Bait for Large Animal Trap

[skipro3]

If you want to skip the skunks and just catch raccoons, use grape jelly for bait. Works for me and the coons can't resist it.

 

[EddieWalker]

Peanut Butter works good. It has a strong odor, last for a long time and most animals seem to like it.

Eddie

 

[texasjohn]

try road kill for coyotes... maybe deer parts... or dove remains

 

[Bird]

In my younger days, I've shot skunks with a .22, and I've seen skunks shot with a .12 gauge. Of course they were not in traps, but just loose, and I've never seen one spray. I think they only spray in self defense and they have to see what they are defending against and have a reasonable expectation of hitting it.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Skunks have very poor vision and will only spray when they feel threatened. I used to trap them with my conibears, but then I couldn't get the residual odor off the traps and couldn't use them for mink anymore. Then I picked up a havahart trap and would set it near water. When I caught a skunk, I would carefully pick up the trap and throw it in the water. 15 minutes later, come and empty it. You could also tie a rope to it and pull it in the water if you didn't want to get that close.

 

[Chuck52]

Dry cat food works great for my coons, but that may partly be because I have an outdoor cat and that's what he gets. I know the coons visit his bowl sometimes. I've gotten about 30 coons that way. Also got some with peaches when they were after my peach trees. Coons aren't very smart. I've had two traps within 10' of each other and had both full of coons...two in one and one in the other!

Chuck

 

[AMR]

I have had good luck with marshmallows for coons, plus I like to pop a few as I am setting the trap, noboby can resist them, me or the coons

 

[Old Paths]

Leftovers (especially liver), Cat Food, eggs (that's why they come to the hen house), tuna cans...
Last year, trapped 12 in the havahart trap. Set near the pond, 50' rope tied to handle, brick at end of rope. Throw brick to other side of pond. When trap is sprung, come out in morning, pull trap into pond. Come home from work, son (12 years old) has a new hole dug. Pull trap from pond, empty into new hole. Reset trap. Later that night, coyotes come to dig up skunk!
I can be awakened from sound sleep in spring by a skunk, with windows closed. BB and pellet guns only annoy them, .22 would wake neighbors and wife.

 

[wushaw]

Leftovers (especially liver), Cat Food, eggs (that's why they come to the hen house), tuna cans...
Last year, trapped 12 in the havahart trap. Set near the pond, 50' rope tied to handle, brick at end of rope. Throw brick to other side of pond. When trap is sprung, come out in morning, pull trap into pond. Come home from work, son (12 years old) has a new hole dug. Pull trap from pond, empty into new hole. Reset trap. Later that night, coyotes come to dig up skunk!
I can be awakened from sound sleep in spring by a skunk, with windows closed. BB and pellet guns only annoy them, .22 would wake neighbors and wife.

Your using the wrong pellet gun. I've killed many skunks and coons with my Sheridan 5mm many yrs ago, I killed a skunk with my Gamo .177 two yrs ago.

 

[texasjohn]

So, Gary, caught anything yet?