Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Wood Ducks

Trapping the heck out of the coon population would certainly help... My dad is up to 37 racoons and 47 possums this year trapping. I hope to think that will allow all that many more duckings, chicks and other birds survive.

How does one trap possums and raccoons? Cage traps?

If you strictly want to target 'coons, goggle "coon cuff".

Conibear 160's and 220's will work, but they'll whack ANYTHING that tries to get thru them. TJ, the traps that you floated in the pond will work for coon and opossums. You'll need to boil them again (dye them) and wax them. Clean out the dog and trigger, removing ALL the wax. Dirt hole sets for fox will work for opossum, wire a imitation crawfish to the trap pan and place it 1" under the water right at the shore for 'coons. Stake the trap good, they're strong buggers even pulling with 3 legs.

Shiny stuff will attract them, I've heard of just covering the trap pan with aluminum foil shiny side out and placing that barely under the water. You can also attract them with sweet smelling stuff - honey, sorgum molassas, etc. Look up cubby sets too. Check regs in your state to see if using a 220 on dry land is legal.

TJ, I use cage traps baited with peanut butter, cheese, shelled pecans, etc. I also add a little on the outside of the trap to get their gastric juices flowing.

The best thing ever to get the little rascals in the cage is FRUIT CAKE�We all have some of that left over from the last couple of holidays�this is a good time to get rid of it---You can always go buy some if you have finished yours off---All good grocery stores will carry it. Be sure and tell the store employee what you are using it for. They are always looking for a new way to market their products. What makes more since that FRUIT CAKE used for skunk bait

So there is a use for fruit cake?

Great news, two wood ducks where checking out my pond over the weekend. I hope they make it their home.

When my dad is just trying to catch coons, his favorite trap is the Duke Dog Proof trap... Stuff some cotton laced with a tasty scent like clam juice or rasberries down in the trap. The coon reaches in and wham, his leg is caught. Nice thing about them is you don't have to worry about nailing a dog, fox or other animals. Any of the traps used for foxes will nail coons too. My dad ends up catching far more coons than foxes. Coons love the smell of fox pee and will come over the check it out and get whacked.

I use a small can of tuna for raccoons.

Aren't they beautiful? I don't know who named them, but they fell way short calling them "wood."

We now have 3 pairs.

I soooo want to put up boxes. I've almost done it for the last couple years but we are so predator heavy that I don't think I could take the heartache of mother nature at her finest. I realize they have broods of 10 or more duckies to offset this, but it still isn't easy to watch unfold. I would find myself trying to get involved and prey on some of the predators but that isn't really fair either.

Jeff-

I hear ya, brother. Often times we upset the balance, just trying to help.

I saw a big bobcat swaggering across our far shoreline last week. He was so full of himself. He knows he's bad, bad Leroy Brown. I did not bother him.