Raccoon control...

[Dan In MI]

Raccoons have been coming onto my property as of late. I do not want them here...at all. So I'm looking for suggestions as to how to get them off the property for good. Any method that will accomplish that end, not land me in legal trouble, and is not harmful to humans, cats, or dogs is worth considering. What do y'all suggest?

[Mumbleypeg]

Pipe traps work great. Bait it with a a sardine. Use a .22 caliber pistol to dispatch the critter once you trap it. Safe for dogs, not sure about cats though so do some research before you get one.

Ken

[Dan In MI]

Having done some quick additional research into the pipe trap, it looks as if they could trap cats, too. (I am constantly amazed at the spaces cats can fit themselves into!) Unless I come up with bait that raccoons love but cats won't touch, pipe traps would probably require frequent monitoring just in case a cat found its way into one.

[OLDE CUTLER]

You don't say whether you live in an urban or rural area. If rural they can be shot, something like a 22magnum works good. If urban, I have caught several with the large Havahart traps baited with canned cat food. Once caught in the trap one must be careful as they can carry rabies. Here I can call Animal Control and the truck comes and picks them up. If you don't have that option, they can be taken far away and released, or a vet can stick them in the trap with a syringe stick to euthanize them. If you catch someone's cat in the trap they can be released unharmed. With the catch em alive traps though, the traps have to be watched closely and action taken as soon as something is caught. The last raccoon I caught in a Havahart trap weighed 40 lbs and was so big the door of the trap closed with his tail sticking out. He had been in the crawl space under my neighbors house and chewed the tv and internet cable off. When using the Havahart traps always leave them out in the open, never under a deck just in case you catch a skunk. I have never caught a skunk, but many raccoons, possums, feral cats, and a woodchuck (below).

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Dan I’m in the shoot them camp. I recently had to dispatch a mother and 4 baby raccoons that were trying to take over our porch. The dogs were going crazy at night inside when they saw or heard them. We have had to deal with possums, skunks, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, mice and moles. My Henry rifle comes in mighty handy living in the country.

[1967redrider]

Trash Pandas

[Dan In MI]

You don't say whether you live in an urban or rural area.

I hate to have to say it...but urban. If I lived in a rural area, the little would have been shot by now. (Moving to a rural area is a goal and a dream of mine.)

[zzyzzogeton]

As you live in a city, I would recommend contacting your city's animal control officer to find out what their recommended method of elimination is. Some cities will come pick these nuisance animals up and do whatever they do with them. Other cities may actually set the traps in the area. Some cities will probably tell you "Too bad. No Trapping. No Shooting. Live with them." Me, if I lived in a city with THAT attitude, I'd trap'em anyway and go release them in the mayor's yard.

My brother trapped 63 raccoons in 2020 using a large Hav-a-hart trap as pictured above using corn as his bait. As he lives in the country, he dispatched them all with a 22. He has cattle on his property and the coons are coming in to raid his cattle feed supply. I think he is up to 25 for this year so far. He is INUNDATED with the damn things. The only thing that has been trapped more often on his place is feral hogs. His hog trapper has caught sounders with as many as 26 hogs at a time. They trapped over 100 last year.

I also live in the country. As I DON'T have cattle, my coon elimination rate is much lower. In the last 5 years, I have only trapped about about 5 or 6 coons per year, using corn and sometimes dry dog food as bait. These I also shot. I used to see a dozen or more high-tailing out of the orchard during peach and fig season when I would come home at night and spook them into fleeing for while. My peaches have suffered from the bad drought a couple of years ago and I only have 2 old enough to produce, so the incentive is reduced right now.

I have also trapped and shot 56 skunks in the last 3 years either trying to take up residence under my house or leaving from under the house during their nightly forays.

I have 4 large, 6 medium and 5 small Hav-a-hart traps that I use for my wars on rats, coons, squirrels, skunks and rattlers.

I hate rats and squirrels because of the damage they (and mice) do on vehicle wiring.

The coons will climb a fruit tree, pull a fruit (peach, pear, plum) off, take a bite, reject it as not ripe enough and go for another one. I have found up to several dozen peaches lying on the ground under the trees some mornings. They will invade a watermelon or cantalope patch and chew a hole in one end and scoop the center out, leaving just the rind. They climb their 40 to 50 # bodies up into a fig tree and break the limbs off.

Skunks have a very high rate of rabies infection, some being sick, whikle others are simply carriers. Any skunk coming onto the fenced area around the builds and gets trapped is shot and discarded.

Rattlers die because they are rattlers. All other snakes get a pass, unless they find their way into the house. I've killed 5 rattlers ranging from 47.5" to 64" in the last 18 months that I trapped in Hav-a-hart traps set for skunks that moved under the house. And about a dozen more that I have encountered in the yard.

[Colonel26]

Those live traps work well. But I can tell you about the pipe or as we call them dog proof traps, my son uses them for coons and he has never caught a cat. He's caught coons and plenty of opossums, but no cats. However, if he did catch a cat out hunting in my field, that would be a plus in my book!

[knife7knut]

We had a raccoon problem awhile back with a family of them taking up residence inside our downstairs fireplace. It was not being used and they had invaded it by climbing down the uncovered chimney. They could not gain entrance to the house as there were glass doors on the front of it.
Being inside the city limits shooting them wasn't an option and I didn't want to wound one of them and have it die inside the fireplace.We were considering calling animal control when a friend of ours gave us the solution.He asked if there was an opening to gain access to the area.Someone in a previous time had installed a small wood burning stove with a pipe leading to the chimney but my wife had it removed as it was not to local codes.
He suggested taking off the cover to the chimney and using a length of rod attaching a rag to the end soaked in ammonia.The smell would attack the raccoon's sensitive sense of smell and they would depart post haste. Took them all of about 45 seconds to scramble up the chimney and out across the roof to a nearby getaway tree.
We quickly installed the newly bought cap for the chimney and the raccoon problem vanished.
I would expect you could probably spray liquid ammonia around the area they are coming onto your property or if you're not sure spray around the perimeter.Dogs probably wouldn't like it either

[Dan In MI]

We had a raccoon problem awhile back with a family of them taking up residence inside our downstairs fireplace.

I'm glad my racoon problem isn't quite that bad!

I'll give the local animal control folks a call later today.

[Mumbleypeg]

Dan, the video I posted says pipe traps will not catch cats. Per the explanation of how they work, my interpretation is the trigger does not trip the trap unless the bait is grasped and pulled, which cats and dogs can’t do. But raccoons can since they have human-like “fingers”.

FWIW I have never caught a cat in a pipe trap but have caught several in a cage type live trap. In my post I said to research it for cats because I don’t want to be responsible for steering you wrong. After re-watching the video about pipe traps it seems they’re safe for cats and dogs. BTW here’s a Cabela’s ad for them that says safe for dogs and cats. https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/duke-tr ... ccoon-trap

Ken

[tongueriver]

However, if he did catch a cat out hunting in my field, that would be a plus in my book!

[Dan In MI]

Well, my local animal control wasn't of much help. They are "not licensed" to deal with wildlife, and but they did provide a list of removal specialists. One quoted me $75 per raccoon, and that's if I trap 'em myself. While I have a long-term solution, I've yet to find a more immediate one that's so much as decent.

[Colonel26]

Well, my local animal control wasn't of much help. They are "not licensed" to deal with wildlife, and but they did provide a list of removal specialists. One quoted me $75 per raccoon, and that's if I trap 'em myself. While I have a long-term solution, I've yet to find a more immediate one that's so much as decent.

Do you know any coon hunters up there? I know down here some of them will be more than glad to catch yours in a live trap and use them to train their pups.

Other than that I think your only options are 1) use ammonia or other such thing to ward them off, 2) live trap them and take them out in the country if other “disposal” methods aren’t available.

But I sure wouldn’t pay somebody $75 to come get a critter I’ve caught myself and haul it off.

[Dan In MI]

I sure wouldn’t pay somebody $75 to come get a critter I’ve caught myself and haul it off.

You aren't alone in that regard.

I don't know of any 'coon hunters up here. Trapping and releasing them myself is starting to sound like the best option.

[1967redrider]

Dan, the video I posted says pipe traps will not catch cats. Per the explanation of how they work, my interpretation is the trigger does not trip the trap unless the bait is grasped and pulled, which cats and dogs can’t do. But raccoons can since they have human-like “fingers”.

FWIW I have never caught a cat in a pipe trap but have caught several in a cage type live trap. In my post I said to research it for cats because I don’t want to be responsible for steering you wrong. After re-watching the video about pipe traps it seems they’re safe for cats and dogs. BTW here’s a Cabela’s ad for them that says safe for dogs and cats. https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/duke-tr ... ccoon-trap

Ken

You couldn't coon-finger any other way, Ken.

[tongueriver]

Trapping and releasing them myself is starting to sound like the best option.

No it is not. You release any coon or cat and you better do it 200 miles away or they will be right back. They need to be terminated.

[eveled]

Here if you trap them you have two options release immediately or terminate them. You cannot transport them.

[zzyzzogeton]

The "take them out to the country and dump them" is a BAD idea. First off, we don't need or want any more of the damn things. They just cause more problems for the country folk. Secondly, in many states it is illegal to transport and release wild animals.

When I catch someone dumping anything on the property, regardless of what it is, I get an LP if I can (I have 27 cameras scattered about) and call the Sheriff's Department, or if critters, Texas Parks and Wildlife. Having to pay to get rid of 248 used tires that were dumped on our property REALLY pissed me off.

We had another dog dumped yesterday. Probably down the road or at the highway, We're the first house off the highway so we get more than most of the folks on our road. There's been 5 dogs and 3 cats so far this year (2021).

To take a dog or cat to the county pound, I waste time catching it, waste 2 hours to haul it 26 miles, turn it in and drive home. If the "free" county drop off is full and I gotta go to a "townie" pound, which adds an extra hour to the ordeal and I gotta pay $50 to drop it off.

People dump off their dogs in the country and just expect "coutry folk" to care for them. Doesn't happen.

Most dogs that get dumped in the country end up dieing-

either from starvation because they've been fed all their life and have no skills in hunting,
or
from being run over because, again they have been pampered most of their life, and have no clue about traffic
or
because they start chasing cows/sheep/goats and get blown away by a pissed off farmer/rancher
or
they get taken to a pound where they MAY get euthanized because they don't get adopted and the pound is full.

Some get kept, but it's rare. Most country folk that want dogs already have as many as they want or can handle.

[Colonel26]

Far be it for me to encourage anyone to break a law, but, if you were to use one of the dog proof traps a good pellet gun and a properly placed head shot would work. Or, if you want a bit more power but no more sound, a 22 cb short out of an older long barreled 22 rifle is often quieter than a pellet gun. Just a thought. I am in no way suggesting you do this.

CA64CBE1-39D8-41E8-A790-6380636BF35A.jpeg (49 KiB) Viewed 1871 times

[Dan In MI]

Far be it for me to encourage anyone to break a law...

I thought about getting a Ruger 10/22 with a Silent-SR/ISB...but that would be quite expensive, even before the paperwork. Though my neighbors probably wouldn't get too panicky over gunshots, a firearm may not be the best option. I'm definitely not trying to get myself in trouble with the law.

Nor am I going to take a 400-mile round trip to relocate them, only to have them pester the country folk. A compromise will have to be made somewhere, and I believe "good compromise" is an oxymoron.

[bestgear]

Tools needed: Bait, Havaheart Trap, Garbage Can, Water

Step 1: Bait Trap
Step 2: Fill Garbage Can With Water
Step 3: Trap Coon
Step 4: Submerge Trap & Coon In Water & Cover
Step 5: Discard Carcass In Regular Trash

YMMV - save your ammo and your neighbors

Same formula works on squirrels, woodchucks, opossum, cats and fox.

[just bob]

I'm a bit of a nature freak and wish we could all exist in harmony, but I know it can't be. There are situations that require attention. I don't understand the senseless killing of animals and have never thought catching a fish or killing a deer makes you a man. IMO there is much more to it than that. In the last year I have seen 2 eagles, countless deer, and the assortment of wildlife Indiana offers. Last week I saw at least 10 rabbits in my backyard and share my sweet corn with the racoons on a seasonal basis. I have garden snakes that reside in my rock pile. I had to shoot a ground hog that had taken up residence under my storage shed. I have trapped racoons and agree with what others say about them returning. Try spray painting their backs with blue or green paint while they're in the trap and before you release them and sure enough you're likely to see the same ones back again. We have a huge nature area near here and I let them go there if I catch one. My latest experience involves a feral cat. I lost my dog Hunter who was a tri color beagle and at some point after that I started t notice a tri color calico cat hanging around my back yard. I suspect it was due to the rabbit population. There is a field behind my house that isn't mowed regularly. Anyway I started leaving scraps of food out for the cat and she kept returning. I wasn't 100% sure she was a female until one day she showed up with 2 kittens and that removed all doubt. I'm not about to start a feral cat colony and with some effort managed to catch the mother in a live trap. I took her to the low cost spay / neuter clinic where they routinely treat feral cats. SHE IS WILD. While she was there I came back and got the kittens that were in my sunroom and took them to the local animal shelter for adoption. Went back that evening and got the mother cat I have named Wildfire and let her loose. They clipped her ear and that is an indication of a feral cat that has been spayed / neutered. She still hates me but loves my food - far easier than catching rabbits I suppose. I have managed to give her flea and wormer meds. She roams the neighborhood and the neighbors are aware of her. I think she actually resides in an old storage building that is a couple of hundred yards from my property. I wish I could do more to maintain the wildlife in this area. There is so much beauty in nature. I'm thankful we don't have rattlers and bears here. It's an enjoyment to watch Wildfire living the life God intended for her. So far as it is possible - she is free.

[1967redrider]

Far be it for me to encourage anyone to break a law...

I thought about getting a Ruger 10/22 with a Silent-SR/ISB...but that would be quite expensive, even before the paperwork. Though my neighbors probably wouldn't get too panicky over gunshots, a firearm may not be the best option. I'm definitely not trying to get myself in trouble with the law.

Nor am I going to take a 400-mile round trip to relocate them, only to have them pester the country folk. A compromise will have to be made somewhere, and I believe "good compromise" is an oxymoron.

I recommend Ruger's 10/22, I'm more than tickled with mine and the aftermarket options are almost limitless.