Coons in my corn???!!!!!

[Gary in MD]

Sweet corn and I think it’s coons, the stalks are knocked over and the ears are completely eaten like a human ate it.
Just put 3 connibears in so I’m hoping for some action tonight.
Obviously if I was to get a shot then its a no brainer - literally.
Any suggestions?
Gary

 

[dolek]

I learned just to grow extra for them . They can be a tough battle .

 

[gambleone]

Deer maybe? If it isn't coons, you don't wanna bait cause you'll attract them.

 

[misfire]

I purchased a dozen of these six around my garden and six around my chicken coop ended all of the Coon damage.
And no chance of catching the dog or the wife's cat

Good luck.
Jim

 

[Knotwild]

Try the traps that are dog proof, bait with sardines. Easier than setting a jaw trap.
They got my corn too. Hard thing is figuring when they are feeding, otherwise I would prefer bullets myself.

 

[Bill Norris]

Try the traps that are dog proof, bait with sardines. Easier than setting a jaw trap.
They got my corn too. Hard thing is figuring when they are feeding, otherwise I would prefer bullets myself.

I figured out when mine was eating at nite. I was able to get a few of them with a spotlight mounted on my 10-22 until they figured out when the light came on bullets were right behind it and would scramble away quickly. LOL. I gave up and just feed em.

 

[Gary in MD]

Could hear them pulling the corn over yesterday evening from the porch, dogs went down to the edge ( where I have an underground dog fence) barking.
If it was deer - I think they would have crashed away through the corn?

 

[Immike]

Ha, I just had a vermin in my sweet corn. I couldn’t figure why the coons were on it so early.... well that’s because it was a groundhog... he didn’t get much more and was caught red handed unfortunately for him. End of story

 

[Gary in MD]

View attachment 1190912
I purchased a dozen of these six around my garden and six around my chicken coop ended all of the Coon damage.
And no chance of catching the dog or the wife's cat

Good luck.
Jim

I should have thought of these, been a few years since my trapping days.
I think I’ll order a half dozen.
Gary

 

[Jim Hankins]

Driveway alarm,red light and #2 shot.

 

[Sniper338]

Them dog proof traps work very very well. I just put a few kernels of dog food in the bottom. Give em something to grab at. Caught coons everytime ive set mine.

 

[ebb]

Uncle Joe had a sandy spot in the middle of one of his fields where the river flooded and washed all that sand there. He said he was growing corn in that field but the corn didn't like the sand so he planted watermelons in the sand and corn in the clay. That way when the corn grew up no one could see the melons and when it was planted no one noticed the difference. This worked for years till the word got out but then Joe had a shed on skids he drug down there with the tractor and he would sleep in the shed and watch the melons. Most of his friends would come down at night and visit cause Joe was fond of a bottle of bourbon they would have a nightly party for a few weeks till the melons were harvested and sold. I told Joe's wife that us youngens called Sis that it was a shame every one knew about the melons and would steel them. She said that she believed joe told every body about the melons so he could go camping every year.

 

[Knotwild]

I figured out when mine was eating at nite. I was able to get a few of them with a spotlight mounted on my 10-22 until they figured out when the light came on bullets were right behind it and would scramble away quickly. LOL. I gave up and just feed em.

Get a green light. I use the Streamlight TLR green and adjust it so the center of the beam is in the cross hairs. They won't even know you are looking at them! I use Varmageddons in a 5.56 and it's too vicious to post pictures of. Deer will pull corn down too, and eat the silks, and pull the shoot out of the center before it tassels. Coyotes will eat it too. I have found their tracks in the field too and killed one last week going to the corn. It seems like everything where I live is out to get me! I go out the door and the mosquitoes are tearing me up and the coons and deer are trying to eat all my crops, coyotes eat the corn too, armadillos come live under the house and try to make me break my ankle in the yard, and bait stealers ruin my fishing this time of year.

My corn pollinated poorly this year - so, tell me - how do those stinking coons know to get the most filled out ears and leave the poor ears?

 

[hogpatrol]

Deer eat the tops. Coons pull it down. As previously posted, sacrifice a row for the animals.

 

[Gary in MD]

I only have so much of the sweet corn planted next to the cow corn. Can’t afford to give any of the good stuff up.
Something is going to pay the price!!!
It’s me against them.....
I’ve been losing the battle against the rats living under the chicken coop.
I’m tired of losing!!
Gary

 

[Knotwild]

Deer eat the tops. Coons pull it down. As previously posted, sacrifice a row for the animals.

I tried that, after all, all they know is that the food is on the table. But they didn't seem to be able to stop when their row was gone. They are also the devil on quail nests pecans, and turtle eggs (which I do have). Besides, there's nothing like that sound that lets you know things went right.

 

[hogpatrol]

I only have so much of the sweet corn planted next to the cow corn. Can’t afford to give any of the good stuff up.
Something is going to pay the price!!!
It’s me against them.....
I’ve been losing the battle against the rats living under the chicken coop.
I’m tired of losing!!
Gary

I tried that, after all, all they know is that the food is on the table. But they didn't seem to be able to stop when their row was gone. They are also the devil on quail nests pecans, and turtle eggs (which I do have). Besides, there's nothing like that sound that lets you know things went right.

My buddy had trouble with them knocking down his bird feeders. They even knocked a 20lb propane tank off of a metal trash can to get to the bird seed. He set his wireless camera to alert him when they arrived for their nightly feeding. Seven dead coons later, his troubles are over. He hopes. You may have to resort to lead poisoning via a metal tube.

 

[maxscm]

Yep Coons Love Sweet Corn.

 

[Coonman300]

Unless the area around your corn is closely mowed there will be several well used and easily identifiable trails going to it...will look like a deer trail. Will probably have some ears they drug off on the trail too. Get some of those dog proof traps and put them IN THE MIDDLE of the trail. Put them about 20 feet apart. It’s tough to catch them in the corn but you can wear them out on the trails leading to it. If it’s legal in your area to set conibears on dry land set some 220’s on those trails if the grass/weeds/ etc is tall enough to conceal. If you stake it with a 8-10 foot slide cable the coon can flop out of the trail and will be dead a few feet away which makes it easier and much less noticeable for the next coon to realize his buddy got popped on the trail.
Good luck!

 

[Adam in WI]

They love suet cakes. Bait em to the bird feeder and give em hell.



On a related note...
Be glad you don't have bears. I hauled corn to a farmer up near Phillips WI who told me they get bears in the corn. Not necessarily eating it but playing in it! He said mama and a couple cubs will roll around in a cornfield!
Now that does some serious damage. The DNR was called in to trap and relocate.