Trapping Predators/Nest Predators
Dec 14, 2021 21:29:06 GMT -6
leexrayshady, Catscratch, and 7 more like this
Post by thetrooper on Dec 14, 2021 21:29:06 GMT -6
Hello everyone. I wanted to create this thread to explain how I trap specifically for coyote and coon. The methods I use are not the only way to do things it's just what works for me. I like to keep things simple but systemic. A lot of what I've learned is from trial and error and hopefully I can save you some mistakes of from educating a coyote or two. Coyotes are intelligent and more importantly very paranoid wary animals so you dont want them to be hip to your program. I'm going to keep this strictly related to predator management because fur handling and dealing is a whole other topic.
A little bit about my trapping history. I started trapping in 2012 on the weekends for something to do after hunting season. The fur market was at its peak for this era and I ended up almost making 4k just having fun on the weekends. After that I was hooked. At the time I didnt have a great career job so for the next 3 seasons I started take time off work to trap in the fall/winter and do something I loved. Eventually the fur market crashed I and I couldn't justify the time and effort. Now I only trap for predators and nest predators on my own ground of 100 acres.
GENERAL NUISANCE TRAPPING
To have a meaningful impact on your poult/fawn survival timing is THE biggest factor. The examples and dates I use are for my part of OH so you northmen might have to add or subtract a month or so. You cant ever kill all the predators. They will not stop and neither should you. This is not a one and done type deal it's an annual chore like spraying your plots or mowing.
Once you murder an entire population of coon or coyote new ones will move in and that's ok. What you want is the absence of predators in your area while the young game animals are most vulnerable. When the hens are nesting and when the does have fawns. I can honestly say that all the fall and winter trapping you do doesnt have a great impact. I'd coyote are hard on your deer in winter this might be an effective time as well.
My nuisance trapping now begins in late February through March. Our turkey season is in April so a pre season massacre is just what the Dr. Ordered. Turkey season ends in laye May so I usually trap again in late May/June which also coincides perfectly with the fawn birth.
I usually lay off the critters until late August and early September. By this time the coons have usually gone back to 80% of their pre trapping numbers so I will run a non intrusive coon line to thin out the coon using my corn feeding areas. This is not essential but will save you some money on corn whether it be shelled corn or corn standing in your field. And yes baiting for deer is legal in OH.
Fur is not quality anytime during these trapping dates so I wouldn't recommend saving it. Another important factor is the legalities. In OH we can trap our own property on a nuisance basis year round. If your state doesnt allow you to trap like this look into a nuisance liscence. EVERY state has some sort of nuisance liscence you can acquire with a simple online test and a fee which should get you a green light to take care of business. In normal trapping season you can buy a furtakers liscnece and be good to go. Check state your laws!!!
NEST PREDATORS
When dealing with nest predators I'm mostly referring to coon and possum and I'm strictly using dog proof traps. Most of you have probably heard of these but for those who havent a dog proof trap looks like a small can with a stabilizing spike in the bottom to hold upright. The inside has a trigger and when baited the coon reaches in to grab the bait sets the trap and is essentially handcuffed. The trap had a chain with swivels.
I use "Z-trap" brand dog proofs because they have a push/pull trigger. Some other brands dont have the push function. I dont use stakes for dogproofs instead I use a 3-4ft piece of 3/32" aircraft cable with a double ferrule and stop so there is an adjustable loop. You simply wrap the loop through and secure it to a nearby sapling or what have you. Make sure there are no nearby branches or things to bind the chain. If the chain cant swivel there will be undue damage to the coon.
I use dry cat food as bait but whatever brand you have available. Fill the trap about 3/4 full and sprinkle a few pieces on the ground near the trap. You will also catch feral cats with this method so if you are a cat lover or have a pussy running around that you dont wana get snagged use mini marshmallows or something sweet but dry. You dont want anything wet or sticky in the trap to gum yo your trigger.
For lure I use fish oil. I do not squirt it in the trap but just around it to get the smell out and drizzle on nearby trails. You can buy fish oil on any trapping supply website. Lure is not essential if you dont want to but the fish oil just get something else that stinks coon are walking trash cans.
I usually run around 30-40 dog proofs on my 100 acre property at a time. I always set them 2 per location sometimes as many as 6-8 near corn locations. Set dogproofs anywhere that looks coony. Find coon trails and look near creeks ponds etc. Old beech and sycamore trees here are usually hollow and good den sites so look for the them or other big old cavernous trees. Old abandoned barns are hot spots. Most farms also have an old sinkhole where junk farm stuff and fence posts get dumped and are all overgrown with briars these are good too.
Small hedgerow sets also intercept coon on their travel routes so dont overlook upland areas that is where you hammer your biggest boar coon. As long as you get close you will draw them in off the scent. Coon are not trap shy animals. Check the sets next day with a .22 and repeat.
COYOTE
When it comes to coyote I will lay out a few things i do that might save you a headache right away.
1. Leave sets out for a minimum of 1 week. Preferably 2 weeks.
2. Use 2 traps per set and 2 sets per location.
3. Use more dirt to cover the sets than you probably would think. Your pan should have at least 1-2" of soil/blending on top.
4. Dont worry that much about your human scent I use the same gloves to set soon traps and bait holes as I do handling traps.
5. Make sure your trap doesnt rock or move. Rock solid.
I use 4 coil MB 550 and MB 650 traps. These traps are expensive but they are made in USA and high quality. Bridger #2 are also good traps just dont buy junk traps you need a pan that sets flat and won't get bent by a yote. I add an extra swivel in the center of chain to prevent damage of the animal so he can spin and not get caught up. Attached to the last link swivel I have an 18" piece of 3/32" cable to a duck bill earth anchor. You will need a duckbill driver to use these it is just a thin stake that fits in the end you hammer it down pull the cable to set the anchor and good to go. Other disposable earth anchors are good too I just prefer duckbill.
My basic 2 sets are a step down dirt hole and a flat set. I also use hay sets ocassionally. But first acquire 3 things that will make your life easier. Dry dirt, dryed out grass/yard clippings, and some dry peat moss. Dry dirt collected from underneath a bridge is especially good because over years of salt washing down the road it infuses with the dirt and makes it pretty freeze resistant.
My dirt hole is bored out with a 3" bit off a stihl BT-45 gas powered earth auger. It is appx 2ft deep and at a 45° angle. You can also use a bulb planter on an impact or cordless drill. Directly off the center you dig a small triangle appx 10" with the top triangle point at the ba of your hole. The depth should be 3" or so with the triangular bed gradually angling down into the lip of the hole.
Sink your earth anchor in and secure it. Throw a handful of peat moss into the hole to coat it then take your trap with the levers going north south and wedge your trap in with all your weight. I'm talking push as hard as you can you dont want that trap moving. Pack more pliable dirt that you dug around the jaws if you need to. Next add a handful of peat moss in the center of you pan and smooth out. Leave a bit exposed so you can see your pan. Then take your dry dirt and cover the trap lightly packing get a good 2" if possible. Blend extra dirt into surrounding of the hole if the two dirt colors are inconsistent.
I always try to use natural and manufactured baits/lure. For natural a dove carcass/pheasant wing/ muskrat carcass are prime. Bloodshot venison or any other meat/feather/fur is also good. For commercial bait my favorites are Locklears "Federales". For lure I love Grawes "Rascal". But mix it up and get a couple different ones so all your baits dont smell the same give the yotes some options. Cram lure and bait to the bottom of hole. A liberal shot of fox piss squirted on the hole never hurts either. And your good to go. A dirthole like this should be a big messy ugly set that the coyote will see and smell. It's not hidden or inconspicuous. It draws attention and might take a yote a day or 4 to get the balls to dig in. Unlike the flat set.
The flat set is the opposite of the dirthole. It should not be noticeable or overly scented. A flat set needs to blend into its surroundings and disappear. Some people use big sticks or logs or large rocks to steer into a flat set but it's not necessary and attracts too much attention. A tiny stick or piece of chaff will be better used as a guide to not be stepped on if you have a nice smooth spot where your trap pan is.
I try to cut out nearly the exact dimension of my set trap then drop it in and use the same bedding as before wedge it in and use peat moss dry dirt to secure and lock the trap in place. Dry grass clippings basically turn into dust and are a great cover. Use surrounding material for finishing touches just keep any twigs or tiny chaff away from the working part of your trap so they dont possibly jam up the jaws.
I use one flat set appx 12-14" slightly offset to the rear of my dirthole. Then I use a 2 trap flat set appx 10-20ft from the dirthole itself. Just make sure in both sets the chains cant touch or get tangled because the trap won't swivel and could injure the yote. Use a very subtle lure or urine at a flat set in small amounts. Beaver castor or even sweet smelling lures are good. Just dont overdue it go less or less smelly if in doubt.
The 2 trap flat set is the one that usually connects. Yotes will often visit your set before committing to the dirthole. They will be preoccupied with attention on the dirt hole, usually circling it and notice the subtle aroma of the flat set and get clapped in irons.
If you do happen to connect on a yote in the dirthole and if his or her mate/pups are nearby they will likely fall to the flat set or vica versa.
They best case scenario is once you catch a yote at the location. They will rip up a set it will be torn muddied pissed in, shit on and covered in blood and brain after your done with him. This in itself is a great attractant better than any lure. I will always reset the catch trap but usually with yotes they won't be caught easily on that exact same trap. Red fox will be drawn like crack to a set that has caught another fox its almost a garuanter but It's too much excitement and smell going on for yotes unless they're a dominant or transient animal. They will however be drawn to that area immediate area right outside your catch circle.
Once you have a fresh catch circle get the yote out and put a new flat set with only 1 trap appx 1ft outside his catch circle and you will likely get another. And since one of your original sets is trashed and not likely to connect you still have 2 fresh sets on location with a prime attractant.
A quick reminder set dogproof traps in wooded trails or likely areas near your yote sets to get the coons out of the way. You dont want to waste the time on a yote set to come back the next morning and have a possum coon in it so clip them before they reach it
Snares are really the supreme option for coyotes ESPECIALLY in fence crawl unders. However they are deadly on deer if not used properly. I would take a lot of thought into it beforehand because it's very easy to have an accident and even the most veteran snarmen cannot exclude a deer as bycatch 100% of the time...I can get into that on another thread if anyone is interested.
Like I said this is just the way I do things and my take on trapping there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Some trappers I read books from and respect greatly
Randy Smith
Red O'hearn
Clint locklear
Mark June
The late Brandon Johnson
Well that all I have for now my fingers hurt from all this damm typing. Sorry I dont have pictures of sets I usually kept it to scenary photos and daily body counts when I was on the line. Hope this helps out I'm sure I forgot some stuff but shoot me a message if you have any questions thanks
A little bit about my trapping history. I started trapping in 2012 on the weekends for something to do after hunting season. The fur market was at its peak for this era and I ended up almost making 4k just having fun on the weekends. After that I was hooked. At the time I didnt have a great career job so for the next 3 seasons I started take time off work to trap in the fall/winter and do something I loved. Eventually the fur market crashed I and I couldn't justify the time and effort. Now I only trap for predators and nest predators on my own ground of 100 acres.
GENERAL NUISANCE TRAPPING
To have a meaningful impact on your poult/fawn survival timing is THE biggest factor. The examples and dates I use are for my part of OH so you northmen might have to add or subtract a month or so. You cant ever kill all the predators. They will not stop and neither should you. This is not a one and done type deal it's an annual chore like spraying your plots or mowing.
Once you murder an entire population of coon or coyote new ones will move in and that's ok. What you want is the absence of predators in your area while the young game animals are most vulnerable. When the hens are nesting and when the does have fawns. I can honestly say that all the fall and winter trapping you do doesnt have a great impact. I'd coyote are hard on your deer in winter this might be an effective time as well.
My nuisance trapping now begins in late February through March. Our turkey season is in April so a pre season massacre is just what the Dr. Ordered. Turkey season ends in laye May so I usually trap again in late May/June which also coincides perfectly with the fawn birth.
I usually lay off the critters until late August and early September. By this time the coons have usually gone back to 80% of their pre trapping numbers so I will run a non intrusive coon line to thin out the coon using my corn feeding areas. This is not essential but will save you some money on corn whether it be shelled corn or corn standing in your field. And yes baiting for deer is legal in OH.
Fur is not quality anytime during these trapping dates so I wouldn't recommend saving it. Another important factor is the legalities. In OH we can trap our own property on a nuisance basis year round. If your state doesnt allow you to trap like this look into a nuisance liscence. EVERY state has some sort of nuisance liscence you can acquire with a simple online test and a fee which should get you a green light to take care of business. In normal trapping season you can buy a furtakers liscnece and be good to go. Check state your laws!!!
NEST PREDATORS
When dealing with nest predators I'm mostly referring to coon and possum and I'm strictly using dog proof traps. Most of you have probably heard of these but for those who havent a dog proof trap looks like a small can with a stabilizing spike in the bottom to hold upright. The inside has a trigger and when baited the coon reaches in to grab the bait sets the trap and is essentially handcuffed. The trap had a chain with swivels.
I use "Z-trap" brand dog proofs because they have a push/pull trigger. Some other brands dont have the push function. I dont use stakes for dogproofs instead I use a 3-4ft piece of 3/32" aircraft cable with a double ferrule and stop so there is an adjustable loop. You simply wrap the loop through and secure it to a nearby sapling or what have you. Make sure there are no nearby branches or things to bind the chain. If the chain cant swivel there will be undue damage to the coon.
I use dry cat food as bait but whatever brand you have available. Fill the trap about 3/4 full and sprinkle a few pieces on the ground near the trap. You will also catch feral cats with this method so if you are a cat lover or have a pussy running around that you dont wana get snagged use mini marshmallows or something sweet but dry. You dont want anything wet or sticky in the trap to gum yo your trigger.
For lure I use fish oil. I do not squirt it in the trap but just around it to get the smell out and drizzle on nearby trails. You can buy fish oil on any trapping supply website. Lure is not essential if you dont want to but the fish oil just get something else that stinks coon are walking trash cans.
I usually run around 30-40 dog proofs on my 100 acre property at a time. I always set them 2 per location sometimes as many as 6-8 near corn locations. Set dogproofs anywhere that looks coony. Find coon trails and look near creeks ponds etc. Old beech and sycamore trees here are usually hollow and good den sites so look for the them or other big old cavernous trees. Old abandoned barns are hot spots. Most farms also have an old sinkhole where junk farm stuff and fence posts get dumped and are all overgrown with briars these are good too.
Small hedgerow sets also intercept coon on their travel routes so dont overlook upland areas that is where you hammer your biggest boar coon. As long as you get close you will draw them in off the scent. Coon are not trap shy animals. Check the sets next day with a .22 and repeat.
COYOTE
When it comes to coyote I will lay out a few things i do that might save you a headache right away.
1. Leave sets out for a minimum of 1 week. Preferably 2 weeks.
2. Use 2 traps per set and 2 sets per location.
3. Use more dirt to cover the sets than you probably would think. Your pan should have at least 1-2" of soil/blending on top.
4. Dont worry that much about your human scent I use the same gloves to set soon traps and bait holes as I do handling traps.
5. Make sure your trap doesnt rock or move. Rock solid.
I use 4 coil MB 550 and MB 650 traps. These traps are expensive but they are made in USA and high quality. Bridger #2 are also good traps just dont buy junk traps you need a pan that sets flat and won't get bent by a yote. I add an extra swivel in the center of chain to prevent damage of the animal so he can spin and not get caught up. Attached to the last link swivel I have an 18" piece of 3/32" cable to a duck bill earth anchor. You will need a duckbill driver to use these it is just a thin stake that fits in the end you hammer it down pull the cable to set the anchor and good to go. Other disposable earth anchors are good too I just prefer duckbill.
My basic 2 sets are a step down dirt hole and a flat set. I also use hay sets ocassionally. But first acquire 3 things that will make your life easier. Dry dirt, dryed out grass/yard clippings, and some dry peat moss. Dry dirt collected from underneath a bridge is especially good because over years of salt washing down the road it infuses with the dirt and makes it pretty freeze resistant.
My dirt hole is bored out with a 3" bit off a stihl BT-45 gas powered earth auger. It is appx 2ft deep and at a 45° angle. You can also use a bulb planter on an impact or cordless drill. Directly off the center you dig a small triangle appx 10" with the top triangle point at the ba of your hole. The depth should be 3" or so with the triangular bed gradually angling down into the lip of the hole.
Sink your earth anchor in and secure it. Throw a handful of peat moss into the hole to coat it then take your trap with the levers going north south and wedge your trap in with all your weight. I'm talking push as hard as you can you dont want that trap moving. Pack more pliable dirt that you dug around the jaws if you need to. Next add a handful of peat moss in the center of you pan and smooth out. Leave a bit exposed so you can see your pan. Then take your dry dirt and cover the trap lightly packing get a good 2" if possible. Blend extra dirt into surrounding of the hole if the two dirt colors are inconsistent.
I always try to use natural and manufactured baits/lure. For natural a dove carcass/pheasant wing/ muskrat carcass are prime. Bloodshot venison or any other meat/feather/fur is also good. For commercial bait my favorites are Locklears "Federales". For lure I love Grawes "Rascal". But mix it up and get a couple different ones so all your baits dont smell the same give the yotes some options. Cram lure and bait to the bottom of hole. A liberal shot of fox piss squirted on the hole never hurts either. And your good to go. A dirthole like this should be a big messy ugly set that the coyote will see and smell. It's not hidden or inconspicuous. It draws attention and might take a yote a day or 4 to get the balls to dig in. Unlike the flat set.
The flat set is the opposite of the dirthole. It should not be noticeable or overly scented. A flat set needs to blend into its surroundings and disappear. Some people use big sticks or logs or large rocks to steer into a flat set but it's not necessary and attracts too much attention. A tiny stick or piece of chaff will be better used as a guide to not be stepped on if you have a nice smooth spot where your trap pan is.
I try to cut out nearly the exact dimension of my set trap then drop it in and use the same bedding as before wedge it in and use peat moss dry dirt to secure and lock the trap in place. Dry grass clippings basically turn into dust and are a great cover. Use surrounding material for finishing touches just keep any twigs or tiny chaff away from the working part of your trap so they dont possibly jam up the jaws.
I use one flat set appx 12-14" slightly offset to the rear of my dirthole. Then I use a 2 trap flat set appx 10-20ft from the dirthole itself. Just make sure in both sets the chains cant touch or get tangled because the trap won't swivel and could injure the yote. Use a very subtle lure or urine at a flat set in small amounts. Beaver castor or even sweet smelling lures are good. Just dont overdue it go less or less smelly if in doubt.
The 2 trap flat set is the one that usually connects. Yotes will often visit your set before committing to the dirthole. They will be preoccupied with attention on the dirt hole, usually circling it and notice the subtle aroma of the flat set and get clapped in irons.
If you do happen to connect on a yote in the dirthole and if his or her mate/pups are nearby they will likely fall to the flat set or vica versa.
They best case scenario is once you catch a yote at the location. They will rip up a set it will be torn muddied pissed in, shit on and covered in blood and brain after your done with him. This in itself is a great attractant better than any lure. I will always reset the catch trap but usually with yotes they won't be caught easily on that exact same trap. Red fox will be drawn like crack to a set that has caught another fox its almost a garuanter but It's too much excitement and smell going on for yotes unless they're a dominant or transient animal. They will however be drawn to that area immediate area right outside your catch circle.
Once you have a fresh catch circle get the yote out and put a new flat set with only 1 trap appx 1ft outside his catch circle and you will likely get another. And since one of your original sets is trashed and not likely to connect you still have 2 fresh sets on location with a prime attractant.
A quick reminder set dogproof traps in wooded trails or likely areas near your yote sets to get the coons out of the way. You dont want to waste the time on a yote set to come back the next morning and have a possum coon in it so clip them before they reach it
Snares are really the supreme option for coyotes ESPECIALLY in fence crawl unders. However they are deadly on deer if not used properly. I would take a lot of thought into it beforehand because it's very easy to have an accident and even the most veteran snarmen cannot exclude a deer as bycatch 100% of the time...I can get into that on another thread if anyone is interested.
Like I said this is just the way I do things and my take on trapping there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Some trappers I read books from and respect greatly
Randy Smith
Red O'hearn
Clint locklear
Mark June
The late Brandon Johnson
Well that all I have for now my fingers hurt from all this damm typing. Sorry I dont have pictures of sets I usually kept it to scenary photos and daily body counts when I was on the line. Hope this helps out I'm sure I forgot some stuff but shoot me a message if you have any questions thanks