The trap should have sprung; check to be sure the doors, setting-lever, and platform are free to move easily.

Last year I had an ongoing issue with a cardinal setting off the trap: he would fly in and try to grab the piece of peanut butter bread on the swoop, and fly out. Sometimes he succeeded, and sometimes the trap would close as soon as he grabbed the bread. If that happened he would eat the bread and then look at the porch door and shriek until I came out and lifted the door so he could fly off. This just to say that the balance of the bait-platform should be so touchy that just brushing it will release the doors.

rabbits back. He's now eating the cantaloupe.

Steve, if you keep feeding him, he's never going to leave!! :>)

If you see two well fed rabbits in there start building a rabbit condo and grow some cantaloupes. Lol........

the rabbit's luck ran out. now i've got to go down and move the trap

groundhog #5 is now residing in gunpowder state park.

Steve, what do you mean, "The rabbit's luck ran out"? Do groundhogs eat rabbits or other animals smaller than they? If so, I'm sorry for the rabbit, but know that's how Nature works, and glad for the groundhog that's he got a second chance by your moving him to new quarters! Hopefully, this will solve your problem.

Delusion is when you think you can outsmart animals, wild or housepets. His brother will replace him if he/she can't find the way back.
Anneliese, who caught 3 cats and 1 possum and still has to wrap the truck and clean it.

nope the rabbit did not escape the trap this time. I set him free, rebaited the trap and a 1/2 hour later caught another groundhog.

My neighbor, who lend me the trap, took it back this afternoon, last night the critter used his garage roof as toilet, using the attached grape arbor as ladder. We are keeping score, right now it is humans 0, racoon 5.

I wonder what message system the racoons use to signal that a particular place is a safe place?
I'm not trying to hijack or change the topic of this post.

But about a week ago, I saw a couple of big brown ants sitting on the very clean tile counter in our upstairs bathroom. I have no idea what they wanted there or how they got there.
But I figured that the two ants were scouts, but I did not take any chances that a colony of ants would move in, so I killed the couple of ants and wiped down the entire counter, the cabinets, and the floor with strong detergent.So far, I have not seen any more ants, but I still don't know why they picked that place.

Raccoons. sigh. I had set a container of strawberry trimmings outside the back door to carry down and treat the chickens last evening. Forgot about it and found the container this morning empty and squeaky clean. Nearby was the scat of a raccoon. Twenty or so feet away, another pile of raccoon scat. It was little more than formed tubes berry seeds held together by purple 'glue'. Grrrrr. The only purple berries in my world right now are on the just ripening, precious black raspberries. I don't 'share' my black raspberries willingly. I shall have to check the small stand of wild ones to see if they are harvested. I've noticed berries missing on my own stock, and suspected they just didn't develop, but now I'm thinking they'd been purloined.

Note........a can of stinky tuna is almost irresistable to a racoon, if one needed to bait a havahart.

This morning: humans 0 - racoon 6.

you need a light and a good coon dog.

In my small town this year the rabbit population has exploded. Thanks to a very mild winter. I normally like rabbits but this year it is ridicules. Each night we see several when walking the dogs. And man are they bold. Out in the open day or night They watch me and the dogs walk by just sit there not worried at all. Which can get dangerous if the dogs see the bunny before I do. Without hesitation they lunge after the little fur balls yanking my arm out of it's socket. My spaniel cross thinks he could catch one and will not calm down after a spotting one. I will be very happy when the population goes back to normal. But wonder if they won't attract coyotes, or some other animal to town.

rabbits are very bold fellows even the small ones. I've moved my veggie garden up on my deck which is 4 feet off the ground. Otherwise they eat the entire thing. Well they leave the horseradish and radishes alone.