Trapping

[Zombiphobia]

Any trappers here? Tell us what you trap, for fur/meat, what kind of traps you use, baits etc..

I use a havahart galvanized steel live trap with rear sliding release door. Can't remember dimensions but it's sized for racoon. Sometimes we catch things we don't want and that rear release is easier than the flap font. I generally use canned chicken or tuna for raccoons, opossum, and feral cats.
Mostly just used for pest control, but occasionally eat the raccoons if they're plump enough and not too old looking.

Used to have an old fox trap with a sliding front trap door and a bait compartment in the rear accessed by a flap door on top. Only used that one to get rid of the foxes killing the doves in my bird trap.. which were intended for food.

Baited the foxes with dead birds, and baited the birds with cracked corn and bird seed mixes.

FYI, the red fox IS smart. They're hard to get into a cage trap, and if there's a weakness in the wiring, I've had them break thru it and escape, too. FL residents, don't kill them bad no-no. They're very pretty animals, though.

Wanna start trapping coyotes and wild hog too.

 

[MtnCreek]

Wanna start trapping coyotes and wild hog too.

IMHO, your probably not going to get a lot of yotes in a live trap. They're pretty sharp.

Coons in the live trap: Use a honey bun or other type of sweet cake. Smash it into the bait pad so they can't just swipe it. If the wire around the bait area has openings large enough for the coon to reach in, 'wire' some rabbit wire around the outside.

Tuna or other meats will typically trap as many possums and polecats as coons. My solution for a polecat; #7.5 shot from about 35yds. I'll go back for the trap about a month later.

Edit:

Baited the foxes with dead birds

Try a can of cheap dog food. Open up a bunck of holes with a can opener (the type for opening canned milk). This works for a lot of critters (including crab)!

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I just got in from my line a few minutes ago. I made ten sets Monday,six for beaver and four for 'coon or mink. I picked up two beaver yesterday and one medium boar 'coon today(also caught a stripped turtle in a #220 conibear,released unharmed). I caught the coon in an old stump using apple for bait,a Duke #1.5 coilspring. The beaver were caught at runways. I don't use much bait for mink just blind sets but 'coon come to anything,the honey bun is great btw. When I do use bait for mink,I put fish,muskrat or beaver meat in a pocket set with a #220 just in case a coon or otter happens by. I don't use cage traps as they are much too bulky and most animals(the higher fur value types)avoid them. This is my first year back after an eighteen year hiatus and I'm loving it!

 

[MtnCreek]

That's some good lookin beaver!

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Zombiphobia,you may want to join the forum at<http://www.trapperman.com/>. You will have to convince Paul that you aren't really an anti infiltrator but it's a great site and a lot of young trappers just learning on there and a lot of longtimers willing to help them out.

 

[Zombiphobia]

has anyone used live bait for coyotes in cage traps with foliage around the trap so the coyote thinks they're hiding under a brush pile and crawls in to catch them?

i've thought of that but never tried trapping yotes. the fox so far has been the hardest to get inside, though. if a coyote's intelligence is equal to a fox, I see no point in bothering; too much trouble.

 

[Gunnerboy]

Ive trapped possums,coons, and coyotes for 3yrs then i found out its illegal in washington to use any form of gripping trap or snare, so i never caught 34 possums 12 coons and 17 coyotes

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I never use live bait. Check with your state's game laws to be sure it's legal. My best coyote set is the common dirthole baited with a golfball size piece of meat,gland lure and coyote urine. A scent post along their travel route works great too. Fox are fairly easy to catch. Use a meat bait in a dirthole set with feather or fur attractors(where legal) for reds and a fruit bait for greys. A glob of fruit (persimmons,apples,pears,etc)under a log with the trap along side works good for greys and is almost dog proof.

 

[Savage Shooter]

I trap just running a small line now will start my big one just before thanksgiving I had two coons and a possum this morning. Pretty good day compared to yesterday I had a skunk in one of my 220s not fun. I trap mainly with conibears and footholds but use a few cage traps where pets are a problem. My bait is usually dried cat food, easily transportable, not messy or smelly really, cheap and works great. I will use fish and other things but mostly cat food.

 

[MCgunner]

I trap hogs. Keeps me in pork. Don't run it in hot months, though, as I can't check it every morning.

In the very early 80s, coon pelts were pricy and I ran a trap line. There's not much market for such anymore.

 

[jbkebert]

today was the opening of the Kansas furharvester season. Went out this evening and set 8 snares for yotes. Fence crossings and a couple grass trails.

You can trap yotes year round but not other fur bearing animals. I thought about running traps last weekend. Knowing my luck I would of snagged a bobcat and would of had to turn it over.

The snares i use were designed by a good friend of mine and are now being produced for him. They have break aways in case i happen to catch a animal over 55-60# they can get out of it. Snares when used like we do rarely kill the animal but act more as a leash to hold the animal.

 

[zdc1775]

jbkebert I wouldn't mind getting something those snares, yotes keep trying to get my dogs. Current method of a 22 behind the ear has been working but shorter days and more overtime at work means I can't keep up with them.

 

[jbkebert]

I'll talk to my buddy about shipping. He gets $34.99 per 12 snares then $12.99 for the cabled stakes. A driver is roughly $40 the driver you only need to get once. The snares like all snares are usually trash after one catch. I will try and post some pics of the set up. Pretty slick you can buy cheaper snares but I have found none that work better.

When I was trying to thin the number of yotes on our property I learned a pretty good trick. After taking a deer I would drive my truck through some tall grass and make a double beat down path with the tires. Place the gut pile and rest of the deers carcass in the middle of the tire tracks. Back up and place 2 snares approx 10 yards from the carcass and then two more at 20 yards. Same thing on the other side of the animal. So a total of 8 snares my record is 3 yotes in one night. Two more yotes the next day. So a freezer full of venision and 5 yotes inside 36 hours not a bad weekend.

I have two labs and the they wander our place and there is always a chance of one of them being snared. With this system they can get out of the snare if caught and its a mere $0.75 to repair the snare. A yote however can't get out and will twist and turn and kink the cable bad enough that it should not be trusted to fuction properly again.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I took this large male otter this morning in a bank pocket set using beaver meat,otter gland lure and mink urine. Trap was a Duke #220.

 

[MtnCreek]

Mr Thomason,

Looks like you know your stuff! Where do you finds things like gland lures? Around here, traps can be purchased at the local farm supply, but that's about it. The only lures I've seen locally are for deer hunters.
Thanks,
MtnCreek

 

[jimmyraythomason]

There are many online dealers selling lures and baits as well as all types of trapping supplies. Here is one I use <http://murrayslures.com/> they have the best prices on urine. Another is <http://www.schmittent.com/lure_bait>. There are many more but I like these two. Very fast shipping.

 

[MtnCreek]

Thanks!

 

[jbkebert]

I had set 6 more snares yesterday afternoon. After getting out of my deer stand this am. I went to check my trap line. During the overnight or this morning I ended up snaring a deer. The snare did what it was supposed to. The break away s hook came open and released the animal. I am still trying to figure out the hair. The set was on a grass trail that i have never once seen a deer use. Snare consisted of a 12" loop with a three foot leader with a swivel in the middle. Snare was set with the bottom of the loop about 8 1/2" off the ground. I could see snagging a leg but a neck
??.??

The deer got away with a heck of a education and a little less hair. Yet was not permantly harmed. It also did not have the stress of being freed by a human.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Too much rain here of late. Water sets are being washed out while land sets are having to be made in mud. I did manage to pick up a couple of coons and this bobcat this morning. I released a too small coon yesterday.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Another cat and coon

So how's everybody doing on your lines?

 

[MCgunner]

Mmm, seems time for a pic. I'm butchering this thing now. Need to get back to it.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Nice piggy there MCG!

 

[rallyhound]

I'm trying to understand trapping.

I assume you don't eat most furberrers.
Are guys selling the hides or what?

What does one do with a trapped beaver or otter?

 

[MCgunner]

There's absolutely NO fur market left around here, I've looked before. Can't make enough on 'em to pay for gas to get you to a buyer anymore. There was a time, but the time ain't now. There may be markets for such at otter, don't know, we don't have anything like that. Just coons, bobcat (worth a little), and coyote (worthless) down here mostly with some other odd ringtail and such.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

yea same here, if yu trap you have to do it for the love of it i dont trap much anymore but will set a few on the creek to get some kitten coon for eatin. i miss trappin foxes but i hate to even kill them for what they bringing. not to mention the yotes have run out all the grey foxes.my fav was mink but they are all gone too on my creek.