Trapping season 2021-2022

[wytex]

What are the advantages of the 4 coil? Is because of the frozen ground? Awesome cat by the way !!

They fire a little quicker and harder with our frozen ground.
They also hold tighter I think.

I'm betting we have frozen or drifted in traps on Wednesday afternoon. The snow is very dry and powdery but with sunlight some will melt and refreeze, we're going to be down near 0 tonight.

[Els16]

Following…

[Brute Killer]

Ok after some thought I’m going to share something that happened this morning on the trap line. I was walking out a road I had some pipe dream sets on when I came across really fresh sign (scat and scraping) in the middle of the road so I put a flat set right on it. Brought over some pine needles for some backing and added some coyote urine. I needed one more small amount of pine needles and saw a clump about 30ft away. I walked over and bent down to pick them up. The road had flooded and this was actually the backing of the set I was looking for and it had washed over on top of the trap bed. Soon as I touched it the trap fired. Scared the hell out of me. But to my surprise I beat the trap! So this is one of those moments of clarity dad always talked about. How was I able to beat that trap. My reflex’s are a little above average but I’m not super quick by any means. I replayed what happened and have came to the conclusion if the pan tension was 2 to 3 pounds and my hand was actually in the straw it would have got me for sure. So I have work to do. I need to pull reset the pan tension on about 30 traps in the morning. I’m pretty sure this is the reason for the fired traps that missed lately. The learning curve is strong with this one :-)

Yeap! I had a similar issue issue, too. I would find many traps that were sprung in the trap bed.
I guess it goes hand-in-hand with the center of the trap being lower than the surrounding dirt. It not only focuses the foot, supposedly, but it gets the animal's weight going down and gets a full commitment of the paw into the trap.

[sharkhunter]

Two more pullouts this morning. I’m getting totally away from cut up pine straw as a covering. Now I need to find dry sandy soil. There is non on the 2k acres I trap. The devil is in the details !

[Hills of Texas]

Two more pullouts this morning. I’m getting totally away from cut up pine straw as a covering. Now I need to find dry sandy soil. There is non on the 2k acres I trap. The devil is in the details !

You can use Pete moss. Sift it in around the trap, then dust the top with local soil.

[cantexduck]

If you can find his tracks on a trail, blind set it with a stepping stick. Might take a couple week but you’d have a good chance of catching him when he isn’t looking

We have 16 acres of pens and lanes , the cats come and go all directions. I have a doz traps out near the main pens they are hunting.

[Hills of Texas]

Might back off about 50 yards and identify the main trails and blind set them. It really does work pretty good. Find a well used trail that’s coming from cover and put in maybe two sets 20 feet apart, then set the next trail. The cats are coming from cover somewhere to your pens. A blind set will often catch them with their guard down.

[sharkhunter]

You can use Pete moss. Sift it in around the trap, then dust the top with local soil.

That’s a great idea. Dried some local sandy soul today in the sun. Heading to get peat moss now. The fact I have yotes working my sets and actually stepping in my traps is bitter sweat lol !

[wytex]

Caught a nice bobcat yesterday. Looks like it was being stalked by the mt lion according to tracks right around the cubby site.
MB 550 , just 2 coiled, nice deep catch.

More snow last night, just an inch or so but it covered everything again. Back up Saturday for more sets we hope.

[wilded]

You can use Pete moss. Sift it in around the trap, then dust the top with local soil.

Peat Moss works great just be sure you don't buy any of the scented peat moss.

[McClain]

Might back off about 50 yards and identify the main trails and blind set them. It really does work pretty good. Find a well used trail that’s coming from cover and put in maybe two sets 20 feet apart, then set the next trail. The cats are coming from cover somewhere to your pens. A blind set will often catch them with their guard down.

This! Cats really like to use trails and blind sets done right are absolutely effective.

[cantexduck]

Might back off about 50 yards and identify the main trails and blind set them. It really does work pretty good. Find a well used trail that’s coming from cover and put in maybe two sets 20 feet apart, then set the next trail. The cats are coming from cover somewhere to your pens. A blind set will often catch them with their guard down.

I thought about that but I am afraid a deer may step on it. Lots of fallow and whitetail use the trails too.

[Hills of Texas]

I thought about that but I am afraid a deer may step on it. Lots of fallow and whitetail use the trails too.

That’s why I have a few number to Duke’s. If you do catch a deer and it doesn’t jump clear of the trap the blow out of it when they tear it apart

[Brute Killer]

Got this mature looking female (not a pup) this morning or last night should I say, on a dirt hole along my main road.
I used Locklear's Coyote Claymore #1, which is a blend of his Federales paste bait and his Boss Dog gland lure, all in one product.
The trap is one of my two Victor double long spring number 3s, with the PIT pan modification, on a drag pre-hung on a mesquite. The set has been in the ground for almost 2 weeks. I freshened the bait yesterday.

[Brute Killer]

This is the set when I originally made it. Nothing different when it caught.