of our flock away 3 years ago. Let me say I WAS NOT HAPPY WITHOUT CHICKENS ! But about a month ago we got sex link day old chicks from Murry McMurry. I have always wanted sex linked chickens! We had covered a short 4 foot dog run with 1 inch chicken wire and covered it to keep them in until we could finish the big run. We are still working on the big kennel run and added it to our old playhouse and have added wire and are completing a wire roof on the run too. I hope we can beat the coons this time.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Pomchick I hope you are using welded wire nd not chicken wire for the run, those coons can go right through it.....have you ever asked around for a coons hunter? That can really work wonders on balancing the ecosystem, the other critters will thank you

 

[slabcrappy]

I have had chickens for years and years. My Mom and Dad raised them most places we lived so I grew up with them as pets. In our current location I have had flocks of RIR's (LOVED THEM), PWL's (NOT SO MUCH) and Barred Rocks with a few Coo Coo Marans thrown in (LOVED THOSE TOO). We had coons bad and catching and killing then did not even seem to put a dent in the population. We reinforced the chicken house often but it was an older building and the coons would chew or pull wood away to get in. Our county Agent said coons here (Alabama) live in families of as much as 20 and hunt together in packs .So we gave what was left of our flock away 3 years ago. Let me say I WAS NOT HAPPY WITHOUT CHICKENS ! But about a month ago we got sex link day old chicks from Murry McMurry. I have always wanted sex linked chickens! We had covered a short 4 foot dog run with 1 inch chicken wire and covered it to keep them in until we could finish the big run. We are still working on the big kennel run and added it to our old playhouse and have added wire and are completing a wire roof on the run too. I hope we can beat the coons this time.

Boy, I wish you luck with this run of chicks and victory over the coons. My chicks from McMurray were awesome. Although I have not had any predatory problems/deaths from coons, I agree with the other poster, use hardwire cloth. it is more expensive, but worth it from what I hear. the coons I am trapping, have been checking my handiwork for the last year since I gave the girls run of the back yard. They have never gotten a hold of any of my girls, but they were waiting for me to make an error.

That is really wild about the numbers of coons there in Alabama and the hunting packs of them. I never knew they do that. I have seen packs of up to 6 while bowhunting, but that is rare and only 6, 20 coons hunting together is crazy!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I've had eight show up at once-the ones I could see anyway...had to balance things a bit.

 

[NovaAman]

Poisoning is not the way to go. WAY too many non-target animals can be exposed. A better option I've read about: try tying that turkey leg to the back of the trap with some monofilament. Then when the coon has to wrestle with it to get it free it will undoubtedly trigger the trap. Good luck with this one..

I wouldn't poison... I was just angry when I typed that... I have a bunch of stray critters around that I really enjoy seeing. I am getting a Duke dog proof coon trap this weekend at our MI Chickenstock!

It has not been back yet, but I think though that it will, even after its adventure with the live trap. None of the chickens will even go anywhere need the coop where the massacre occurred. I hope moving it to a new location will work.

 

[bloonskiller911]

got two large sows last night

 

[slabcrappy]

got two large sows last night

Right on!! I have not set the trap for the last few nights. It has been in the 90's here for the last few days so I have not tried to trap the cat that killed 2 of my chicks. The Fancy Feast would go bad really fast, but there is cold front coming in starting tomorrow so I am going to try to get it. As foar as the coons, we haven't seen any but that doesn't mean there aren't any. i am going to pick up a bag of marshmallows and try that again soon.