Hey y’all, noob trapper from Tennessee here. I’ve been trapping raccoons since 2013 using Havahart cage traps and canned cat food as bait. I’ve been mildly successful but I usually end up trapping possums by accident. Any of y’all have any suggestions where to place my traps (e.g. next to a stream, or near specific vegetation) to avoid catching possums and catch more coons. Also, any bait suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I do better with traps around waterways for avoiding opossums. Field edges tend to get me more opposums before I start catching coons, but that is just part of it. Creeks and ponds are coon hot-spots for me, but don't overlook dumpsters. They are coon magnets, but also opossum magnets as well.

I have caught a lot of opossums. trap them soon and then the coon will be there and more prime.I have tried all baits in cage trapping. don't matter what is in there the opossum is the first.I caught 21 opossums in two years at my house.Then came the coon.

Over 70 opossums in my sets last year, it comes with trapping when you use bait,

But when you use gland and certain curiosity lures you will catch less.

In your case try raccoon gland lure and some visual in the cage. Maybe a small piece of tinfoil hanging.

Only time I use cages if ADC work and I don't mind the opossums then as they pay the same and customers want them gone too

I always just figure on thinning out the possums and skunks first when land trapping, though the skunks I don't mind.

Welcome too, by the way. I haven't been here all that long myself.

Catch all the possums and get rid of them, then.... In creeks, Brooks, coon trails and near barns and chicken coops. Anywhere there is water and food there will be coons. Edges of a corn field will do wonders

Go find a coon track on the edge of a stream. That is where the pan of a foothold goes lol. No bait, less possums.

I've trapped many years in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and never caught a possum. Many skunks though. Moved below the bridge and possum heaven...

What Shane said. Find tracks set traps. Coons can be anywhere.

Put a few cages in the same spot. If an opossum gets into one, there are other traps there still working.

Underwater 330 in a beaver run is ONLY set I've yet to take a possum in. I've got pictures of just about every other set, trap, bait, whatever with a possum catch.
If you find the magic combo of cage and bait that excluded possums but hammers coon...I'd like to talk.
Jim

Your gonna catch possums. High pan tension on k9 traps has helped me avoid a few, but we got some big possums. Get them cleaned out and youll still catch a few, but nothing like you did. This will be my 5th year on some farms, and I am starting to get the possums thinned out.