How to trap a raccoon
You’ll probably want to set traps immediately to increase your chances of catching the culprit. There aren’t too many raccoon traps on the market so your options are limited, but the traps out there are proven to work! You can choose between a 1 door or 2 door trap, the main difference between these is that with the 2 door trap, you could potentially catch a second raccoon. You want to make sure that you are buying large cages, otherwise you run into the possibility that the raccoon may not fit.
Ideal placement of the traps is also a major component in effectively trapping raccoons. The best place is often going to be where you see the most activity. A great place is often near the main entry point that they are using, but make sure it is on the yard on not on your roof. Often times, people set traps on the roof or in the attic, this is not a great idea because the raccoon will freak out once caught regardless. If a trap is on the roof, he could fall and end up busting your trap open and escaping anyway. If the trap is in the attic, it will freak out and start grabbing at things, causing even more destruction in the attic than normal. Generally, traps are best placed on the ground, near fence lines and possibly even hidden by a tree or bush. This is typically the path a raccoon will take when out scouring for food.
Make sure that you always set the trap correctly, if not the raccoon may be able to enter and exit the trap without triggering the door to close. You also always want to make sure you check your traps every day, probably more than once each day, to ensure that the raccoon doesn’t die from over-heating. If you have a mama and babies, it is best to try and catch mama first, and then before you release her go into the attic and pull the babies out. This way, you can release them all together, giving the babies the opportunity to thrive. Make sure that when you relocate your trapped raccoon, you drive a far distance so that they will not try to find their way back. Often the best place to release them is in a wooded area, near a water source, so that they have a higher chance of survival.