Raccoon Snare - Snaring an Animal

03.11.2007 - Raccoon sure manage to get themselves into all sorts of trouble!  This one somehow got itself lodged between a chain link fence and a wooden fence.  This was a really tight spot!  I don't know how it happened, but this raccoon was stuck fast.  We were called out to the scene.  The easiest way to remove wild animals from tight spots is usually with a snare pole - it's a pole with a plastic-coated metal cable that can tighten around the animal.  Many animal control officers use such a device.

We were called out, and the property owner wanted the raccoon removed as quickly as possible, before it draw the concern of onlookers or someone stuck their finger near it and got bitten.  We arrived in 20 minutes.  Ben snared the animal behind its front arms, and I pulled out the fence to give Ben enough room to lift the raccoon out.  The property owner didn't want to relocate the animal, so we let it go free, right there.  We charged the minimum fee, and the job was done lickety split.

How to snare a raccoon in the attic - Snaring a raccoon in the attic is no small feat, and one that should be thoroughly researched before attempting. Most states require raccoon snaring to be done by a professional or someone with a special license. This is not because the state wants to make your life difficult; this is because raccoons are a potentially dangerous critter that might spread some serious illnesses to you or your family members. If you're determined to ignore the warnings of the law, you're going to need to study the raccoon in your attic before attempting to catch it. Most raccoons in a house are female. If possible, removing the babies from the attic first will enable you to lure the mother raccoon into a cage trap without excessive tactics. It's not always possible to sneak the babies out without the mother knowing. Some raccoon nests are hidden down in walls, and some mother raccoons refuse to leave if they feel threatened. In this situation, the mother will need to be snared with a pole and gently ushered into the cage. If removing the babies seems like too much of a challenge prior to catching the mother, take your cage trap and bolt it to the top of your roof near the entry hole the animal is using. Bait the trap with some marshmallows or bread. It might take some time and patience, but the raccoon will eventually be curious enough to enter. If she won't, however, you'll have to break out the snare pole and catch the animal that way.

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Could there be a better and cheaper way to trap raccoons? Like most animals, a raccoon is very curious and predictable, a trait that you can use to your advantage. Raccoons are intelligent animals too, and they are nocturnal, which means they are active mostly at night. Snaring a raccoon is one of the cheapest and easiest methods of trapping them. Also, with a snare pole, it is easy to relocate raccoons.

It is true that these animals are destructive and can cause a lot of damage to your home and storehouse, but capturing a number of them has become a means of livelihood for some people, as the fur of raccoons is in high demand. Irrespective of your motive for capturing them, you can rest assured that you are reading the right article.

Once you have decided on this method, you'll need to know what loop size will be required. You'll also need to know how big these animals are, and how they navigate their way around. It will help you determine how high off the ground you'll have to place the snare for it to be effective.

Moving right along, here is how to snare a raccoon:

1. Raccoons Always Leave Trails
A trail is an imprint on the ground surface, e.g., in the snow, soil, or mud that is used to track the whereabouts of animals. You can find raccoon trails in areas such as creeks, tree cavities, thickets, old buildings, and other feeding areas.

2. Setting Up the Snare Loop
A snare is a long piece of wire that has a loop at the end, and it is attached to a stationary object like a well-grounded tree. The loop is suspended from a branch to allow it to trap the animal by the neck. In a bid to escape, raccoons will try to move forward and pull at the wire, but that will only end up making the wire tighter. If the wire is very strong, with the snare still around the neck of the raccoon, it'll end up capturing it. The height of the loop wire will depend on the trail, hence, Set the snare in the middle of the trail. Ensure the loop size is six inches off the walking surface, and the loop should be about six inches in diameter as well, as this is the basic loop size for snaring a raccoon.

You can determine the 6-inch height below the bottom of the loop by placing your fist on the ground with your thumb sticking out.

Also, let the lock be strong enough so that it doesn't pull off when the raccoon begins to struggle with it.

Setting up your snare loop this way will provide the best chance of trapping the raccoon by the neck. It will also allow smaller raccoons to go under the loop without ruining your chance of catching the raccoon.

3. How to Choose the Right Snare
Find out your state's snaring laws, so you do not get into trouble with the authorities. For instance, some states do not allow setting up of snares in fences, while some others frown at setting it up in places where pets are abundant and can be victims of the snare.

Your choice of snare will also depend on if you are neck snaring or body snaring. You will need a small lock that closes fast for neck snaring while you'll need a bigger or relaxing lock for body snaring that can reduce fur damage on the body of the animal since it cannot be as tight as the former.

Snaring a raccoon remains one of the easiest methods to trap it. However, it can be too technical for some people, and in such a case, we advise that you should contact a professional for help.