Coon problem

[sticknstring]

Other than poison, what's the best way to get rid of these rascals? Thinking about a live trap - what to use for bait? Grandpa is declaring war and needs help!

[picksbigwagon]

sardines or marshmellows, if you don't want to go the poison route. I have witnessed the poison route's effectiveness, it was like a little freaky

[sticknstring]

Yeah I've read how effective it is, but he would rather pop 'em with the pistol. I'll pass on your bait recommendations - thank you!

[picksbigwagon]

oh, with a pistol? couple bags of corn in the driveway, outside the barn would draw them in like flies.....live trapping, mashmellows OR sardines. couple cans of tuna left out after dark would round them up too, along with a big ol bag of cat food

[delcecchi]

Surprisingly, sunflower seeds work.

[Random guy]

Good old peanut butter, molasses will call them in from a long ways and of course if you mix those two with a little dog food... Rocky's last supper.

Basically a raccoon living around a house will eat about anything.

[sticknstring]

He's caught 2 coons & a skunk so far. marshmallows being the bait of choice.

[delcecchi]

Has anyone any experience with those coon traps that are like a little box or tube the coon sticks their paw in? I have seen them in youtube videos and wonder how well they work.

A racoon in a live trap is a real mess, and body grips aren't really something I want to use, due to the neighbor's dogs. They don't come over habitually but one never knows, and I would feel terrible if one got into a lethal trap.

Those paw things seem like a perfect solution if they work. Also do they catch possum?

[IcePro]

Does anyone remember the coon trap Billy Coleman made in the book "Where the Red Fern Grows"?

He needed to catch some coons to train his pair of Redbone Coonhounds.

[Ganger]

To Del, according to all the articles in my trapping mags, they work extremely well.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Does anyone remember the coon trap Billy Coleman made in the book "Where the Red Fern Grows"?

He needed to catch some coons to train his pair of Redbone Coonhounds.

Horseshoe nail trap. Drill a 1 1/8 inch hole into a stump aboot 4 or so inches deep. Drop a couple of marshmellows into it. Drive some 10 penny nails in at a 45 so rockey can stick his arm in, but can't pull out. They work and I actually used them when I was a kid, but I really would not recommend it. A 1 1/2 double coil will do the job much better, or a 220.....but I ain't going there.

[johnsd16]

Has anyone any experience with those coon traps that are like a little box or tube the coon sticks their paw in? I have seen them in youtube videos and wonder how well they work.

A racoon in a live trap is a real mess, and body grips aren't really something I want to use, due to the neighbor's dogs. They don't come over habitually but one never knows, and I would feel terrible if one got into a lethal trap.

Those paw things seem like a perfect solution if they work. Also do they catch possum?

That style of trap is loosely called "dog proofs" some now have push/pull triggers rather than pull only. They work very well and will catch coon, possum, skunk and can get cats. If you are in rochester with your coon problem, let me know. I have a couple of those traps sitting idle in my garage and could help you out.

[delcecchi]

I am in Rochester, and there are coons and possums in the area. I don't see evidence since I cut back on the bird feeding.

[delcecchi]

BTW. thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it. If they or you are still available in the fall I will take you up on it.

I was looking at one at ff yesterday. What do you use for bait? How do you get it down past the trigger?

[jigginjim]

The only problem with a trapping is, You catch a skunk getting the stinky out. All the bait mentioned will also draw in these perfumed kitties.

[delcecchi]

In the live trap, I use sunflower seeds. Do skunks eat sunflower seeds?

I thought they were more carnivores. But I don't really know.

[benbosh]

I'd consider them more of an omnivore than a carnivore

[swamptiger]

Marshmallows are commonly used for bait in the dogproofs. But yeah, you will also catch a few grinners and kitties (striped ones), too.

[CarpinMNRiver]

Chicken wing.

[laker1]

Time to make coon season year around,only reason we have a season is the southern part of the state a few had self interests. Racoons are the biggest influence on game bird numbers we have.

[Pistol Pete]

skunks are not good climbers, put the trap up a post or tree 3 feet. Also any kind of fish formula attractant has worked well for me.

[johnsd16]

Racoons are the biggest influence on game bird numbers we have.

.

I'll go ahead and throw the flag on that.

Ever heard of a thing called habitat.

[laker1]

Well,you look at habitat,much has changed as far as Ruff Grouse goes. Also much of the grouse range had few if any raacoons once,much like the prairie pothole country of Canada where the coon is a newcomer.

The raacoon thrives in are human munipulated habitat.

Studies show if you could,which naturally you can't control egg eaters like coons and skunk,pheasant populations(yea different than grouse) can go up 100%,fox only 17%.

Look at some of the large Ruff Grouse studies in the 40's and 50's,raccoons were a non-factor because racoon numbers were extremely low or did not exist in much of northern Minnesota or Wisconsin,their migrated north over the years and or the agriculture changes and forest changes they adapted to.

Yes, you are correct without habitat you also have nothing.