trapping tonight ( slightly graphic)

[feliciamckee]

Quote:
I am assuming that you are using a rectangle live game trap that trips the door when the animal steps on the flat trip plate located next to the bait.???

Two things you can do to increase the capture rate.

1- Attach the trap to a 2x12 that is 6 feet long so the board runs the length of the trap. Then place the trap within 12 inches of one of the ends of the board with the entrance facing to the middle or the longest section. Now, you will need some 3.5 inch screws and a power screw driver. Take the long end of the board and raise it up and attach it to the side of a building or coop or tree.... whatever you have. You want to get the board past a 45 degree angle from the ground and 90 degrees from the building wall. Screw it down so it is solid against the structure making sure the entrance is facing up. This increases the difficulty for the animal to retreat once committed to the trap.

2- Attach the trap as before only to a shorter length so that only 8 inches pass the entrance of the trap and it is even with the trap on the other end. Now take the same size of wood (2x12) and cut this to a length of 12 inches. Place this piece vertically on the end of the board attached to the trap at the entrance end (The 8 inches that is sticking out) You will need to screw this on with at least 4 2.5 inch screws. This makes the animal enter from the gap of those 8 inches on the either side.


If you have a chance to due some research look up snare traps. These are very effective but tend to catch cats. Not necessarily a bad thing but..........



This has helped me. I hope you find it useful.

Wow, great plan. My husband is always moving his traps around and looking for different ways to make them work better. I will pass this along to him. we have trapped 15 so far since May. Last week, we trapped 2 at the same time. We are fortunate to have an animal shelter close by and he takes them there and they put them to sleep. He said the last drop off he made the lady that worked in there said "You and your coons!" but they are always glad to help decrease our overpopulated raccoons! It also saves us having to shoot and dispose of them.

 

[JD4570]

We have had the same problem . In the last 4 nights I have trapped 4 coons and a possum; I also shot a coon trying to get one of others out of the live trap! I can't stand the nasty buggers and have declared war on them. Awhile back a coon killed 11 of my girls in one night!arrrgh!

So now the chickens house is layered vertically with tin and wrapped with two by four inch welded wire and the windows have chicken wire offset and double layered on the inside part of the frame then weld wire on the outside. The man door is built like a tank hatch with five inches of tin past the opening all the way around and offset and double layered. I hope you catch the furry thieves!!! By the way to keep a live trap from being turned over I use 2 2 foot long pieces of rebar driven into the ground on the opposite side from the release bar. Go get them critters!

 

[Meara]

Some wildlife management background on dealing with coons:
Trapping and removal triggers an increase in frequency of breeding and litter size (you don't want this!) as well as an influx of new coons to an area. Increases in movement within the population and territorial turmoil may work to your advantage, but often it's the other way around (lots of young coons moving in). It's impossible to eliminate raccoons from an area and all attempts to reduce the population will be only temporary if other factors are not taken into consideration (what other factors are at work in your locale? garbage? neighbors feeding?). Leaving certain key individuals in the population has scientific merit and should be considered as a means to manage the population and influence behavior.

In short, what you want is to maintain a stable population of mature healthy raccoons with strong territorial boundaries. You don't want an influx of young coons who will breed heavily and likely possess poor survival skills and less survival experience which makes them more troublesome to humans and poultry. You also don't want an influx of marginally healthy or diseased individuals that have been pushed out of other areas because they can't compete. That's an excellent way to introduce a rabies problem as well as other health issues.

Since raccoons can never be eliminated the best option is to selectively trap. Those coons who are big healthy experienced survivors with strong foraging skills can get by without your poultry or your garbage and they will keep the "undesirable"coons out of the area.

 

[JD4570]

I understand your concern. Here where I live there are sixty acres I monitor animal population,deer ,hogs , coons , possums, squirrels,raptors, snakes etc. by tracking , spotting and game cameras. The normal population for raccoon is between 24 and 38 but because of the drought , and this is weird, the number has shot over 100. I live about a mile from a river could account for part of that. We do not leave garbage or pet food out at night. Of all the animals I've trapped 80% are coons and they are 2 years of age or younger and all female! All of older ones will not go into the trap,that's why they're older. I have found tracks of a 30 to 34 pounder , most likely the dominant male. All I'm saying is that when they are a problem they will be dealt with.

 

[the Pollo Loco]

all this talk about coons, never thought I'd take a hit...

this week 2 small coons came and pulled 2 female quails out of their cage through a 1x1 inch hole!!! couldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it. by the time I got back with my gun they had scampered away!!!

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
when I run into this I just change the type of trap I am using they are easy to catch at this point

 

[LEEHAHA]

we live on a bogg lol water everywhere...i put the trapp out and get one almost everyday ..yesterday i got 2 for one ..baby followed one in and then other one was sitting on top so 3 for one really...if they come that close to house they have to go....ps....smoked fish omg they love the bones and shik if u can get it ....peace lizzz