Dakota Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 I run a small (and I mean small) trapline on a stretch of creek about 3 1/2 miles west of town on private land. I also have one trap strategically placed a mile south and east on the same creek. All told I have ten footholds placed. I also have three 110 Conibears in the garage yet to be placed. I've seen a lot of fur activity on this creek and spent Saturday doing the perfect trifecta: bowhunting the morning, "stringing steel" in the early afternoon and roadhunting pheasants till sunset. I baited the first trap with a piece of sardine, and baited the second trap with Mink Lure and Mink Suspiscion Remover. The rest of the line was a mix up of Sardines and Fish Oil lures. I set my traps tight and secure (9 #1.5 CS and a #1 LS) before I left and came back the next morning with high hopes. Trap numbers 1,2 and 4-10 all held nothing but I couldn't see number 3 from the stream bank. Upon further investigation I found the grass on the bank just above the trap was torn up and the trap and stake were gone. All that was left in the vicinity was a pile of what looked like barfed up corn. I know somebody didn't steal it because they would've stolen the one 10 feet away from it as well. I probably caught a big boar coon's hind leg and it managed to pull the trap with it. So, basically, I lost a $6 trap, a $1 stake and the fur with it! I'm bummed, but am going to check the traps here after class and before I head to work. Hopefully I'll have some fur to skin and stretch tonight. Wish me luck! Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneshot Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 I run a small (and I mean small) trapline on a stretch of creek about 3 1/2 miles west of town on private land. I also have one trap strategically placed a mile south and east on the same creek. All told I have ten footholds placed. I also have three 110 Conibears in the garage yet to be placed. I've seen a lot of fur activity on this creek and spent Saturday doing the perfect trifecta: bowhunting the morning, "stringing steel" in the early afternoon and roadhunting pheasants till sunset. I baited the first trap with a piece of sardine, and baited the second trap with Mink Lure and Mink Suspiscion Remover. The rest of the line was a mix up of Sardines and Fish Oil lures. I set my traps tight and secure (9 #1.5 CS and a #1 LS) before I left and came back the next morning with high hopes. Trap numbers 1,2 and 4-10 all held nothing but I couldn't see number 3 from the stream bank. Upon further investigation I found the grass on the bank just above the trap was torn up and the trap and stake were gone. All that was left in the vicinity was a pile of what looked like barfed up corn. I know somebody didn't steal it because they would've stolen the one 10 feet away from it as well. I probably caught a big boar coon's hind leg and it managed to pull the trap with it. So, basically, I lost a $6 trap, a $1 stake and the fur with it! I'm bummed, but am going to check the traps here after class and before I head to work. Hopefully I'll have some fur to skin and stretch tonight. Wish me luck! Dakota Dakota, the worst thing is now you have a raccoon somewhere with a trap on it's foot, that is what animal rights people live for. I will help you but I need to know how you have these sets made? Are you using swivels at the stake? How long are the chains? What type off soil? (Is it soft, med, or hard). Also, 110 conibears are to small for raccoons, they are basically intended for muskrat and mink. Are you using dirt hole sets? If you can, take some pics of your sets, then I could really tell ya what's up..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganHunter Posted November 23, 2009 Report Share Posted November 23, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted November 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Dakota, the worst thing is now you have a raccoon somewhere with a trap on it's foot, that is what animal rights people live for. I will help you but I need to know how you have these sets made? Are you using swivels at the stake? How long are the chains? What type off soil? (Is it soft, med, or hard). Also, 110 conibears are to small for raccoons, they are basically intended for muskrat and mink. Are you using dirt hole sets? If you can, take some pics of your sets, then I could really tell ya what's up..... There's a swivel on the trap, chain is about a foot long, soil is med-hard, I'm only using the 110s for Mink and my sets are along the creek bank in shallow water with a pocket set and some Fish Oil and Sardines. Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oneshot Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 There's a swivel on the trap, chain is about a foot long, soil is med-hard, I'm only using the 110s for Mink and my sets are along the creek bank in shallow water with a pocket set and some Fish Oil and Sardines. Dakota Ok. If you are talking about the swivel that comes with the trap that connects the trap and chain that is not enough. Those swivels will clog with debris and mud/dirt from around the set making them ineffective and can result in a ring off (animal keeps twisting until it twists it's foot off). You need to add a "trap stake swivel" at the trap stake. This will allow the animal to move around and not twist up the chain allowing it to pump/pull the stake up. You may even need to use "cross stake swivels". What type of stakes are you using? If not already, you should be using 1/2 inch re-bar stakes 24 inches long. Switch up your bait!!!! Don't use the same bait at all your sets. If an animal gets wise to your sets/traps they will avoid everything associated with those smells. Use several different coon/mink lures and alternate them at sets. You can use cotton balls to hold/pour the lure on and put it in the back of your hole. Marshmellows (the mini ones) thrown into a hole work well as the coon has to keep reaching for each one and that will keep him at the set longer and increases your odds of catching him. Example: dig a hole about 2 or 3 inches in diameter 10 or 12 inches deep and put in about 12 small marshmellows, next to that hole (about 4 inches) push your trap stake into the ground and make a circular motion to make a 1 inch hole 4 inches deep and apply coon lure to a cotton ball and using your stake, push it to the back of the hole. Make the animal work for the lure/bait and that will increase your odds of a catch dramatically. I will try and get some pics of traps/swivels to post later. Let me know if you have any questions and keep us posted to your catches.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted November 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I've been using 18" iron rebar stakes and, as far as lures go, I've also used Mink Lure and Mink Suspicion Remover on my mink sets. Good idea about the marshmallows, I'll give that a try this weekend when I have more time to reset traps and what-not. When I checked the line yesterday I heard something dive into the water just before I checked the trap, so I think a muskrat is probably hanging around the area. When I checked another I saw the little paw prints of what looked like a mink checking out the bait. So...after a little resetting and strategic placement, I'm hoping I'll have something when I check the line later on after class. Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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