A local day care center called on Monday. They were having problems with racoon getting in their dumpster and spreading garbage all over. I showed up Tuesday evening and was wondering if my baits had even a remote chance of luring a raccoon in given the alternative eminating from their dumpster. The director informed me that they had nicknamed their guest rocky and that he was as big as a dog. She showed me the path in the grass he had made from the woods to the dumpster and told her that Stalone would need to make a few more sequals to cover all the Rockies.
I didn't take a pic of Rocky and he wasn't as big as a dog, but
Here's one of Rocky II
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f372/StuDaBaka/RockyII.jpg)
And here's one of Rocky III
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f372/StuDaBaka/RockyIII.jpg)
And here's one of Rocky IV
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f372/StuDaBaka/RockyIV.jpg)
And here's one of Rocky V
(http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f372/StuDaBaka/RockyV.jpg)
When I picked up Rocky II on Friday, I told them I would probably have to check the traps over the weekend as they would not be there to call I we had one..... There were two other ladys there with the director and all three said 'Nooooo' we want to see them. Well, I didn't really want to deprive them, but when I got up today I kept thinking that it really wouldn't be right to have a coon sit in a trap till Monday, so I drove up. Turns out it was a good move as I had only set 3 cage traps and there was a coon in every one of them.
Needless to say, I'll be checking them in the morning and my worries about my bait not working ..... well.
Adriaaaaaaaaaaaan!!
Geez Stu...ya coon hog! :yoyo:
What's the fur like? Your racking up a nice little purse there.
Most are large coon with good color. Rocky IV looks like he went a couple rounds with a barber.... note the top of his head and his nose.
I'm going to need to start tanning stuff soon as my chest freezer is about out of space.
Oh wow, I never noticed the top of his noggin. :hahaha:
I seen his nose and thought it was from thrashing in the cage.
You done any coon yet? Man they are some greasy things.
I've done a bunch of coon. Sold most of them, but have a couple dozen plus probaly 25-30 in the freezer. My daughter said she would make them into a comforter for me.....course that was a while ago and hasn't happened yet. I may have bone up on my sewing skills :wink:
That's awesome Stu......... :congrats:
Just out of curiosity and I hope I'm not asking for a confidential trade secret, but what are you using for bait?
Are those the Havahart traps? The reason I ask is because I had a big mama coon tear my havahart up a few years ago. I was using sardines for bait. She broke her toe trying to get out and boy was she ticked.
:eyebrownod:
Here's a confidential trade secret............try Kentucky Fried Chicken scraps. Coons, possums, feral cats......something will be in the trap come morning for sure! Of course, I'm in Kaintuckee and other states mileage might vary. :biggrin:
I have tried a lot of different things for bait, but my standard goto bait for coons is cheap dry cat food. It costs a whole lot less then other alternatives and I have had consistent success with it.
I bet the fried chicken scrapes do work well. I often save the carcass from my rotisserie chickens and use them, but I don't think I could eat enough chicken to have scrapes for all my traps..... at least not while retaining my youthful figure and reasonable cholesterol level :innocentwhistle:
Oh.... and the traps are cage traps. Haveahart is a brand, but I don't use them. They may be better now, but when I looked at them they were more expensive and not as well made. I get my cage traps from a Louisiana outfit. Them boys make a 'timex' cage trap..... reasonably priced, takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.
Nice run you have going there. What's your total count so far?
I remember how greasy those things are. A looong time ago, I skinned/dried a bunch while I was in college, needless to say I wasn't the most popular guy with the roomates....
Gosh..... I don't really know how many. My home county limits you to 20 per season on the trapline, so I only focus on them for a few weeks at the beginning of the season. ADC jobs generate a similar number or maybe a few more.
20 in a season...you have gotta come up north. We can catch 20 in a few days time up here...with a little effort of course. They are some fat hogs too. I shipped some up to Fur Harvester for the first time this year and I was pleased with a $17+ avg. Its gonna be a loooong summer.
Steve