Help trapping a raccoon?

[Skye'sDucks]

One of my main worries of predators right now is a raccoon. We had a problem with a raccoon and her three babies, which were half grown, several months ago before my ducklings hatched, but they eventually left our yard alone.

And guess what? Months without a sign of a raccoon, days after my babies hatched, one has appeared again. We don't have cameras set up, but I have seen tracks and leaves have been all dug up. We have a wire trap we bait with cat food, but the few times we have actually caught a raccoon they have somehow escaped.

Another problem we have is that these past few days the raccoon has been in our yard at night, it hasn't even set the trap off.
So my question was, is there a better type of bait (food?) that I can use? Is there a better type of trap that we can try to use? My two coops are safe and secure for both my drake and my hen and her ducklings, but still I worry.

And yeah, I know we could always contact a trapper, my mom has looked into it before but she wants to see if we could catch it on our own first.

 

[CarleeAnn]

By wire trap, do you mean like a trip wire or a loop wire? I would use a live trap (if that’s not what you’re using already).

Here’s a link to one from Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Oxgord-H...54462&wl11=online&wl12=48095851&wl13=&veh=sem

A little costly, but it’s reusable and great to have around. My neighbors have one that I can borrow if need be, maybe if you don’t want to buy one you could ask around to see if someone would lend it to you?

Wet cat food should work fine! Maybe throw in some other smelly meats and old veggies. Fish perhaps?

Good luck! I hope your babies stay safe!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Use a Duke type trap and bait with marshmallows...

They figured out your trap and it won't likely be very successful for future catches with that coon family.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

When you say wire trap are you speaking of a live trap? Is your trap big enough? Maybe some hotdogs or tuna in addition to the cat food? But, my fil is pretty successful with live traps and cat food.

 

[Tesumph]

Duke dogproof coon traps. Look into it. I’ve always used the standard pressure plate live traps with tuna and shot them after trapping, but apparently these duke DP traps are the way to go.
You’re supposed to bait them without setting them for a while with marshmallows so they get used to it. They only get trapped by the hand, supposedly it’s foolproof, and then you shoot them.

Edit: Beaten to it, haha.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Noting... DON'T trap if you can't dispatch.

Relocating (mentioned in that video) is not only illegal in most cases... it is also inhumane and a really bad idea.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Noting... DON'T trap if you can't dispatch.

Relocating (mentioned in that video) is not only illegal in most cases... it is also inhumane and a really bad idea.

FWC (Florida) will fine you or incarcerate individuals whom relocate trapped animals. EVEN SNAKES.
We were told it is less cruel to dispatch a trapped nuance animal (by capping it in the back of the head NOT DROWNING) than to subject it to torture by introducing it to other animals defending their established territories. If you are caught in Florida, you better get your pocket book out.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Thank you all for the replies...I'll have to look into these different traps and talk about it with my mom.

@Soon2BChixMom Yes, we have a live trap. I think the mother is a pretty big raccoon, but I know one of the babies one time got trapped, but I think she helped get it out. My mom saw and was watching it, but didn't want to go out there to secure it better.

Yes, we live in Florida, so my mom (and me) knows about the rules we have. Again, I'll have to talk to her about it and what to do.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

If you have one you have twenty. Make sure your cage is raccoon proof. It's the only way.