OH happydogx2, how awful. I wouldn’t use a live trap, I’m mean, I’d do the varmit in. I’m going to plant some habenero peppers with some of my tomatoes and corn next summer and spread espson salt around to keep out the racoons, rabbits and any other varmit who might try and take some.
I’ve tried three different kinds of bait (one that worked when I had one creating havoc and hiding in my garage last year) but it prefers the garden. The live animal trap is the last resort; if it goes into the trap it won’t came back out alive. It’s also destroyed the wife’s bed of Snapdragons in one of our several flower gardens. The seed company folks have also recommended spraying caster oil around the garden beds but while it may keep it out of the kitchen garden I know it’ll transition to the other flower beds.
This has been a very challenging year to have a veggie garden in Central Oregon but it could be worse. I could be living in a condo or apartment and not have the opportunity to get my hands dirty.