Raccoon Trapping
 

Well, I am finally going to try to really do something about the out of control raccoon population on my property. I've tried the live animal traps and either I'm a poor trapper or the raccoons are too smart or a combination of the two, so I just took the next step.

I ordered a couple of the lil' grizz raccoon traps and am going to start using them whenever I go to the property this year.

Here's a picture of one:


They seem to be the trap of choice on the trapper forums and they are a species specific trap that should be pretty safe on other animals.

I'm a 100% novice at trapping so I'm just hopeful to start making a dent on the overall population both to improve the chances for quail and turkey hatches in the spring plus to cut down on my feeding bill a little.

I have plenty of raccoons, that's for sure!


If anyone has any tips or tricks on the subject I would appreciate any input.

Thanks, Nathan

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

I have never used or even heard of those traps. I normally use connabears 220's set in front of a five gallon bucket or a connabear box. for bait i use fish, generally whats leftover after I clean them. I would have to say the easiest way to do it is to find where they go under a fence and put a snare there. generally live traps work pretty well, you might try camoflaging it a little, and then use a bait with a really strong scent.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

Hey npaden,

I am also new to trapping, but have spoke with many great trappers of old and young ages. One "trick"they have given me is marshmellows. Place some in a trap like you have or one with a cylinder and trapping device within it and when they try to get mellows out they get caught. Coons are pretty tricky, but with the different little tricks and rigs they can be caught. Good luck to you and your trapping.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

Damn..If I had that many coon around I think I would put up a tree stand and blast away when they came to the feeder..

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

man you got a lot of freakin coons,I got a picture with 5 on a corn pile and I thought that was a lot but you got a lot of coons where the heck do you live on masked bandit street in coonsville.That's a lot of money just to feed them suckers you should qualify for food stamps with that many mouths to feed.Do you plan on selling the furs,it looks profitable you can buy some more corn then.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

1st of all when you got a food source and try box trapping right there, would you go in a metal box to get food when you can eat right outside the box? prob not. them lil griz traps you bought prob wont work as great as what your hoping, cause thats a curiosity trap pretty much where theytry to dig to get the food out, them work better at water spots, creeks.
the best bet right now for you is lay down some footholds 1.5 would work excellent. just pick a spot by the feeder usually they have trails and just start laying down steel. ya you might catch a turkey or other animal but check the traps in the morning and right before dark and you should clean house on the coons

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

all i use are 220's in buckets and lil griz's. i think they are one ofthe best traps out but they cost to much for me. I use either fish oil or bacon greese in mine. i would run my whole line with them if i could afford them.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

Use a hay-set

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

Here's an easy way to get rid of those rascals. Talk to a local coon hunter and have him thin them out for you. He would be forever grateful and you would get the results that you want. Don't worry about his dogs running your deer out of there, good coondogs don't run the flag tails and even if the deer do runout, they will come right back.

Don't know any coon hunters, just keep your eyes out driving around, you will see their dog boxes in the back of their trucks. Tell me what city/state you live in and I will have some call you!

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

See if snares are legal.Cheap and easy.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

wihunter says it best. Lay alot of traps. If your are baiting them, then turn off the feeder for a day or two and use the feed as bait in your live traps, dirt holes, etc... They may not go for other traditional baits if they are happy with what you are already feeding them. Curiosity baits may have some effectiveness. Anchor your traps well. Coon are amazingly strong for their size. Don't give them anything to use as leverage to decrease the chance of one powering out of a foothold. Check the traps daily at first light. They may chew a bit in a foot hold. Contrary to what most Disney patrons think, this is not an effort to chew off a foot to escape. They are chewing at the "thing" (trap) that is holding them. After a bit in the trap, the foot goes numb. As they chew on the trap, when they can no longer feel the foot below the grip of the trap, they inadvertantly chew the foot as well. This is why they don't chew above the grip of the trap. A smaller trap alleviates most of this, as there is little room to get the mouth around the trap and numbed part of the foot.

Most of the above applies to footholds not cage traps. Bodygrip traps are good, but are lethal and nondiscriminant. If there are no concerns about taking a domestic or other animal out of season or illegal to trap, then they are a good option. Hate to see a young deer with a 220 clamped about because he was curious or liked the smell or look of some bait in a bucket. More of a concern if setting in the vicinity of a feeder where the deer are congregating.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

I have never heard of a deer sticking its head in a connabear, but i guess if they smell whats in the feeder in that bucket, they might stick there head in it.You couldtry a 120 connabear, if a deer stuck its head through that itwould stick onits snout and it could pull out if thebox was staked to the ground good

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

hey those traps you are looking at work just fine and dont have to worry bout dogs and stuff. the 220's will work fine to and they be dead when u get there. if you got any questions let me know i do alot of trapping for coons and yotes. otherwise check out this site. www.trapperman.com. but those lil griz will work and by the looks of it you got enough to go around!!!!

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

Thanks for the input everyone. I took the plunge and ordered another dozen of the Lil' Grizz Get'rz and am going to try to make a big dent in the raccoon population this weekend.

I'm looking for a used freezer to put in my barn to keep them after I skin them until I sell them. Doesn't sound like I'll get much for them ($8 or so from talking with some others in the area) but I've already had several co-workers with property say that if I wanted to trap raccoons on their land I was more than welcome. With a dozen traps I could almost pay for the gas to drive to their propertyand back if I got a 50% catch! ;) (One has property 60 miles away and the other is 100 miles away both in the opposite direction of my land).

I think I'm going to look into buying or building some strechers and a fleshing knife also but think I won't really start trapping in earnest until next year. The season ends March 31st here and I don't think I will be able to get out more than one more time before then. This looks like it could be a fun outdoor activity! :D

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

If you have that many coming to the bait just set up a tree stant and rig some lights to a switch. After you see a few come in flip the switch and let Armagedon begin.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

That game cam picture of all those coons has me more aroused than a Playboy centerfold. I would watch the late season trapping though in terms of fur prices. This time of the year many of them will have rubbed fur and may not be worth much of anything.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

DARN!!! Just got off the phone, my Lil Grizz traps aren't going to make it here in time for this weekend! [&:]

Don't think it will be worth the 200 mile roundtrip to set 2 measley traps.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

#1. Sleep from 8 in the morning to 6 in the evening
#2. Drink TONS of Amp
#3. Get a shotgun, a couple dozen shells (judging by your problem. lol),and 1 or 2 dogs (if you have dogs)
#4. HAVE FUN!!!;)

Nah, well actually yeah that'd work, but I'd use snares or those smallish bear trappish things. I'm not big on traps, but I do enjoy trapping.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

I've had better luck with cage traps I bought at Tractor Supply than with anything else I've used. They were painted green, and came in a set of two, one inside the other. They needed a little work up front to get them to trip just right, but after that, they've done nothing but catch coons. They are very easy to use and very easy to set.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

I've had better luck with cage traps I bought at Tractor Supply than with anything else I've used. They were painted green, and came in a set of two, one inside the other. They needed a little work up front to get them to trip just right, but after that, they've done nothing but catch coons. They are very easy to use and very easy to set.

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

we'll i'm a preety good coon trapper n this year wen i used them lil griz trap i was so happy they payed for thems selves the first night. i set them by a corn field n they went nuts on them. 11 out of 12 traps had coons. but wat u want to do it dig a lil hole there by your feeder. put that inside of it. and put fishoil in it. u can buy it at any trapping store.Trust me a coon will be able to smell the fish over the corn. and he will put his hand into one of them traps

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

I caught a coon in my attic once with one of those live traps... didnt see him any more. :)
Anyways one of my friends that does comercial extermination told me to use some kind of bear trap. i kno that sounds weird but idk what he ment by it either. lol I think he was talking about one of those traps that has the presure plate in the middle and snaps shut.
Good Luck
-Deric

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

Well, I finally got down to the property and set my 14 traps out and was very happy with the results. I ended up baiting 8 of them with sardines and 6 of them with marshmellows and syrup just to see which would be more effective. I ended up catching 9 raccoons and was 7 of 8 on the sardines and 2 of 6 on the marshmellows so I think I know what I will be using in the future! The sardines are easier toget in the trap and easierto clean up also.

Overall I was very happy with the results for just 1 night. I will probably set them out one more time this spring and I think my ground nesting birds will be very thankful!

RE: Raccoon Trapping
 

That is a lot of raccoon in one place on the ground. I have known some dogs that would have thought they were in heaven if they saw that many in the ground.

I catch them with vienna sausage and put a liter with a a triple hook, other known as a trubble hook. catch em rill fast.

Here is what I use...............



http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firear...m/917VS-CF.asp