varmithunter

I have had a lot of trouble recently with something getting into my horse feed. Whatever it is is not just eating out of the open bags but is also tearing wholes in the unopened bags. I've set a large box trap up near the feed and have baited it with some of the feed. So far I haven't caught anything but have seen fresh sign of the critter all around it. It continues to take the feed out of the bags but won't enter the trap. I don't know what could be doing this. I've seen some tracks around the barn that looked kind of like large skunk tracks but it has been too cold for them recently. Any suggestions on what it is and how to catch it?

Nomercy

Have you seen what it is, or found any prints???? What type of holes are in the feed bags?? Mice will often chew into bags, I've not known many other varmints to do this very often. Maybe try putting some grain or bait with a fast acting poison in/on it, they'd die, and you'd know what they were, rather than them getting back to their hole before dying.

GOTTA LOVE THAT MARLIN MAGIC!!!!

duck killer

Ok,i would rule out skunks. Skunks will stick to meat of game birds and small game such as rabbits. I am goin coon,oppusum, or something in the area.Box traps will catch a few dumb ones but alot of times,if the animal is smart(like bobcats won't even look at a boxtrop around here)they will stay away from it.Ok first,dig a little cubby or make one. Toss a can of either sardines or even better, a dead mouse. Put like a 110 conibear(small cubby) or a 160 or 220 conibear(for a bigger cubby).If you use the 160 or 220,you may be robbed,hard saying.Take a piece of light weight monofilament fishing line and tie it on the end of the triggers making a triangle trigger now. That should catch you critter in no time<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Good Luck!

Without passion.....Why bother?

coyoteseeker

while reading this,i noticed the words barn and horse feed.theres only one thing that comes to mind,RATS!!!!!rats(and mice) love the grains, oats,molasis and corn assosiated with horse feed.barn rats are a common accurence in barns where feed is stored.have you noticed any baseball size holes in the floor along stall walls or support walls??barn cats will usauly take care of this problem

cskiff

Do you have a trail cam? OR can you borrow one? Then at least you would know what you are looking for.

gun4hire35

I agree with coyote, I think u have rat problem on your hands. Try large rat traps baited with peanut butter. They will take care of your problem. Also try to Id those tracks or get someone that knows tracks to id them for u. Then u can set traps for the target animal(s).

varmithunter

I'm pretty sure that its not rats because last summer we killed about 50 of them with a combination of very strong poison and cats. We haven't had any sign of them since but have kept poison out just in case.

evanreid

where I live it's illegal to put 160s or 220s at ground level... check your laws first. try a rat trap, the big snap kind.