Trapping Season 2022-2023

[Brute Killer]

Might as well start it off. Got this pup gyp on a road near a hog carcass that I placed 2 days ago.
Got her on James Lucero JL#1 and a coyote dropping at a flat set.
Also caught her in an antique Triumph #4 dls.

[Brute Killer]

The set that got her. A little wobble hole with JL#1 on cotton stuffed in.
Coyote dropping from about 10 feet away, with a coyote urine spray.

[BTLowry]

Good start

[sharkhunter]

Heck yea !! Good job!!

I’ve been scouting some new ground I just took on. 650acres and it’s loaded with cat tracks. Literally every road has cat tracks down it. A few coyote and fox tracks but I’ve never seen so many cat tracks. Looks like I’ll need to brush up on my cat sets.

[Brute Killer]

Hog carcass is gone thanks to the buzzards and cattle are going to be moved onto my part of the ranch.
I only had five sets left, on that carcass. Gonna pull tomorrow or possibly this afternoon.
I'll keep my DPs going.

[Trapper76]

Brute,,, well done making that coyotes life short! I kicked off trapping season last week on a coyote that’s been killing deer and exotics on a small high fence place. The owner is convinced that it’s loaded with coyotes, but from the tracks it’s just one big male and a pup or two. (He caught the female in a snare) I’m trying out some new m44 bait that’s supposed to be very good in the warmer weather months, if it pans out I’ll pass it along. I know y’all probably don’t run m44s, but can apply a good bite and pull instinct to your steel trap sets.

[Brute Killer]

Interested in the bait. Trapper.

[sharkhunter]

Originally Posted by Trapper76

Brute,,, well done making that coyotes life short! I kicked off trapping season last week on a coyote that’s been killing deer and exotics on a small high fence place. The owner is convinced that it’s loaded with coyotes, but from the tracks it’s just one big male and a pup or two. (He caught the female in a snare) I’m trying out some new m44 bait that’s supposed to be very good in the warmer weather months, if it pans out I’ll pass it along. I know y’all probably don’t run m44s, but can apply a good bite and pull instinct to your steel trap sets.

Sounds interesting ! Is the bait a food, mating or curiosity sent ?

[Trapper76]

Well I got the coyotes killed, but not with the new bait I had high hopes for. I gave the new stuff a few days with no luck so I pulled out the special reserve (James Mast #6) James Mast was a legendary wolf and coyote trapper that I believe died in the 1920s. Lowell Zellars had the recipe for his bait and I got the last of it in 2010. I sure wish I could still get it, I would buy a 55gal drum. Lowell stopped making the bait when they shut down horse slaughter houses and he couldn’t get the ingredients he needed. I had a guy tell me he bought some jm#6 last year from a trapping supply, but he didn’t have much luck with it. It can’t be the same stuff Lowell made, because that would not be the case.

[sharkhunter]

Originally Posted by Trapper76

Well I got the coyotes killed, but not with the new bait I had high hopes for. I gave the new stuff a few days with no luck so I pulled out the special reserve (James Mast #6) James Mast was a legendary wolf and coyote trapper that I believe died in the 1920s. Lowell Zellars had the recipe for his bait and I got the last of it in 2010. I sure wish I could still get it, I would buy a 55gal drum. Lowell stopped making the bait when they shut down horse slaughter houses and he couldn’t get the ingredients he needed. I had a guy tell me he bought some jm#6 last year from a trapping supply, but he didn’t have much luck with it. It can’t be the same stuff Lowell made, because that would not be the case.

Nice work! How far did they go ?

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by sharkhunter

Nice work! How far did they go ?

Ditto.

[Trapper76]

Almost the same distance for all 3. Around 40yards.

[Trapper76]

One thing I want to mention as far as bait. I only run maybe 6 different baits a year on my line. 3/4 of those are tried and true with a couple of new to me baits mixed in. I’ve seen it when one bait will be on fire killing a bunch of coyotes and it will fall off and another bait starts be more effective. I have no idea why, but it’s like a switch. The reason I say this is if you try using something that has been very effective by other trappers and you haven’t had much luck don’t give up on it, it may just not be the right time.

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by Trapper76

One thing I want to mention as far as bait. I only run maybe 6 different baits a year on my line. 3/4 of those are tried and true with a couple of new to me baits mixed in. I’ve seen it when one bait will be on fire killing a bunch of coyotes and it will fall off and another bait starts be more effective. I have no idea why, but it’s like a switch. The reason I say this is if you try using something that has been very effective by other trappers and you haven’t had much luck don’t give up on it, it may just not be the right time.

How do you know to switch?
Do you run several simultaneously, or is it experience?

[Trapper76]

I run them all simultaneously and keep good records so I know when a bait gets hot. I’ll run thru the list and use the bait evenly, so I have the same amount of each one in the field at any given time. I have about a dozen baits that I use, I’ll run half those one year and swap to the others the next year. M44 baits are a little different than a bait for steel traps, the coyote has to bite and pull on it. I’m always looking for the magic concoction that they have to pull and can’t resist, still haven’t found it, but occasionally will find a new one to throw in the mix. With the exception of 2 of the newer baits I use, the others have been commercially produce for 20+ years. Some much longer than that. I have had some coyotes that will not pull an m44, it’s rare but it happens. I think in most cases it’s because the wise coyote was watching when their mate pulled the m44 and was killed. The reason I believe this because while trapping small high fence places, there’s been times when there’s only one pair on the property. I’ll kill one coyote(usually the male) in the first night or two, the other wont pull the m44 no matter what it’s baited with. I believe the same thing happens with steel trap sets, and why it’s important to mix it up. I run 90+% flat sets and a few others to catch the educated ones

[Brute Killer]

I've found holes dug out after a week of pulling the trap.
I see people seeing success with various lures with which I have had 0 luck.
I see sets in the summer months that don't produce for me. Pass-bys.
Had a hole dug out today that inspired 0 interest the month before.
Wind is right. Tracks are plentiful.

[Trapper76]

Brute that’s coyote trapping, you gotta love it! I’ve been coyote trapping ever since I was a young teen. My grandad and some others that taught me to trap, they where some of the best coyote men around. I’ve been predation trapping for hire for over 10 years. Even with all that knowledge under my belt I had a big male coyote kill 10s of thousands of dollars worth of deer and exotics on a 400 acre place before I got him killed this summer. Summer time coyote trapping is tough, the same coyotes will be many times easier to catch November thru February than the hot months of the year. Coyote trapping is more of a art that a science, you have to find what works for you. It’s hard work and not easy, that’s the reason you don’t have 25 guys contributing to this forum weekly with pics of their catches. Good luck and stay after them, it’ll start clicking again.

[Dale Moser]

In for the follow.


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[sharkhunter]

So today on the new 650 acres property I took on I found a cat track almost the size of the palm of my hand. I think it’s just a really big tom bobcat but it’s easily the biggest one Ive ever seen. There has supposedly been sightings of a big cat a couple of years ago but also a Bigfoot so I’m skeptical lol !

We put 8 trail cams out on the new place on all the feeders and every single one has coyotes, fox and bobcat pictures. I can’t wait for deer season to be over.

On another note our lease manager called me after checking all his trail cam cards (I think he has 15 out) he told me he has never seen so many fawns in the 35 yrs he’s managed the lease and what I did in just one year trapping confirmed what he had always suspected. Coyotes where killing most of the fawn crop. He told me to swing by his house so I did and he handed me a check. It was basically my yearly deer lease refunded and A big thank you! It felt good for the hard work to be recognized.

[Trapper76]

Shoot yea Sharkhunter!! Tell the lease manager to put it on his calendar, with some management things should really improve in 5/6 years from a trophy #s standpoint.

[Brute Killer]

Dang, Sharkhunter! Hard work appreciated monetarily!
Getting paid to trap!

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by Trapper76

Brute that’s coyote trapping, you gotta love it! I’ve been coyote trapping ever since I was a young teen. My grandad and some others that taught me to trap, they where some of the best coyote men around. I’ve been predation trapping for hire for over 10 years. Even with all that knowledge under my belt I had a big male coyote kill 10s of thousands of dollars worth of deer and exotics on a 400 acre place before I got him killed this summer. Summer time coyote trapping is tough, the same coyotes will be many times easier to catch November thru February than the hot months of the year. Coyote trapping is more of a art that a science, you have to find what works for you. It’s hard work and not easy, that’s the reason you don’t have 25 guys contributing to this forum weekly with pics of their catches. Good luck and stay after them, it’ll start clicking again.

Thank you for the encouragement!
I know I have had success, just that this little stretch has me scratching my head! lol

[Rivershack21]

Well long as everything goes right I will get to set 6 on Saturday. Will only be for one night but don’t know if you don’t try. Fingers crossed for some good fur. Will update on Sunday afternoon.

[MUZZYSLINGR]

Tagging this one. Good stuff guys.


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[Rivershack21]

Well no luck I set 4 and three in touched and one dug up lol. Better luck next time lol

[wytex]

Early start for you all, we wait until about Thanksgiving for prime furs.
Sounds like our bobcats will be worth a fair amount this year, FHA has put out a good forecast for us on prices.
Coyotes won't be worth much at all but if we catch some nice ones they will get put up for sale.

I'm impressed with you all's success on coyotes ! Keep up the good work.

[sharkhunter]

I wish we had good fur here. My wife went on a grayhound hunt in Nebraska and one of the coyotes they got she had tanned. The guard hair on that coyote are as long as my fingers from hide to tip.

Just got my black coyote back from the tannery. Wife’s Nebraska yot for comparison.

[wytex]

I like that black coyote, I have one not quite that black from Texas too.

Coyotes fur up early up this way, in fact the early prime hides are worth more than later ones due to those guard hairs.

Didn't know what a greyhound hunt was so looked it up, pretty dang cool!

[Buff]

I picked up a small place here by the lake to hunt this year. One of the first things I noticed was that I was not getting any fawn pictures. I was however getting coyote pictures day and night. I set a couple of traps yesterday. I believe this is the first time I ever caught a coyote in a trap the very first night. 1 down, several hundred to go

[sharkhunter]

Nice work Buff !!

[Buff]

Caught another one last night in the same set

[sharkhunter]

Originally Posted by Buff

Caught another one last night in the same set
Attachment 1107242

Way to go Buff! One less fawn killer.

[Rivershack21]

Nice. Just love when a set repeats.

[Brute Killer]

Good job, BUFF!

[TXraiderTK]

so i dont know a ton about trapping but enjoy setting a few when im out at the lease, ive got a question for the green screen...

i found an old bucket with 6 or so traps in it. full of water. Whats the best way to get these traps in good working condition now that they are all rusted? thanks

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by TXraiderTK

so i dont know a ton about trapping but enjoy setting a few when im out at the lease, ive got a question for the green screen...

i found an old bucket with 6 or so traps in it. full of water. Whats the best way to get these traps in good working condition now that they are all rusted? thanks

Try pressure washing them at the car wash, then dye & wax.
Unless they have cancer rust, a little rust is good as it allows the dye & wax to penetrate better.

[Brute Killer]

I got 4 coyote sets out just now, then realized how much rain we're supposed to get tonight.
We'll see how they fare the weather.

[Brute Killer]

I discovered the hole from an old dirt hole set that hasn't had had active bait in it for at least a month, and it is also on the margin of a road that has been bladed. A coyote dug into it.
Trouble is, that the cattle have been moved back into this pasture.

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by Brute Killer

I got 4 coyote sets out just now, then realized how much rain we're supposed to get tonight.
We'll see how they fare the weather.

Actually, it may not be that much. A few hundredths per hour for several hours.

[sharkhunter]

Originally Posted by Brute Killer

I discovered the hole from an old dirt hole set that hasn't had had active bait in it for at least a month, and it is also on the margin of a road that has been bladed. A coyote dug into it.
Trouble is, that the cattle have been moved back into this pasture.
Attachment 1107769

He’s found it that’s for sure ! Are you going to see it or are you worried about the cattle?

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by sharkhunter

He’s found it that’s for sure ! Are you going to see it or are you worried about the cattle?

Not going to set it.
The calves and cows will likely find it and stopmp all over it before a coyote comes back. If I reset on that spot.
I have other spots.

[Brute Killer]

Got seven more sets in today, a total of 12 on my portion of the ranch.

[sharkhunter]

Originally Posted by Brute Killer

Got seven more sets in today, a total of 12 on my portion of the ranch.

Are you running all long springs ?

I just bought 9 each Victor 3n dbl. waiting on them to come in.

[Trapper76]

Originally Posted by Brute Killer

Got seven more sets in today, a total of 12 on my portion of the ranch.

Brute I’d use some of whatever you had in that dirt hole that got violated, on some sets. It wasn’t coincidence that the set went for a while and a coyote happened by it, that attractant has turned on.

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by Trapper76

Brute I’d use some of whatever you had in that dirt hole that got violated, on some sets. It wasn’t coincidence that the set went for a while and a coyote happened by it, that attractant has turned on.

Western Cats "Gravedigger"
How appropriate !
I have it in 2 new holes, now.
(It also had Lesel Reusaat's cat gland)

[Brute Killer]

Originally Posted by sharkhunter

Are you running all long springs ?

I just bought 9 each Victor 3n dbl. waiting on them to come in.

No. Actually the first traps I bought when I started trying trapping again were Duke coil springs. I still use them.
I also recently bought 4 #3 Bridger coil springs.
The long springs are definitely easier to bed & get stable, but they require more digging. Especially the big #4s.

[Brute Killer]

My brother sent me this pic, from the camera on his feeder.

[bgleaton]

I really enjoy this thread...keep up the great work!

Do you guys ever set traps around feeders? I was curious as to how we make sure we don't catch a deer in one of the foothold traps if we happen to set a trap that's within 100 yards or so of a feeder.

[Brute Killer]

100 yards is the closest I currently have traps set.
Deer are attracted to the lures and other scents used, and I don't need any tripped traps.
The coyotes give me a hard enough time.

[sharkhunter]

Originally Posted by bgleaton

I really enjoy this thread...keep up the great work!

Do you guys ever set traps around feeders? I was curious as to how we make sure we don't catch a deer in one of the foothold traps if we happen to set a trap that's within 100 yards or so of a feeder.

I’ve had deer set off several traps they always pull out because they don’t have a padded foot like a coyote or cat. I have caught pigs though so..