Raccoon trapping

[Badgers80]

6 raccoons and 1 skunk for me since Mid March. Hoping for some coyote action too.

 

[356]

An hour later, I got another one by the house....19 'coons, 5 'possums and 1 skunk. My wife hates opossums because they eat the barn cat food and some of her plants, so today's trapping made her happy as well. I'll be pulling the traps out for the season this weekend.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Still got mine out, the numbers have slowed down but still catching a coon or a possum on ocassion. I never wrote them down, which I guess I should have. Just to compare one year to the next. At this point I am probably closing in on 30 possums and a dozen coons. I doubt any of my neighbors are trapping, so I am guessing by next Winter I will have just as many. I will leave my coon and possum traps out until the middle of June. Picked up another coyote this week from "I can see it from my dining room set." It was the only coyote trap I still had out only because it was in an open field and I figured the odds of accidentally catching a bobcat out there were pretty slim. I would rather just target bobcats in the season where I can legally keep their fur.

 

[356]

Still got mine out, the numbers have slowed down but still catching a coon or a possum on ocassion. I never wrote them down, which I guess I should have. Just to compare one year to the next. At this point I am probably closing in on 30 possums and a dozen coons. I doubt any of my neighbors are trapping, so I am guessing by next Winter I will have just as many. I will leave my coon and possum traps out until the middle of June. Picked up another coyote this week from "I can see it from my dining room set." It was the only coyote trap I still had out only because it was in an open field and I figured the odds of accidentally catching a bobcat out there were pretty slim. I would rather just target bobcats in the season where I can legally keep their fur.

We have to pull the traps out by April 14 here in Missouri. Keeping count is simply part of the logs and records I started maintaining in 2022 I wish I had started earlier. Good work on those coyotes! I defiantly need to get some around here.

 

[356]

Raccoon #20 down. The last raccoon I trapped was in February and I was considering pulling all of the traps. Then two 'possums yesterday and this raccoon today, just in time to help protect turkey nests. That brings the seasonal total to 20 raccoons, 5 opossums and 1 skunk. This is about the same as the past two years (20 & 4 in 2025 and 15 & 2 in 2024), but a far cry from the 100 predator season of 2023. The number of days trapping was about the same

I was surprised to see that the opossum carcasses from yesterday were reduced to bones overnight, likely the work of foxes, or coyotes.

 

[Westwind]

Put a camera on this den hole and it was constant in and out of coons. No activity since dropping a few gopher/woodchuck bombs in there.

 

[cbw]

This year, I tested 2 different baits in our coon cuffs. All 11 coon were caught in recipe #1. We set out at least two traps at every location with both bait.

Raccoon Bait
1. Corn + Black Oil Sunflowers + Catfood + Vanilla extract —

2. Catfood + 4 bags mini marshmallows + 1 jar peanut butter (cheapest) + 1 bottle pancake syrup —

(possum, skunk, skunk)


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[356]

Thanks for sharing. That's an Interesting mix that would be simple to make. I will definitely give it a try.

I used several options depending on weather and what was readily available. For cold & snow I used catfood alone (caught a few) or cat food and fish oil. In all seasons I used generic honey-oats Cheerios (caught several). In warmer weather I used mini-marshmallows & cereal (three); mini-marshmallows with strawberry syrup (three) and cat food & marshmallow (one). Overall, the generic Honey Oats Cheerios did the best this season but nothing really seemed to work much better than the other.

 

[Telemark]

This year, I tested 2 different baits in our coon cuffs. All 11 coon were caught in recipe #1. We set out at least two traps at every location with both bait.

Raccoon Bait
1. Corn + Black Oil Sunflowers + Catfood + Vanilla extract —

Awesome. I have all that laying around, so I will give it a try.

 

[cbw]

Do you guys cover your coon cuffs? When we first started, we would catch mice and the cat food would get soggy. We started cutting pop and in half to cover them. Coon will pop them off easy and dive into the food.

That said, we’ve never caught possum or skunk in coon cuffs—serials that is why.


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[cbw]

I spoke with a neighbor who has been trapping and selling furs this year. He skins and stretches and then sells them up north. He said everything actually brought good money this year. Except coyotes were worthless. He gave me prices, but I can’t recall them. IIRC, bobcat brought the most. He also sold mink, coon, skunk, beaver, river otter, etc.

I asked if he wanted to buy mine next year. :-).


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[356]

Do you guys cover your coon cuffs? When we first started, we would catch mice and the cat food would get soggy. We started cutting pop and in half to cover them. Coon will pop them off easy and dive into the food.

That said, we’ve never caught possum or skunk in coon cuffs—serials that is why.


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I spoke with a neighbor who has been trapping and selling furs this year. He skins and stretches and then sells them up north. He said everything actually brought good money this year. Except coyotes were worthless. He gave me prices, but I can’t recall them. IIRC, bobcat brought the most. He also sold mink, coon, skunk, beaver, river otter, etc.

I asked if he wanted to buy mine next year. :-).


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I use a golf ball to cover the dogproofs, although the wind will often plow them off. Ironically I get as many ‘coons on soggy cereal and cat food as I do dry. I’ve used a variety of covers, including soup cans and pop cans as well.

Fur prices are going up. I was approached by a buyer recently who is starting “rounds” to buy furs. Midwest winter bobcats are fetching $200-$800, which is crazy high. Coons are $15-35, which is much better than $0-5 last year. Skunks are good as well. For now my trapping is predator control, but when I retire this fall, I may start skinning the hides if the prices hold.

 

[Telemark]

I spoke with a neighbor who has been trapping and selling furs this year. He skins and stretches and then sells them up north. He said everything actually brought good money this year. Except coyotes were worthless. He gave me prices, but I can’t recall them. IIRC, bobcat brought the most. He also sold mink, coon, skunk, beaver, river otter, etc.

I asked if he wanted to buy mine next year. :-).


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I would just give him the carcasses. It saves you a lot of work, and the good will it buys is likely worth more than the money you would make.

 

[356]

I had two raccoons and one possum checking out this trap, only to pass on the opportunity to become fertilizer.

 

[356]

Raccoon #21 down--Season predator count 27. Unlike yesterday, this one opted to become tree fertilizer.

 

[BC Buck]

Raccoon #21 down--Season predator count 27. Unlike yesterday, this one opted to become tree fertilizer.

View attachment 91249

This time of year if passing food add little coon gland lure. When you run out of golf balls start using tin foil with drop of scent on top. Will be more water proof.

 

[cbw]

I would just give him the carcasses. It saves you a lot of work, and the good will it buys is likely worth more than the money you would make.

Good point!


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[356]

It looks another one at the same spot on Honey Oats Cheerios. Over the years this has been the best spot on the property. Next season I will run two traps--something I've done in the past at this location. I am looking forward to trying CBW's recommendation of catfood/corn/sunflower & vanilla mix next season. I also like the idea of the foil mentioned by BC Buck, as I know 'coons like shiny things.


Hummmm...that smells good...


...caught. No more nest raiding for him.

 

[BC Buck]

It looks another one at the same spot on Honey Oats Cheerios. Over the years this has been the best spot on the property. Next season I will run two traps--something I've done in the past at this location. I am looking forward to trying CBW's recommendation of catfood/corn/sunflower & vanilla mix next season. I also like the idea of the foil mentioned by BC Buck, as I know 'coons like shiny things.

View attachment 91274
Hummmm...that smells good...

View attachment 91275
...caught. No more nest raiding for him.

Good spots should run 3+traps. You could be picking up animals that came in with their buddy that got caught. That also explains why the smart ones are just walking by being educated. Best to catch first couple nights making efficient. Also good spots can be set up with bait station to (burger king utube) speed up catch. I run fish oil as trailing scent but will try the vanilla scent could be great idea as changeup.

 

[356]

I'm about to the end of the 2025-2026 season. This weekend I'll pull the traps out, prep them for storage and begin thinking about placement for next season.

Season Total to date: 22 'coons, 5 'possum, 1 skunk--28 potential nest predators.

The 2026-2027 Raccoon/Skunk/Oppossum season opens August 1 (a mere 116 days) in Missouri. For this upcoming season I will likely change up the trap line based on this year's experience, camera photos and recommendations from this forum.