Light duty trapping

[Backpack Hunter]

Looking for a little advice on trapping around my house. Trying to get rid of some raccoon, and opossum.
Was thinking about a Duke dog proof for the raccoon, and maybe a havahart for the opossums? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Solitude]

The Havahart works on both, at least at my house.

 

[tuffcity]

The havaharts work well with coons too. A bunch of years ago the little buggers were ripping up new sod at my place so I started setting the live trap baited with an egg. Caught 13 in 14 nights. I'd let my blue ticket roll the cage around for awhile then toss it in the back of the pick up and relocate them- after I tagged them with with a shoot of green spray paint on the back. They got one chance, if I re-trapped a painted one they were going to be hats. Never caught a repeat offender.

Use raw eggs in the shell for raccoons- don't end up with neighbourhood cats that way.

I was amazed at how large a raccoon could be and still stuff himself in a live trap. Also had one that chewed through the wire on the trap.

RC

... no experience with opossums.

 

[gonhunting247]

Cage traps work great for both raccoons and opossums. The dog proof traps are great too. Marshmallows are a good alternative bait to try to reduce cat catches. I use dry cat food and marshmallows. I catch a cat once in awhile, but just shake the trap real hard before you let him out and they usually won't repeat. One thing to keep in mind, if you have skunks you might wrap your trap in cardboard or use the inclosed style. It's a lot faster and safer to approach if one is caught.

 

[tipsntails7]

Havahart works really well. Or you could run some 330 conibears and that will guarantee no repeat offenders, unless your neighbors have cats that is.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Yeah the neighbors have cats....dogs too.

We're talking literally wrapping the trap in cardboard for skunks?

 

[tipsntails7]

Yeah the neighbors have cats....dogs too.

We're talking literally wrapping the trap in cardboard for skunks?

Ya just something to catch the spray. I leave the front and the back open and cover the sides. my experience is skunks are more willing to walk into a trap they think they can walk all the way through then a small hole they may have to turn around in. I dont have any tangible evidence but just what I do. Approach from the side obviously. I've also have seen guys attach a cardboard door on the back that is connected by zip ties that can be flipped over to cover the back as well.

 

[NorthCountry]

I would take some of these suggestions worth a grain of salt. I'm an avid trapper, and catch coon throughout the season. Yes, havaharts are fine, especially if your in a very residential area, but still being in a residential area, I'd reccomend a DP of some sort - whether its a Duke, Ztrap, Dagger or the other numerous brands. As for the 330 suggestion, I'd skip over that. Even if you live very rural, I'd use a 220. But assuming you have any houses around, stick with a DP. Bait with cat food and fish oil, marshmallows work too.

CJ Ratliff

 

[tipsntails7]

K

I would take some of these suggestions worth a grain of salt. I'm an avid trapper, and catch coon throughout the season. Yes, havaharts are fine, especially if your in a very residential area, but still being in a residential area, I'd reccomend a DP of some sort - whether its a Duke, Ztrap, Dagger or the other numerous brands. As for the 330 suggestion, I'd skip over that. Even if you live very rural, I'd use a 220. But assuming you have any houses around, stick with a DP. Bait with cat food and fish oil, marshmallows work too.

CJ Ratliff

The 330 was a joke....

I also don't know where he lives, but many states you cannot set any type of trap besides a trap similar to havahart with in so many feet of a dwelling or property line. Including Dp's. Most states have made it so difficult to trap anymore that it's not worth it. When I was a kid my grandad trapped ALOT in the U.P. and made a decent living out of it for awhile. Things have changed a lot since then.

 

[NorthCountry]

K

The 330 was a joke....

I also don't know where he lives, but many states you cannot set any type of trap besides a trap similar to havahart with in so many feet of a dwelling or property line. Including Dp's. Most states have made it so difficult to trap anymore that it's not worth it. When I was a kid my grandad trapped ALOT in the U.P. and made a decent living out of it for awhile. Things have changed a lot since then.

You can easily grab an animal damage control permit and use a DP and trap the coon out of season, if in his state, that's the case. After all, his exact situation is what DP's were created for.....

Me, being a trapper, didn't see the suggestion of a 330 as a joke, and I assume only a handful of folks know what a 330 is/or is capable of. It'd be a bummer if someone took that literally, we trappers have enough problems with PR.

Just my .02.

 

[martin_shooter]

The only time I have ever used a 330 was for some monster beavers. Scared the hell out of me every time I had to set one!

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Didn't know what a 330 was, so I googled it. Figured out it was a joke.....or at the least something I shouldn't use

In the face of overwhelming support it looks like I might just end up putting out what I initially posted.

 

[trapperjay]

I am an avid trapper and do ADC work as well. Cages and DPs work really slick but I prefer cages whenever possible.

 

[tipsntails7]

You can easily grab an animal damage control permit and use a DP and trap the coon out of season, if in his state, that's the case. After all, his exact situation is what DP's were created for.....

Me, being a trapper, didn't see the suggestion of a 330 as a joke, and I assume only a handful of folks know what a 330 is/or is capable of. It'd be a bummer if someone took that literally, we trappers have enough problems with PR.

Just my .02.

Some states can be a real pain in the ass to trap in, especially the one im currently living in, your more likely to be granted a CCW then a damage permit. Then even when finally granted you must dispatch animal immediately but only if the law allows the discharge or firearms. So unless your in a rural area they basically make it illegal to trap with their loopholes. I understand as well what you are saying and probably should have clarified about the 330... Although as a trapper I would have thought you would of got the joke but your right, I should have been more clear

 

[tipsntails7]

Didn't know what a 330 was, so I googled it. Figured out it was a joke.....or at the least something I shouldn't use

In the face of overwhelming support it looks like I might just end up putting out what I initially posted.

I apologize for not making my comments more clear... Although you would have found out the moment you tried to set it how over kill it would be.

 

[Shrek]

The 330's are pretty effective though and make multiple catches easy to stack .

 

[trapperjay]

330's are seeet in the water!

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I apologize for not making my comments more clear... Although you would have found out the moment you tried to set it how over kill it would be.

LOL not a big deal. I don't know anything about trapping, but a little Google fu clued me in.

 

[Shrek]

And depending on how you feel about cats and dogs running all over your place the 330's might be a positive because nothing caught in one is going to make so much as a peep and draw any attention if placed out of sight. You could clean out a lot of problems.

 

[mtluckydan]

Trapped many raccoons with both box traps & leg holds. I used to set the box trap in a horizontal garbage can only using one door of a two door trap. Set the bait all the way in the back and they can only go through the door - can't try and reach in through the sides to get the bait. Never had one get away or miss. My neighbors used to let them go and they returned many times. If you don't want to shoot them you can always set the trap in some H2O and let them expire - no blood this way on your trap. With the threat of rabies with coons, not a bad way to deal with them. Also a good way to deal with skunks - most times they don't spray this way. They always spray when shot. Conibears are very effective but bad choice in a neighborhood. You will surely get something you don't want and no catch and release with these. Depends on how much you like your neighbors.