We went to dinner, and meanwhile a raccoon ate our chicken

[neo71665]

Thanks for this info. I've heard that you need like at least a real .22 for this, or if pellet a very exotic and rare one, whereas our plan was to just use one of the .177s that we have.

I use plain jane flat nose wad cutter pellets you can get at walmart. Heck I've killed squirrels with it before. I will say my pellet gun aint a toy. Nothing exotic as it also came from walmart. I think it shoots something like 1200 feet per second.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I use plain jane flat nose wad cutter pellets you can get at walmart. Heck I've killed squirrels with it before. I will say my pellet gun aint a toy. Nothing exotic as it also came from walmart. I think it shoots something like 1200 feet per second.

That's similar to ours. SO's made many kills via pellet gun, but they were usually way smaller game. Like squirrels and birds. He managed to hit one on the wire at 15-20' distance on an upward trajectory.

So, um...does this method damage the trap any? This was (after the neighbors and potential PD action) a distant second disconsideration toward us using our 9--we might well destroy the trap too.

 

[neo71665]

If ya talking about a live trap I haven't damaged mine any. I don't try to shoot it over the trip pan tho.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

'K neo, but can I just ask another embarrassing question?

How much do the critters move around and can they turn around and how fast? I mean, if sufficiently fast, I can see the shot going into the guts or the nuts even close. I mean, prolonged screaming is going to be problematic in the neighborhood.

 

[neo71665]

They can turn and move but generally they back up and try to keep their head towards you. After all thats where their main weapon is. I stick the barrel in the trap as close as I can and do the deed. I haven't ever had one make any noise after. They will growl before but even that aint what I would call loud. Coons are pretty quiet animals by nature. My 2 pet ones don't ever make much noise.

Don't be embarrassed to ask anything.

 

[cmom]

I use a .22 and elimination is instant. I haven't had any issues. This bobcat killed 14 birds one night. It made the mistake of coming back to the scene. I have seen another one not long ago but now I have electric wires around my coops and pens and concrete under the gates. Good luck. I have shot into a trap with no problem.

This is not long ago outside my chick/grow-out coop. It probably knows the electric wires are there.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I tried to trap raccoons in a cage trap this past fall. They were savvy enough to steal the bait and not set off the trap. Possibly because they had been previously trapped and released in my rural area. They killed all of my neighbors chickens then moved in for mine. Knew i had to do act fast.

My solution was discovering the Duke Dog-Proof Coon Trap. I had never used a foot-hold type trap before. Very simple to set up. If i could do it anyone can. Bought 2 traps. The next morn had 2 coons waiting. Sent them to raccoon heaven and reset traps. Next morn, 1 coon and one opossum. Next morn 2 more coons. A total of 6 raccoons stuck their grubby little hands in the traps. My neighbor was very happy to hear. She had also desperately tried a cage trap with no success. I used wet cat food under the lever, layered with dry kibble, then more wet cat food on lip of trap and spread around trap. Marshmallows or fish also work.

I will never again try to catch a raccoon in a cage trap. Duke dog-proof coon traps are for me the way to go. Be sure to secure the trap to a tree or fence post, or the coon will run off with your trap. The two coons in photo climbed fence and tree but could go no further. Then very easy to dispatch coon with a shot to the head. I have no sympathy for raccoons, because i know what they do to chickens.

 

[neo71665]

I have a dukes dog proof, even went to the trouble to modify it to be double throw. Tried it for 2 years and never caught anything in it. My go to is a #2 coil spring trap but you have to check it daily. A coon will eat their leg off.

If they are stealing the bait you need a small bait cage in the trap. Lure them in with just a few pieces but 99% of the bait is in that cage so they can only smell it and try to fight around to get it.

Oh now, I have a soft spot for coons, lmao. I have no issue taking any wildlife over my livestock.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I have a dukes dog proof, even went to the trouble to modify it to be double throw. Tried it for 2 years and never caught anything in it. My go to is a #2 coil spring trap but you have to check it daily. A coon will eat their leg off.

If they are stealing the bait you need a small bait cage in the trap. Lure them in with just a few pieces but 99% of the bait is in that cage so they can only smell it and try to fight around to get it.

Oh now, I have a soft spot for coons, lmao. I have no issue taking any wildlife over my livestock.

I think "my" coons were simply cage-trap savvy. My neighbor even tried a cage trap with a live chicken in it. (Safely separated by steel wire.) They would not trip the lever.

I did find it interesting you have raccoons as pets, but will quickly dispatch chicken-killing wild raccoons. I also get it, because as i kid i had a baby opossum for a pet. I always feel a little guilty for praising my dogs for catching and killing possums.

 

[KCD]

So sorry for your loss! It’s always so hard! Like others have suggested, mini marshmallows work and also cut-up fruit. We put it on a small paper (dessert size) plate into the live trap and set it in the early evening. We have several “outdoor” cats in our area and don’t want to trap someone’s cat, so we try to set it later in the day, but have had raccoons out and about mid-day. My husband shoots them while still in the trap and then discards them. Haven’t had any issues with that part. Agreed that raccoons are a menace. I’m getting that way with hawks and eagles as well. They are getting so bad in our area and, unfortunately, can’t do a thing about those guys. At least you can somewhat manage the raccoons.