Have you ever wondered what is the best raccoon bait? Raccoons (Procyon lotor) have such diverse diets and in urban areas, are exposed to such a diversity of foods, what exactly is the best bait to lure them into a trap? Research by William F. Andelt and Timothy P. Wooley, published in an article entitled “Responses of urban mammals to odor attractants and a bait-dispensing device.” in the Wildlife Society Bulletin 1996, 24(1):111-118. This blog post will focus on their findings as they pertain to raccoons.
Research Design
The research took place in Fort Collins, Colorado, a city at an elevation of 1,470 meters. The research occurred April to May 1988 and 1989 and in the latter half of August in 1991. The weather conditions during those periods was a temperature range of 48 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit with rainfall of 1.3 and 1.75 inches. Relative humidity was between 60-65%. They established scent stations 875 to 1750 yards apart. Each station consisted of a 3-foot diameter circle with sifted soil (to see tracks) and a bait dispenser placed in the middle. They established a visit to the station to be if more than one track of an animal occurred in the circle. They also evaluated whether the bait stick was disturbed or not. They tested chicken eggs (beaten and uncooked), fatty acid scent, Hawbaker’s Raccoon Bait, cornmeal deep fried in corn oil, Carmen’s Coon Lure #1, and water. Water constituted the control. Three milliliters of attractant was used at a station.
Results of the Bait Test
Not all the baits were tested each year. Carmen’s lure and Hawbaker’s lure were used in different years. The best bait to initiate visits and bites to the bait stick was deep-fried cornmeal. Interestingly, fatty acid scent, eggs, and the Hawbaker bait did not elicit a biting response by raccoons. Note that in one year, the visits by raccoons was very low. This is believed to have been caused by a suspected distemper outbreak, which is known to kill 50% of the racoon population. You should also know that squirrels liked the deep-fried cornmeal too.
Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications available at {Stephen’s Academia.edu Page} along with several books {WCC Store}). Listen to his podcast “Living the Wild Life” at {Pest Geek Podcast}. Please subscribe to {Stephen’s YouTube Channel} He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.
