I've been trying for 2 years to catch this one raccoon.
I'm using a Havahart trap.
I've caught 40 raccoons in the last 2 years. But this one raccoon is smarter than the rest.
He eats the bait without setting the trip plate.
Early on, the raccoons were taking the bait, setting off the trap but escaping.
Thinking maybe they were backing out after taking the food, I began setting a rock on the plate that comes down, making it slam down harder so they wouldn't back out.
I've caught many raccoons.
When the Chickasaw plums are ripe the raccoons always beat me to them tearing off limbs as they try to snatch the plums.
They carry rabies and are one of the most filthy, bacteria-ridden animals on the planet.
To catch this one raccoon- I have put the bait in a tin can, tied it to the top of the cage making it hard for him to get to it and he stills eats it without setting off the trap.
I have placed the bait under the trap and he still gets it. I have put bait under the trap and pinned the trap to the ground so he can't move it and he still eats the bait.
I have tied with braided wire, chicken legs (or thighs)...tied it underneath the trap but he still gets it.
I use all kinds of bait- cat food, marshmallows, chicken, tuna, P&B sandwiches, pancakes with syrup, etc.
I live where there are woods all around but I'm in town.
There is a guy I know and I take all of the raccoons to his house and release them. He feeds them.

Do any of you know how I can catch this raccoon?
Thank you for any help you can give me.

How do you know it's the coon eating your bait? If you bury the bait can UNDER the trap, especially under the treadle, is the trap door down or up. Sounds like maybe you have mice getting the bait.

Same as BigBob stated. Never seen one I couldn't frustrate enough to trip a trap. Typically seen them become trap shy all together.

Have you thought of getting a couple DP's or just pull an all nighter with an air rifle. Sucks but problem solved.

If you do choose the air rifle route. I recommend a PCP in .25 or .30 cal.

Give lure a try instead of bait. Try using a flat piece of wood like a ramp on the pan. Like mentioned above, DP's will work good too.

I don't care for cage traps personally but I have ran a threaded rod through the trap so they have to go under or over which throws them off balance and will trip the trap , but if it were me I would go with DP's and the part that gets me is how one coon can't be caught they are not that smart . Agree with above you sure it's a coon.

What is a DP? Also how do I subscribe to this thread? Thank you for a replying I'll write more later.

DP stands for dog proof. It’s a cylindrical style trap you put bait in and push into the deck. They can be anchored the same as a foothold trap. The coon reaches in to extract bait and in the process pulls the trigger and is caught by the paw.
Now getting him out of said trap and put in a cage or dog kennel for transport could be fun if you’re releasing them. And I’m sure if you’re releasing them, they are making their way back home and you’re probably catching some you’ve already caught…or educating them.

.22 solves all problems

A cheap or better trail camera set up facing your trap from about 10 - 15' away will answer alot of questions such as what you are dealing with, when, how many, etc, As suggested, DP's are cheap, easy to use, and are very effective at catching coon. Beware, if you catch it, you will have a mad bad vicious animal to deal with. Plan ahead of time how you are going to deal with it. Don't put a DP within about 3' or so of anything you want to keep.

Good luck.

If the trap is unsprung, you are probably chasing mice, weasel, etc. If it is sprung, consider this: I have had more than one coon try to enter the trap at a time and one eats the bait while the other one is holding the gate open cause they can't get in all the way. Then they both back out. A trail cam will solve your mystery.

You can take a board or peice of plywood and lay it from close to the door to set on top of the pan that way the lressure point to set the trap off is closer to the door and he has to be standing on it to get the bait. Also make good and sure that the coon can’t get at your bait from the side this haunts me from time to time. Best of luck.

Try calling.
Use 'Coon Puppies in Distress' sound.

Get a better brand of cage trap.

This. Havaheart traps are no good for raccoons. They are strong and can bend that door right over or right off. I'm positive they would not get out of my Comstock trap. But I've caught 3 so far this year outside my bedroom window with a 160 conibear bucket set.

Pied Piper cages will hold anything.

None of the raccoons I've trapped have come back to me. I began spraying them with paint just to see. None have come back.
I read if you don't release a raccoon more than 3 miles from where you caught him he will return.
I think the reason they don't return is the guy I take them to feeds them.

Sorry, but what's the difference between lure and bait?
Thank you

I have shot them with an air rifle. They look at me as if to say, "Is that all you got?" 😁

I have a .22 pistol. But gunshots in the neighborhood might be a bad thing.

I'm going to try your threaded rod idea!
Last night I pinned a chicken leg bone with a landscape pin under the trap right by the trip.
He ate it and didn't set off the trap.
I have no weasels and I don't think I have mice eating it. There are 3 feral cats I feed so I shouldn't have any mice.
I can't see a mouse or 3 mice eating a whole leg bone in 4 hours.