Getting started trapping raccoon
Article written by: Tom | Huntingne Management Staff - tmrschessie Continued....
So I went to the local farm store and saw they sell a cage trap for about 50 dollars. I only have about 10 dollars to spend. I thought if I mowed and raked some yards, I could make enough to get at least one trap by the opening of the season (which is 1 November for us here in Nebraska). I managed to get 5 yards to mow and made enough in the summer to buy two cage traps. I rode out to Mrs. Jones and let her know that I would take care of her coons and when I would be there. She was nice and said that would be fine. (Can't wait)...
Ok I saved the information that was posted on the huntingne.com site so I can look back at it....
Cage trapping coons, this is one of the safest and easiest methods to take numbers of coon. You can set them about anywhere, in town around businesses garbage dumpsters, next a garden shed or in a farm lane next to the grain elevator. Even on the creek or in a field. The down side is they are bulky, hard to transport, and subject to theft probably more than any other trap. Also if setting around people you need to make sure no youngsters or pets can get hurt by the trapped coon.
Lets set our trap, with the identification tag attached, where we have to highest probability of success and lowest chance of theft. Along a weed line by a neighboring farmer, rancher, or say a feed lot operation, silage pile. Coons like to dig in the piles to get the corn and for the heat generated in the composting silage.
Look for trail in the weeds along and behind these piles, usually they are easy to find. Open the trap door and throw in a chunk of carp or a hand full of dry cat food, so it is visible. With your trap in place, put some weeds, silage, hay, what have you, on the floor of the trap and on the trigger. The coon will enter easier if they are not walking on the wire. I know some times it does not seem to matter but why take a chance on missing one? It is that easy, no matter where you set your trap...
Alright, the next day we have a coon, now what. The easiest method is to shoot the coon between the eyes with the bullet going straight back into the body cavity, this leaves only one hole in the hide and you will not be docked for that. Any other methods we need to discuss in PMing or have been talked about elsewhere.
Smooth out the area and reset your trap, get ready for the next coon.
It is that simple. Next time, use Conibear style traps. Tom
I see I need some bait so I guess I will go fishing, be back later....
Well, did great at the stream today and caught 3 carp and two bullheads. I read on one of the posts in the trapping section about freezing them until needed or storing in a container with salt. Mom said that if I cleaned them and put them in a plastic bag I could put them into the freezer...
I did see a lot of coon tracks while fishing today but I never noticed them before. Wonder if they just showed up? Oh well, I have my bait and that is what matters. Mom is going to take me to the farm store so I can get my two traps on Saturday, I can hardly wait....
Mom is still working in the house and I want to go buy my traps. Maybe if I give her a hand she will get done quicker.
An hour later they are on the way....
Thanks Mom, for taking me to get the traps, I don't think I could carry two of them very easy on my bike.
Well son you could possibly haul them in the wagon that is in the garage (the light comes on he thinks, if I hook the wagon to my bike I can haul them out to Mrs. Jones and not bother Mom)
Once at the store they go ask the manager to show them the raccoon size cage traps that they have for sale. Once they see the trap he noticed that they were too small for raccoon and the box says for squirrels. The manager laughs and says he is not a trapper and he will go in the back room and see what else he has. He returns with two traps that say they are for raccoons. The sale is finalized and much to the boy's surprise they were on sale and he saved ten dollars on the purchase. He asked his mother if she would like a hamburger on the way home...She smiled and said no thank you...wow he thought I am ready for raccoon now. Oh dang he thinks, school is about to start, how is that going to affect my trapping?
Well school starts and our young trapper is out for the football team tryouts and trying to get a handle on the new subjects he has to learn this year.
Darn he says, this is tough this year and tries harder to accomplish the tasks set for him each day. He tears a ligament in his knee on the 2nd week of football practice and is cut from the team. Feeling down about that he heads home from school. As he looks at his bike in the garage he notices the cage traps...."Dang I forgot all about trapping Mrs. Jones. Good thing I have a week before season opens." He gets his copy of the trapping regulations and realizes that he needs to get name tags for his traps. Going back to the Huntingne.com site he finds he can make his own right at home...getting an aluminum can he cuts some strips about 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long and with an old ink pen writes the information required on the tag. He then attaches it to the handle of the cage trap so the coon will not tear it off. Looking in the freezer, he now knows exactly where his bait is located. His dad will be home tomorrow and our trapper is anxious to show him his traps.
Our young trapper is trying to hurry his dad to the garage to show him his cage traps. Dad's eyes light up when he sees the traps. "You know son, I trapped for raccoons when I was your age, almost forgot about the fun I used to have" Our young trapper never knew this about his father. They went over to the traps and examined them, "what are you going to use for bait?" Dad asks. Well sir, I caught some fish, cleaned them, and stored them in the freezer. Excellent, thinks his father. They spend the next hour getting together some things they may need...an axe, to drive a stake or cut the frozen bait, some leaves to put in the bottom of the trap so the coon is not walking on the wire...coons don't like that at times Dad says...
Opening day comes and our young trapper is headed down the road to Mrs. Jones' chicken coop with two cage traps (that have the name tags attached), a small bucket with a hand axe and a couple of stakes, and another small bucket with the fish. As he pulls into the yard Mrs. Jones comes out to meet him, " those darn coon got in again last night and got another hen, I hope you can get all of them" she says. "The coon are coming right through those weeds there" pointing to the fence line near the chicken coop. Our young trapper goes to look over everything and puts one of the traps where the coon are coming out of the weeds. The other he sets near the hen house where the coon are going under the wire. He takes one of his stakes and secures the hole in the wire, so a coon won't want to try and go under. He spreads the leaves over the cage floor, cuts off a chunk of carp and tosses it in the rear of the trap past the trigger pan. He then baits the other trap near the fence the same way. He notices the tracks going into the weeds and they look big. He has high expectations for the morning check...
As it gets light the next morning our young trapper is eating the last of his breakfast when the phone rings...It is Mrs. Jones and she is very excited..."You need to come out quick, you have gotten two coons in your traps" she says to him. He assures her he will be right out. He turns to his dad and says how will I get them out? Dad Smiles and say’s " I wondered when that question would come." He laughs, "Come on let's take the truck and get your coons. Upon arriving at Mrs. Jones they see two cars in the driveway and wonder what is going on...They walk up and several women walk out and start talking about our young trappers ability to trap those coon. The coons are both big and with all the people there, Dad says they should take the coon elsewhere to dispatch them. As they carry the cages to the truck the other women ask our young trapper if he will help them also. He smiles and says he will.
After shooting the coon they take them out of the traps and replace the weeds and leaves in the bottom of the trap, re-bait them and take them back to Mrs. Jones to make sure they take care of the problem coon. Dad say’s " you are in luck, the fur buyer is coming to the farm store in about an hour, we can take them up today" ...our young trapper is very excited and already thinking about tomorrow.
The End (of the story just the beginning for our young trapper)
Tom (tmrschessie)
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