i have something eating my cantaloupes and honeydews the whole thing Rhine and all, any ideas whats doing it . i caught one opossum. but still losing melons

Deer, and coon? Eric

I would guess coon they get some of my melons every year

had live traps set with fish in for bait and still got the melons. dont see any sign of deer tracks in the garden

Coyotes love melons.

if coons have a taste for the sweets , fish might not interest them

I know if they have a taste for chicken , you got little chance of getting them in a trap with kibble and fish oil

hard to sell day old doughnuts in front of the bakery that makes better.

need to catch them on their door step before they can smell the better feed

be watching for trails and travel routes 100+ yards back from the garden and catch them before they can see the good stuff.

Yup, match the hatch when they are dead set on a craving. Skunks are the same. And you're spot on doing the intercept before they get into the protected zone.

Done alot of yard trapping doing nwco work and you learn some things.

If melons are just gone..........could it be people?

Having said that, coons have now stripped our Gala apples for 3rd time in past 4 years. One day they are there......next day they are gone. They leave no trace. Like sweet corn, they get them before they are ripe and ready to pick. Only year we got any was when I put an electric fence around the tree trunk.

I don’t know that there’s much in a garden that a coon won’t destroy and/or eat.

The Carolina Reapers would be safe.

LOL Then the deer will eat the plants.
They love my jalapeno plants.

This is the only thing that keeps a coon or possum out of a tree at my place

Profanity more Possums , Groundhog s like them too

Put a camera out and see how the thief is.

If they want melons give them melon.
Turn a melon to mush for bait. bait heavy. use that in your live trap.
just

thanks guys i think i am going to put a camera out see whats getting them