Trapping

[Angus Cowman]

Trapping season opened here on Nov. 15th and has been pretty good
So far we have gotten
10 bobcats
13 yotes
18 coons
and a large # of skunks and possums
This has all came off our farm of the 10 cats 9 of them were toms and 4 were caught in the same trap over a weeks time
Largest was 36lbs Smallest was 23lbs in our area 36lbs is a big cat avg is 22lbs so all ours were above avg

 

[kenny thomas]

My Treeing Walker hounds sure would have a good time there. Are hides selling good?

 

[Angus Cowman]

My Treeing Walker hounds sure would have a good time there. Are hides selling good?

we could have some good races for sure KT
heard one local buyer isn't even buying and the guy that traps for me sends his to canada to the fur auctions and he says it isn't looking good but he is waitng the first auction is in Jan.
Last yr the cats avg about $70 and the reports he has this yr they might get $30

 

[yme]

If you get bored trapping in South Mo come on up I would like to get rid of some of them cats. My turkey population is going down and I blame the cats.

 

[mnmtranching]

What's the reason for all the bobcats down there? Got a lot of rabbits or something?

 

[Angus Cowman]

What's the reason for all the bobcats down there? Got a lot of rabbits or something?

Rabbits,turkey,Quail,mice deer and calves

 

[Angus Cowman]

If you get bored trapping in South Mo come on up I would like to get rid of some of them cats. My turkey population is going down and I blame the cats.

the cats hit the turks pretty hard after they hatch but they say the coon,possums and dillers are worse because they bust up the nest and eat or destroy the eggs

 

[Dixieangus]

So that's why there's not a lot of turkeys around here

 

[brandonm_13]

From what I saw when I got my fur-fish-game issue the other day, the market is basically gone for furs right now. Once everything stabilizes it may come back up, but if there is a large holdover of pelts from this year, next year's prices won't be good either.

 

[denoginnizer]

How did you trap the coyotes? What kind of trap and bait?

 

[backhoeboogie]

What's the reason for all the bobcats down there? Got a lot of rabbits or something?

Before the tree hugger legislation of '79, we were getting $180 for bobcats. Top price on grey fox was about $75 and X-large coons were about $45. Most all trappers hoped that Reagan would turn it back but he didn't. We all quit trapping. It is not much worth the effort.

So all the critters are multiplying or getting run over on the hi-ways. More critters running around now that I ever remember in my life time.

 

[Dave]

I was talking to my old trapping partner the other day and he was talking real good money for his bobcats. But he has top of the line cats in his area.
I do miss the fun that I had with him running along line coyote trapline. It wasn't unusual for the two of us to have 300-400 coyote traps set out over 3 counties. It would probably kill us both now to run that hard but it sure was fun back then.

 

[denoginnizer]

I am still looking for info on trapping coyotes. Any advice on how to catch them? Like what kinda bait and trap

 

[Angus Cowman]

I am still looking for info on trapping coyotes. Any advice on how to catch them? Like what kinda bait and trap

alot of times we we just blind trap around a dead animal carcass I have a friend that does most of mine so I can't really tell you how
he uses all kinds of scents and lures and I do know from listening and watching him that coyotes get real smart to the ways you trap he has had them dig his traps up and set them off

 

[Dave]

Over all the best success I had with coyotes was with a dirt hole set. Basically looks like a dog dug a hole with the bait down the hole and the trap about 10 inches back from the lip of the hole and slightly to one side. Put a little grass down the hole to cover the bait. Make the set where there is a little backing (a clump of grass, small bush, etc) that will make the coyote approach from the trap side of the set. But not too big of a backing. It works best if the coyote can see over or around the backing. Keep the traps clean and bed them very tight so the only thing that will move is the pan going down. That will cure 95% of sprung traps and dig outs. Most anything will work for bait. I have used beaver, bobcat, muskrat, beef, and a bunch of other things for bait. I had go results with a bait made of a third lard, a third sardines, and a third blue cheese. Put them all in a blender. The bait should be tainted but not rotten. They will often roll on a rotten bait which results in sprung traps. For scents I used a lot of different things and what you use depends on how far you are trying to pull them. I prefered to set right on their travel ways. In that case the bait I listed will work alone. Skunk will pull them a long ways and there are all sorts of things in between. Practice making your sets so you can get in and out quickly. The longer you linger the more scent you leave.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Over all the best success I had with coyotes was with a dirt hole set. Basically looks like a dog dug a hole with the bait down the hole and the trap about 10 inches back from the lip of the hole and slightly to one side. Put a little grass down the hole to cover the bait. Make the set where there is a little backing (a clump of grass, small bush, etc) that will make the coyote approach from the trap side of the set. But not too big of a backing. It works best if the coyote can see over or around the backing. Keep the traps clean and bed them very tight so the only thing that will move is the pan going down. That will cure 95% of sprung traps and dig outs. Most anything will work for bait. I have used beaver, bobcat, muskrat, beef, and a bunch of other things for bait. I had go results with a bait made of a third lard, a third sardines, and a third blue cheese. Put them all in a blender. The bait should be tainted but not rotten. They will often roll on a rotten bait which results in sprung traps. For scents I used a lot of different things and what you use depends on how far you are trying to pull them. I prefered to set right on their travel ways. In that case the bait I listed will work alone. Skunk will pull them a long ways and there are all sorts of things in between. Practice making your sets so you can get in and out quickly. The longer you linger the more scent you leave.

What you describe is what he does, he has been doing it for yrs and I have watched him a few times it takes alot of work

 

[Yogster]

We have hogs here that just plow up the ground. Holes every where. They mess up the hunting and have'nt seen a turkey in a long time. My Dad and I have cage traps set and we catch about at least two a day.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I am still looking for info on trapping coyotes. Any advice on how to catch them? Like what kinda bait and trap

The best all around bait I ever found was house cat urine. Just a bit of it. We kept it in a mason jar. We'd get a dry cow pie and break it up. Take a piece of it in a pair of channel locks and dip an edge in the urine. Put that behind the trap and anything that comes along wants a better whiff. Not much different than dogs sniffing a fire hydrant or car tire. Housecats normally bury their urine so it is a strange situation for animals to encounter. They get curious. Works great for coons, fox, bobcat and occasional yotes. There were not so many yotes back then.

Edit: Forgot to say that it lasts for a few days too. I can't tell you how many because we usually caught something each night but I have had traps set for three days baited and catch something.

 

[HOSS]

Over all the best success I had with coyotes was with a dirt hole set. Basically looks like a dog dug a hole with the bait down the hole and the trap about 10 inches back from the lip of the hole and slightly to one side. Put a little grass down the hole to cover the bait. Make the set where there is a little backing (a clump of grass, small bush, etc) that will make the coyote approach from the trap side of the set. But not too big of a backing. It works best if the coyote can see over or around the backing. Keep the traps clean and bed them very tight so the only thing that will move is the pan going down. That will cure 95% of sprung traps and dig outs. Most anything will work for bait. I have used beaver, bobcat, muskrat, beef, and a bunch of other things for bait. I had go results with a bait made of a third lard, a third sardines, and a third blue cheese. Put them all in a blender. The bait should be tainted but not rotten. They will often roll on a rotten bait which results in sprung traps. For scents I used a lot of different things and what you use depends on how far you are trying to pull them. I prefered to set right on their travel ways. In that case the bait I listed will work alone. Skunk will pull them a long ways and there are all sorts of things in between. Practice making your sets so you can get in and out quickly. The longer you linger the more scent you leave.

This is pretty much the same type of set that I use. One thing that I do if I don't have much backing is to dig the bait hole at a steep angle (bottom of hole being further from the trap set than the top). Wiley cannot get to the bait without circling to the trap set side.

Some other things that have worked for me is using very dry dirt from under an old building or barn to cover the trap set. If there is no moisture the dirt won't freeze up and keep the trap from springing. I have also mixed salt or glycerin in the cover dirt to keep it from freezing. For bobcats I have tied a feather on a string and let it dangle above the set. Cats are very curious and the feather blowing in the breeze is sometimes too much for them to handle. These tricks were taught to me by an old trapper that made a full time living out of it back when fur was high.

My worst memory of trapping was getting my hand snapped in a water set in December. Lordy did that smart :cry2:

 

[denoginnizer]

I am still looking for info on trapping coyotes. Any advice on how to catch them? Like what kinda bait and trap

The best all around bait I ever found was house cat urine. Just a bit of it. We kept it in a mason jar. We'd get a dry cow pie and break it up. Take a piece of it in a pair of channel locks and dip an edge in the urine. Put that behind the trap and anything that comes along wants a better whiff. Not much different than dogs sniffing a fire hydrant or car tire. Housecats normally bury their urine so it is a strange situation for animals to encounter. They get curious. Works great for coons, fox, bobcat and occasional yotes. There were not so many yotes back then.

Edit: Forgot to say that it lasts for a few days too. I can't tell you how many because we usually caught something each night but I have had traps set for three days baited and catch something.

I been follorin the house cat all day trying to get him to pee in the mason jar but no luck. How did you teach yours?