How to catch a coon - literaly

[valeriedl]

We have a wild racoon that is running around getting into everything. It even ripped a hole in our screened in porch and got into the garbage in the house. Not leaving the porch door open at night now!

We've set up traps and the thing gets into it and will eat the food without setting off the trap? Sometimes it will set off the trap too but somehow get's out? It about the size of a cat and the trap's a good sized one so I don't know how it's managing to not set off the trap, and even when it does set it off how it get's out.

The thing even managed to get in and out of a garbage can that was strapped shut without even unstrapping it! This one really amazes me?

It just tried to dig it's way back into the porch a little bit ago but I scared it off. I actually had to go outside and chase the thing away, it wasn't scared of me at all! Probably wasn't a good idea going outside running twards it, clapping my hands screaming at though.

I'd put out some type of poison but we have all sorts of other animals outside that I don't want to end up killing.

I'm going to have to get new screen for the porch but I'm not going to fix it till the coon is gone. I don't want to have to pay for new screen every few days.

Anyone have any ideas how to get it?

 

[LJ-Bain]

Raccoons are crafty little devils aren't they?
We have had a raccoon figure out how to open our bbq!

Is there an animal control you could call?

Good luck!

 

[Silat]

I've found a .38 Hollow Point to the head typically does the trick... (Harsh... I know... but I can't afford to have them killing our chickens, or destroying our garden, or doing property damage...)

You could always set out live traps yourself, most farming stores have them, but what you'd do with it after that is a great question... plus there's always the risk of catching a neighborhood dog/cat.

Other than that, I guess you can call animal control. They're crafty little suckers, and they'll get into whatever they want without much issue... If you're living in a town/city, they're likely used to people and that's why they're not afraid of you. That typically makes things much worse. At least out in the country where I live, if they see you, they'll run instantly.

They're attracted to strong food smells, and anything that is shiny. I've come across a few "nests" (because I can't think of what they're called...) where they keep their young. They're full of lots of shiny stuff, from aluminum foil to pieces of stainless steel metal (forks, for example) to anything else that glints in the sun. They will go out of their way to take anything shiny they can find, so getting rid of as much shiny stuff as you can in your yard/porch will make them less prone to visiting you... They'll still come for your garbage though. :?

 

[huskymom]

How about a dog? Since we have had our baby, we don't get them in the yard anymore. Of course ground hogs are stupid and keep coming, but at least they only come once, if you get my meaning! I am sure that she would love to come and help you out

 

[PFunk]

shiny stuff, from aluminum foil to pieces of stainless steel metal (forks, for example) to anything else that glints in the sun. They will go out of their way to take anything shiny

Who knew onder: ....... not I

 

[valeriedl]

My dad's sat outside for the last 3 nights with a shot gun waiting for the coon to come and get the food that he's got set in the trap. He's been staying out there till he's about ready to fall asleep then comes in and goes to bed. The next morning the thing has gotten into the trap and gotten the food out!!!!

The trap that we have is a real trap that my dad bought from a store. We've even smeared peanut butter inside of it but the thing gets in there and licks all the peanut butter off and get's back out!

I'm about ready to sit out there with a pot of coffee and wait for the thing to come. I just wonder if I'd end up hitting it? Or would they even trust a person with elipesy to sit on the back porch with a double barrel shot gun?

 

[Silat]

Is the trap downwind from your house? If the racoon can smell your dad sitting outside, it'll likely wait for him to go inside before it does anything near your house.

 

[DayDreamer]

We came home about six years ago and saw that our house had been broken into. The grandfather clock was on the floor, the kitchen was smashed up, but wait, nothing was stolen. There were small weird handprints on the windows and then we noticed that the petflap was broken off of the door. It had been locked so the cats couldn't leave after they came in before we left for the weekend but we forgot to lock it both ways. A raccoon must have become locked in our house and felt ?scared? irritated? who knows what. But eventually was able to use its hands to take off the secondary door that was screwed into the main one. I came home on my own later that year and saw a raccoon lying on my bed. I'm not joking. That freaking animal was asleep in my house. I wouldn't doubt it if it had had the brains to have opened the fridge and have eaten lunch. Anyway I wasn't sure what to do as the animal was quite large about half the size of me. Hmmm.... I gave my husband a call. He said whatever you do don't get it scared. So I just made so noise after I had made sure all the pathways were open. He was out of there quick. We replaced our doors the next weekend and fixed the problem of their pathway, even though the cats no longer had one.

 

[lottalead]

is it a haveaheart trap? i have caught several coons with them and they really should not be able to get it open from inside if its set right

 

[CathyAnn31]

That's one smart raccoon! I hope you get him soon.

Shame their so cute though, lol.

 

[valeriedl]

Yea it is a haveaheart trap. Somehow the thing just gets in and out of it with or without setting it off. It's even knocked it on it's side so we started putting heavy stuff on top of it, but still no luck!

My dad's sat on his porch, which is enclosed with only a open door way, so I don't think the thing would be able to smell him. I know it's not afraid of people because of the night that I went out screaming at it. It just stood there looking at me like "Hey I've gotten into the house before and I'm going to do it again. Now go away!!!"

I can't imagine coming home and finding one on the bed! I don't know if I'd even beable to sleep in the bed again after that. The night that he got in the house we had the door open from the porch into the house so I know the thing probably had a good time wondering about. I wonder what I would have done if I'd woke up and found it in bed with me!