Nuisance raccoons

[philtuts]

Okay, so we've got tons of raccoons that frequent our backyard each night. They have killed and eaten three of our ducklings that we are raising. We don't have a live trap. I've sat on the roof with my bow but they never seem to show up. What is the best way for me to deal with them?

 

[JMOB]

I can help you out next month if you want them gone.

 

[shakey gizzard]

Buy a trap or borrow one from animal control!

 

[Barehunter]

http://www.minntrapprod.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4732

 

[philtuts]

Barehunter, I checked out the trap on the site and it looks sweet. My backyard up here in IL is small and fenced in with trees. Would this be appropriate? I have no problem disposing of them humanely after they are caught. Thoughts?

 

[Barehunter]

Barehunter, I checked out the trap on the site and it looks sweet. My backyard up here in IL is small and fenced in with trees. Would this be appropriate? I have no problem disposing of them humanely after they are caught. Thoughts?

Absolutely appropriate. Just remember that the coon may destroy everything it can get to so be careful where you set it. It needs to be cabled off to something solid...stake etc. Bait it with marshmallows and you shouldn't catch the neighbors cat.

Bear in mind that I have NO idea what the law is in Ill.

 

[Stieet]

I saw a video once where Racoon's were called in at night with a predator call and shot with bows from the bed of a pick up truck. They said it worked great in an over populated coon area where these was a lot of competition for food.

 

[csims723]

Be very careful going about this yourself. Raccoons are rabies vector species and under my Nuisance License I am required by the state to put down. This being said trap and release of rabies vector species is not allowed in GA, if this is going on here.

 

[danielk]

We actually had a similar problem last spring. But instead of ducklings the raccoon ate our koi. The first time it was a single fish but a few nights later it was a massacre. We came out in the morning to find a few fish partially eaten but with seven or eight really big fish out on the lawn, dead and untouched. Just dragged out on the lawn to die.

The raccoon even tore up all of our water plants as well. When my brother in law came to house sit that weekend to house/dog sit for us we told him to bring his live trap which he had bought to catch feral cats. He said he'd catch it and then drive somewhere a few miles away and let it loose.

Apparently he put a can of tuna inside and placed it by the pond and caught the coon on the first night. However he said it was absolutely huge and every time he approached the trap to grab the handle it would stick both of its hands out and try to grab his hand.

He said after that there was no way he would put the trap in his truck and ended up just letting it loose. What worked for us was putting an alligator decoy in the pond: http://www.gardenandpatiohomeguide.com/the-complete-alligator-decoy-guide/ from a few feet away its look pretty real, and no coons or herons eating our fish since. Problem solved and no having to deal with getting scratched or bitten.

 

[transfixer]

Check out some of the youtube videos on calling raccoons in the daytime, seems to be very effective, I'm going to try it here at my place the next day off I have,

 

[Permitchaser]

Havahart traps work great on coons then you can dispatch them

 

[one hogman]

The Duke Dog Proof traps are IMO the best way to get rid of Coons, Set them in the area or around your corn feeders, Secure them well with cables to trees or ground stakes, you can use sardines but we have had great luck with cheap dry catfood, just sprinkle it in the trap barely covering the trigger then a lil outside around the trap, 14 coons, three possums, three Skunks and two small red fox has taken the bait this year

 

[1982ace]

If I was going to trap a raccoon in my backyard and it was landscaped I wouldn’t use a dog proof trap or you’re going to have a catch circle in your grass! Lol I’d use a cage trap

 

[280 Man]

If I was going to trap a raccoon in my backyard and it was landscaped I wouldn’t use a dog proof trap or you’re going to have a catch circle in your grass! Lol I’d use a cage trap

Yes sir. They will tear a yard up if caught in a leg hold...

 

[bilgerat]

build a catapult and launch them into the neighbors yard