Howdy. We've got a coon problem on our land in coastal SC. I've lost chickens and during hunting season have them running the deer off the corn piles. I tried some live trapping but they caught on pretty quick so I looked into dog-proof foot traps and got a starter kit of Flemming traps. Set one out the first night with a marshmallow and some sweet sauce and caught my first and last bandit. For the past 3 weeks the only thing I'm trapping are possums. Tried sardines and got nada. Have had some sprung traps and traps still set with the bait gone. So I'm here looking for advice. Really would like to get the population down before deer season. Much obliged.

Setting directly on coon sign, having more than 1 trap per location. Most baits will work, I prefer cat food with bacon grease, barbecue sauce, or fryer grease. Once I clean out the possums and the coon catch drops off, I will move the traps to another location and repeat. Bait can mold/rot quickly in hot weather, I will clean out old bait and refresh as needed. If it seems like they are only around when the corn is out for the deer, I would run a coon bait for a bit and create a reason for them to pass through. When its convenient for me, I will replace the bait with DPs baited with the same thing they were eating.

Thanks. Do foot traps need firm ground to stabilize the trap. I'm setting the woods with deep leaf litter.

Yes, they need to be bedded solid. You don't want anything to move except the pan, obviously.

Using flemming foot traps.

Have you tried prebaited spots before you set traps. I know here this time of the year we have used old danish or bakery goods and maybe some fruit flavored licorice. When you got them coming good set your foot holds then. The more locations you have the less spooked they will get.

I like that. Good tip.

Can put foil over DP or golf ball to keep mice from eating bait before coons get there. Some set the trails rather than bait piles to keep coons from catching on. Also opossum will cause the same damage your seeing.

I've had as many as 12 coons on my deer corn, with the deer waiting around the outside till it was safe for them to feed. I also lost 5 chickens to the coons. I will begin pre-baiting and give them about week or so before setting.

Eliminate the corn at the feeder and use corn to bait your traps
They are coming for the corn, so give them what they want
Should only take a few days to clean them up, and then back to normal

thanks. will do.