Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Posts: 1139

Any suggestions? I really hate to check a trap and find the bait gone and no coon. Any tips or know anywhere where I can find tips?

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Erin Britt

Aight guys, this ain't a bench show and I ain't a hound. Keep ya eyes where they need to be.

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 661

If your talking about using steel traps, I always liked putting a piece of tinfoil on the trap pan and setting it under a shallow riffle in a stream. I also like using the pocket set. That works well for mink too.

If you're talking about cage traps, I like to use cattle feed with a molasses supplement. You don't catch any cats or as many possums that way.

If you're looking for a good book on trapping, I'd recommend "Trapping North American Furbearers" by S. Stanley Hawbaker. Most of the big trapping supply catalogs carry that book. Good luck!

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Registered: Jun 2005
Location: North of Panama City Florida
Posts: 1014

honey buns- coon love em, i usually catch em pretty quick and i havnt caught anything but coon with em

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Posts: 1139

Hey Amanda, that's what I use, too. They can't resist a honeybun. The problem I'm having is that they dig under the trap and pull the bait out from underneath. I guess I'll have to line the inside of the cage with some kind of steel mesh so they can't get to it without going inside the trap. Some of the traps that I have been using are borrowed, so I thought that maybe a possum had been caught in the traps recently. I know that coons sometimes won't go into a trap that smells like a possum, so I put some coon scent on the trap. I hate it when a coon gets the best of me! I guess I better get used to it.... they're conniving little critters!

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Erin Britt

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Registered: Sep 2006
Location: richmond kansas
Posts: 120

marshmallows work good to. dig a small hole and put the bait in it with the live trap sat over the hole. then put a couple mallows in the back of the trap. and like a honey bun the opposums and cats dont mess with them as bad

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: Bunn, NC (Near Raleigh)
Posts: 1584

I found that if I smear a spoonful of Peanut Butter on the trap pan/tray I did not have to set the trap with such a "hair trigger" and as a result I also caught Squirrel's which I suspect are what was stealing my other baits of choice (Honey Bun, Oatmeal Creme Pie, etc.)
Peanut butter can't be just picked up and removed, and will cause the animal in question to stay in the trap to consume the bait...In addition, they consume it by licking the trip pan/tray which helps ensure they will be caught.


Good Luck!

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Posts: 1139

Thanks Chris. That's a good idea! Never thought of that... I'll try it and see how that works out for me.

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Erin Britt

Aight guys, this ain't a bench show and I ain't a hound. Keep ya eyes where they need to be.

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: East central Illinois.
Posts: 1702

I use vanilla waffers, great value brand. Take a piece of wire and poke through the center of the waffer and then bend wire to secure it. Hang the waffer in the middle back part of the trap about 8 inches off the floor. They walk in and while messing with the waffer to get it off the wire they step on the trigger. Hanging it in the middle and up high seems to prevent alot of them from trying to reach through the side or back. Very seldom catch anything except a coon. They can smell vanilla from a long way away.
Darrin

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Registered: Sep 2005
Location: Pike County, Kentucky
Posts: 1401

quote:

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Originally posted by ItsOlMander
honey buns- coon love em, i usually catch em pretty quick and i havnt caught anything but coon with em

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Registered: Dec 2006
Location: Steamboat Rock Ia.
Posts: 83

We trap some (problem coon) for some older folks and let them out in my timber. We have used dog food or cat food with good results. If we get a bait theif ive put bait under the trigger it forces the coon forward more to put more pressure on the trgger.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Owosso MI
Posts: 747

funny thing someone up top mentioned coon not going around something that smelled like possoum i flipped a old bathtub over in my grandmas woods and there was a coon in there sleeping with a possoum.....

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Posts: 1139

Hey Joe. Really? I bet that was a sight to see! That's just something I've always heard. I guess that myth is busted! At least we know some coons like possums!

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Erin Britt

Aight guys, this ain't a bench show and I ain't a hound. Keep ya eyes where they need to be.

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Registered: Dec 2005
Location: central illinois
Posts: 453

I've been using a piece of bread with some grape or strawberry jam smeared on it. Good luck with coon and no possum yet. I pile alot of brush and sticks around the trap so the only way they can get to the bait is through the front. Had no problems catching em.

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Posts: 1139

Set three traps lastnight. I tried a little of everything... Hung the vanilla wafers like jdgher said, smeared the peanut butter like chris herring said, AND used a little bit of honey bun like I usually do. I did pile some leaves and branches around the traps, too. One trap was a havahart double door trap and everything was gone, even the vanilla wafer, and the trap had been triggered, but no coon. I don't really like the double door traps because I feel like the coon can back out before he's trapped. Another was triggered, but no coon (they're reaching through on this trap), but the third did catch one. So, your tips were helpful. Thanks!

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Erin Britt

Aight guys, this ain't a bench show and I ain't a hound. Keep ya eyes where they need to be.

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Registered: Nov 2006
Location: midwest nebraska
Posts: 802

quote:

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Originally posted by Joe S.
funny thing someone up top mentioned coon not going around something that smelled like possoum i flipped a old bathtub over in my grandmas woods and there was a coon in there sleeping with a possoum.....

---

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Owosso MI
Posts: 747

lol billie, yeah i couldnt belive it either bluetickgirl it was a sight,ive treed squirrel and coon in same tree but a coon a possoum sleeping together they must be cold with this michigan snow and trying to stay warm

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Registered: May 2004
Location: Alabama
Posts: 2109

I am unable to go into full detail due to confidentiality requirements but take my word at it that I am an "expert" when it comes to catching coon.
What you describe are the typical results that come from a trap smart coon. These coon have learned to pick the trap by reaching through the rear of the trap or shaking/rolling the trap to dislodge the bait. While I can not tell you how to prevent this, I can tell you to consider this when dealing with trap smart coons and try techniques with this in mind.
BTW, you've been given some good pointers in this thread.

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Registered: Jan 2004
Location: Yorktown, IN
Posts: 509

I would try a bucket trap, I found them to work great.

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Registered: May 2004
Location: northeast
Posts: 1278

you may have birds taking the bait or chipmunks.I have seen it personally what you are describing.They are small enough to go through the wire.

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Registered: Jul 2005
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Use any kind of sweets and get you a pack of instant jello or some koolaid , WORKS QUICK EVERYTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Fl.
Posts: 1280

I might suggest you check the door on your trap. I found my trap empty a couple times and thought the coon was getting the food out through the side or bottom. I figured out the problem when I had a coon caught one day and went back an hour later to work the pups and the coon was gone. I closed the door on the trap and found the coon could actually push the door open. I had to make an adjustment on the device that holds the door closed.

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Darlington, South Carolina
Posts: 1139

Like someone said, I think I'm dealing with trap savvy coons. They're definitely coons because I can see where they've been digging around the traps. I've figured something out. I just duct tape a piece of string to the bottom of the trip plate, run the string under the trip plate on the outside of the trap and then back up through the trap floor. Then, I tie the end of the string to a vanilla wafer. This way, when they pull on the vanilla wafer, it triggers the trap door without them having to step on the trip plate. This worked for me this weekend!

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Erin Britt

Aight guys, this ain't a bench show and I ain't a hound. Keep ya eyes where they need to be.

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Registered: Apr 2006
Location: Alabama
Posts: 6

If your not already you can dig a small hole under the trap to make the coon try to reach and fight for it maybe that will help set the trap off

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Michael Cook

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2043

sc girl: are you useing both doors on your box trap. i have found if you only use one it works better. also i always put a heavy log or two on top to hold it in place and put sticks all the way around it to keep the coons from digging.for bait i used to use dog food but found birds would have it gone before nightfall, so i switched to putting jelly in a pot pie pan. i only had one get away with this set and thats because he pushed out the swinging lock thing that holds the door shut with brute strength. i made an ajustment to the lock and have good luck since.
good luck catching those savvy coons..
Jeff S.

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Registered: Jan 2005
Location: Felton, Pa
Posts: 208

have a pet racoon and his favorite is grape jelly bread or blueberry fruit bars...use this when i box trap. as for medal traps need to throw them away. you'd understand if your coondog ran into one out hunting

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