2021/2022 Trapping Thread

[wytex]

Caught our second bobcat this year, 1st was in the creek and doesn't look so nice but was decent tom. The creek cat only had 1 back toe on the left foot.

 

[NoWiser]

I got a call from a farmer who was having trouble with beavers flooding his field. I grabbed my chisel and a few 330s and got a couple sets in. This morning’s check yielded maybe the prettiest beaver I’ve caught. Absolutely flawless pelt.

 

[NoWiser]

And a bigger one this morning.

 

[KipCarson]

Trapping is sure fun but good grief it can be frustrating! I don’t get much chance to do it on my own time recreationally, but I get to do a good bit of animal damage control trapping while on the job. I had this happen on 2 sets last week, a coyote came in and worked the set leaving tracks all over except the pan itself. It stepped on the levers and jaws but never the pan! At least I know the trap was properly bedded. The pan is where the red circle is.
I added 2 more traps at a 45 degree angle each side of the original one, almost jaw to jaw, creating a triangle. I caught him the next day after doing that but he only was caught on the front foot in the original trap, go figure.
I redid the set and got another one in it today. I reset it again so we will see if there’s a 3rd one that wants to come play!



Here is the first one, didn’t take pictures of the second one from this morning.


Where I’m doing this coyote trapping is a shooting preserve, pen raised pheasant mostly. It’s amazing how hard our southern coyotes hit these as soon as they’re released. This picture was taken the day they released the first batch of the year. And shows my reason for trapping them!

 

[Shangobango]

Glad to see this thread still rolling.

I am finally going to get to set some racoon traps today. I had to let a buddy fill my Christmas coon orders due to things at work always exploding at the most inconvenient times. He was happy to have an excuse to catch a few so that took some of the sting out of missing out.

I have been told by a contact with a local fish market that he can take up to 20 racoons for the Superbowl. I am going to see if I can fill him up.

 

[NoWiser]

My last 2 checks yielded a 55 and 35 pounder. Today I took my two kids and they loved it. Man, the fur is nice on these things in the middle of winter. The farmer is loving the dead beaver pictures I’m sending him.

 

[Shangobango]

11 traps for 2 nights and this is what I managed. Both came from the river bank in DP’s. I guess on the bright side the raccoons aren’t real thick on the place right now. Very little sign. It was below freezing both nights. That may have dampened the rambling spirit of the ones that are around. They do have this thin southern blood. I am resetting thrown traps tonite and will see what happens. Had to do a 3 day business trip to the south part of the State.

 

[jt13]

Muddy one today

 

[KipCarson]

11 traps for 2 nights and this is what I managed. Both came from the river bank in DP’s. I guess on the bright side the raccoons aren’t real thick on the place right now. Very little sign. It was below freezing both nights. That may have dampened the rambling spirit of the ones that are around. They do have this thin southern blood. I am resetting thrown traps tonite and will see what happens. Had to do a 3 day business trip to the south part of the State.

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I had a dozen out for most of the last 2 weeks and only caught 2. On the same property last year I caught 58 without even trying too hard. I’ve also noticed for years now on nights when the temps dips below freezing my catch drops off. I’m wondering if our southern snowmagedon last year may have really made a dent in the coon population?

For the northern guys who don’t know, where I am in north Louisiana I can go years without seeing any measurable snow accumulation, last year we had 5-7 inches that lasted for a straight week. It was tough on even some of the humans and our wildlife took a major hit. Never seen so many dead birds in my life. I imagine there were quite a few critters that curled up to sleep in their treetop dens and never woke up.

 

[WildWill]

I run a dozen DPs and some 1.5s for coon. Caught 24 on my 214 acres in SE Oklahoma this year one off from last year. Got a tail less one this week.

 

[Shangobango]

I had a dozen out for most of the last 2 weeks and only caught 2. On the same property last year I caught 58 without even trying too hard. I’ve also noticed for years now on nights when the temps dips below freezing my catch drops off. I’m wondering if our southern snowmagedon last year may have really made a dent in the coon population?

For the northern guys who don’t know, where I am in north Louisiana I can go years without seeing any measurable snow accumulation, last year we had 5-7 inches that lasted for a straight week. It was tough on even some of the humans and our wildlife took a major hit. Never seen so many dead birds in my life. I imagine there were quite a few critters that curled up to sleep in their treetop dens and never woke up.

I think that ice/snowstorm threw a lot of stuff off. I hear it is the reason for the widespread mast crop failures this fall. I wouldn’t doubt it.

When I had the feeder going there was sign everywhere. I suspect they have moved off of dry ground and are feeding on whatever they can find on the stream banks.