#^$% #&^$#& Raccoons!!!

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

So I went out to feed the chickens this morning and noticed something was off with the rooster.  He was missing his beak and his head was a bloody mess, but still walking around as usual.  He was tough to the end, that's probably why I liked him so much.  After dispatching him, I then found 4 other hens dead in the field with their necks eaten out.  I first assumed coyotes, but there were no tracks, and the sheep were fine.  I then found a hen in the culvert, and figured out the perpetrator.  I am assuming it was a raccoon.  Tonight I am going to wait with a spotlight and my mini 14 for him to make an appearance, but I doubt he has the guts to return so I am investing in traps.
Whats the best medicine for trapping these little *censored*s?

[NRA4LIFE]

Any kind of cat food will bring 'em in.

[mulehunter]

So I went out to feed the chickens this morning and noticed something was off with the rooster.  He was missing his beak and his head was a bloody mess, but still walking around as usual.  He was tough to the end, that's probably why I liked him so much.  After dispatching him, I then found 4 other hens dead in the field with their necks eaten out.  I first assumed coyotes, but there were no tracks, and the sheep were fine.  I then found a hen in the culvert, and figured out the perpetrator.  I am assuming it was a raccoon.  Tonight I am going to wait with a spotlight and my mini 14 for him to make an appearance, but I doubt he has the guts to return so I am investing in traps.
Whats the best medicine for trapping these little *censored*s?

Raccoon Sept 1 is open season. 

[DOUBLELUNG]

Canned catfood works great.  Don't take the lid off, just punch several holes in the can and wire it to the inside above the pan.

[Jonathan_S]

Any kind of cat food will bring 'em in.

Might be tough to trap with live, bloody chickens sitting around   

I like to use an entrance to the coop as a trap.  I had a raccoon pop the head off one of my quail the other night.  I am not a fan of chicken/turkey/quail killers   

[Heredoggydoggy]

Look on fntpost.com.  They have several options for traps, not all of them legal in this State.  I got the Freedom Brand 12"x12"x29" cage trap for feral cats.  Never caught any 'coons, but that size would work for them, too.  They also have lots of baits and lures for raccoons, too.  I recently started setting the trap with the trigger baffle down because I had several smart feral cats that could reach over the baffle plate and steal the bait without setting the trap door off.  The Bridger Cage Traps look similar and probably work well too, but the FB trap has a nice door that makes baiting the trap so easy.   

[idaho guy]

I always use sardines in a live trap-if you are in north Idaho I would come trap them or him for ya save some money on traps etc.

[pianoman9701]

Raccoons will eat bread, chicken, rice, dog food, sweet corn, muffins, bananas, scrambled egg, pork, candy, ham, pancakes, sardines, french fries, bacon, oranges, hamburgers, fresh salmon, cheese, ice cream, pancakes, croissants, smoked or canned fish, broccoli, bologna, buns, donuts, crayfish, salt, onions, wet cat food, tomato soup, cupcakes, strawberries, caviar, fried okra, pizza, steak, honey, hard boiled eggs, lemons, sugar, rotting burritos, coca-cola, yams, sausage, beer, apples, peanut butter, leftover turkey, watermelon, tacos, carrots, dry pet food, milk, cucumbers, pineapple, hot dogs, and macaroni and cheese.

Marshmallows. If you must know one best bait, it's marshmallows, for a variety of reasons - raccoons are drawn to round white things, like eggs, they like sweets, this bait is easy to set, etc. But bait is really only 1% of the equation, if that. Type of bait doesn't matter. I have some very important things to say about raccoon trapping. Also, it's very important that you identify the type of raccoon problem, because different problems MOST DEFINITELY require different approaches. It's not as simple as just laying down a cage trap on the ground, and then voila, your problem is solved.

http://www.raccoonatticguide.com/bait.html

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Raccoons will eat bread, chicken, rice, dog food, sweet corn, muffins, bananas, scrambled egg, pork, candy, ham, pancakes, sardines, french fries, bacon, oranges, hamburgers, fresh salmon, cheese, ice cream, pancakes, croissants, smoked or canned fish, broccoli, bologna, buns, donuts, crayfish, salt, onions, wet cat food, tomato soup, cupcakes, strawberries, caviar, fried okra, pizza, steak, honey, hard boiled eggs, lemons, sugar, rotting burritos, coca-cola, yams, sausage, beer, apples, peanut butter, leftover turkey, watermelon, tacos, carrots, dry pet food, milk, cucumbers, pineapple, hot dogs, and macaroni and cheese.

Marshmallows. If you must know one best bait, it's marshmallows, for a variety of reasons - raccoons are drawn to round white things, like eggs, they like sweets, this bait is easy to set, etc. But bait is really only 1% of the equation, if that. Type of bait doesn't matter. I have some very important things to say about raccoon trapping. Also, it's very important that you identify the type of raccoon problem, because different problems MOST DEFINITELY require different approaches. It's not as simple as just laying down a cage trap on the ground, and then voila, your problem is solved.

http://www.raccoonatticguide.com/bait.html

I am not sure what you mean by the type of problem?  How would I go about identifying it? 

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

I always use sardines in a live trap-if you are in north Idaho I would come trap them or him for ya save some money on traps etc.

I am in Coeur d Alene. 

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

So I went out to feed the chickens this morning and noticed something was off with the rooster.  He was missing his beak and his head was a bloody mess, but still walking around as usual.  He was tough to the end, that's probably why I liked him so much.  After dispatching him, I then found 4 other hens dead in the field with their necks eaten out.  I first assumed coyotes, but there were no tracks, and the sheep were fine.  I then found a hen in the culvert, and figured out the perpetrator.  I am assuming it was a raccoon.  Tonight I am going to wait with a spotlight and my mini 14 for him to make an appearance, but I doubt he has the guts to return so I am investing in traps.
Whats the best medicine for trapping these little *censored*s?

Raccoon Sept 1 is open season. 

Chicken season is never open, and that little bandit didn't mind.  Last night coon season opened on the Cedar Creek Ranch and I am locked and loaded!!!!!!!!!!!

[pianoman9701]

Raccoons will eat bread, chicken, rice, dog food, sweet corn, muffins, bananas, scrambled egg, pork, candy, ham, pancakes, sardines, french fries, bacon, oranges, hamburgers, fresh salmon, cheese, ice cream, pancakes, croissants, smoked or canned fish, broccoli, bologna, buns, donuts, crayfish, salt, onions, wet cat food, tomato soup, cupcakes, strawberries, caviar, fried okra, pizza, steak, honey, hard boiled eggs, lemons, sugar, rotting burritos, coca-cola, yams, sausage, beer, apples, peanut butter, leftover turkey, watermelon, tacos, carrots, dry pet food, milk, cucumbers, pineapple, hot dogs, and macaroni and cheese.

Marshmallows. If you must know one best bait, it's marshmallows, for a variety of reasons - raccoons are drawn to round white things, like eggs, they like sweets, this bait is easy to set, etc. But bait is really only 1% of the equation, if that. Type of bait doesn't matter. I have some very important things to say about raccoon trapping. Also, it's very important that you identify the type of raccoon problem, because different problems MOST DEFINITELY require different approaches. It's not as simple as just laying down a cage trap on the ground, and then voila, your problem is solved.

http://www.raccoonatticguide.com/bait.html

I am not sure what you mean by the type of problem?  How would I go about identifying it?

Read the article, IDK. I know that I've used the marshmallows and they worked the first night. 

[bwgdc]

I hope you get him

[92xj]

I used to trap coons all the time to run the dogs. The bait that consistently put 6-10 coons a night in the traps was a single opened honeybun covered in a single pouch of grape koolaid mix. They can't resist. This worked in the woods away from everyone as well as in urban settings behind the shop, dorms and neighbors houses. Never caught anything else but coons.

[Machias]

If you set your trap on the ground make sure you cover it or be prepared to deal with a skunk.  I like vanilla wafers and marshmellow.  If you don't want to deal with skunks but still catch coons get your trap up off the ground, the coons have no trouble climbing.  Might buy a couple of the Duke or Z-trap dog proof traps, they are GREAT for coons and you can put a gold ball on top and set them and not worry about your chickens getting into your traps.  Good luck!

[idaho guy]

I always use sardines in a live trap-if you are in north Idaho I would come trap them or him for ya save some money on traps etc.

I am in Coeur d Alene.

I am just north of you sent you a pm. let me know we would like to help you out and have all the stuff. Racoons will eat about anything I just like sardines but skunks do too we know how to handle the skunks too if that happens. We have trapped a lot of racoons for our neighbors and pretty sure we could take care of yours if you want.  At least save you some money not buying traps.     

[idaho guy]

So I went out to feed the chickens this morning and noticed something was off with the rooster.  He was missing his beak and his head was a bloody mess, but still walking around as usual.  He was tough to the end, that's probably why I liked him so much.  After dispatching him, I then found 4 other hens dead in the field with their necks eaten out.  I first assumed coyotes, but there were no tracks, and the sheep were fine.  I then found a hen in the culvert, and figured out the perpetrator.  I am assuming it was a raccoon.  Tonight I am going to wait with a spotlight and my mini 14 for him to make an appearance, but I doubt he has the guts to return so I am investing in traps.
Whats the best medicine for trapping these little *censored*s?

Raccoon Sept 1 is open season. 

Chicken season is never open, and that little bandit didn't mind.  Last night coon season opened on the Cedar Creek Ranch and I am locked and loaded!!!!!!!!!!!

You are good to go anyways-racoons can be shot anytime in Idaho there is no season-shoot at will!