Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
No pics today. Kinda in a rush all day. Took the afternoon off to work that many. Daughter is home from college, out to supper. I don't smell anything
Trapping Predators
- Thread starter 1pheas4
- Start date
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Add (or subtract) two more!
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
No further catches this morning. I pulled traps on that colony and will set up two more ponds either Sunday or Monday. Little hole drillers are everywhere. Have to catch up or the $ repairing dams, dikes, and levees will be significant.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Since I'm trying to get all of them out of the ponds, I am using 330 conibears in dens and runways. I did catch 1 in the lodge entrance. I did manage to catch my traditional thumb this morning! It's happened so many times that it isn't even worth swearing anymore! I've got 2-3 traps that the safety hooks are on upside down. When you release those traps, you have to be careful that the hooks don't just slide off-they did! At least it wasn't a 220. They close tight enough that they have to be removed. Takes a bit of time 1 handed and they tend to hurt more. Might cut into my hitch-hiking for a few days
FCSpringer
Moderator
Thats all Ive used for beaver is a 330 also. Anything else is a pain in the butt. 330's work great. I just place them in there runs or channels. They dig them perfect for the trap. And then just secure it with steaks through the springs.:thumbsup: Yotes I never mastered. Any one have a good one for that. I could catch fox no problem.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
The secrets for yotes are: you've got to be scent free (always use a ground cloth), you have to bed your traps so they don't rock, you have to understand where they travel, and you have to change things up. Too many folks have just 1 trick in their bag. If you screw up on a coyote, you won't ever catch him with the same tactic. If you blow it with a dirt hole, set another dirt hole, but put a flat set with urine only about 30 yards away. If they're bypassing your bait set, bury a dead skunk with just it's tail sticking up and place urine on that. If a big dirt hole isn't working, make one with your 1/2 inch stake and stuff a mouse down it. To learn where coyotes go, have your wife drop you off 5 miles from your trapping ground and walk to and through the trapping land cross country. By the time you get to your ground, you'll be walking where they coyotes walk. They take the easiest path associated with prey habitat. Where any two habitat types come together you will be more successful. Most any bait will work, but......bobcat meat, beaver meat, muskrat meat, tainted mouse, and a number of other baits will out perform the average bait. Good lures are important too. Probably a bigger secret to catching coyotes is avoiding non-target species. I does you no good to have the perfect set if a possum or skunk is already in the trap. I like to group set. When I make a set, I usually make more than 1. If a non-target gets there first, I still have an opportunity. I learned years ago that I was missing a number of targeted animals by using only 1 set. With species that travel in family groups, you can often have a large catch at 1 site with the additional sets. An example, I used to trap where the creek came into a lake. The creek curved as it got to the still water and the land on the outside of the curve gained 40 feet in height in the curve. This forced all the coons into the water or they had to go way out of their way up the hill. First night I had 4 coons in 4 pocket sets about 5 feet apart. I had 3 and 2 several time thereafter. When I trap smaller creeks, I'll have 1-2 sets on each bank wherever I make a set. That way, it doesn't matter what bank they're running or what direction the wind is out of, I have a set covering those conditions.
Shadow
Banned
racoons were a big issue on the resort- they'd get up and into the metal trash can's set by each cabin- tip them over and make a mess- 13 & 14 year olds- we got to drive the dump truck and empty them- so it was war against the coons- we'd set up 30 yards from the last two cabins at night with our 20 guages- course we'd wait for noise then sneak up- great fun-
but that bird shot in the dark was sort of hard to control- us being mighty hunters sometimes we'd give chase-
then- bright idea- get a few of dads big traps- set two by two trash cans- wire them to the trash can- we figured we wouldn't be buying trash cans with our allowance- discussion- heck- how far would a raccoon go with a trash can
all sorts of noise one night- BOYS! think you caught something- we jump out of bed and run outside- monster in the garage-
we grab our shotguns and some shells- mom is hollering- dad grabs me by the neck- no guns!
so we are in our underwear all excited- noise seems to be getting worse- we go back inside- dad is sitting down mom is starring at dad-
you boys caught something- go find out
but that bird shot in the dark was sort of hard to control- us being mighty hunters sometimes we'd give chase-
then- bright idea- get a few of dads big traps- set two by two trash cans- wire them to the trash can- we figured we wouldn't be buying trash cans with our allowance- discussion- heck- how far would a raccoon go with a trash can
all sorts of noise one night- BOYS! think you caught something- we jump out of bed and run outside- monster in the garage-
we grab our shotguns and some shells- mom is hollering- dad grabs me by the neck- no guns!
so we are in our underwear all excited- noise seems to be getting worse- we go back inside- dad is sitting down mom is starring at dad-
you boys caught something- go find out
BleuBijou
Active member
FCSpringer
Moderator
Ah, PD it may have been just as simple as the ground cloth. I assume you mean plastic? Every thing else is the same tec I use on fox but just rubber gloves and boots. It made you feel there were not many around in areas, but you know there are. They seem to be more cautious then fox, smarter.
quail hound
Moderator
Bobcats are known to be the hardest to tree. Their stamina is incredible. They could run for 25 miles a head of hounds before being tired enough to think about treeing.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Just snuck out and set 5 coni's before supper. Set 3 on a lodge, could hear them sloshing around inside. High hopes for that one. The other pond all the dens were collapsed. They dug where we fixed their mess back in October. It was pure sugar sand, no structure to sustain a hole. I ended up putting two coni's in a run below the dam. We'll see how much they travel tonight. There's usually dens in the upper end of the pond. May set those in the morning. FCS, rubber or plastic is good. Cloth works if you keep it scent free.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Planning
Just when you are feeling your age, you catch two going near 50 pounds 250 yards from the road. I had to make two trips to get these in the truck. What happened to the days when I'd carry two the two miles home from the creek to make it to school on time? Gotta get smarter cuz I ain't gettin' stronger.
Just when you are feeling your age, you catch two going near 50 pounds 250 yards from the road. I had to make two trips to get these in the truck. What happened to the days when I'd carry two the two miles home from the creek to make it to school on time? Gotta get smarter cuz I ain't gettin' stronger.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
I did one time with dixie tan. It's willow hooped on the wall.
FCSpringer
Moderator
Troy is that what you call the black beaver?? They look just like ours. Guess I will have no need to buy one if thats the case.
Have you ever seen one that is sheered, man those are soft. Beautiful rugs.
Have you ever seen one that is sheered, man those are soft. Beautiful rugs.
beaglebob1
New member
now this has been a great thread.:thumbsup::10sign::cheers:great talk and storys. I broke out the old trapping photo album. What a great time back in the 70s and 80s. money was good too.had great xmas
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Haven't caught any black ones yet this year. These are the typical reddish color. They do tend to be a bit browner under though. They skinned nicely today. I'm eager to see them in the round. They should measure out well. I always like a "super blanket"! I'm sure these didn't top the 59 pounder I caught back in 85. I could hold him at my collar bones by the front feet and his tail still touched the ground. Rodentzilla!!!
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Bob, I've got photo albums that go back into the 70's traplines. It's fun to relive those days. I can still remember individual catches. Probably could get close to the spot they occured in some cases. There were a lot of life lessons. I have never worked that hard for so little and liked it so much! There were a lot of first, a lot of empty traps, a lot of moments of shear terror. I wish everyone could have those type of experiences growing up. A furbuyer in Nebraska should get a lot of credit. He took two young teens aside and spent an afternoon teaching us how fur should look when it is finished. He benefitted from that for several years and a number of other buyers have benefitted since. I guess I need to find some youngster wanting to learn and Pass it On. It's a dying art.