That is the way it has to be sometimes. I had my chickens wiped out by coons once. One of my then teenage sons was into archery. He would go out about 11 pm and put an end to the problem. I tried the have a heart traps, but never caught any. I must have done something wrong.
Consider yourself lucky if you stop at nine. We got 18 in 18 nights a couple years ago. Marshmallows and grape kool-aid powder is the best bait.
lukem, You are the man when it comes to taking out coons. I shot one once and only nicked it. It ran up a tree and got stuck in the crotch of a tree and couldn't get loose. So, I took the 22 and ended it's misery. Then of course, it didn't fall down because it was struck so I had to get out the extension ladder and pry it loose from the crotch of the tree. What a PIA.
Gonna have to try that, didn't have any come in last night. Neighbors trash was tore all to heck though, must got their fill of trash!
I caught 7 skunks in 5 days, couple years ago, used dry cat food for bait. Skunks are pretty tame in a trap, I'll bet a coon really raises hell in a trap. The skunks were getting up under my house, WOW! what a way to wake up. -------My brother had about 100 chickens years ago and the coons would eat the necks out of the chickens at night for the grain, he'd lose a lot of chickens to coons.----- Where I live now I have a real problem with ground squirrels, I shoot them with a pellet gun, I got 32 on my place last year. Well at least it isn't a Rattlesnake problem, I have coworker with that problem.
There's been a coon lurking around the house here lately. Been finding his little turds out on the driveway and patio. Found some nasty stuff out there yesterday that looked like he puked up. He'll be buzzard food soon. Skunks are the one thing I worry about catching. I usually put the trap in a place that I can shoot from a distance if I need to. What do you do with the skunks? How do you move them? Coons are pretty calm when they're in a trap, they seem more scared than anything.
They have to get that tail up to spray, I'd walk up on the trap slow like with a sheet in front of me and talk to the skunk while put the sheet over the trap. They stay pretty calm not much room for them to move around in the trap. I'd haul them a couple miles down on the river and release them. First time was a little scary for me. Skunks are a lot like a cats but real slow. I had a friend that shot one, he told me that he would never do it again. I do know one thing , I never want them under my house again.----------GOOD LUCK!
Norky, I found when I trapped a few coons they were mean as all get out. I filled up the 55 gallon drum with water and he went for a swim. One less coon to deal with.
My thoughts on trapped animals is that's as far has they go. I figure if I relocate it, it just becomes someone else's problem. I think most states also frown upon it.
Kentucky coons are probably more laid back. The drum technique seems like it would work well. My brother once told me that he catches coons and gases them with the car exhaust. I tried it with a feral animal whose species I won't mention, but it was meaner than hell. I ran a hose from the tailpipe to the cage and covered the cage with plastic. All I'll say is I'll never do it again and wouldn't recommend it.
We lost a few chickens a few years ago, and couldn't figure out what was killing them. A couple decapitated, more with body parts left, and a couple just unappeared. Finally put out a Hav-a-Heart, and got a coon. He got "relocated" to his final resting place. No more dead chickens. No one around here would blink an eye if a gun went off in the yard, because almost everyone does it at some point. I like it here. 22 doesn't make much noise.
Thats pretty darn good! 4 months... Congrats. It wont be long before the egg factory will be up and running...
