Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Trapping => Topic started by: b0bbyg on March 08, 2016, 03:13:48 PM

Title: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: b0bbyg on March 08, 2016, 03:13:48 PM: I have a raccoon (or two ) that have been hanging around my house for sometime. Tried the big metal trap setup near the cat food that he steals often, no luck. Would not even approach it. Caught a few neighbor cats and released. I think they have been trapped before and are too smart for cages.

I was considering trying a hand trap, has anyone ever had luck with one of these?
Will take other suggestions to trap a raccoon that are non-lethal. ( non lethal since there are lots of cats and dogs in the area I don't want to accidently hurt. They are around every 1-2 days based on trail camera appearances.
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: DJ_Mack on March 08, 2016, 03:18:15 PM: My brother in law traps them all the time with a hand trap. He puts peanut butter in them but filed down the release to make it smoother.

http://www.amazon.com/Bridger-BRT-01-Dogproof-Raccoon-Trap/dp/B00QMSJOY2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1457479034&sr=8-4&keywords=raccoon+trap

Only animals that can reach in, grab and pull up set off the trap. So cats and dogs are safe.
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: ouchfoss on March 08, 2016, 03:28:17 PM: Unfortunetly , the dog proof hand traps are illegal in Washington. They are considered body gripping.
Coons are little bastages about getting bait out of your trap without actually going inside them. What I've found works really well is just wrap your trap totally with cardboard and way there is not any other way to get the bait without going in. Throw some cat-food, tuna, or even marshmallows in there and at some point, they will finally give in to their hunger.
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: Pete112288 on March 08, 2016, 04:08:08 PM: You could try building a trap like this. I made a couple when I was a kid in scouts. Caught a lot of squirrels and a few opossums. Just have to make it a little bigger for raccoons. If you have the wood on hand it turns out to be a pretty quick and easy project to make.
I tried finding a picture with no avail. Hopefully you can get the idea from my drawing.
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: Cougartail on March 08, 2016, 04:21:56 PM: Quote from: ouchfoss on March 08, 2016, 03:28:17 PM
Unfortunetly , the dog proof hand traps are illegal in Washington. They are considered body gripping.
Coons are little bastages about getting bait out of your trap without actually going inside them. What I've found works really well is just wrap your trap totally with cardboard and way there is not any other way to get the bait without going in. Throw some cat-food, tuna, or even marshmallows in there and at some point, they will finally give in to their hunger.

You can however get a special permit to use a padded foothold trap. A buried box with a hole in it you can make it pet safe.
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: JakeLand on March 08, 2016, 05:33:57 PM: Wait until darkness and just shoot them
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: treefarmer on March 08, 2016, 05:50:04 PM: I've had good luck with a live trap and wiring some convience store chicken legs into the back so they can't just reach in and grab them. If you do catch one shoot him before opening the cage
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: JakeLand on March 08, 2016, 06:02:09 PM: Like Jesse said urban coons have no problem walking into a cardboard box for niblets my best bait is marshmallows with strawberry jam they love it and you won't catch cats or dogs I've been so wrap the cage in cardboard or newspapers!
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: b0bbyg on March 09, 2016, 08:34:19 AM: Thank you all for the ideas, Hopefully I will have some time this weekend to try at least 1-2 of these.
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: lokidog on March 09, 2016, 08:38:36 AM: Be prepared for your newspaper/cardboard to be in shreds. I always make sure my trap is at least two inches from anything I don't want destroyed by their little devil hands.

Good luck, the world needs a few less raccoons.
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: WAPatriot on March 09, 2016, 08:45:21 AM: Kool aid is a coon killer
Title: Re: Trapping a racoon - seeking advice
Post by: ouchfoss on March 09, 2016, 08:59:34 AM: Quote from: lokidog on March 09, 2016, 08:38:36 AM
Be prepared for your newspaper/cardboard to be in shreds. I always make sure my trap is at least two inches from anything I don't want destroyed by their little devil hands.

Good luck, the world needs a few less raccoons.
:yeah: Anything they can grab hold of from inside the cage will be tore up.