what is good bait to use for coons? they get in the cat food at night and it needs to stop. thing is, if I set the live trap in

[habben97]

what is good bait to use for coons? they get in the cat food at night and it needs to stop. thing is, if I set the live trap in the barn where the cats are fed, I catch the cats. I need a bait the cats dont like but coons do. already tried marshmallows. cats apparently like them.

[99explorer]

Try fresh sliced peaches suspended from the top of the trap. Coons love them, and I've never caught any cats.

[country road]

Peanut butter, and I've caught them on sunflower seeds when they were cleaning out my bird feeder.

[Ontario Honker Hunter]

Build a plywood box for the live trap with a hinged lid on top. Make the box large enough so that the coon can get inside and then crawl into the live trap. Drill several large holes in the sides of the box so that the smell of the bate can get out. Also make it so the lid doesn't quite close all the way (screw a small block of wood onto the top edge of the box to hold the lid up a bit). Coons are very dexterous and they'll easily open the lid of the box whereas the cats shouldn't be able to get in there. If cats somehow manage to get into the box, remove the block and let the lid close tight. If a coon can open a dumpster lid, it sure as hell can get into a box like that. I'm sure it will work. Let me know how you make out. Good luck.

[santa]

Simply buy some pet safe traps like coon cuff traps. Raccoons have a thumb and cats and dogs do not. (it is not an opposing thumb, but is still a thumb just the same). The coon cuff trap has a reverse trigger that the coon triggers with their thumb on the way back out of the trap so cats and dogs do not get caught in them. I have used pet safe traps for years and have never caught a dog or cat yet, only raccoons. I have found that leftover fried chicken works great for bait and does not require a lot of clean-up to the traps before putting back into storage. The grease from the chicken even preserves the traps without adding a petroleum smell to the traps.

[mike0714]

try Reeses cups or corn. But the best thing i have found though to get rid of problem coons is a shot gun with an extra full or full choke and number 7 shot from 10 yards really does the trick if it is legal where you are. Minimal pelt damage but at that distance the spread is about 5 in wide and a solid hit knocks them down i there tracks.

[mike0714]

in their*

[habben97]

mike, the coons do their work at night. otherwise I would be out there with the shotgun shooting them.
dont worry, though. the coons will be shot after I catch them.

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


1) I see no reason to set any traps IN the barn. The 'coons are getting in from outside the barn (unless...by chance...they are living IN the barn).

Set any traps outside of the barn, along any trails leading to the barn, preferably.


2) Santa's idea is also a good one, regarding using the Dog Proof (as they are known as) traps, baited with marshmallows.

[Brock Holloway]

peanut butter and marshmillows or potato chips

[canvasbackhunter]

I would suggest a spotlight and a weapon of your choice.

[habben97]

got him. set the trap where I thought he was coming from. shot him this morning.