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I have been trying to catch a problem coon in a live trap but he wont go in my trap,tried to cover trap with brush with no success.he walks all around the trap and by his tracks sits rite outside the door on the trap but wont go in,even gets on top of the trap and leaves a deposit,I think hes teasing me.Does anyone have any suggestions

He's been in a trap before. Once a coon has been trapped once, they are tough to catch again. Here's how I do it. Start by setting a trash can over on its side, leave lots of trash inside. Maybe use a box or some other type of square thing that matches the trap size and place that inside the trash can with all the trash over it. Put some good bait in the back of the box so he has to walk into the box to get to the bait. I would use anything off the BBQ, they love it and its hard for them to pass it up. BBQ chicken skin, bones, etc. Once he starts hitting that setup several times, replace the box with the trap. Here's the most important part. Cut out some cardboard and place in the bottom of the trap so he isn't walking on wire mesh. If he steps on the wire mess, he'll recognize its another trap and back out. I would even put some cardboard on the sides of the trap to camo it also. This takes a few days or even a week but you'll catch him.

buy som coon cuffs i think there 12 -20 bucks.

If leg hold traps are legal in your state, just bed a 1-1/2 coil spring trap in front of live trap where the tracks are.Cover trap with thin layer of dirt. I seen you were in Arizona so dirt shouldn't be froze like it is here. He won't be expecting trouble outside of cage.

had one one time that was hard to catch. he would go into the trap just far enough to reach over and take the bait. so i ended up being fed up with him so took a banana tied fishing line around it and run it out of the trap over the top back to the door trigger up front. make sure to put a few round sticks under the fishing line so it rolls smoothly and that nabbed him the first night.

Best to watch old coyote and road runner cartoons. Lots of good trapping ideas there.
Sean

I dont know what you are using for bait but you might try putting some of the same bait right inside the doorway. Then if he takes it move it back a little deeper the next night and so on till your behind the pan. Just be sure to keep bait in the back as well you never know when he might go for it. I have had to do this more then once and most times after 2 or 3 nights I got him. I would also always cover the bottom with dirt they seam to not hang up as much if there walking on dirt.

Ive run into this many times, trapping in towns and cities, about 60% of coons have been trapped by residents and let go at the local park, needless they get square shy. What i do is decorate the outside with anything from garbage to brush, Burlap works good if you can decorate the entrance so its not looking so square it works great. and as mentioned most critters HATE feeling the mesh on their feet, and again as mentioned most will go in just enough to peel out the bait. For that il put some bait outside of the trap, inside the trap and at the back, and then i will place an old cedar shingle that runs from the entrance right to the far side of the pan, it will only have to go in a little ways before the pressure on the shingle trips the door.

now thats a good idea

I would say it's the bait, try something different. Something with molasses and squirt molasses in the entrance and a lot. It will pull it in the cage. Try pond fish food pellets or cat food soaked in molasses. Make sure you put some under the trip pan. Or try this-
Add one can of Jack Mackerel with the juice drained off and a 1/2 cup of molasses into a quart jar. Then mix the mackerel and molasses together into a paste. Put a heaping spoon full on a piece of cardboard under the trap pan. Another spoon full at the entrance. Again use the molasses as a trailing scent outside the cage and in the entrance.

I buy non food grade molasses at my local elevator. $10 gets me five gallons here. I would bet he will be in your trap the next morning using either one of these formulas.

You didn't mention bait. Coon will hardly ever pass up a whole egg. Rotten are best but fresh work too. I've caught the same coon in same trap with eggs. This after letting him go if he wasn't the target.

Sorry I do throw in a couple large marshmallows for eye appeal as well.

Never found a need for any thing else when using eggs. 1-3 is enough. My grandpa is about 89 and has live trapped hundreds of coon, possum and dillo with egg in the last 30 years.
There is no shortage of eggs when you have 140 wood duck nest boxes. I use white ones though, I don't have ducks.