Trap help

[seth30]

I am currently at war with a animal in my back yard.  I assume its a raccoon but not sure, could be a yote.  Lately my trash cans have been getting knocked down, that was a easy fix I just put them in the garage now.  My dogs food and water bowels are often not in the same place that I left them.  I do not leave food in the bowels overnight.  I have a 7 foot fence that whatever animal that visits my yard either jumps or climbs over nightly to get to my dog food dishes. So I put out my havaheart trap loaded with goodies.  First night its out I heard it slam shut, I grab my flashlight and head over to the trap.  Its empty and the food is gone, so I re-bait it and go to bed.  When I woke up the trap was shut again with all the food gone.    Tonight I am going to reset the trap with my trail camera pointed at it.  Any ideas on what animal is smart enough to trigger it not once but twice and not get caught?   Any tricks that could fool a trap smart animal?

[Widgeondeke]

Sounds like you need to sit on stand with an air rifle. Or use motion sensor lights and shoot from a window. Could be a family of coons. One will sit in the opening to not allow the door to shut while another grabs the grub then they share it at the fence while laughing at you   

Hope you get them.

[seth30]

Holy cow thats a smart animal.  Do you think one of them walmart airgun specials will do the trick? 

[Heredoggydoggy]

Holy cow thats a smart animal.  Do you think one of them walmart airgun specials will do the trick?

Sounds to me like you have two animals.  Deer jumping over the fence and knocking over your garbage cans, and a rat stealing the bait out of your traps.  I have the same problem with the rat stealing the bait.  Some of them are the size of a mouse, and can squeeze out of small holes in the trap.  I built a mouse-type trap out of a 5-gallon pail and will try that tonight.  It must be a small critter, because it doesn't even activate the motion sensor on the camera...

[Humptulips]

So, it's a havahart but what size? Sounds to me like it's something too big for the trap.  Trap door drops on his back. It eats the food, backs out and comes back for more later. I'd think a dog, but 7 foot fence? Big coon, small trap?
More questions then answers.

[seth30]

It was the havahart trap with a picture of a raccoon on it.  I bought it a few years ago for feral cats..  I havent set the camera up yet I will be doing that tongiht. 

[Humptulips]

It was the havahart trap with a picture of a raccoon on it.  I bought it a few years ago for feral cats..  I havent set the camera up yet I will be doing that tongiht.

Dinensions?

[ouchfoss]

So, it's a havahart but what size? Sounds to me like it's something too big for the trap.  Trap door drops on his back. It eats the food, backs out and comes back for more later. I'd think a dog, but 7 foot fence? Big coon, small trap?
More questions then answers.

[lokidog]

I would agree with big racoon that does not allow the trap to shut completely.

[seth30]

I will measure the trap when I get home, but this is the same one I have from the haveahart website.   http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://s.woodstream.com/resource/images/havahart/products/medium/1081_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.havahart.com/store/live-animal-traps/raccoon&usg=__vlCdOgAr4DRNTG9joojAuGbL0yc=&h=200&w=200&sz=10&hl=en&start=1&sig2=n2tCJbObV-KQTakIcjoGxg&zoom=1&tbnid=gikXup18H6oWRM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=104&ei=uq5JUuPjMsTOqAHY9YGgAw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhavahart%2Btraps%2Bfor%2Bcoons%26um%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26authuser%3D0%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&sa=X&ved=0CCwQrQMwAA

[Jonathan_S]

When trapping urban coons, I've always blocked the sides of the trap so they can't reach in through the wire and grab at the bait.  Never underestimate the reach of a raccoon.

Marshmallows are a good enticing bait.  Put two outside the door and one hanging from a wire in the back corner.  Make sure they can't climb on top of the trap to reach in though.

Good luck.

[fatslinger]

Have you tried wiring your bait to the back of the trap? They have to work a little harder to get the goodies and stand a better chance of getting caught. Be sure to post the trailcam pics, I'd like to see how he works the set.

[seth30]

I have lots of plywood so I plan on building walls and a roof over the trap to where its forced to only go at in from the front then doing the wire attachment as well.  I'm looking forward to seeing a raccoon in my trap tomorrow morning.

[inchtowntracking]

I agree that it's probably a coon going through the sides of the trap they are super smart critters. They tend to destroy those havajunk traps pretty fast too.

[seth30]

Ok here is the pics of the trap before and after the modification.    I don't have any wire to hang the bate with but there is no way a raccoon is moving those logs. 

[saylean]

Dig a small hole in the ground so you can place the bait/attractent under the trap. Secure the trap with some stakes so it isnt easily moved and see what happens.

[Jonathan_S]

Digging a hole might help but it certainly isn't necessary.  That raccoon will develop a taste for 'mallows if you leave him one or two outside the trap.

Definitely drive some rebar or something equally indestructible because rocky raccoon has a way of tipping over cages and getting loose.

[Jonathan_S]

I hope you get something similar to this tomorrow   

[KFhunter]

I think the raccoon is stretching in and is long enough the door lands on it's back.

too bad the cage isn't a bit longer.


is the door latching closed properly ?  or is it partially locking and getting pushed back open

[seth30]

The trap was securely shut both times should I place a heavy log leaning on the trap door so when its triggered the weight will force the animal forward into the trap? 

[Jonathan_S]

should I place a heavy log leaning on the trap door so when its triggered the weight will force the animal forward into the trap?

Can't hurt.  I've done that and it's worked.  If it bangs down hard enough, they should jump forward in fear.

[seth30]

should I angle it or will they work around it to get in the trap?

[KFhunter]

I'd just wire those marshmellows to the back of the cage, make it work to get them off.

wouldn't mess with the log on the door, harder to spring, harder to get in the trap.  It would take more pressure on the pan to release the door.
don't want that.

[Jonathan_S]

I'd just wire those marshmellows to the back of the cage, make it work to get them off.

wouldn't mess with the log on the door, harder to spring, harder to get in the trap.  It would take more pressure on the pan to release the door.
don't want that.

two good points.  If you can dry a 'mallow out and then wire it good, he'll probably hunch up further into the trap.  Good call.

[seth30]

I think the raccoon is stretching in and is long enough the door lands on it's back.

too bad the cage isn't a bit longer.


is the door latching closed properly ?  or is it partially locking and getting pushed back open

when its down it does not move because of the bar behind it. 

[lokidog]

You may want to make sure it cannot reach anything through the trap that you do not want destroyed, like your siding.  I've even had them bend up a stainless steel bowl that held bait.

[seth30]

They got the food and didnt set off my trap   The camera took two pics but nothing on it   I am going to buy some wire tonight and give make sure they have to really work for it. 

[saylean]

Good luck Seth! Looking forward to the pics!

[seth30]

nothing in the trap but got some pics.  when i get home they will be posted.  the wire method did not work hopefully when I download the pics i can find out why.

[seth30]

Okay so I now know whats hitting my traps.  Its not raccoons, its rats   Still not sure what knocked over the trash cans and moved the dog food bowels around but going to keep the trap up for a few more days and see what I can catch.  I had the camera a little close so there is some blinding light in the pics

[seth30]

on that note does anyone want these rats for bait?