WAY too many predators!

[Yessur Ebob]

We are having a problem here! Monday morning when we got up we found that three of our ducks were eaten. One of them was my personal pet, she was my favorite animal that we have too.

I was so mad I started setting all of our box traps, and my sister and I are going to run a trapline.
We found out that we have at least one raccoon, probably more, a possum, and a fox, running around in our woods. We're trying to kill them all but so for only shot the possum, but he didn't die (we shot him 3 times with a .20 gauge shotgun). I'm so mad at this point.

 

[Momnpop2010]

What is your question?

 

[Yessur Ebob]

Sorry I got angry and forgot.

What is the best way to catch raccoons and foxes?

they won't go into the box traps, they drag them through the woods, or tip them upside down so that the bait falls out.

At first we used tuna fish for bait, but last night we used the carcasses left over from a recent fishing trip.

I could really use some help, I don't won't to lose any more birds.

 

[Momnpop2010]

Are you able to shoot them where you live?

 

[ivan3]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=232969

 

[tri-5-ron]

use some tent stakes, and stake the box trapes down to the ground so that they can not drag them away,
they will try at first, but then give up trying to drag them, and their desire to eat the bait will overpower their desire to drag the trap away, and they will enter the trap. Then you've got them.
Oppossum stew time !

 

[Yessur Ebob]

Quote:
Yes we are and we do if we see them when we have a gun.

We wired the trap to a tree tonight, so we'll see how that goes.

 

[Bawk Vader]

We use a live capoture cage with the floor trigger. I load it with a piece of chicken since that's what they are after out here. We have caught several feral cats from the neighbor and one opossum. I had the same thing happen with three of my ducks back in November. I think racoons initailly got my ducks then the cats and opossums came in and did follow up damage. I'm sorry for your loss and hope that you can get the responsible party and bring them some justice. Also in regards to shooting. I have found the most effictive way to handle racoons, foxes, and smaller preditors to be a 12 gauge with bird shot.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:

 

[whillo]

If you don't mind me asking Yessur EBob, what kind of fencing do you have around your coop? Were they able to dig under or reach through the wires? Were the girls out in the pen or did they get into the coop?

I ask because I just lost a two day old silkie today and fell to pieces. I don't know if I could bear to lose another if I can manage to get them grown up enough to even get them to the coop! (I'm feeling pretty nervous about all this now.) We're making coop plans and know there are critters around so don't want to give them a free lunch. Any tips you can share? I don't think we're allowed to kill the wildlife where we live.