First Trapline

imaginefj

imaginefj

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Jan 15, 2006
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Well last night I ran my first trapline. It isn't season for fur bearing animals but we are allowed to run the traps for nuisance animals. We have a few hundred too many racoons and varmints so I gave it a go.

I've done alot of hunting of all sorts but never trapping.

I set out a dozen traps evenly spread out over about 300 acres. So not alot of traps per acre. I set them about 18:00hrs the day before and couldn't get back out to check them until right at dark the next day. Honestly, I couldn't believe I remembered where are all 12 were. I checked them on a 4wheeler so I had headlights. But, they still didn't reach to where I had set alot of the traps. The moon was down so it really was almost totally dark.

My less than traditional trapper's knife was my beat up Emerson 15. My firekit was the lighter I always carry. My firearm was a Glock 19.

Oh, I didn't catch a thing! Maybe table scraps and dry catfood aren't the best bait... I will run the traps again once it is fur season and maybe I can even make a few bucks to cover my gas to get out there and back.
 
ATV is a bad idea for traplines (IME) because the smell of the fuel fumes lasts a long time and will scare your targets away. Also, you want to make sure your traps are in places the animal is likely to be, which also limit access to the bait. There is a large learning curve for trapping ( which is one reason it's good you are practicing) but it's a great feeling when you get a line dialed in.

You've already learned one of the most important lessons, traps don't always produce.

David
 
dry cat food has always been my coon bait of choice, if the bait isn't gone, it means a critter hasn't found it. raccoons are also really smart, so that will add to the challenge.
 
I have coons on my porce regularly eating my cats food. cant get a shot at them, when I hit the door lock, they scatter. I have killed a opossum though, he didnt run.
 
Yeah, playin possum may not work so well when your opponent has a gun!
 
I trapped years ago when I was a kid.Mine were all set along a creek. If you want to catch really big coons you need to rig your traps so that they will drown the animal quickly.I would often use a large rock tied to the main line placed at the edge of a slanted bank over deep water.It won't take much pulling to dislodge your rock pulling the animal under water.I lost a few big ones before I used this method.

If you can't use the drowning method then tie your trap to a springy limb so it will be harder to pull lose.The drowning method is best as some animals will chew their leg off to get out of a trap.

Sardines was my bait of choice.You also need to boil your traps in a large pot full of leaves and bark and such to get rid of the scent.Then wear rubber gloves and boots when you put them out.As mentioned it will be better if you check them on foot and do everything to leave a little scent as possible.
 
We would boil ours with black walnuts. Great dye. For coons you can't beat a good dirt hole set.
 
around the farm we used cage traps with a chuck of re-bar pinning it into the ground. I've also used coni-bear traps farther from the yard with good success, but that was after the coons figured out how to open the traps.
 
gadgetgeek said:
around the farm we used cage traps with a chuck of re-bar pinning it into the ground. I've also used coni-bear traps farther from the yard with good success, but that was after the coons figured out how to open the traps.
Click to expand...

As a novice trapper myself I am interested in hearing some more about harvesting coon in coni's. I'm plan on setting some 110s in water sets for muskrats and mink but don't think I could get a coon to go through one. Maybe a 220 in a culvert set?
 
Never tried it but, my grandpa says the best coon trap consists of a log and lid from a tin can. He said you cut the lid about the size of a silver dollar then polish it so it's shiny. Drill a hole in the log and put the lid in, then drive in a couple of nails so the points stick into the hole. Apparently coons will reach in and get the tin but can't get their hand back out because of the nails.

Like I said, I've never tried it but if you really want to get rid of some coons...

David
 
I prefer the kill traps just for humane reasons. If I was to use a hold trap, I'd be sure that I wasn't far away so that I could quickly dispatch the animal. I don't remember the size I used, I think one of the bigger ones, but even the smaller size, as long as the springs are strong enough, should break the neck, and that's the best in my opinion. I did use a "culvert" set with a 5 gal bucket, and the bait in the bucket, as well as set with bait wired to the trip. I didn't really have any technique as the coons were going after any and all bait, most of the trapping happened near the chicken coop (cage) or near the pond (coni)
 
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