The Official 2023 Raccoon Count

Figured why not.

Add 5 to the list

Wish I'd seen this thread last night, saw three trophy raccoons out by the feeder while I was waiting for hogs.

When I counted eight of 'em under a feeder in ONE pic from a game cam, I knew it was time to go to war...

I've dispatched nine since I started setting traps a couple of weeks ago.

Make it 14...

I am going to enter a 24 hour contest next month and 1 of the side pots is most coons

And I've got a lot of them...sometimes 15, 16,17 at the feeder

I think I am going to set up a tower blind 30-35 yards out, hang pig lights...

12 gauge w turkey load and pull the trigger 3 times fast

If there is a better idea to get more hola

Debating on 9mm UZI or Tannerite

Tannerite for sure

Believe I'd pass on the tannerite.

I hate fixing feeders...

That one looks old and in need of replacement

All those other coons are smart -- wait for the guy that expends all the effort to drop the food down

A doctor's appointment caused me to run the trap line late this morning. Only one taker.

I make the count 15...

+1 =16

1 less corn thief

I've trapped 26 of the trash pandas so far this year.
Bait costs $2.00 I use Walmart mini marshmallows, there $1.00 per bag.

Use an AR

Also I have a buddy in South Dakota that was making $50 per raccoon, used buckshot.

If you’re gonna use a 12 gauge take the plug out, and keep a second one loaded and ready to go on standby lol

I've dispatched 6 this year, all in Arlington. A huge female broke through my power attic vent and moved in 5 good sized babies. The live trap wasn't working so I decided to call her her get her out.

I found this 32 second video of baby racoon calling on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hgj0e1xoqY

I removed one soffit vent where I heard them moving around, loaded up the .22 with some shorts, and sat in a lawn chair near the vent. I played the video twice and before the second play ended she stuck her head down to see what was going on. That was her last mistake.

The babies eventually met the same fate over the next 30 days.

Killed two yesterday. Dogs chased em into a shallow hole and it was wonderful.

Hopefully everybody that's had problems and been feeding
your expensive corn to the coons took the initiative this
year and bought some traps and ran them, or allowed
somebody that was willing to work on the problem for you

12 so far this year. I'm pretty lazy about it. Next year, after deer season, I'm going to commit to trapping a bunch BEFORE I try to bait for pigs. Hopefully it will reduce my false triggers on the pig traps.
I have finally got all my corn feeders to pretty much coon-proof, with either varmint plates or the Eliminator plate.

It's a crazy year for me. I use dukes coon traps and usually trap 15-25 a year at my protein feeders. This year I have 2 coons at one feeder. I guess in this drought the varmints are hammering them, or there was little to no reproduction, maybe disease, I don't know...but I like it.

is 22lr enough for coons?

I used a 30" piece of closet pole and tree pruners to remove and dispose of 4 that decided to move into the feed barn last night.
They had moved into the pile of feed bags and made themselves at home, even dragging in a couple of 2 gallon plastic jugs of catfish food.
It's really dry here and they are swarming the homestead and ate most of our pears and figs this year along with quite a few veggies from garden and pull down bird feeders to get the sunflower seeds.

We did well with dog proof traps, at first. Now our coon population has gotten trap smart — they are still on cameras but won’t take the marshmellows/dog food/etc

Maybe time to go back to double spring traps for a while, catching them off guard. I used bacon grease laden paper towels below my double spring. Ain't no bandit in the world can resist that!!

I've caught I don't know how many coons and
possums and unauthorized others with the
bucket and a 160/220
I usually use the can from some sardines I've
ate with the few gibbles and the oil sat in the
back of the bucket.
Or make some sets with footholds ^ ^ ^ as
posted earlier.
There's ways around it. No varmint should
outsmart a hunter. Keep trying

^ ^ ^ this ^ ^ ^
I don't have enough of the properly sized long springs to use
for small varmints myself
Most of what I have are coils and some old Blake and Lamb
jump #1's
Hopefully the folks trying to cull have tried the obvious corn
for bait also

Good Luck everybody

Have yall had any issues with the coil spring foothold traps? Last thing I'd want is a deer getting in one

A whitetail deer can pull right out of a properly
anchored foothold trap with no damage and
you only need to do a remake
Most deer won't bother with a varmint set
because of the carnivore scents and baits
used. I never use any sweet/fruit type scents
so I can't say for that

Coons tore up 10 bags of cow cubes in my barn this week. My buddy put out 9 Dukes yesterday afternoon; I dispatched 9 coons this morning. #10 was hiding behind his mother and ran off when she caught a 40gr HP. We reset, we'll see what we get tonight. I hate killing them but when they start causing problems, see ya later.

Popped two more this morning.

I didn't do my coon duty last year like I should have. Going to catch up this year.

Only 16 so far. About to start getting serious this weekend.