For the past 3 weeks I have been under seige by a pack of raccoons and squirrels I got a handle on the squirrels but the raccoons are relentless I relocated 7 raccoons and had a break for a couple of nights and now they are back knocking over trees breaking limbs now that most of the figs are gone they started climbing and breaking off leaves on my first year trees that have no limbs and no fruit and I think they are getting wise to the trap because they won't go near it I've been using peanuts and peanut butter for bait anyone know of another good bait that I could try? 

             

Hey Dave, good job catching those Baztards! I caught 3 Coons in 5 nites, with the same trap as you! My best bait was Marshmallows believe it or not! An old Coon Hunter put me on them! Good Luck!

I have success with either canned cat food or tuna. Of course, you may catch a neighbors cat. I set the traps near dark to try and avoid that. Good luck, Dave, I feel for you.

Sorry about your losses. How far do you relocate them?

Are you relocating them to the bone orchard?

something like that I want to be gentle to all animal lovers on the site my traps are set and I am waiting by the window to hear that big steel door slam shut 

Try a plain old Red Ryder BB gun or a paintball gun. It won't kill them but it will make them think twice.. I prefer the bone orchard relocation as mentioned above but it's not for everybody.

I agree with everyone else. Definitely marshmallows! Earlier this year I had a bout with two big coons that were able to get out of that live trap you have pictured. I think they were on steroids. Trail camera proved my theory right. Destroyed my pear tree. Evil animals!

Raccoon like sweets. A favorite bait in 'coon feeders is marshmallows with something grape like grape juice or purple kool-aid on them.

I have fig plants and grapes in the same area and raccoons are causing havoc in both after emptying pear and apple trees of all fruits. They somehow get to the food in the traps (cat can-food, fruits, marshmallows, peanut butter etc) without triggering the latch. Squirrels do damage as well but raccoons makes me more upset because they damage the plants as well. I had to dig out a cherry tree because raccoons destroyed it by breaking many branches. The raccoons will come as family of four and get on to the branches together and break it. I tried to keep a watch for them but gave up because they would come any time from sunset to sunrise and also weekly rip the garbage bags placed on the curb for collection. I am stymied some time thinking that raccoons damage (and root pruning the potted figs) makes me think of throwing in the towel but, despite the age, the love of just growing and watching fig plants pulls me back.
Raccoons are the nastiest things at the fig ripening time when you find out that they got to it just before you were planning to harvest it. I suspect that they may be detecting it by smell when a fig gets closer to ripening because they get to those ones too that are out of sight but they find it !!.

My buddy with BB gun wants to come over to take out squirrel.. I say no .... Too many ripe figs I can spare.

My worst fig enemy are fruit flies.

Dave,
they will be back every night until you decide to stop it.

Ottawan you hit the nail on the head with everything you said 2 nights ago there were 3 longue D'aouts that I knew would be ready the next day they got them last night there was 1 Italian Honey that wasn't ripe I said I should pull it off I didn't and they snapped a 6" limb off the tree to get it It amazes me how they could find one ripe fig on a tree in the pitch dark I put out 2 big traps they took out half of the marshmallows out without setting it off and the other one they didn't even touch I stayed up until 2:00 and I didn't see hide nor hare of them tonight will be an all nighter 

 

I foolishly left 1 almost ripe fig on the tree last night and this is what I woke up to 

 

I know it is hard to see but here is a picture of the Italian Honey before and after this one seems to be there favorite tree I sure of put some of the figs in the trap 


   

My collection of cuttings is growing this is just some of them I gave some away 

 

Hi,
Take olive oil - not for the figs, but for the trap. Oil the mechanism so that it slips with less weight.
They may be ripping the marshmallows from the sides, so try to put glass on the sides, so that they can see the bait, but not rip it through the wiring.
Setting a trap is a bit tricky. The success is in the details .

They are very good at reaching in the sides and snagging the bait with their little paws. Put the marshmallows underneath the trap. If you don't have close neighbors the only other suggestion I can offer is to contact your local coonhunter and have him or her bring a dog over some night.

In my neighborhood we have people who like them with B.B.Q Sauce:)

I feel for you Dave,
I have a family of eight Raccoons...the Damage in minimum...but I have to buy the trap...
Mark

I called a farm supply store today and explained the situation they said peanut butter and marshmallows are good but they find the raccoons to get picky I have squirrel traps out with peanut butter in them in the beginning they ripped them apart to get the peanut butter now they don't even touch them as far as the marshmallows the guy said they work great except when they get damp or wet sometimes the raccoons won't bother with them??? He must know he has been in business for over 60 years The one fear I had using cat food is I didn't want to catch a skunk now I don't care I just set my traps with top of the line salmon and tuna cat food topped off with some Scandinavian sardines no expense was spared of course I will be eating hot dogs tonight