Raccoon traps fall into two main categories: live traps (cages) that capture the animal unharmed and lethal or restraining traps (foothold, body-grip, and dog-proof enclosed designs) that hold or kill the animal on contact. The right choice depends on whether you’re dealing with a nuisance animal on your property or trapping during a regulated season, and each type requires different placement, bait, and anchoring to work effectively.
Dog-Proof Enclosed Traps
Dog-proof traps are the most popular restraining option for raccoons because they’re designed so only raccoons (or animals with similar dexterous paws) can trigger them. The trap is a cylindrical tube staked into the ground with bait inside. A raccoon reaches in, grabs the bait, and trips a push/pull trigger that fires double coil springs, clamping down on the paw. Dogs, cats, and livestock can’t reach inside the narrow opening, which makes these traps a practical choice near homes, farms, or areas with pets.
These traps come with a stabilizer stake that lets you place them in rocky ground near waterways, soft banks, or even pre-drilled holes in concrete culverts and bridge pilings. The chain typically includes three swivels (at the stake, inline, and at the chain end) to prevent the animal from twisting free. Look for powder-coated finishes with zinc-coated springs and trigger components, which resist rust and extend the trap’s lifespan.
Cage and Live Traps
Cage traps are the go-to for homeowners who want to capture a raccoon alive and have it removed. A standard raccoon live trap measures roughly 32 to 42 inches long, 10 to 12 inches wide, and 12 inches tall. Wire gauge matters: 14-gauge galvanized wire in a 1-by-1-inch mesh pattern is strong enough to hold raccoons and holds up over years of use. Galvanized-before-welded (GBW) wire is the most common, though galvanized-after-welded (GAW) offers slightly better corrosion resistance at the weld points.
Door style also affects performance. Guillotine-style doors, which slide straight down from the top, are more durable and keep the animal calmer than wire mesh doors. Wire mesh doors tend to get battered by trapped animals trying to push through. A solid quarter-inch cold-rolled steel frame around the cage adds structural integrity, especially if you’re reusing the trap across multiple seasons.
Foothold and Body-Grip Traps
Coil-spring and longspring foothold traps are widely used during regulated trapping seasons. For raccoons, a #1½ coil-spring foothold is the standard recommendation. These are often set near water, along trails, or inside cubbies. Body-grip traps (sometimes called Conibear-style traps) are lethal traps designed to kill quickly. They’re placed in drain tiles, culvert openings, or cubby entrances where raccoons pass through regularly.
Raccoons are strong enough to pull free from a solidly staked foothold trap, so many experienced trappers use a drag instead of a fixed stake. A drag is a weighted object (a short sapling, a two-pronged grapple, or a heavy rock) attached to the trap chain. Because the drag gives slightly when the animal pulls, the raccoon can never get a solid enough grip to wrench free. Along streams, a 2-inch sapling about 6 inches long works well as a drag.
Best Bait for Raccoons
Sweet and fatty foods work best. Raccoons are opportunistic eaters, but they strongly favor anything high in fat or sugar. Marshmallows, fruit jam, honey, and sweet corn are all effective. The advantage of using sugary baits is specificity: they attract raccoons without pulling in as many non-target animals like cats, opossums, or skunks. Fish and sardines also work but tend to attract a wider range of wildlife.
Place bait at the very back of a cage trap or deep inside a dog-proof trap so the raccoon has to fully commit to reaching it before the trigger fires. For cubby sets, attach the bait to the back wall of the cubby so the animal must step over the trap to reach it.
Where to Place Raccoon Traps
Raccoons follow predictable routes along streams, drainage ditches, and the edges of fields. Look for tracks in soft mud, worn trails along banks, and scat near den openings. The best trap locations take advantage of natural funnels where raccoons are already traveling.
A cubby set uses rocks, logs, or old boards to create a small enclosure with one opening. Place bait or lure at the back and set a foothold, body-grip, or cage trap just inside the entrance. Natural cubbies like hollow trees or rock crevices work even better. On a sloping bank near water, a cubby set can catch raccoons, mink, or muskrats depending on size and placement.
An overhanging bank set is especially useful in areas where dogs roam. Find a bank with a low overhang that’s too tight for a dog to crawl under. Attach a bait of fish or honey to the underside of the bank and place the trap in the shallow water beneath it. Wire the trap chain to a rock in deeper water to create a drowning set.
A drain tile set takes advantage of the fact that raccoons frequently explore drain tile openings and drainage ditches. A body-grip or foothold trap placed at the mouth of a drain tile intercepts raccoons on their nightly routes. Many raccoons are also caught incidentally in sets originally made for muskrats or mink, particularly blind sets (traps placed in a travel path without bait).
Anchoring Your Trap Securely
A trap that isn’t properly anchored is worse than no trap at all. An animal that escapes with a trap on its foot will suffer serious injury, and you’ve lost your equipment. Foothold traps attach to a chain, which connects to a stake, drag, or earth anchor. For land sets, stakes should be 18 to 24 inches long. Sandy or loose soil requires longer stakes. If a single stake won’t hold in soft ground, cross-stake two stakes driven at opposing angles.
Earth anchors are the strongest option. They’re driven into the ground with a special tool and hold so firmly they often have to be dug out when you break down the set. For water sets, wiring the chain to a heavy rock in deep water creates a drowning system that dispatches the animal quickly. If your stakes won’t hold in a particular spot, move your set to better ground rather than risking an escape.
Legal Rules You Need to Know
Raccoon trapping is regulated in every U.S. state, and the rules vary significantly. In most states, you can only trap raccoons during a designated season unless the animal is actively causing property damage or poses a health threat. Maryland, for example, strictly prohibits trapping outside regulated seasons unless property damage is occurring, and even then homeowners must obtain a free landowner trapping permit before setting traps.
Relocation is where the law gets especially strict. Raccoons are classified as a rabies vector species in most states, alongside skunks and foxes. Maryland prohibits relocating raccoons entirely to prevent human-assisted spread of rabies. Texas makes it a Class C misdemeanor to transport a live raccoon, and if an exempted individual does transport one for release, the animal must be released within ten miles of where it was captured and within the same county.
These restrictions exist because raccoons are one of the primary carriers of rabies in the eastern United States. They also carry a roundworm parasite that can be dangerous to humans. Moving a raccoon to a new area risks introducing disease to wildlife populations that were previously unaffected. Before setting any trap, check your state’s department of natural resources website for current season dates, trap type restrictions, and permit requirements. Many states also have specific rules about how frequently you must check traps, with 24-hour check intervals being the most common requirement.