How to Trap Nest Predators to Support Your Local Game Birds

Habitat improvement is the answer to most problems with ground-nesting birds, but that’s a tall task for most hunters to tackle. A more accessible option for the average pheasant cruncher is trapping two of America’s most notorious nest predators: raccoons and opossums.

These are some of nature’s finest opportunists–not likely to pass up a warm clutch of eggs. While small-scale predator management typically won’t have population-level effects, routine trapping can have a localized impact on your favorite honey holes. And with many states now extending raccoon and opossum seasons, there has never been a better time to start pounding steel.

Like all kinds of trapping, success with nest predators starts with the right location.

Highways and Pit Stops

Consistent catch rates are key to making a dent in nest predation. Raccoons and opossums are both opportunistic omnivores with small home ranges, predictable routines, and a lack of concern for what they put in their mouths. That makes them two of the easiest furbearers to trap once you know where to find high-density areas.

Both species gravitate to woody vegetation near reliable water sources. The banks of a forested drainage, creek, or river are magnets for raccoon and opossum traffic, and the perfect location for a trapline. Since both species are as much grain-eaters as egg-eaters, crop field edges are also popular paths, especially where they border water and timber.

Critter highways are prime locations for trapping big numbers and can be found on almost any property. But, some areas might also have slam-dunk communal destinations. Bait sites and feeders–bird feeders included–often attract steady raccoon and opossum activity. Raccoons also create latrines, which most individuals in the area visit regularly. These are typically made on conspicuous raised surfaces such as large logs or boulders.

Regardless of where you decide to make your sets, you need the right trap for the job.

Pet-Safe Sets

Furry friends are a primary concern when trapping, particularly on public land, but also on private. Nothing will cost you permission faster than snagging a landowner’s beloved dog, or your spouse’s. And a game commission will only take so many calls from angry constituents before they reconsider the privilege of trapping on public land. Dog-proof (DP) foothold traps are the gold standard for safely trapping raccoons and opossums around pets and livestock.

It’s not uncommon to catch a skunk–another opportunistic nest predator–in a dog-proof trap. But they lack the limb length and dexterity that allow raccoons and opossums to easily pull the trigger. If you want to include skunks in your DP program, dig a small hole for each trap to sit in, being mindful to leave room for the spring to release, or set your traps at roughly a 45-degree angle to help them reach in. If you’d rather avoid the stinkers, set your traps directly upright.

Dog-proof traps have a laundry list of advantages–they’re lightweight, easy to set, and super selective. But one of the greatest is their efficiency with bait.

Bait Wisely

If you’ve ever used a cage trap for any species, you know what a pain in the rear re-baiting can be. Crafty critters can reach in through the sides of a cage or step over the trap pan to steal your bait. Or a mouse or rat might squat inside all night and clean you out. Few animals will enter a cage trap without visual confirmation of an irresistible meal. This is where dog-proof traps dominate the competition.

By design, a curious raccoon or opossum cannot see what’s sitting at the bottom. It can only smell what you’re offering and feel around for it, at which point it will quickly grab the trigger. That means all you need for an effective set is an alluring scent.

Despite their dumpster-diving reputation, raccoons are not huge fans of anything overly spoiled or pungent. And like a bear, they are just as attracted to sweet as they are to savory. To focus on raccoons, something as pleasant as a coating of honey, vanilla, or anise will do the trick.

Opossums and skunks prefer their meals a little more potent, but you don’t need a hazmat suit to add them to the lineup. A spoonful of shelf-stable, fish-based bait is all you need to start knocking down a mixed bag of nest predators.