This is our first year trapping and we got our first animal yesterday, a gorgeous raccoon. Trapping is hard on the soul, even if we’re only trap local nuisance and overpopulated wildlife. The death of each animal is a hard pill to swallow, but makes for a much more healthy population overall. This raccoon was taken as humanely and quickly as possible and we used him to the fullest. We’re utilizing the fur, bones, meat, and even fat! He had so much fat on him I rendered it down and made dog treats and candles. You can see the whole process in my photos. The candles burn with no smell except for the peppermint essential oils I used to scent them. Because of the nature of raccoon fat these candles are softer in texture at room temperature, unlike the more solid candles made using cow fat.
