Getting rid of racoons

[Jstpssng]

DayState Air Rifle - no noise -

Nice!!! Pricey, but nice!

 

[gstrom99]

Don't use poison. The poison will be transferred to whatever eats the carcass, and so on... I've had limited success with the "dog proof" traps. I use cage traps, then shoot 'em (22lr works fine). Sardines work great for bait, but anything stinky works great like others have said. Stake them (I use 24" rebar) so they can't tip over.

The trapping season here is 24/7/365.

I have a few of them like these (I like the top door for adding bait, that the cheap traps don't have):

Freedom Brand Cage Traps | Animal Cage Trap - F&T Fur Harvester's Trading Post

Add and remove bait easily with affordable & reliable Freedom Brand professional series traps! Catch raccoons, bobcats & other animals with our cage traps.

fntpost.com

 

[gstrom99]

I'm sure the dunking method would also help clean the trap. Trapping a coon sure messes up the area and the trap so I have to hose it down. I once caught 3 coon at one time...a threefer.

Wow! I've caught two at once, never three in one trap.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

In Washington State you are required by law to have a trappers license to trap. So my neighbors don't trap them anymore, they just shoot them. Then let the crows and vultures do the clean up.

 

[ruffdog]

Wow! I've caught two at once, never three in one trap.

I have the big live trap and it was 1 adult and two smaller ones. I told my friend that traps for hire at the RV park and he said he caught 5 in his trap once.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have the big live trap and it was 1 adult and two smaller ones. I told my friend that traps for hire at the RV park and he said he caught 5 in his trap once.

We're not worthy!!!

 

[ruffdog]

We're not worthy!!!

Yeah, I know the feeling. I thought I really did good at getting three at a time.

The guy said the coon are thick as thieves over at the campgrounds. There is plenty of food during the summer and other people that trap drop them off there. One woman thought she only had cats and not coon. She would put tins of cat food out at night to feed the cats. She said the tins are always gone in the morning. The guy told her that is what COONS do...they take the tins. He looked under her deck and there hundreds of tins there!

 

[Eagle1]

We trapped (and killed) over 100 one summer. Chickens, Cat food and Campground is a trifecta for raccoons.
Right now the only coons I see, my daughter feeds on her porch, she knows what happens if they come over to the coop.
Dogs have been taking out opossums at pretty clip this year.

 

[JJT]

SSS

Shoot Shovel Shut-up

 

[AnotherBueller]

There are ways around it, easy to skirt law, some states prohibit relocation of certain animals.
I don't take the chance of animals coming back when relocating, I terminate and let they coyotes clean up...

Does give the coyotes reason to check back though.

 

[RayIN]

Yeah, I know the feeling. I thought I really did good at getting three at a time.

The guy said the coon are thick as thieves over at the campgrounds. There is plenty of food during the summer and other people that trap drop them off there. One woman thought she only had cats and not coon. She would put tins of cat food out at night to feed the cats. She said the tins are always gone in the morning. The guy told her that is what COONS do...they take the tins. He looked under her deck and there hundreds of tins there!

Many decades ago my cousin and I took our families camping at a nearby state park. Racoons were very thick, you couldn't leave anything out or it was destroyed next morning.

Well, he and I got up very early one morning to take a walk. During that walk we saw a raccon flip the lid off a garbage can and dive inside.
We sneaked up to the garbage can and slapped the lid on tight, for few moments it sounded like it was gonna tear through the side.
About that time we saw the garbage truck coming. The driver stopped at that garbage can, a guy jumped off the truck, and jerked off the lid.
That raccoon came boiling out of the can and scared the bejesus of of him.
That was the best laugh I've had of my life.

As to catching racoon now, I use leg traps set overnight, then shoot them with .22 shorts next morning.
Racoon are the most destructive animal I've ever seen, worse than bear IMO.

 

[shooterdon]

You can figure out from my forum name what I do with critters that need dealing with.

 

[ruffdog]

Racoon VS guy with broom....LOL. Next time get a better broom!

 

[CalG]

Trap them - they are always on the lookout for food - apples etc, they aren't picky. Then relocate them 5+ miles away across a highway or river etc.

Pass the trouble on to someone else?

I'ld shoot you first then the 'coon if I caught you dumping near my place.

There are NO places in the east "wild enough" to keep coons from being a pest.

 

[CalG]

DayState Air Rifle - no noise -

Evanix AR5 Revolver action.
28 grain pells go out with a CRACK!

 

[wmfamily]

They are the worst. Trap them and then shot them. Most people create a situation where they come around,not intentionally, they are just living their lives in the country. But if you are leaving food out for them, you get what you pay for. Even in the suburbs we have them and getting rid of them is harder. I can trap them but getting rid of them is a problem. I don't think the neighbors would like me leaving them for the carrion feeders.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Does give the coyotes reason to check back though.

Yeah, I know, but they are here to stay. I sit out on the patio after dinner each night and I hear the howls, moving in a big circle over the course of 2-3 weeks, then it starts over again. I don't mind them, but I have no animals/pets either.

 

[weldingisfun]

Trap them - they are always on the lookout for food - apples etc, they aren't picky. Then relocate them 5+ miles away across a highway or river etc.

You had best check the law about relocating. Can't do that in Texas. Shooting is fast and effective.

 

[BnRidge]

Even in the suburbs we have them and getting rid of them is harder. I can trap them but getting rid of them is a problem.

I use a post hole digger - small 6" hole 2ft deep, perfect size, drop them in. Can put a lot of holes in a small area.

 

[FullMetalBucket]

Racoon VS guy with broom....LOL. Next time get a better broom!

Wonder if that thing had rabies to come back after him.

Raccoons are tough little guys, but last year one of them ran into something a little tougher. Found a Racoon head and a bunch of fir in the back yard, nothing else. Surprised I didn’t hear the ruckus.