Are you putting a golf ball on top of the traps? That usually solves any mice or bird problems.
Lots of talk…
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JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
I don't but need to
I started my trapping yesterday and killed two possums so far.
MarlinSlayer
Well-Known Member
So I live 95 minutes from my property but willing to spend a weekend up there camping with my adult sons do to some work. Figure that would be a good time to run some traps. Never done it before so I have a few questions. I could look it up, but I'm lazy and I think I know the answer. Is there a season for trapping raccoons? (I just looked it up in the hunting guide..so I know season is open for Coyotes, Grinners (just learned that = Possum), and raccoons. Regarding Coons.... hey are considered a nuisance animal right? No season right? What do you do with the animal? Is there any commercial value? I know you can eat possum....not sure I'd want to. Coyotes...I have no problem with dispatching them and disposing of them....in general I'm not into killing for the sake of killing, but this serves a good purpose....No problem with killing Coyotes, Armadillos, etc....or rats for that matter. I know population control is good management...just want to make sure I'm not wasting it.
Second, I have a lifetime license and I now that covers trapping, but since this is my land, my sons should be able to trap w/o license under landowner exemption (i know they can hunt under the exemption) correct?
Is a weekend a month enough to do any good? I know anything probably helps.....but other than the novelty of it, will it pt a dent in any populations at all?
If you prefer to answer by PM, then please do.....
Second, I have a lifetime license and I now that covers trapping, but since this is my land, my sons should be able to trap w/o license under landowner exemption (i know they can hunt under the exemption) correct?
Is a weekend a month enough to do any good? I know anything probably helps.....but other than the novelty of it, will it pt a dent in any populations at all?
If you prefer to answer by PM, then please do.....
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Coons and Possums are the number one nest predators to turkeys, so anyone you can dispatch is a nest saved. I generally just toss them as there is no market for them. Raccoon makes really good BBQ though if you wanted to try it. Dogproofs are easy and fool proof, and anytime you can make it happen, it's worth it.
MarlinSlayer
Well-Known Member
Thanks Rockhound...spent most of the night watching trapping videos....now just gotta figure out where to get some offset traps as I'd like to try a Bobcat or Coyote....I know I only have till 28 to do Coyote. Without measuring and trying to figure out what is legal and not legal on my own....is there a TN Trapping site that recommends traps that are "Legal".....like a shopping list. Obviously I'd measure the trap when I buy it....I just don't want to re-invent the wheel....rather just buy from a known shopping list
Trapping season for coyote, beaver, raccoon, opossum, skunk and groundhog is open year round, no limit.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
Of the before mentioned, would racoons be the nest predators generally causing the most carnage?
If so, good, because they are the easiest to catch in any type trap you choose.
If more would just start focusing catching coons, we could make a really big difference?
If so, good, because they are the easiest to catch in any type trap you choose.
If more would just start focusing catching coons, we could make a really big difference?
4 coons
3 skunks
2 possums
So far for about a week and half
3 skunks
2 possums
So far for about a week and half
TN Larry
Well-Known Member
Good news is I caught my first coon last night. Bad news is after about two hours in the trap, he took my trap and stake with him. I know this because he took the trap in front of my trail cam. I had it staked down with an 18" pc of rebar but apparently the ground was too soft. I looked for it a bit but no idea which direction he went. Doubled staked the remainder of my traps so lesson learned.
I staked 3 traps down this evening with 18" rebar stakes. Wasn't any trees close so I had to use something else. Ground is pretty hard there so maybe they will hold.
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This was posted last year but I will repost.
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I enjoy trapping very much but just don't get the daily time to check anymore. Once I move to the farm maybe I can resume. Coon hunting is very very popular in my area so I just let people Coon hunt and ask them to actually shoot them out.
Shanman
Well-Known Member
Did he have a tree or something that he used for leverage? We were always told to make the set away from trees, roots, or anything else that a coon could get ahold of. Setting in a spot like on a steep creek bank can give them the advantage to get above the trap and have leverage also, big boar coon are strong critters.
I use cell cams to monitor some of my traps that are furthest from my house in case I don't have time to check them all.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
I believe that was exactly what I was remembering.
Note the absence of coyotes on this particular study,
yet racoons alone destroyed right at half of all turkey nests being monitored.
I've been telling hunters for years, that despite our disdain for coyotes,
they generally don't do as much harm to our deer & turkey populations
as we want to think. Exceptions to this generalization, yes, but so long as
there is abundant security cover, coyotes are generally more focused on catching
small critters, like mice, rats, cats, and rabbits.
However, if coyotes stumble upon just hatched baby turkeys, one coyote will likely take out the entire clutch. At different stages of a turkey's life, different predators become more the culprit. I suspect the biggest killer of young turkeys has now become the Cooper's hawk. For half-grown turkeys, it could very well be some combination of hawks, coyotes, & bobcats. Grown turkeys? Probably bobcats, and maybe now bald eagles in some locales. During the springs, strutting Toms are particularly vulnerable to bobcats & eagles.
Right now is the time to focus on trapping raccoon & possums, as they are very easy to catch, and can make a huge difference in the area's turkey nesting success. You can also wage war on the coyotes, but it generally takes some really good trapping skills to catch them, and you may be more likely to catch the neighbor's dog instead.
TN Larry
Well-Known Member
No tree doe leverage. Was in a cut corn field so ground was soft. Still didn't think one could pull it up, but I did pull one up a lot easier than I thought we I doubled staked them last night.
It did get disturbed by a gray fox so not sure if that had something to do with it. He had been there for probably two hours when I looked at camera yesterday morning. At 2:32, a gray fox came over the hill with the coon still there , and at 2:33 the coon was gone.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
Below link is what I use.
Can't say I've ever had a raccoon pull one out, even in some pretty soft mud.
Sometimes use two of these in soft mud for beaver, but you may be better off just using wire to the nearest heavy object.
Duke Wolf Fang Trap Anchor 18 Pack of 12
The Duke Wolf Fang Anchors have a large surface area and are tough enough to be used in all soil conditions, including frozen ground. The Wolf Fang...
www.midwayusa.com
Several of these take up much less space in your trapping pack, and much lighter than rebar stakes.
If you use above, you need the below driver to place them . . . . .
Duke Wolf Fang Anchor Driver
The Duke Wolf Fang Earth Anchor Drivers are custom made for use with Wolf Fang earth anchors. The standard driver has a large nut welded to the top for...
www.midwayusa.com
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
These are what we have. Earth anchors is what I call them. We use them mostly for coyote sets. All our dog proofs are attached to trees via wire and crimps. Put the trap through a small wire loop and move to another tree at another location if needed.Below link is what I use.
Can't say I've ever had a raccoon pull one out, even in some pretty soft mud.
Sometimes use two of these in soft mud for beaver, but you may be better off just using wire to the nearest heavy object.
Duke Wolf Fang Trap Anchor 18 Pack of 12
The Duke Wolf Fang Anchors have a large surface area and are tough enough to be used in all soil conditions, including frozen ground. The Wolf Fang...
Several of these take up much less space in your trapping pack, and much lighter than rebar stakes.
If you use above, you need the below driver to place them . . . . .
Duke Wolf Fang Anchor Driver
The Duke Wolf Fang Earth Anchor Drivers are custom made for use with Wolf Fang earth anchors. The standard driver has a large nut welded to the top for...
