Set my first traps

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rem270

rem270

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I bought 6 new Duke dog proof traps from a buddy of mine who does this for a living. We also placed an order for some 550's that hopefully will be here soon along with some stakes and all that good stuff.

I have never put the first trap out or really had no clue what I was/am doing besides just getting info from him. Decided to put 2 out yesterday and set a cam up over them. About 5 this morning it went off. 2 coons were there. I could tell one was near the trap but the pics just stopped. I figured maybe the coon pulled the stake out of the ground and took off with the trap. I took a walk back there this afternoon and noticed it was laying on the ground by the trap. Walked right up to it and it didn't move. I thought what the heck did it die of a heart attack? It finally put its head up and was very much alive. Crazy thing is he sat there all day and couldn't have moved because nothing trigger my camera. After dispatching it I noticed both front feet were in the trap.

It was pretty exciting being my first time doing this. I plan on getting all 6 out along with the 550's I ordered for bobcats and yotes.
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Way to go!

I have 2 of the 550's set in the back field about 100 yards from the house in dirt hole sets. There's been a few Coyotes coming thru, trying to see if I can catch 1.
They've been set for 2 days already, and haven't been touched. I just check them with binos.
Hopefully I'll connect with one soon.
I tried it last year and something dug the traps out on the first run. Then, I caught 2 gray squirrels- I thought that was really strange.
 
Carlos said:
Way to go!

I have 2 of the 550's set in the back field about 100 yards from the house in dirt hole sets. There's been a few Coyotes coming thru, trying to see if I can catch 1.
They've been set for 2 days already, and haven't been touched. I just check them with binos.
Hopefully I'll connect with one soon.
I tried it last year and something dug the traps out on the first run. Then, I caught 2 gray squirrels- I thought that was really strange.
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How do you set your traps for yotes and bobcats? Put bait around the trap hoping they'll get in it? Like I said, I'm 2 days new into this.
 
I'm pretty new at it as well. About 3 years ago there was a fox taking our chickens. I setup a dirt-hole set and stuck a few chicken feathers in the hole. I had him the next morning.

I need to pickup some bait and lure. The ones I have set out back just have a few pieces of cat food down in the hole.

Here's a video on the setup I'm referencing. There's a few variations, but this seems to work pretty well.

 
Oh, and make sure you have a plan in case you accidentally catch someone's pet. I've caught 2 house cats and a German shepherd by mistake. They were all 3 released unharmed. I just used a couple of 2x2's that were 5ft long, to release their foot, they weren't seriously hurt at all, just a sore paw.
 
Carlos said:
Way to go!

I have 2 of the 550's set in the back field about 100 yards from the house in dirt hole sets. There's been a few Coyotes coming thru, trying to see if I can catch 1.
They've been set for 2 days already, and haven't been touched. I just check them with binos.
Hopefully I'll connect with one soon.
I tried it last year and something dug the traps out on the first run. Then, I caught 2 gray squirrels- I thought that was really strange.
Click to expand...
If you are using urine at your set, or too much salt for anti-freeze, you will attract non-targets. Put if you can catch a squirrel in a yote/cat set, the pan tension is too light.
 
I started catching coons with DP's and now i am a trapping maniac. I've caught two coyotes in the last 5 days with MB 650's. Best advice i can give is watch a ton of videos before you trap coyotes. Make sure your trap is bedded solid, never any wiggle in it and the proper distance, depth and angle from the hole entry, etc. From your thumb to your pinky is the distance i use from the hole entry to the coyotes foot/pan location, offset an inch or two for its left or right leg. Dirt hole sets are my favorite but hay sets and pipe dreams are great also. Awesome pics!!!
 
Tip: Go easy using lure for coyotes. Try food based baits first. It can be sophisticated commercial baits or as simple as bacon grease. I have been having great success using the black greasy goo out of the smoker drip pan.
Dirt hole sets are easy and can be used almost anywhere. Don't get caught up in the different names/kinds of sets. Focus on the geometry of the set. Where is the bait, where is the trap, how will the coyote step to get to the bait. Can he steal the bait or investigate without stepping in the trap?
My most lethal set is a hollow log about 16" long with a trap bedded in front of it. Pile some junk (rocks/firewood/branches) behind it blocking the back entrance, put a chunk of bait in the log (I have used a mouse, rat, dead bird, half a taco, venison scraps, road killed squirrel, spoiled lunch meat). Slap a little smoker goo in the log, and dribble a little on top. I then stuff a wad of dead grass in the opening of the log. Coyote has to work the set to get the grass out, then stick his nose into the hollow log to get at the bait. Meanwhile he is moving his feet around your set. Bam, you got him.
 
readonly said:
If you can catch a squirrel in a yote/cat set, the pan tension is too light.
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I set two dirt holes close to one another last night and was going to bait them at lunch after it thawed overnight and dang if i didn't have a coon in it with just a hole, no bait, nothing. Ive got two 550's at this area and if i would've had the 650's out it probably wouldn't have tripped it to do the stiffer pan tension.
 
mjwendorf said:
I love running the DP's. I actually ordered 2 more dozen this morning, already have 3 dozen. Will start running them here in a couple weeks and put the hurt on them egg eaters.
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I only have 6. Going to get another 6 or more in the next week. I put all 6 out this afternoon and I could see how easily they can get lost lol
 
rem270 said:
I only have 6. Going to get another 6 or more in the next week. I put all 6 out this afternoon and I could see how easily they can get lost lol
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I started with 6 and things escalated quickly. A dozen or so are easy to run and keep track of them. If needed get some flagging tape to put on a tree limb to mark them.
 
rem270 said:
I only have 6. Going to get another 6 or more in the next week. I put all 6 out this afternoon and I could see how easily they can get lost lol
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Easy trick - hang some ribbon within 10' of the traps about head high. A printed out topo map marked also works. We run around 30 so I have to this, especially when moving them around

Edit to add: we plan on spray painting all of ours white. Not just for locating them, but also protecting them from the elements. They also stand out as "appealing" to the critters.
 
JCDEERMAN said:
Easy trick - hang some ribbon within 10' of the traps about head high. A printed out topo map marked also works. We run around 30 so I have to this, especially when moving them around

Edit to add: we plan on spray painting all of ours white. Not just for locating them, but also protecting them from the elements. They also stand out as "appealing" to the critters.
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I watched a guy's video recently, he always painted his traps after season.

I think he used a gallon of paint in a bucket- mixed with 1/2 gallon of paint thinner. He used black, but said he'd dip them into the paint, and then hang them up outside for a few weeks before waxing them. It seems like a great idea to me.
 
JCDEERMAN said:
Easy trick - hang some ribbon within 10' of the traps about head high. A printed out topo map marked also works. We run around 30 so I have to this, especially when moving them around

Edit to add: we plan on spray painting all of ours white. Not just for locating them, but also protecting them from the elements. They also stand out as "appealing" to the critters.
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I have all 6 of mine within a 50 yard radius or so right now. But I plan to hang some ribbon or painting a stripe on them, especially when I start running more.
 
rem270 said:
I have all 6 of mine within a 50 yard radius or so right now. But I plan to hang some ribbon or painting a stripe on them, especially when I start running more.
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When you run more is when you can't remember over time 🤣, Especially over large acreage. And move them over time. We have all of ours not out now, but hanging ready to go, but will deploy them the start of January. 93 in 2022 and 71 in 2023. Kill them all!
 
Few tips….

Paint DPs white
Use OnX, HuntWise, etc to mark your sets, then delete the waypoints when you pull your sets.
Remember, if it's good enough for 1 trap then it's good enough for 2 or 3 traps.
Make a catch pole, I wouldn't trap without one.
Have a plan for WHEN you catch a skunk. 😉

Way to go JCDEERMAN, those kind of numbers really help the turkeys! 👍👍👍
 
Shanman said:
Few tips….

Paint DPs white
Use OnX, HuntWise, etc to mark your sets, then delete the waypoints when you pull your sets.
Remember, if it's good enough for 1 trap then it's good eno
0902eb9c-8988-4382-a2c6-2b7c5b1e044b.jpg
ugh for 2 or 3 traps.
Make a catch pole, I wouldn't trap without one.
Have a plan for WHEN you catch a skunk. 😉

Way to go JCDEERMAN, those kind of numbers really help the turkeys! 👍👍👍
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I was told yesterday by my buddy that does it for a living that they even sell white DP's now.
@RUGER gave me a catch pole yesterday so I'm good there!
Here is what was around my traps this morning. Hopefully I can catch it soon.
0902eb9c-8988-4382-a2c6-2b7c5b1e044b.jpg
 
rem270 said:
How do you set your traps for yotes and bobcats? Put bait around the trap hoping they'll get in it? Like I said, I'm 2 days new into this.
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One of my first videos was ray Blanton I believe. Watch utube of well known trappers. Put the traps in the ground n learn from your mistakes. It's just like Christmas!!! You never know what is on the trap line!!
 
Good luck, hope you catch a bunch.

I am basically an amateur at trapping coyotes, I have caught less than 10 total, but I definitely need to get some traps out after deer season ends. I heard three different groups of them this morning not far off my property, then on the way to get my son from school this morning there was one standing in a beanfield beside the road at 10:15 am. That was only about a mile from my property where I saw the one next to the road.

My best luck trapping them has been step down and pipe dream sets, but I have trouble bedding my traps in the bottom, in the sand. That's where I have caught them though. I will have to try the hollow log set mentioned. Anyone have any tips or tricks for solidly bedding a trap in sand?
 
Congratulations on the catch . I've been trapping for over 30 years now an all I can say is it's addictive. I always explain like, you remember when you was 5 years old waiting on Christmas morning all excited. It's the same with trapping you never know what to expect . Just remember always set on sign ,don't over think it and keep it simple . There is a lot of gimmicks out there to catch the trapper also . If you can find some books by Charles Dobbins they are full of good knowledge . Any questions PM me I will be glad to help .
 
rem270 said:
I bought 6 new Duke dog proof traps from a buddy of mine who does this for a living. We also placed an order for some 550's that hopefully will be here soon along with some stakes and all that good stuff.

I have never put the first trap out or really had no clue what I was/am doing besides just getting info from him. Decided to put 2 out yesterday and set a cam up over them. About 5 this morning it went off. 2 coons were there. I could tell one was near the trap but the pics just stopped. I figured maybe the coon pulled the stake out of the ground and took off with the trap. I took a walk back there this afternoon and noticed it was laying on the ground by the trap. Walked right up to it and it didn't move. I thought what the heck did it die of a heart attack? It finally put its head up and was very much alive. Crazy thing is he sat there all day and couldn't have moved because nothing trigger my camera. After dispatching it I noticed both front feet were in the trap.

It was pretty exciting being my first time doing this. I plan on getting all 6 out along with the 550's I ordered for bobcats and yotes.
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I tried to attach a video of the cat. A simple dirt hole set on a corner of food plot and a "Y" access with a long sight range. Christmas tree tinsel is above the cat for attracting their attention along with feathers around the trap. This has been successful for me over the years. It's good for yotes as well.
 

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wildlifefarmer said:
I tried to attach a video of the cat. A simple dirt hole set on a corner of food plot and a "Y" access with a long sight range. Christmas tree tinsel is above the cat for attracting their attention along with feathers around the trap. This has been successful for me over the years. It's good for yotes as well.
Click to expand...
Beautiful cat….Tom?
 
rem270 said:
I was told yesterday by my buddy that does it for a living that they even sell white DP's now.
@RUGER gave me a catch pole yesterday so I'm good there!
Here is what was around my traps this morning. Hopefully I can catch it soon.
View attachment 207590
Click to expand...
Just me, but I don't make a cat set without Paul's Backbreaker or Purrfect, Purrfect is killer on grey fox too. 👍😉
 
A little bobcat story and a set.
Last year I went to check a DP trap. When I got there, the trap was gone but there was a big pile of leaves. Kicked the pile open and there was a dead coon with his foot in the dp, partially eaten. Hmmm What would do that? .... Bobcat.
Got a couple 550s and set one on each side of the pile of leaves and recovered the coon. Bam. Next day I had a big tom in the trap.
So essentially it was like a hay set only with a pile of leaves. I also caught a nice bobcat in a haybale set we made for a coyote who was crossing a cut field each morning as I left for work. My conclusion is that bobcats like piles of stuff to investigate. Consider making a hay set baited with some roadkill or one of your other catches.
 
One thing I do to help with theft or for a lack of better phrases, is to secure my equipment so that tools have to be used to detach it from its anchor point. Doesn't matter if it's an earth anchor or extension cable, teenage boys and some adults just can't help themselves. If you use quick links then use pliers to tighten them down very tight, they won't back off by hand. If you use rivets (J hooks) close with pliers and open with C-7 cable cutters…..thinking Newt Sterling and Clint showed this method in one of their vids. I say this because the only drawback with "white" DPs is that they catch the human eye also. When I was young I roamed up and down creeks all the time, never know who's on your land.
 

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