New to trapping. Things you wish you knew when you started?

[Brauee20]

Two more rats and still pulling a bunch of raccoons off the farm. Those blind sets for muskrats are amazing. I think I finally figured out the bait of choice for muskrats too.

I swapped all the carrots for parsnip yesterday and at every pole set the bait was gone. My pocket set was cleaned out too! I couldn't figure out how I didn't have a single catch on them though, until I grabbed a stick and poked the pan on one. The WAX! Oh, crap. I never checked the pan tension after waxing. Luckily I had a lighter in my pack and I was at the furthest trap on the line. Pulled each one on the way back and hit the tensioner and the dog with the lighter until they'd fall freely and weren't tacky. Derp!

 

[Brauee20]

I have a lot of pictures of my boy, but this is hands down my favorite.



He's been dragging me over the coals when I pick him up from school for checking that line on state ground without him the past three days. So, with mom's permission, and a drive around that section to make sure it was empty he got to run the line this morning. What a fricken' blast. It took us about twice as long (3 hours) as it takes me. Mostly due to the fact we needed to smash every piece of ice we came across with our dedicated ice stick. I don't know that he'll let me check it again without him, and he added a late item to his list for Santa: waders.

 

[Elmacho]

That is so cool! Enjoy that to the fullest!

 

[sharpshooter97]

I have a lot of pictures of my boy, but this is hands down my favorite.

View attachment 165731

He's been dragging me over the coals when I pick him up from school for checking that line on state ground without him the past three days. So, with mom's permission, and a drive around that section to make sure it was empty he got to run the line this morning. What a fricken' blast. It took us about twice as long (3 hours) as it takes me. Mostly due to the fact we needed to smash every piece of ice we came across with our dedicated ice stick. I don't know that he'll let me check it again without him, and he added a late item to his list for Santa: waders.

Man that is just awesome! Glad your having some success and that you're getting your son involved.

 

[Shangobango]

Awesome thread.

The best piece of technical advice I can give is to anchor your traps for the largest animal that is likely to encounter the set. 1.5’s set for coons, mink, and rats also can catch beaver, otter, and even coyotes once in a while.

Enjoy the experience.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

This is my 5th year trapping and have learned a few things.

-Trapping is not easy. Most people refuse to check traps daily. It takes a different personallity.
-Buy the rubber gloves your mom used to wash dishes for skinning. The are stronger than the cheap rubber gloves and are less money in the long run.
-Anchor for a T-rex. You never know what you will catch!!!
-When skinning cut less and pull more.
-Have catch pole in the truck just incase.
-Try to get a sytem that is smooth and efficient. No wasted steps or back tracking.
-LEAVE YOUR SETS ALONE!!! I check in the morning darkness and if I don't see eye/animal, I don't go looking for the trap. I check everything really well on the weekend to make sure it is ready to rock during the work week.
-Wash your coyotes before fleshing they look so much better.
-I run cable restraints and my theory is if I'm checking 12 sets I can check 48 without adding much time to my run. Set a pile of gear if you have it.
-Take the time if the lighting is good to take respect pictures of your catches. These are the memories that you will look back at and enjoy.
-Make a good name for yourself and people will call you to trap their land. The goal is to get to a point where you can't trap all the land offered to you!!!
-DON'T TRAP FOR THE MONEY OR THE KILL, YOU TRAP TO BE OUTSIDE AND TO LEARN.
-STOP EVERY TRAP CHECK AND LOOK UP AT THE STARS AND SAY THANKS FOR BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF BED AND ENJOY YOUR TIME IN THE WOODS!!!!

 

[Brauee20]

Awesome thread.

The best piece of technical advice I can give is to anchor your traps for the largest animal that is likely to encounter the set. 1.5’s set for coons, mink, and rats also can catch beaver, otter, and even coyotes once in a while.

Enjoy the experience.

Yeah. We are cross staking everything. My dad had like 200ft of threaded rod on the scrap pile, so a bag of nuts and washers and a tack with the welder and I have more 30" stakes than I'll probably ever need. We have so many raccoons at the farm I was afraid they would run off with any pockets sets that weren't solid.

Thanks!

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Yeah. We are cross staking everything. My dad had like 200ft of threaded rod on the scrap pile, so a bag of nuts and washers and a tack with the welder and I have more 30" stakes than I'll probably ever need. We have so many raccoons at the farm I was afraid they would run off with any pockets sets that weren't solid.

Thanks!

Sounds like you have a pile of coon. Gang set, gang set, gang set. 3-5 traps at a time. Get rid of those egg eaters!!!

 

[Brauee20]

Sounds like you have a pile of coon. Gang set, gang set, gang set. 3-5 traps at a time. Get rid of those egg eaters!!!

Yeah, that's how we've been running them. We are over two dozen in just over two weeks with what seems to be no end in sight on just my folks 100 acres. We've had doubles and triples some nights, and at least a single every night. Started setting 1.5's around the dog proofs trying to get through them along with pocket sets, and natural bridge sets on the creek.They are in the coyote sets just about every other night and I'd really like to be able to let them ride for a couple weeks with no disturbances.

 

[bradr]

This makes me wanna get back into trapping. Had a ball with my boys when they were younger: getting up at 4am checking sets before school, the smell of the trappin truck a couple weeks into the season, etc, etc. The best thing I'll tell ya that I learned over the years, is not to over complicate things. Keep it simple. I was obsessed with catching mink when I was a kid. I tried every fancy set, method, and lure that I laid eyes on. I tried and tried but never caught one until I started to simplify my sets. I'd locate an over hanging bank, log, rock, culvert, or any kind of structure at the edge of a stream. These are guarenteed spots that any mink will check out when they run the bank. Plug in a quick pocket set, bait it with a chunk of fresh fish, leave the lure at home. You'll catch mink. I'm hoping to see a pic when ya nail one!

 

[huronmtns]

This makes me wanna get back into trapping. Had a ball with my boys when they were younger: getting up at 4am checking sets before school, the smell of the trappin truck a couple weeks into the season, etc, etc. The best thing I'll tell ya that I learned over the years, is not to over complicate things. Keep it simple. I was obsessed with catching mink when I was a kid. I tried every fancy set, method, and lure that I laid eyes on. I tried and tried but never caught one until I started to simplify my sets. I'd locate an over hanging bank, log, rock, culvert, or any kind of structure at the edge of a stream. These are guarenteed spots that any mink will check out when they run the bank. Plug in a quick pocket set, bait it with a chunk of fresh fish, leave the lure at home. You'll catch mink. I'm hoping to see a pic when ya nail one!

I'll back you up on your comment. I was the same way making sets to complicated. I figured out that using 110 conibears along a travel trail was very easy to catch mink. No bait used at all. Just put the trap right on the pinch point part of the trail and add a small branch to close down the opening. Very small branch like a twig is all that is needed. Here is just an example of a set location.

 

[Brauee20]

I need to rethink, or think about my pocket sets and where I make them. At the very least I need to start carrying my skinning gambrel I guess, or my frame pack. The bookbag and bucket isn't going to cut it anymore. Wasn't a smart idea to make a couple of the furthest traps pocket sets. I had to lug 35lbs of raccoon a mile out of that swamp to the truck by back legs. Luckily my son did the heavy lifting with the muskrat.

 

[longbow51]

Just curious if you are eating your coons? We did growing up; parboil as I recall, then roast with onions and sweet potatoes.

 

[Brauee20]

Just curious if you are eating your coons? We did growing up; parboil as I recall, then roast with onions and sweet potatoes.

I've saved one to try. I've read they aren't as bad as assumed. Not real sure how I'm going to cook it yet.

 

[Brauee20]

Pulled all the traps off the state ground. Had another raccoon, that some how swam out and got caught in a foothold on a stake trying to get the parsnip in a couple feet of water. Really glad I've just been wiring everything off.

Going to take a couple days break to mostly get caught up with fleshing and stretching. I also need to go through gear, reorganize, and make a plan for the other half of this section of state ground. It seems the conibears are my best bet to quickly finish it out. Blind sets on undercut points seem to work the best.

I gained some easy access through my neighbor's brother to another huge chunk of state ground that I'd like to get after.

Found some coyote tracks in a tunnel through the grass. Not too far from the access. I don't think it's fox tracks as the outside pads aren't fully behind the middle two. Probably make a quick set for coyotes and hopefully avoid the raccoons when I get back after it. It would be a great spot for a snare but they are illegal on public ground.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Pulled all the traps off the state ground. Had another raccoon, that some how swam out and got caught in a foothold on a stake trying to get the parsnip in a couple feet of water. Really glad I've just been wiring everything off.

Going to take a couple days break to mostly get caught up with fleshing and stretching. I also need to go through gear, reorganize, and make a plan for the other half of this section of state ground. It seems the conibears are my best bet to quickly finish it out. Blind sets on undercut points seem to work the best.

I gained some easy access through my neighbor's brother to another huge chunk of state ground that I'd like to get after.

Found some coyote tracks in a tunnel through the grass. Not too far from the access. I don't think it's fox tracks as the outside pads aren't fully behind the middle two. Probably make a quick set for coyotes and hopefully avoid the raccoons when I get back after it. It would be a great spot for a snare but they are illegal on public ground.

That trail is calling for 2 snares/cable restraints if legal!!! I'm betting you would have a coyote in less than a week.

 

[crm3006]

The vinegar trick was something else. Took all of about 15 minutes for rust over.

He was chomping at the bit so I figured we'd rust a couple of them in use, and swap them out with some dyed and waxed traps midweek.

Made a quick scrat float and threw it in one of the ponds I saw them in while bow hunting. Need to add some foam tomorrow as she's riding a little low. Found a couple slides. Showed him the sign and he was super bummed we didn't bring his track guide. I could have used it too as I couldnt definitively tell him raccoon or muskrat. So we put together a trapper pack for him tonight. My dad's rigging up a couple drowners for us to throw out tomorrow at the base of the slides.

Great day of boiling traps, jamming in the garage, kicking the soccer ball around, and getting started on this little endeavor. Plus, there was hot apple pie when we were done.

Looking over your picture of your set up, I think you might use some sort of small shovel, or trowel. When I am making coyote or fox sets, I use a regular garden trowel, and sometimes a Plumb® rock hammer for digging. Keep that young man interested, looks like you are off to a fine start!