Mystery Predator - HELP!!!

[RedBrush Farm]

I have seen a fox twice around our barn and chicken pen. I set a live trap baited with a quail. Next morning - trap sprung, quail gone, nothing in trap.

Night two - trap spring, quail half gone and nothing in trap.

Night three - put trap where I had butchered quail for supper. Next morning - quail gone, trap sprung and moved a foot or more from where it was set. (Now this trap is so heavy I can hardly lift it.)

Night four - set trap, placed 2 pedal traps on each side. This morning the trap was not sprung, the 2 pedal traps were not sprung, the quail was alive and well but the stupid trap had been moved almost sideways from position set and the end with the quail was sitting directly over one on the un-sprung pedal traps.

I'm not sure the fox could move the trap. We reinforced the quail box on the end so if it was a raccoon it could not get it's foot in.. ANY IDEAS??? We are thinking about putting up a game cam tonight. Any ideas what could be doing this? Hope it's not the neighbor who thinks my golf cart makes too much noise in the mornings when she wants to sleep. HA

Seriously, we have 10 acres and the neighbor behind us has 200 with no house only cattle. We live in a very rural area. - What could it be and how can I catch it.

 

[carrlr]

Interesting!! IMO it's not a fox. Once I fox springs a trap it is usually too leary to have it happen again. It's like they learn. I'm leaning towards raccoon. When you say on night two the qual was half gone, does it appear that something reached in and ripped it in half or ate half of it from inside the live trap?

 

[RedBrush Farm]

It was partially pulled out of the trap and eaten. That is why my husband put smaller wire around the are where the bait is placed. Do you think a coon could move a trap like that?

 

[dretd]

I am thinking Raccoon, too. I put a small mesh up on my pen because my friend had problems with raccoons reaching through her larger size and ripping parts off her chickens and ducks.

Hubby got me a game camera for my birthday--cool toy. You could get one or see if a friend would lend one to you so you could catch the varmint in action.

 

[carrlr]

Pound for pound, raccoons are very strong. I trapped one once is an old live trap. It was years before I had chickens and was just tired of it tearing through my trash. I litterally watched as it used its paws and jaws to rip that trap apart enough to squeeze it's way out. Albeit it was an old trap, it proved to me how strong they are.

 

[RedBrush Farm]

Would a raccoon be smart enough to walk around the pedal traps?

 

[colebarnhart]

Quote:
Agree!!! I bought a brand new live trap and one of the raccoons I trapped ripped and bent up all the metal trigger parts on the inside of the trap. VERY strong!!!!!!!

 

[colebarnhart]

Quote:
YES, they are very smart and will work together and stratigize to catch and kill.

 

[RedBrush Farm]

Sigh How do I catch this thing???

 

[carrlr]

If its a raccoon, I'd still use a live trap with marshmallows, cat food, or tuna fish at bait. Make sure they can't reach it through the wire, and are forced to enter the trap. Check the trap regularly. If possible, I'd set up a trail/gam camera so you can confirm what your predator is. Good trapping!!