Any Trappers out there?

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HB

HB

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This fall will be my first season trapping (all on my property, and hopefully a neighbors) and I wondered if any old timers had any tips? My sets will mostly be for coons, as they are a problem, and pelts bring a decent amount of cash. Whatever happens, it's going to be and interesting season, mostly because I am the only one I know that traps :uhoh:

HB

P.S. I've read a few old books, but I'm still a little confused on proper stretchers for coons, any hints?

Thanks
 
Haha....I'm just as lost as you....I've always been interested in trapping but never thought to buy some while I was at Tractor Supply Co., I hope to read more about your trapping though!
 
Okay long story short i had a really nice reply but i lost my internet connection and i lost every thing. I'm to lazy to type it all again so I'll tell you the most important thing JOIN www.trapperpredatorcaller.com forums the have a trapping forum which I am a member of. They can tell you more than most people here could as this forum isn't designed for it. I would also recommend subscribing to there magazine its great and i also subscribe to fur-fish-game punch em up on google to get the best subscription price.
 
+1 on Fur,Fish and Game. Use a #4 1/2 not a #4 wire stretcher for coons. Fur buyers prefer coon pelts to be stretched fairly wide.
 
Thanks for the replies, a few more quick questions...

How many traps do you usually set on a line? I have about half a dozen 1's and 1 1/2's for coon and plan on picking a few more up.

Last question, have you ever caught something you didn't intend to :uhoh: Yes or no answer will suffice, PM me if you wish. I've noticed this topic is taboo on the internet for fear of giving anti trappers ammo :barf: This is really my only reservation on using foot-holds


HB
 
I have several dozen are those 1 and 1 1/2 coilsprings or longsprings I would recomend getting at least 1 1/2 coilsprings I use them and 2 coilsprings.

And yes you will catch things you don't want like possums I must catch a billion of them :cuss: things. If you make a really good set that you are just sure is going to catch a good coon or what have you, there will be a possum in it the next morning its like an unwriten law of trapping make a good set a possum will get in it count on it.
 
If you've got coyotes where you live, you may want to remove them first.

They are pretty smart, once they realize there's breakfast waiting for them, they'll beat you to your trapline.
 
Used to was . . . F,F, & G is an excellent resource as is the web link stated above. Keep your traps clean & in good working order (handle with scent-impermeable gloves).
 
a #1 coil spring wont usually hold a big coon on dry land, you need to set those for drowing sets, just make sure you have enough weight on the other end to keep him down.. on dry land i would go with min a 1 1/2 coil up to a #2 coil spring.

conibears work good where legal, set them in cubbies with sardines or some fish oil in the back. square buckets work good for this.

you can learn alot from Fur Fish & Game magazine, although i dont trap anymore (i live in florida only thing legal here is snares and live traps:barf:) i still subscribe to it. there is ALOT of good info in there from every day trappers. its not like a hunting magazine where the only articles are big game hunts that the normal every day joe is not going to go on and its not 90% ads lol they have increased the ads just a bit over the years but they still keep them to a minium!

also try to hit up a trapping rendevous in your area they normally hold them this time of year you can learn alot from local trappers at them.

hope this helps! good luck i wish i could/had time and a place to trap now days but it just isnt practicle like it was when i was living at home in high school! lol
 
If you fasten your trap to a rock or other weight, make sure the weight is heavier than the largest size raccoon you will catch; otherwise the coon could walk far far away with your trap. I once had a raccoon drag away a trap fastened to a 25 lb rock; it finally got tangled up in brush a couple hundred feet away and twisted its foot off. Raccoons sometimes twist off their foot and escape the trap. If you fasten your trap to a stake in the ground; make sure the stake is long enough that a really big coon won't be able to pull it out of the ground. There is a lot to learn and don't be discouraged when things don't work out as well as you expect. The books and magazine articles sometimes make it sound easy. Subscribe to Fur-Fish-Game magazine.
 
ya don't give up easy my first year I caught a grand total of 1 coon:D
of course I was using 35-40 year old traps that my dad had they were old muskrat traps so they didn'y hold many coons. My dad trapped for years he took me out to the creek showed me one set and how to cover the trap and set me on my own. I learned what I know from books and trial and error lots and lots of error:D. He said he'd show me how to skin one coon and thats it(can you tell hes a do it on your own kind of guy.):D My second year I got in the mid 20s on coons a billion possums and a muskrat. I was happy especially with fur check I got some good traps with that. be patiant perfecton takes time no matter how good you get you will always learn more.
 
I've done a lot of trapping...coons can be tricky to get without bait. Cage traps work better than leg hold traps for this.

You can use leg hold traps for coons...but you have to be "crafty"...find a spot where the coons will be (USUALLY they live in a hollow tree...hard to put a trap there). Along creekbanks you can usually find where they have been catching crawdads and such (they leave the claws). Then find a funnel where they MUST pass through...set the trap there, wear gloves so you don't leave scent, dry dog food makes good bait. (place a few pieces on and under the trap...when they reach for it....you got them.

Trapping has become sort of a "lost art".
 
Trapping has become sort of a "lost art".
Click to expand...

yes it has!

is Europe buying are fur now days? i knew back when i was trapping they had an ban on all US fur's because we still use the evil leg hold trap.
 
I don't know who's buying them...The only thing I've trapped in the past 20 years is groundhogs, to keep them out of the garden.

I do still have 194 traps though...just in case.
 
HB, just a few tips. Read as much info as you can lay your hands on. If you plan on putting up your own fur pratice on scraping possums. When you can do one without any cut or tear holes then start doing your coons and other pricie furs. Also try to put your fur on wooden strecher boards. You will get more money for your work. (this word WORK is not to be taken lightly when dealing with furs)
 
Use wood stretchers for coons. Footholds are better in case of catching things you don't want, since you can release the animals (get a good catchpole for this purpose). Having to report an accidental killing of a lynx or something else on the endangered species list if you set conibears on land isn't fun...

Cage traps are largely a waste of time and money, except colony traps for muskrats.
 
Laws differ from state to state. Here in Alabama, a #2 leghold trap is the largest allowed on land and Conibears aren't allowed on land at all.
 
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