How to Trap a Raccoon

In this post we answer a question many homeowner’s ask, “How do I trap a raccoon? In this case, fruit loving, on-the-deck-defecating raccoons the homeowner has declared must go.

Raccoon Removal Kent / Ravenna, Ohio Area

Did you know that raccoons love fruit?  Just ask our Kent / Ravenna area, OH homeowners who are fed up with a fruit munching and defecating raccoon they asked us to trap and remove for them.

The intent of this post is to show a very simple, do-it-yourself method to trap a raccoon in case you have the need for removal of nuisance raccoons.

(Remember, though, if you are not up to trapping and disposing of a raccoon yourself and are local to the Kent / Ravenna area or somewhere else in Portage, Stark, or Summit counties, contact Frontline Animal Removal.)

The Situation:

Our Kent / Ravenna area homeowners have a pool, two decks, and a variety of fruit trees and bushes in their back yard.  It’s a nice set up.  Additionally, they have grandchildren who come over to swim, run around the back yard, and pick the fruits.  They have three inside dogs who use the yard for outdoor activities as well.

The problem they are experiencing is large amount of raccoon activity evidenced by an increased amount of raccoon poop showing up on the decks.  There has also been a notable decline in the fruit left for them to harvest.  As berries are starting to ripen, the activity is ramping up.

For most urban and suburban homeowners, raccoons are usually out of sight and out of mind.  But for this couple, the amount of feces and fruit eaten has certainly drawn their attention. The raccoons that have found an easy food source will continue to hang out until the fruit has gone away.[slideshow_deploy id=’1846′]

Worried about their grandchildren and pets around the raccoon poop, they contacted us.

How should a homeowner take care of this problem if they chose to do it themselves?

First of all, think prevention.  In this case, netting for the blueberry bushes, plum tree, and raspberry bushes is the recommended deterrent if placed prior to fruit ripening. Finding an unprotected food source in the next yard will keep raccoon problems out of your yard.

But, for the purposes of this how-to blog entry, we approached this situation as a homeowner with one trap and no netting in place trying to capture trap the problem away.

Materials:

• One raccoon-sized live trap.  For raccoons, we use a trap that is around 32 inches in length and approximately 10″ by 12″ opening.  We are using a single door trap in this example.  They work well.
• Cheap sandwich cookies (we prefer vanilla, but I don’t think it matters) or marshmallows
• A cardboard box or two
• Some Zip-Ties or duct tape

Method:

1.  Zip-tie (or duct tape) cardboard to the top, sides, and bottom of the trap.  It need not be pretty.  The cardboard serves two purposes.  One, it is beneficial if you capture a skunk in the trap.  Two, the cardboard on the bottom and sides will prevent grass from being torn up or decks from being scratched as a caged raccoon will work very hard reaching out of the trap trying to claw out.

2.  Place your name and address (or Ohio DNR ID number if you have a fishing,hunting, or trapping license) on the trap in a “durable” way to follow law.  Our traps have stamped tags on them.

3.  Find the best location.  Like real estate, successful trapping is about location, location, location.  In this case the raccoons are coming for the fruit, so we set the trap where the fruit is on all sides and there is a narrowed down area between the pool and a fence along back of property line.

Plum tree in forefront, to left. Blueberries along pool. Raspberries along right edge.  10 foot travel area.

4.  Take the sandwich cookies (about 4 of them) and chunk them by hand into a few pieces.  Place some in the back of the trap.  Place some in the front of the trap.  Place a few outside, in the travel path to draw interest.

5. Set the trap!

Believe us, raccoons have a sweet tooth. Cookies and marshmallows will keep neighborhood cats out of traps, though they may not exclude opossums and skunks.

Call Today!

If you have more questions, please contact us or refer to our Raccoon Removal page.  Thanks.

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