# Live trap questions



## holleegee (Mar 3, 2005)

We have had problems with a racoon killing our chickens. (I know it is a racoon because of the muddy footprints he left behind.) He can reach his hand in the wire and pulls out chunks of chicken. I got a live trap for my birthday but have only caught the neighbor cat. The neighbor will not keep the cat inside so my question is..

What can I bait my livetrap with that will attract the racoon and not the cat?
I have tried tuna but I only catch cats with tuna  

We now have electric fence running about a foot off of the ground around the chicken run but I'm not sure how that will work this winter with the snow.

We have a lot of racoons, if you leave your car windows open at night they will climb in your car. (I know people in town trap and dump them near our house.) I know a guy from church that **** hunts and said he would take the ones I catch but I can't catch any.

Any tips?


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## SW Ohio (Aug 19, 2002)

I use cat food as bait, obviously not the right answer to your question...

But I have heard that marshmallows would work.

Good luck,

Brian.


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## holleegee (Mar 3, 2005)

SW Ohio said:


> I use cat food as bait, obviously not the right answer to your question...
> 
> But I have heard that marshmallows would work.
> 
> ...


I'll try marshmallows tonight!
Thanks!


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

to keep from catching cats use only sweet stuff...donuts...honeybuns...cake...bread with syrup or honey....anything sweet.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

try dog food.

usualy i use chicken but that catches lots of cats , just throught a wing or some skin in .

try dog food and try putting the trap up high i just loaned my trap to a friend who has lots of cats a little dog food in the trap and the trap up in the rafters 
did the trick he had it in a few days


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Take a piece of wire run it through a marshmallow,hang it inside the Trap,over the trip.

big rockpile


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

Cats will go after most any of the baits listed above.If the cat is preventing you from handling the **** problem,it's creating nearly as much of a problem as the **** is.Send it to kittycat heaven,and don't tell anyone.
If not,you need to bait with vegetables.They are especially fond of melons.
Rockpiles,suggestion to wire the bait inside is a very good one.***** are smart,and will often opt to pull the bait out from the side instead of entering the trap.They are determined and tenacious too,though,and that has been the downfall of many a **** on my place.More often than not,if they cant pull the bait out through the side of the trap,they will enter it.Peanut butter smeared onto the triggerplate works great too,but I aint sure if the cats would go after the peanut butter,or not.
If ya' have lots of ***** around,it's highly unlikely that it's just one of them that's killing chickens.They tend to wise up to a trap after a couple of 'em get caught,so it's a good idea to move the trap frequently,and put the trap away for a few days after ya' get one or two.
***** are very easy to dress,and delicious,too.Holler if ya' need some recipes,and good luck with the **** problem.


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## Rockin'B (Jan 20, 2006)

I catch them using half an apple. I use apple becuase we have a lot of ground hogs and they are tearing up the slope leading down to my pond. We've caught quite a few ***** using apples. They'll go for bananas too. I pull the pell back a tiny pit so more scent is let loose.


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## HeatherDriskill (Jun 28, 2005)

We caught cats with marshmallows, too. You might need to pen the cat up for a couple of days until you catch the ****.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

holleegee said:


> We have had problems with a racoon killing our chickens. (I know it is a racoon because of the muddy footprints he left behind.) He can reach his hand in the wire and pulls out chunks of chicken. I got a live trap for my birthday but have only caught the neighbor cat. The neighbor will not keep the cat inside so my question is..
> 
> What can I bait my livetrap with that will attract the racoon and not the cat?
> I have tried tuna but I only catch cats with tuna
> ...


First-------Why are your chickens so close to the wire figuring this is happening at night? I have killed alot of raccoons around my chicken pen, but never had a problem with them trying to pull a chicken through the wire, but its possible-----------The only time I had that problem was with my fenced in Guinea's were sleeping next to the wire at night and it was not a ****-----it was a bobcat---they will grab one and shread it, but after loosing two guinea's through the wire----I set a trap and caught the bobcat the next night using what was left of a guinea from the night before as bait also moved their roost so they could not get close to the edge. You can use 1/2 of a honey bun or corn for your raccoons for bait, but if they get the taste of blood----They Want Blood. Catch the neighbors cat and close it up in a cage--it could be part of your problem. After a few days if the neighbor doesn't come looking for the cat-------Do what ever you feel!! I have lost atleast 6 white ducks in the last few weeks--------thinking it was a gator---I feel it was part gator---so the ducks started sleeping out the water----in a few days I lost one every other night---No feathers laying around---just gone. So I finally caught the last duck I have and put him in a 10ftx10ft dog kennel about 3 ft from the water--wired on top------I set-up a wildlife camera--the second night I got 7 pictures of the Guilty culprit--he actually got a hold on the duck through the wire and hurt the duck--bad--------It was ANOTHER BOBCAT--------I set a big live catch trap a hour ago using the live duck as bait-----------don't worry-----the duck is in a end compartment that the bobcat can't get to him---------so I hope I can catch him tonight----I have the wildlife camera set to take pictures---also have a voice activated talkabout radio set-up next to the trap------so if I catch him--I am sure he and the duck will make noise and activate the radio-------and it will wake me------I will be sleeping lightly tonight-----with clothes on-----with gun loaded-------Sure hope I can get him. Oh-----This is something I have had better luck with than a trap--------is the voice activated talkabout radio's--I set one up on the pen I am having problems with-----turn it on voice activate---keep the other one with me/night stand so as soon as I hear something has a hold on a chicken or is disturbing them------I grab a gun and light--------And have gotten a lot of ***** and oppossiums this way and saved alot of chicken's. Good Luck!! Randy


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## Trapper (Jun 2, 2006)

Most cats won't come to the marshmellows but I am sure there are exceptions. I have trapped many a barn for racoons using them along with peanut butter and bread soaked with honey and have caught very few cats. When I have, I have found that the trap had leftover scent from cat food or fish still contaiminating the trap. Cats like any other animal are creatures of habit and if they have found an easy meal in the past they may be back for another. Hope you get the culprit, good luck. Trapper


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

Have you considered using latex gloves when you handle the traps or the bait? Raccoons know the smell of humans.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

I caught the Bob Cat last night-------A Male about 20lbs. I wish I could have caught him 5 ducks ago. Randy


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## holleegee (Mar 3, 2005)

Fire-Man said:


> I caught the Bob Cat last night-------A Male about 20lbs. I wish I could have caught him 5 ducks ago. Randy


I'm glad you caught him! My live trap was empty this morning.


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## Rockin'B (Jan 20, 2006)

Fire-Man said:


> I caught the Bob Cat last night-------A Male about 20lbs. I wish I could have caught him 5 ducks ago. Randy


Good news there. At least he won't be causing any further problems.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

I have always used a slice of bread smeared with honey. Works great. Any cats I catch are feral, so it's as good as catching a ****, except for not adding any meat to the freezer.


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## Va. goatman (May 12, 2006)

***** love watermelon I've used eggs to


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