Catching Coons?

[scsims]

I got a Hav-a-Hart trap for Christmas, I want to try to catch some, does anybody have luck with this type of trap? If so what kind of bait do you use, and how do you set it up?

[Duster]

I got a couple of them. One of the large size and a medium size one. The coons I trap with them are garbage can raiders mainly. I call it Dusters Coon Relocation Company. Most anything for bait from cans of cheap cat food to bread scraps will lure a coon into the trap. One thing you might want to be aware of is once you get one in the trap they will tear the heck out of anything within reach. Example it will look like a garden tiller has worked over the ground on three sides of the trap. So if you don't want your lawn tore up set it on hard ground or else. You might want to rework the hook that holds the door open, I had some smart coons that could steal the bait and not trip the trap. I bent the hook down just a bit and set the trap trigger as light as possable. As far as set up make sure the bait is beyond the plate that trips the trap. If you get bait stolen you can wire something like a chicken leg bone to the back end where they would have to work for it.

I would say between Indiana and Kentucky I have relocated over 100 coons in the years I have had these two traps. I had gal across a expressway in Indiana that was very anti-hunting, anti-trapping heck darn near anti everything. I use to drop off the garbage eating coons near her house every chance I got. The local C.O.'s and Town police thought that was funny as heck.

[Feedman]

I agree with Duster. I set mine on a 2 x 12 board. I use cat food and a chicken bone tied with fishing line, tuna fish, meat scraps, etc.

[Duster]

I made the mistake once of putting one in the bed of my truck to relocate and had some of my camo back there also. Darn coon got ahold of my favorite camo hat and ate a hole right in the top. That was several years ago and I still have and wear that hat from time to time.

[trader rob]

relocate a few over here

[warden310]

Use sweet smelling stuff like marshmallows and peanut butter and you can avoid catching cats. Plus those things don't start stinking when the weather warms up.