Raccoon Traps

About Raccoon Trapping

A note about raccoon trapping: body gripping and foothold traps for raccoons may be illegal in your area. There are many different rules and regulations for raccoon trapping and other control methods, since raccoons are often considered fur-bearing animals. Also, because they often carry rabies, there may be certain rules on releasing raccoons back into the wild. Always contact your local department of natural resources or animal control to find out the current laws where you live.

How To Trap A Raccoon

Raccoons are relatively easy to trap. The best trap for homeowners with pets or those that live in areas where dogs and cats may roam is a live trap or cage trap, since they don’t harm or kill the trapped animal. Here are some raccoon trapping tips to help you successfully trap nuisance raccoons on your property.

• Choose an appropriately sized trap; 10x12x32” is a good place to start.
• If your trap has only one door, place the back of the trap against a wall, tree, or other object.
• If your trap has wider bars, consider attaching a finer mesh to the trap to prevent raccoons from simply reaching in and taking any bait you have placed in the trap.
• The best bait for raccoon traps is fish flavored cat food, sardines, fish, and chicken. Place the chosen bait food outside the opening, right inside the opening, and behind the treadle to lure the raccoon deeper in to trap to set it off.
• Tying the trap open and turning the trap into a feeding stations for a couple days will help shy, trap wary raccoons to view it as a food source and will be more likely to enter trap. This is also a helpful method if you are trying to trap more than one raccoon.
• Check traps frequently, two times a day, to minimize anxiety and injury to a trapped animal.
• You will have to either relocate or euthanize the raccoon once trapped. If rabies or distemper is present in your area, you will most likely have to get the raccoon euthanized. Otherwise, find out the regulations in your area as to where and how far away you can release the animal.
• One caution when trapping raccoons, indoors or out: try to be aware if the raccoon is a new mother with newborns near. Relocating a nursing mother raccoon would leave her babies to die.
• Always wear gloves when handling a raccoon trap.
• Be very cautious around raccoons that are active during the day, or any raccoons that appear confused, clumsy, or sick, and call animal control.