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Perry Iowa USA

Got orange deer fence up yesterday and came out this AM to take hothouses off plants (only leave them on for protection of young plants).Something had dug under three sides of hothouses moving a lot of dirt.It or they proceeded to pop off the plastic cutworm ring-and shred up the plant-looked like remnants of a disaster movie.Landowner has a woodpile around a hundred feet from the patch and have seen raccoon-woodchucks and possums around but nothing has ever attacked a plant.We have 2 live traps and plan to put one by the woodpile and one on the edge of the patch the plant was at.In the past we used greasy cheesburgers for raccoon with results and cantalope for woodchucks without results.I also had used a weak fish solution a few days ago.Thought we would put cantalope in trap by woodpile and cheeseburger and cantalope in trap by patch.Anyone have anyother ideas or suggestions-patch owner has a cat so poisons are out. Thanks

5/18/2013 12:14:22 PM

keep on trapping try apples, coons possums woodchucks can hold there breathe under water for 20 minutes .,, i read that somewere i keep tryin no luck at swimming lessons

did you add any fish meal? i had coons dig up whole plants before and eat the dirt

5/18/2013 8:02:05 PM

Williamsburg,KY

Racoons love marshmallows, thats what I use. Possums will eat anything stinky.

5/18/2013 8:51:17 PM

Freedom Is Just Another Word For Noting Left To Lose

When trapping for Raccoons, try bread with a little grape jelly spread on it. Place the bread under the trap near the trip mechanism and you'll catch them. As far as Woodchucks go, if you can find an entrance hole that they use, place the trap over the top of the hole. Woodchucks are thinkers and will try to find a way to use their entrance hole by investigating first. You'll be amazed at how many you catch with these two methods.

5/18/2013 10:39:44 PM

Freedom Is Just Another Word For Noting Left To Lose

Oh and the good thing about the Woodchuck method is, no bait.

5/18/2013 10:44:15 PM

Perry Iowa USA

Thanks-I figure I'll have to keep traps with food out now all summer-even if we catch something--guess I'ld rather give them a chance at a buffet rather than plant massacre--never did find an entrance hole-will have to be vigilant.

5/18/2013 11:08:05 PM

South Hero, VT

Sunflower seeds have always been the bait of choice for the raccoons here in Vermont.

Fruit and corn work well too.

Good luck.

5/19/2013 6:29:11 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

It should like ground hogs (woodchucks) to me. If you can find the den, you can get poison smoke bombs. I get one called the Giant Destryoer. Go out in the late evening when they are in the den.,light the smoke bomb, and cover all of the holes to hold the smoke in. Stay out of the smoke yourself. Since I am out in the country, I have better luck with my .22 magnum to give them high speed lead poisoning. And when we have a mountain lion hanging out in the neighborhood, they keep the ground hogs thinned out.

5/20/2013 9:03:14 AM

Perry Iowa USA

Iowegian-it was the plant from your seed the varmint desicated,luckily I was able to Indian giver back an extra plant I had given away and got another 903 Boelman in the ground.Keep the mountain lion-I'm sure there's enough ferral cats aroung here.

5/20/2013 11:37:54 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

Margarita mix for trapping woodchucks, make sure you close your traps before nightfall or you may risk catching a skunk, also cover the bottom of the trap with a piece of cardboard the chucks don't like the feel of the wire mesh.

5/21/2013 8:31:58 AM

South Hero, VT

Glenn, you probably just explained why I can't catch rabbits in my live trap--they don't like the feeling of the wire mesh.

Time to prep the traps and try to catch Thumper(My garden is NOT a salad bar, you little ****ing sob's).

5/21/2013 6:20:23 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

A little green, or perhaps orange shag carpet in the bottom of the trap would be nice and go well with the margarita mix.

5/23/2013 5:48:04 PM