Using a live trap comes down to five things: picking the right size, choosing the right bait, placing it where the animal actually travels, checking it frequently, and releasing the animal safely. Get any one of these wrong and you’ll either catch nothing or create a stressful situation for the animal (and possibly yourself). Here’s how to do it right from start to finish.
Choose the Right Trap Size
A trap that’s too small won’t fit the animal or will injure it. A trap that’s too large won’t trigger reliably when a lighter animal steps on the plate. Match the trap dimensions to what you’re trying to catch:
- Squirrels: 19 x 6 x 6 inches
- Stray cats: 24 x 8 x 8 inches
- Raccoons: 36 x 11 x 11 inches
- Opossums: 36 x 11 x 11 inches
- Groundhogs (woodchucks): 36 x 11 x 11 inches
- Skunks: 36 x 11 x 11 inches
For raccoons, groundhogs, opossums, and skunks, the standard 36-inch two-door trap works well. If you’re dealing with a particularly large raccoon (they can reach 25 pounds), step up to a 42 x 11 x 13 inch model. Squirrels weigh under two pounds and need the smaller 19-inch trap to trigger the door properly.
Two-door traps with gravity-action doors are the most common style. They let an animal enter from either end, which makes placement more flexible. Before you set the trap for real, test the trigger mechanism several times so you understand how it works. This matters more than you’d think, especially if you end up catching a skunk and need to open the door quickly.
Pick the Right Bait
The best bait depends entirely on which animal you’re targeting. Using the wrong food can attract the wrong species or fail to attract anything at all.
- Raccoons: Marshmallows are a particular favorite. Fish (fresh or canned), honey-coated vegetables, watermelon, sweet corn, and crisp bacon also work well.
- Squirrels: Peanuts, sunflower seeds, shelled corn, or a mix of peanut butter and oatmeal. A drop or two of anise oil on bread can also draw them in.
- Groundhogs: Fresh vegetables like string beans, lettuce, peas, sweet corn, and cucumbers. Cantaloupe, strawberries, and peaches work too. A few drops of vanilla extract near the bait adds extra attraction.
- Opossums: Sweet apples, sardines, crisp bacon, canned cat food, or chicken scraps.
- Skunks: Canned or fresh fish, chicken scraps, crisp bacon, or cat food.
- Stray cats: Canned tuna, sardines, chicken, or other strong-smelling fish and meats.
Notice that marshmallows for raccoons are a strategic choice, not just a quirky tip. Sweet, sticky baits like marshmallows are less likely to attract cats or other non-target animals. Whenever possible, pick a bait that’s specific to your target species to reduce the chance of catching something you didn’t intend to.
Where to Place the Trap
Set the trap along a path the animal already uses. Look for tracks, droppings, worn trails through grass, or damage to your property that tells you where the animal enters and exits. Place the trap on level ground so it doesn’t rock or tip when the animal steps inside. An unstable trap will spook most wildlife before the door even triggers.
Position the trap’s opening to face the direction the animal is likely to approach from. If you’re using a two-door model along a travel path, both doors can stay open so the animal sees a clear tunnel rather than a dead end. Place the bait at the center of the trap, past the trigger plate, so the animal has to fully enter and step on the plate to reach it. A small trail of bait leading into the entrance can help guide a hesitant animal inside.
Camouflage the trap with leaves, grass, or branches from the surrounding area. Cover the top and sides loosely so the metal wire is less visible, but don’t block the doors or trigger mechanism. Animals are naturally wary of unfamiliar objects, and even partial concealment makes a big difference.
Pre-Baiting Builds Confidence
If your first few nights produce nothing, try pre-baiting. This means placing bait in and around the trap with the doors tied open so they can’t close. The animal gets a free meal, learns the trap is safe, and starts returning regularly.
Leave the doors tied open for several days. Check back every two to three days, adding fresh bait each time. Look for tracks, droppings, or other signs that the animal has been entering the trap. Once you see clear evidence of repeated visits, untie the doors and set the trigger. At this point, the animal is comfortable walking in and out, and you’ll likely catch it on the first or second night.
A trail camera pointed at the trap can be extremely useful during the pre-baiting phase. You’ll see exactly which animals are visiting, what time they arrive, and whether they’re fully entering the trap or just eating bait from the entrance.
Check the Trap Often
A trapped animal is stressed, exposed to weather, and can’t reach food or water. In warm weather, a metal cage sitting in direct sun can cause heat stroke within hours. Check the trap at least once every 12 hours, ideally at dawn and dusk when most wildlife is active. Some states mandate that traps be physically checked within 24 hours of closure.
Place the trap in a shaded spot whenever possible. If shade isn’t available, drape a light cloth over part of the trap to block direct sunlight. This also helps keep the animal calmer by limiting its view of the surroundings. In cold weather, a trapped animal can develop hypothermia overnight, so checking first thing in the morning is essential.
Know the Laws Before You Trap
This is the step most people skip, and it’s the one that can get you fined. Many states make it illegal to relocate a trapped animal off your property. In New York, for example, you cannot live trap an animal and release it in a park, on state land, or anywhere other than the property where it was captured. The reasoning is practical: relocating wildlife spreads diseases like rabies, creates problems for people near the release site, and causes extreme stress to the animal, which often doesn’t survive.
Some states require permits for trapping certain species. Federal permits are needed for any migratory birds. Before you set a trap, check your state wildlife agency’s website for local regulations. If the rules seem complicated or the animal is one you can’t legally handle yourself, contact a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator. They have the permits and equipment to do this legally.
How to Release the Animal Safely
When you’re ready to release, wear heavy-duty leather or canvas gloves. These protect against scratches and reduce contact with urine or feces. Hold the trap away from your body when carrying it, since some animals can reach through the bars.
Set the trap down gently at the release spot with the door facing away from you and toward cover like bushes or woods. Open the door, prop it in place, and back away slowly. Give the animal time. Some will bolt immediately, while others freeze from stress and need a few minutes to build the courage to leave. If the animal won’t come out, remove any blanket covering the trap so it feels less sheltered and more motivated to find better cover. Then back away farther and wait.
What to Do If You Catch a Skunk
This is the scenario everyone dreads, and it happens more often than you’d expect since skunks go after many of the same baits as raccoons and opossums. The good news: skunks are less likely to spray what they can’t see, and they usually give a clear warning before they do. If a skunk starts thumping its front feet, you’re too close or too loud.
Move slowly and quietly. Crouch down so you appear smaller and less threatening. Talking softly to the skunk can actually have a calming effect. If the skunk can see you and is agitated, stop, back up, and try again later.
For gravity-door traps, use a long pole (a painter’s extension pole works well) to gently tip the trap upside down from a distance. The gravity door will fall open and the skunk can walk out while you stay 15 or more feet away.
For spring-loaded door traps, preparation matters. Before you ever set the trap, place a durable cloth (a towel, canvas, or denim) over the back half of the trap, opposite the door. If you catch a skunk, approach from the cloth-covered side so it can’t see you. Drape a second large cloth over the entire trap. Then quickly open the door, prop it open with a brick or similar object, and back away with the large cloth held between you and the trap as a visual shield. If the skunk is posturing aggressively, use a garden hose from a distance to gently spray water on the trap. The goal is to make the skunk uncomfortable enough to leave on its own, not to blast it. A light “rain” of water sends most skunks running for dry cover.
Common Mistakes That Waste Your Time
Using too much bait is one of the most frequent errors. If an animal can eat its fill from the entrance without stepping on the trigger plate, the trap will never close. Use just enough to lure the animal to the back of the trap, past the trigger.
Handling the trap with bare hands can leave human scent that makes wary animals avoid it. Wear gloves during setup, baiting, and placement. Some trappers rub the trap with leaves or dirt from the area to mask any remaining scent.
Setting the trap in the wrong spot is another common failure. If you place it where you think the animal should be rather than where it actually travels, you’ll wait a long time. Spend a day or two observing signs of activity before choosing your spot. And if you haven’t caught anything within three to four nights, move the trap to a new location rather than waiting and hoping.