Scratching the itch #1

[deerslayer357]

So I have been running my line- had bait stolen 2x from a dirt hole set that I set on a natural dirt hole- second time I know the traps were frozen.

I have caught several coon and possums in dogproofs (10 in 2 weeks of having them set), but these yotes are kicking my tail.

I pulled all my 550’s for a week or so, then reset them. A couple had dirt packed under the pan and were hard to trip even though I put wax paper over pan to prevent that.
I saw where somebody put pillow stuffing under the pan instead of wax paper over the pan to prevent dirt getting under it- I tried this and reset on Sunday. Tuesday night I had a coyote trip a trap and there was hair between jaws/ guess maybe he just didn’t get caught square or well and was able to pull out? I reset it, along with a blind set in the trail going to hole, any other suggestions or recommendations?

 

[Railroader]

I pulled all my 550’s for a week or so, then reset them. A couple had dirt packed under the pan and were hard to trip even though I put wax paper over pan to prevent that.
I saw where somebody put pillow stuffing under the pan instead of wax paper over the pan to prevent dirt getting under it- I tried this and reset on Sunday. Tuesday night I had a coyote trip a trap and there was hair between jaws/ guess maybe he just didn’t get caught square or well and was able to pull out? I reset it, along with a blind set in the trail going to hole, any other suggestions or recommendations?

I am 100% done with trap screens, wax paper, and coffee filters ever since I tried a pinch of Poly-Fil under the pans. Easy, cheap, reliable.

I've also taken to bedding my traps with at least a good handful of sifted peat moss. I have only had a single trap mud up this season, but it was under water for a week, and set in black dirt.

That was the one I had the perfect print in, and it didn't fire.

When I pulled it, the trap pulled out in a big glop of mud, waterlogged peat, and polyfil...

Recently I've had one coyote, one bobcat, and a couple possums....

 

[deerslayer357]

I am 100% done with trap screens, wax paper, and coffee filters ever since I tried a pinch of Poly-Fil under the pans. Easy, cheap, reliable.

I've also taken to bedding my traps with at least a good handful of sifted peat moss. I have only had a single trap mud up this season, but it was under water for a week, and set in black dirt.

That was the one I had the perfect print in, and it didn't fire.

When I pulled it, the trap pulled out in a big glop of mud, waterlogged peat, and polyfil...

Recently I've had one coyote, one bobcat, and a couple possums....

Yes, polyfill looks like the same stuff I am using, from a dog toy the dogs gutted. Lol

 

[sportsman94]

I use polyfill under the pan and peat moss under the jaws. 99% of the time they will still fire after a bunch of rain unless the thin layer of dirt on top is clay and gets baked into a solid crust. Seems like our foxes are making a come back this year and I’m getting a lot of traps dug up. Not sure if that’s a result of the peat moss, fresh dirt, bedding, or turning them loose with a free education over the last year or two. Regardless, I’m pretty happy to have them showing up a little more frequently than the last several years

 

[furtaker]

I've used poly fill in the past with my MB 650s. No complaints really. Some people complain of mice pulling it out and it seems that it might have happened to me a time or two but I don't use 650s much any more and it's been a while so I can't really remember. Here lately I've been using the little paper cupcake wrappers on my #2 Bridgers. They're pre-cut and work well.

Deerslayer, sometimes coyotes will roll on a set if you use too much lure. Like a dog rolling in cow hockey. Not sure if that's what happened in your case but it's just a thought. They'll usually leave hair in the trap when they do it. Coons are bad about stealing lure from holes as well. Coyotes get blamed for a lot of the stuff coons do. Good luck and keep after them.

 

[cj580guitar]

For them to be slow or to start catching? If slow, why do you think that is?

For me the yotes get harder cause they are going into the breeding season. Kinda like deer in rut you just don’t what they are gonna do. But this is just my observation and opinion.

 

[sportsman94]

For me the yotes get harder cause they are going into the breeding season. Kinda like deer in rut you just don’t what they are gonna do. But this is just my observation and opinion.

That’s been my observation as well. In the past I always used to have good luck in December, but this one was rough for me. Hoping I can figure them out and start putting a hurting on them here after deer season

 

[cj580guitar]

That’s been my observation as well. In the past I always used to have good luck in December, but this one was rough for me. Hoping I can figure them out and start putting a hurting on them here after deer season

I’ve always done really well in Oct-Nov and then again Mar-Apr. Those months Jan-Feb give the hardest time. So I just wait till they get hungry.

 

[sportsman94]

Hopefully gonna start setting for predators in another few days. Until then, mostly working on beavers. I made 7 sets at this place yesterday and had 5 today with 2 snares knocked down

 

[sportsman94]

4 more pecan tree eating beavers today. Maybe we’ll put a dent in them. Put in 15 or so predator sets today too. Dodging hog hunters, farm equipment, and boggy fields. Almost got stuck. Not sure why I find this stuff fun.

 

[furtaker]

It's been slow for me so far on predators. I only have one farm set and I've only caught one young coyote so far. I'm seeing zero sign. I put a few flat sets out today with gland lure so maybe they'll get some attention instead of dirt holes since it's breeding season.

I hope to get some coon sets out soon.

 

[sportsman94]

It's been slow for me so far on predators. I only have one farm set and I've only caught one young coyote so far. I'm seeing zero sign. I put a few flat sets out today with gland lure so maybe they'll get some attention instead of dirt holes since it's breeding season.

I hope to get some coon sets out soon.

Yep; been a weird year for predators for me. I’ve started getting action at most sets with enough time, but it appears to be minimal interest. One sniff, one track in the pattern, and gone. I’ve said it before, but I’m not good enough to catch them on that first step very often. Time hasn’t been on my side either though. I haven’t fully set up a single property this year. I’ll put out traps for a couple hours and never have enough time to add more. Have seen some good cat sign and a few sets of coyote tracks here lately. Just need a few more hours in the day to get some more sets in. Sure would like to see this forum pick up in activity this year. Seems to be limping along

 

[furtaker]

Yep; been a weird year for predators for me. I’ve started getting action at most sets with enough time, but it appears to be minimal interest. One sniff, one track in the pattern, and gone. I’ve said it before, but I’m not good enough to catch them on that first step very often. Time hasn’t been on my side either though. I haven’t fully set up a single property this year. I’ll put out traps for a couple hours and never have enough time to add more. Have seen some good cat sign and a few sets of coyote tracks here lately. Just need a few more hours in the day to get some more sets in. Sure would like to see this forum pick up in activity this year. Seems to be limping along

Yeah it's interesting how some years see more action and activity than others. I wonder if it could be trapping pressure from neighboring properties or just a lower animal density or what. Could be a number of different factors I guess.