How to Trap Raccoons to Protect Your Chickens
Josh Centers 03.14.25
Eggs ain’t getting any cheaper, so if you’re smart, you might be considering raising your own layers. Chickens are fairly easy, but there’s just one problem: Chicken is delicious and every criter in the animal kingdom agrees. The worst of the lot are raccoons.
WARNING! This article contains graphic images of dead chickens and raccoons. Consider yourself forewarned.
Little kids and city slickers love raccoons because they’re cute and they do funny things in YouTube videos. But those of us who have spent any time living life in the country know the truth: Racoons are the spawn of Satan himself. They’re evil little monsters who destroy property, crops, and small livestock for fun. Devious and clever, they can be hard to thwart.
Traditional raccoon hunting happens at night, with trained dogs and lights, which is a significant expense both in time and money. The method we’ll detail here involves trapping and shooting, so it’s highly efficient, and we’ll show you the proper traps to set that won’t trip up dogs or other undesired creatures.
Thanks to Brayden at River Cottage Farm for cluing me in to this method.
Raccoons Eat Chickens
Raccoons are both cruel and clever. They’re clever enough to work simple locks and latches that are often used around the farm, like on chicken coops. They will test and figure out weaknesses in your fencing, or dig under it entirely.
If you’re growing corn, raccoons will happily ruin it, very suddenly, just as it’s ready to pick. A single raccoon can destroy a whole row of corn overnight. Even worse, they treat your corn like a buffet: Taking a little nibble out of each ear, so you can’t even salvage what’s been knocked down.
If you think raccoons are mean to corn, you should see what they’ll do to a chicken. In late 2022 and early 2023, a family of raccoons began picking off my chickens one by one.
I tried everything I could to stop the raccoons, but they continued to adapt…and grow more brazen.
Electric net fencing? Fuggetaboutit.
Before I finally put a stop to it, things got especially nasty. There was almost nothing left of this poor hen. At least I think it was a hen.
Nonlethal Methods Are Ineffective against Raccoons
There are many nonlethal solutions to raccoons, but unfortunately, I have yet to find one that works:
- Fencing: Good fencing can dissuade raccoons, but if they’re sufficiently motivated (i.e., hungry), they can figure out a way to route around pretty much any fence, whether it’s climbing, digging, or even ripping a hole in it.
- Loud music: Setting up a radio overnight with music or talk does nothing except annoy your neighbors.
- Outdoor lighting: The raccoons don’t care if they’re hungry enough.
- Scent repellants: Various urines and repellants are available to dissuade racoons. I have yet to find one that works.
To stop the raccoon problem, you either have to remove what attracts them, which is undesirable if you’re trying to grow corn or raise chickens, or must eliminate them entirely.
That’s dirty work and may be unpleasant to some, but if the alternative is your chickens being spontaneously turned into a 12-piece meal, you’re ultimately doing the animal kingdom a service. Sometimes being kind to one animal means being cruel to another.
Legal Matters with Raccoon Hunting
Before you eliminate your unwanted trash pandas, be sure to understand the laws where you live. The method detailed here involves trapping and shooting a nuisance animal.
For instance, where I am in Tennessee, there are two raccoon seasons: One from September 20th at sunset until March 15. Then there is a separate private-land-only season from July 1 at sunset through September 20th. However, trapping season is year-round with no bag limit. There is also a generous policy around nuisance animals. TCA 70-4-115 states:
The owner of lands may destroy any wild animals, wild birds, or wild fowl when such wild animals, wild birds, or wild fowl are destroying property upon such lands. Any person, before destroying any big game under the conditions provided for in this section, is required to obtain a permit for destroying such big game. Such permits shall be issued by an officer of the wildlife resources agency.
By law in Tennessee, once trapped, raccoons can not be relocated. Many scoff at this, but the state provides several good reasons why relocation is a bad idea. It’s bad for the raccoon because it then has to fight for new territory, and it’s bad for the local ecology because raccoons are destructive.
These are just examples of things you should consider before handling your raccoon problem. Check your state’s wildlife resource agency, and if you’re still confused, give them a call to make sure you’re within the confines of the law.
Why Live Traps for Racoons Are Ineffective
It’s tempting to go to the Tractor Supply and buy some of those live animal traps, and they can work, but they’re problematic.
One problem: Since raccoons are so clever, they can often figure out how to grab your bait without springing the trap.
The other problem is that unwanted animals can wander into your traps, like this poor possum.
Let’s discuss a better solution.
The Best Trap for Raccoons
You need a specialized trap, often called a raccoon trap, an arm trap, a hand trap, or a cuff. It’s a metal version of a Chinese finger trap: It’s a long tube with a trigger at the bottom. When a little paw reaches in, the trap is sprung, and the trap securely latches onto the raccoon’s arm. The nice thing about these traps is that they’re very effective against raccoons, but won’t trap other critters like dogs.
When you pick up your trap, you may also consider a set tool if your hands are weak. A set tool is a simple U-shaped piece of steel that helps you set the trap. I just squeeze the spring with my hands.
I’ll warn you in advance: Once the little bastard is trapped with one of these things, there is no safe way to remove it from the trap alive. Also be forewarned that raccoons often carry rabies, so you don’t want to take a chance.
That means you need to shoot it, so you’ll need a firearm. A .22 LR is sufficient, and you could probably get away with a compound bow or a sufficiently powerful air rifle if noise is a high concern. However, in my experience, .22 LR often doesn’t make for a clean one-shot kill, so I prefer using an AR-15 chambered in 5.56. That may seem like overkill, and it’s a little messy, but it gets the job done in one shot.
Besides a trap and a gun, you need some stakes to secure the trap to the ground. 18-inch rebar stakes are inexpensive and effective. Plus you’ll want a heavy mallet to pound in the stakes. The photo above illustrates the importance of the stakes. The raccoon pulled the trap itself out of the ground, but was securely held in place by the stake.
If your local law requires it, you’ll also need some trap tags where you can jot down your name and address so authorities know who the trap belongs to.
Finally, you need bait. Just something sweet to drop into the trap. I used old Nutrigrain bars, but a common bait is a single marshmallow. There’s no reason to buy speciality racoon bait.
Here’s your shopping list. You can buy the trap and accessories at Cabela’s:
- Racoon trap
- Set tool (if needed)
- Rebar stakes
- Trap tags
- Mallet
- Marshmellows
- Disposable gloves (for disposing of the carcass)
- Skinning knife (if you want a cool hat like Davy Crockett)
Eliminating Raccoons
The key to successful trapping is knowing where to set the trap. When it came to saving chickens, that was easy: I set it up right behind my chicken tractor. Set it near what the raccoon is likely to attack, and your best guess as to where it will attack from.
Once you have a spot, put the stake through the loop at the end of the trap chain, and drive it into the ground with the mallet. Set the trap into the ground (tap it with the mallet if need be), and then set the trap mechanism. Carefully drop your bait into the tube—don’t stick in your finger!
If you need a tag, scribe the required information onto the tag with a pen. They’re made of soft metal, so it’s less like writing and more like inscribing. Then attach it to the trap’s chain with a piece of wire, which should be included.
Now… you play the waiting game. Raccoons are nocturnal, so the actual trapping will probably happen while you’re sound asleep. So first thing in the morning, you need to check on the trap. This is of the utmost importance! Leaving an animal trapped longer than necessary is cruel, even if it’s a raccoon. When you check the trap, go out with your firearm and whatever else you need to dispose of it.
If you’ve caught a raccoon, approach with caution. Stay at least 5 yards away so it can’t bite or scratch you. Raccoons also will play dead, so don’t be fooled. Aim directly at the head and fire, of course being aware of what’s behind the raccoon, lest you shoot a chicken or something else. Flinching and flailing is normal, even if it’s a clean shot.
Wait a few minutes to ensure that the raccoon is dead. Poke it with your rifle or a long stick to make sure. Once it’s finished, put on some gloves, remove it from the trap, and dispose of it. How you do so is up to you. If time permits, you could bury it. I just toss them into the edge of the woods. If you’re resourceful, you could skin it and make yourself a cool hat. I’ve also heard that raccoon meat is delicious, but I’m leery of rabies.
Once the deed is done, you’re not! Set the trap for the next night, the night after, and until you stop trapping raccoons. I trapped three in a row before the carnage ended.
FAQ about Racoon Trapping
What is the best bait for a raccoon trap?
Marshmallows are highly effective, as is any sweet treat. Canned fish is also effective.
What’s the easiest way to catch a raccoon?
Use a specialized raccoon trap baited with something sweet. Live traps
How to scare away raccoons at night?
Don’t bother. Trap them and eliminate them instead.
What time are raccoons most active?
Night. If you see a raccoon during the day, assume it’s rabid and eliminate it from a distance.
What not to do to a raccoon?
Do not handle a live raccoon directly. Raccoons can carry rabies.
