Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

2014 IW Trapping Thread

Thanks Skully. Appreciate the advice. My wife saw another yote as she left for work this morning. She wants a pelt pretty bad and I don't mind trying to trap one for her :)
 
My brother lives near Fort Dodge. He said the guys up there like to hang bait buckets from fence posts. They drill holes in the bucket to let the chicken and turkey entrails drip. Then they sneak over a hill at first light and pick em off with rifles. That sounds pretty interesting.
 
My son Trent (left) and my nephew Luke (right) got their first coon of the year this morning. Only one, they were a little disappointed. Since I don't trap, they have relied on knowledge of cousin Jory (Buckwheat) for their start last year. They also had fox tracks on both sides of the pan on their dirt hole set.

Here is the pic of the first coon of the year.

1040-opening_day_2014.jpg
 
Our total after today is 5 coons and 2 grinners. 2 coons were over 20 lbs I'd say. We had 7 coyote sets out and nothing touched them yet but I set them more for northerly and westerly winds. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.
 
Ran about 25traps Saturday was pretty tired and a lack of scouting and competition I had to do a lot more driving. Managed 7 coons, 3 grinners1 skunk and a rat. Had a pretty good line today managed to get a few more out today so we'll see tomorrow.
 
We caught 6 coon, a skunk, and a possum. My 8 year old set 2 dp's and had a coon double! Definitely the highlight of the day!
 
Cross another off the bucket list!

Last year I scored my first bobcat ever and this year I started off with a bang! My first otter! This big old female had been visiting my pond off and on for the last three years but never in season. This time her fish eating days are over!

picture.php


picture.php


picture.php


Called my local C.O. and he is dropping off the CITES tag tonight! I think I will have her mounted diving down against a piece of drift wood and have her chasing a crappie. After all she ate plenty of them in my back yard. :) The road killed coon I have been seeing are not quite prime. I will hit the coon hard in a week or two. Keep the pics of your catches coming!
 
Skully said:
Last year I scored my first bobcat ever and this year I started off with a bang! My first otter! This big old female had been visiting my pond off and on for the last three years but never in season. This time her fish eating days are over! Called my local C.O. and he is dropping off the CITES tag tonight! I think I will have her mounted diving down against a piece of drift wood and have her chasing a crappie. After all she ate plenty of them in my back yard. :) The road killed coon I have been seeing are not quite prime. I will hit the coon hard in a week or two. Keep the pics of your catches coming!
Click to expand...
What I want to catch more than anything this year is an otter, congrats! Let me know how the skinning goes too, heard there pretty tough!
 
Last edited:
Never trapped before but love the thread. Thanks for sharing pics and info. Guaranteed at some point I will give it a go.
 
My brother started trapping last year with two dps and a 220... He is out again this year with the same three traps.. He got a pretty nice coon this morning in the dp. Been using peanut butter as the bait.
 
Thanks to the advice of Skully, I made an investment into some dog proofs and snares last Christmas for the kiddos and myself to enjoy. Was so cold after Christmas that we never got anything set, so it's been 11 months of me hearing, "when can we trap, Dad."

We are easing into it and learning together this fall. Trapping and life lessons, both... and having a blast in doing so. We struck gold on our first night on this big boar and were elated. After a quick talk we retrieved our bounty. Proud of these kids, as they really understand what it's all about - killing animals being absent from that list, appreciating Creation being first.

To say they're hooked is an understatement!




I'm thinking of either tanning or having a coonskin cap made to memorialize this one.
 
Thanks guys! Between traps and trailcams we've really been piling up the memories lately and I'm excited to get snares out and after the local songdogs once things slow down a bit for me.

Curious what strategies you all use for coon. I really didn't do a ton of research, so have been trying to place traps upwind of what looks like critter trails. That boar came off the most obvious of them. The other 5 I have set on trails that lead to what I believe could be den trees, I have one outside a giant brushpile, another in a soupy portion of a waterway. Using a marshmallow, mix of dry/soft cat food, and bought some real nasty coonbait. Sound about right?

I have two ponds on my place but almost zero exposed shoreline that could provide clues as to use. What's your thoughts on trapping near water?
 
I like to put my dps right on the trails. It's hard for them to pass up an easy snack. And along water if the shoreline isn't visible check areas that have a soft bottom where there is water. I have caught quite a few coons in dps right on the edge of water where they like to travel or feed. I've used dry cat food and sweet baits with the best luck in my dps. If moisture and cold temps are forecasted I will cover them with a styrofoam cup. It keeps them dry. Also if it's going to freeze where you are at I suggest a dry only bait to keep the trigger from freezing up. And one last tip, carry a wire clothes hanger or old gun cleaning brush to clean out the old bait/mud. It is hard to fathom how much mud a coon can get in a dp once caught.
 
My old man has been running the trap line while I've been bow hunting and this morning he got his first coyote. It was caught in a snare. When he sent me the first pic of it, I thought it was a fox because it was so red. I've never seen one this color. Almost cinnamon like. Wonder what the buyer will give for this one? So far, we are at 11 coon, 1 coyote, 1 skunk, 1 stray cat, and probably 8-10 grinners.

1622811_10152828190264609_4515163185105222230_n.jpg
 
AIRASSAULT said:
I've never seen one this color. Almost cinnamon like.
Click to expand...

I put a Minnesota Heart Shot on a yote last Saturday. He was sneaking up a waterway to some deer I was watching. He was so red, like you, I thought it was a fox.

I did some lip squeaks and he started trotting in my direction from about 100 yards out. The wind was from the south and he was coming from the west. He got about 40 yards out and turned back to the deer. I did some more lip squeaks trying my best to sound like a distressed rodent and not a wind blown 'Bonker.

He turned back around and was headed in my direction. When he turned around I was sure it was a yote. Based on his size, the light colored band of fur on his shoulders and he wasn't quite red enough to be a fox but more red than any yote I'd ever seen before.

Anyway, I lost him when he went behind an apple tree. Much to my surprise he came around the base of that apple tree at 20 yards. I figured he had cut my scent and was long gone. The only clear shot I had was right up his exit only hole. What can I say? It was a yote so I took the shot.

He disappeared in a flash. I wasn't sure I had connected. I got just a glimpse of him before he cut behind a cedar tree at 30 yards. I thought I might have heard him pile up. I climbed down and had just enough light to find my arrow. Good blood and fur all the way up the shaft but no poop. No blood trail, no poop trail, nuthin. I did a very short search cause who wants to stink up prime ground during the rut? No body count means an unconfirmed kill and no pics so you'll just have to take the word of The 'Bonker that this is a true and believable story.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom