have some wood chucks under the old slabs around the barn
they are making a mess and digging under the slabs

started by filling in the holes with gravel to see where they were active.

then when I had target locations , I put cages a few feet away in the event they would go there

I also blended a 1 1/2 long spring about 9 inches out of the hole so as they were leaving they would have to cross the trap.
chained so the trap is already at full extension of the chain where it is bedded.

1 front foot and 1 hind foot catch on 1 trap in 2 nights.

they dig out plenty of sand so just sifting from the pile they leave makes for easy bedding material.

I also picked up a sow coon in a cage trap.

I usually use a 160 with a pan when they get under the shed, but the foot hold works too....
Saw a big coon last night, turned on the motion detector...will work on that big bugger tonite!..

I use snares, rbg, and 1.5 dukes over the years. Usually whatever I run across in the shead or barn first. The boys have caught som in box traps as well. They sure make a mess geting under the barn. I suspect there is not much solid dirt under the concrete at this point. We kill 7 to 14 a year on the farm between trapping and shooting.

A 160 in the hole.

they have some cats around they might like to keep.

also a little dog they say never goes down by the barn , but I don't fully believe that

they also had some feral cats they were fine with going away.

the chances of the cat going in the hole is slim but not zero.

if barn cats weren't a thing all my trapping would get easier , it's always how to try not to get cats that can't be let go.

they asked this morning , if I was shooting them and hauling them off.

Yup

how come we never hear any gun shots

well it wasn't because I wasn't shooting , gun mufflers are awesome.

the husband came down to see , so I shot the dirt pile for him. so he could hear why they heard no shots at the house 100 yards away.

I use a very old Havahart live trap. I use only one side.
I toss Cantaloupe in the back of the trap for bait.

Always seem to be one or two around that come up to my workshop and hang around or worse they come up to the house and chew on the siding.

You set the foothold just like I do for them. Often don't even need to sift anything over the trap, but I do anyway.

The first litter is out and about here, cleaning out garden beds.

Mine are all on my own property. If one starts digging under the barn the hole gets covered with a 160. That usually takes care of the problem. Lots of cats here too. If they are loose on my farm they are the owner's problem. I'd rather not catch the good mousers, but don't worry about it too much. I usually trap/shoot 5 or 6 every year. So far this year I have killed (shot) 12 and number 13 is comming up.

todays was very small maybe a pound, yesterdays was an adult