Raccoons Who has hunted them ,Need advice .

BushMaster-15

BushMaster-15

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Seems I've got a Raccoon problem . Viewed our security surveillance HD and damn if I didn't see #5 of the Buggers shuffling on into the yard .

Normally I could care less but have two small kittens outside and papa Raccoon left a huge dump on My step . So challenge accepted !!.

I need to know how others hunt them ,as I've Never hunted them .
 
BushMaster-15 said:
Seems I've got a Raccoon problem . Viewed our security surveillance HD and damn if I didn't see #5 of the Buggers shuffling on into the yard .

Normally I could care less but have two small kittens outside and papa Raccoon left a huge dump on My step . So challenge accepted !!.

I need to know how others hunt them ,as I've Never hunted them .
Click to expand...
Shooting them is fun, but not so productive. Catching them in a cage trap has been my most successful. Got 4 of them this year that were terrorizing my chickens.
This is what I use, came with a smaller trap inside that is also big enough for a small to medium coon.

Havahart X-Large One Door Live Animal Trap - 1081 | Rural King

Havahart X-Large One Door Live Animal Trap - 1081
www.ruralking.com www.ruralking.com
 
They're mostly nocturnal. You won't have much success hunting them, might do better trapping them. You probably have a big momma and some youngsters.
They like cat food. You might be able to bait them if you establish a regular schedule and hunt them that way. I used to feed the barn cats right outside the barn doors at night. the cats would feed and then start acting weird when the coons were nearby. when the cats moved away from the feed pan the coons would come in. yard light and an illuminated scope and bang.
 
Not recommending the breaking of any gun/game laws but around here a bowl of dog food is set out and someone sits over it with a light and a rifle. They usually don't hang around unless there is a food source around the house like dog food, cat food, etc. that's left outside. They'll eat anything. Leaving food outside will attract skunks also. I had to stop leaving suet out for birds cause the coon's kept tearing the feeder down.
 
They are a real nuisance around here. I have a cellular trsilcam on my little cabin/hunting blind. I get raccoons passing by there every single night.
I hunted them with dogs for sport for a couple of seasons but trapping is more effective. I use a weapon light mounted on a rifle to defend my garden and sweet corn patch. The truth is I only get a couple a year by standing watch.
I trapped them for a couple seasons for fun but it wasn't very challenging. They love sardines, canned cat food, and (pro tip)......marshmallows. 😋.
 
The easiest way to git rid of a raccoon is to go to a farm supply store and buy a large live trap. The best bate I have found is to use wheat bread. Just tare the bread into small pieces and place a trail of bread into the trap with most of the bread behind the trip pad. I like to drive a long metal rod down through the trap on one side to keep the raccoon from turning the trap over after the trap goes off. After the raccoon is trapped put the trap in the back of your vehicle and haul it several miles to the local cemetery and turn the critter loose. You can use the same metal rod that you used to stake the trap down to slide it through the door to hold the door open so the raccoon can make his escape without biting your hand. Some of the old male raccoons can be really hacked off after they are trapped and they can really growl and threaten you with bodily harm. You can then hope he isn't smart enough to find his way back home.
 
I've hunted them before, but if it's in your yard, trapping is the way to go. I've caught 6 raccoons so far (and one neighbor's cat) using a Havahart. I use cat food or leftover chicken bones for bait. If you relocate the raccoons, make sure you put a mat or something under the trap in your vehicle. They make a real mess! A rug or blanket will get chewed up, so use something hard like a piece of plywood. They also have a very strong wet dog smell, so if you have a pickup, put it in the back. Good luck!
 
I've hunted and trapped raccoons. I don't recommend catch and release. Not only do they injure themselves in a wire trap, but they come away educated after being trapped and are more of a problem for the next guy. Find a trapper, or somebody that will eat them, but kill them. They need to be controlled, IMHO.
 
I use these:


01162700510_F


www.scheels.com

Duke Dog Proof Racoon Trap

The Duke Dog Proof Racoon Trap is a safe and efficient way to catch your targeted animal. Shop this Duke racoon trap today! SCHEELS
www.scheels.com www.scheels.com

Not very expensive, work well, go out the next morning and pop-em in the head with a .22LR. IF you go this route, get a trap setter. Not very expensive and makes it easier setting them.
 
In my experience, they are awful smart when it comes to not falling for things like box traps- so I usually end up with possums or the neighbor's cat when I put those box traps out. They like to come out at last light and then throughout the night. if you put out some bait (cat or dog food, tuna or sardines, or even your leftover chicken scraps) in an area close to whatever cover they are emerging from, and aim a light in the area of the bait so you can see in general and positively identify the coon, you may have some luck, and also get an idea of whatever else may be creeping through your property. When I was deer hunting over bait using those bait blocks from tractor supply, 3 coons would come waddling out of the woods right at sunset and start eating that block. I called them the 3 stooges. The deer had no interest in the blocks so I quit using them. Well-placed 22 's or shot should take care of the problem.
 
Savage30L said:
A word of caution here...nearly any bait that will work for raccoons, will also attract skunks....
Click to expand...

And once you get a skunk out of a live trap successfully without getting hosed (hopefully), you’ll put it up and switch to the “dog proof“ traps they have to grab the lever at the bottom and pull it back out.

They seem to not be able to resist cat treats, I put a small hand full in each one, just enough to cover the lever at the bottom.

You need to put them far enough away from one another they can’t get trapped by two (one on each hand and yes I’ve seen them do it). Sleep well that night and go get them in the morning, they will be there.

C72BFC71-AC4F-4042-8161-B9E0E3674060.jpeg
 
I have caught skunks in my Hava-Hart. It can be tricky to get them out safely. Fortunately my trap was at the corner of my chicken coop. I threw a small tarp over it and wrapped it, loaded on a small trailer and carefully unfolded the end and opened the door. Took him a few min before he finally waddled out of the trap.
 
Some "pests" move into different grades of "pest". Personally I would just love to kill every deer I come across, jerks clean out my peach and apple trees. But no. They do far more destruction then anything else I deal with including skunks and coons. I will trap them and let them go in some near by federal land, let Joe deal with them. Funny thing is when they leave it is quite a while before I have to worry about another one, and the coyote leave as well. Guess that food tree.
 
I thank One and ALL for the advice . I knew the little masked burglars were nocturnal otherwise they'd be range fodder . I actually went out and kicked one about two months ago . That's when I realized there were SEVERAL of them .

Ferrel cats don't seem to last long around these parts ,there's LARGER critters that nab them . However our lawn is like 1.5 acres and I maintain it ,Hate Voles ,Gophers , Mice and other rodents . So Two Adult cats and two orphaned kitty's call our patio alcove home . OK by ME as we have ZERO rodents and a whole lot less pesky birds . Damn Black & White magpies and Eurasian dove ,are scumming to MY AR TX200 air rifle as they're in range .

We're RURAL !. On #3 sides of us 10's of K's of open acres ,have 0-1160 yd. range on our property ,so shooting isn't a problem except seeing at night :eek:
Also where the buggers are is also problematic to shoot them .

So looks like Scheels for DDP Raccoon traps is a plan . Sincerely thank ALL of you for the Good advice :) FYI : I began picking up the cats food prior to dark and ensured NO scraps were left behind . So either papa or mamma raccoon left a HUGE dump on our steps and continues washing their paws in the cat's water dishes ,so they're roaming as well as raiding our Gardens . Here I figured the Deer or Moose were eating our corn ,until I realized the stalk on a few were pulled down and the ears were nearly totally eaten . Deer DON'T do that but shifty little chits raccoons do and they ate MY LAST watermelon !. :cuss:
 
That's when I realized there were SEVERAL of them .
Click to expand...

If there is a safe food source and a safe place to stay during the day, their numbers will only grow. I think I have one photo with 16 of them around a protein feeder!

The two from the photo I posted above were from this group.

36792205-3EE7-49D4-BA5B-77014F7F23C0.jpeg
 
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