I know everyone probably thinks I am crazy, but I am working an idea that I have for a trap. and I need to know what size hole that a raccoon would be willing to crawl through to eat something

thanks

They're squishy critters. If it can get its head in, he can squeeze through the rest if he really wants to. Not sure if that's the route you want to go or to make an easier opening.

I think you want to know the effective diameter. They are pretty wide but can still fit through holes that they can get their head through.

Just a note, just because they can squeeze through a 5" hole, doesnt mean they all will.

A 7”x7” hole seems to work really good.

Sometimes its not the opening size but the hight of the trap top.

I have a tall 10" wide bobcat trap I use for hunchback big coon that I've seen on camera not want to enter a 12 x12 cage

I guess the answer to your question sort of depends on what kind of trap you're going to use in your "trap" or are you actually making your own trap? Body-grip "killer" traps of 6x6 inches ("160") and a "220" (7.5 x 7.5 inches?) have killed plenty of coon. But even those sizes you can run into dogs being injured or killed in them if they are not placed into a recessed "cubbie" box (if the set is baited). Some states won't even allow killer traps of that size to be used out of the water so you need to check your state's regs. If you making an actual "homemade" killer trap, I think it would fall under the same body grip regulations.

Are you making a "cubbie (box) for a trap to sit in or making the actual trap...?

Not the trap but im making the housing,
I guess my real question is what would be a diameter that they would be willing to go through

Depends on the size of the coon. Up here, plenty of big coon will do whatever it takes to keep their heads out of a 6" 160. 7" and they seem a LOT more comfortable with it. Pretty small coon down your way in AR (comparatively) so maybe 6" would be fine?

Are you just looking for the hole size with a catching device or trap inside or away from the hole? if so if the hole is big enough for the coon to get in ( they get their head in their in if the want to) then you need to have something large enough to keep the coon from reaching in a grabbing it which can be a long way. Also if you are making something that will catch the coon upon entering through the hole , you don't need to worry about the rest of the body the head will fire your device. Coon can and will do amazing things but constricting them considerably will cause them to move on. They are capable foragers and they will find food.

Bryce