who's running trap lines?

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Outdoor814
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby Outdoor814 » Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:34 am

Not sure if this will benefit anyone this late in the season, but guys having trouble with traps freezing that are using wax dirt have you ever tried dirt from an ant hill? I use to dig them up and sift it out into 10 gal. Buckets and use that. You can also add calcium chloride to your sets to help with freezing issues.


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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby Bowhunting Brian » Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:06 am

JoeRE wrote:A good reminder to everyone, check your regs. What is legal for trapping varies a LOT state to state. Some places you can use snares on dry land, some not, some places you can use conibears, some places not. I know some states even have special restrictions on what type of footholds you can use, softcatch jaws and all that. In any urban area usually there are other special restrictions or all out trapping bans.



Findian wrote:Not going to be trapping for awhile. It's not even worth my time or effort anymore.

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Ouch. Yea I wouldn't be catching coyotes for anything but nuisance control. I have a bunch of them in the freezer. Hope next year is a little better because I won't have any more freezer room and will have to sell :lol:


True, however I will never use snares on dry land even if legal. I just don't want to kill non target animals. Cable restraints is the only way for me.
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby JoeRE » Wed Feb 15, 2017 2:33 pm

Bowhunting Brian wrote:
JoeRE wrote:A good reminder to everyone, check your regs. What is legal for trapping varies a LOT state to state. Some places you can use snares on dry land, some not, some places you can use conibears, some places not. I know some states even have special restrictions on what type of footholds you can use, softcatch jaws and all that. In any urban area usually there are other special restrictions or all out trapping bans.



Findian wrote:Not going to be trapping for awhile. It's not even worth my time or effort anymore.

Image


Ouch. Yea I wouldn't be catching coyotes for anything but nuisance control. I have a bunch of them in the freezer. Hope next year is a little better because I won't have any more freezer room and will have to sell :lol:


True, however I will never use snares on dry land even if legal. I just don't want to kill non target animals. Cable restraints is the only way for me.


I respect your choice not to, but just to be clear a properly set snare is absolutely no more risk than a foothold. Don't believe the propaganda. This is why a GOOD trapper's ed class is so important. Also mentoring by experienced trappers.

Not only is there right and wrong snare placement, but also correct type of snares for various situations. Just like footholds. There are different snare locks to be used for different situations. A sure-lock (probably my favorite overall) or washer lock is more forgiving and should be used when there is the higher possibility of non-target catches. A cam lock is designed to lock down hardest but even with those I do not see very many kills, only in really thick cover where they wrap up. Those spots you want to be sure a dog isn't coming through or you don't set them. Breakaway snares also can give you peace of mind when there are tons of deer around. But I really think setting a coyote snare properly means virtually 0% chance of catching deer.

I could see where snaring wolves might be harder to avoid deer I am sure that wolf loop has to be higher, but don't have experience on that. What I do have is a lot of experience snaring hundreds of coon, coyotes and beaver when I was younger, and am just getting back into it the last couple years.

I have never killed a deer or pet in a snare. People who are catching/killing deer or pets are setting snares wrong, I was trying to be constructive in my earlier post on that and help a guy in the right direction. Caught a neighbor's dog once but it was fine, just sitting there for me, and let it go. Most dogs won't fight a snare as long as you don't set them in too thick of heavy brush where they wrap up easily. I would rather catch a dog in a snare in a grassy/weedy area where it won't tangle up than catch it in a foothold and possibly need an amputation. Softcatch traps of course help with that.

There are a lot of 3 legged pets out there from foothold traps. I have even heard of dogs getting caught in drowning sets, waterfowl dogs. I am certain both footholds and snares can be extremely low risk when used properly. When used incorrectly results can be very bad for both.

Just trying to make sure people understand that trapping is serious business, high risk if you don't know what you are doing.
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby Outdoor814 » Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:46 pm

I actually caught a neighborhood cat once in a foothold. I was trapping for coon. This was when I first started and wasn't using 14gauge wire for sets with loose soil where stakes would pull easily.


I actually got a phone call from the state police because the cat had twisted around in the trap long enough that it broke my cheap wire. The owner of the cat called the police then me personally to tell me I was in big trouble and I would be paying for vet bills ect.


Long story short I got a lecture on using cheap wire. She got cited and fined for not having her pet tied up.

I'm not sure if every state law is the same as PA but cats are no different than dogs. If you take your dog for a walk it has to be leased. Same goes for your cat. Of its an outside dog/cat it has to be tied up and under control.

Nobody wants to catch a house pet. I didn't feel good about it and I took a lot away from it. The only thing I did wrong with my set was use cheap wire. I learned 14gauge is the way to go after that incident.
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Feb 16, 2017 3:12 am

Yea that is a perfect example man, live and learn. I have caught cats in footholds too. Its a problem because many coyote sets & lures seem to be attractive to cats.

The whole country has a major feral cat problem, so you may be doing mother nature a service if you dispose of it instead of letting it go (I know, that makes me a terrible person doesn't it ), but if you are catching someone's pet cat that's a bad situation obviously. Often hard to tell the difference, every cat in a trap looks dirty and wild.

House cats left to roam have been proven to kill a ton of birds and bunnies so the leash rule you have is a good thing. No such rule here in Iowa....I hate seeing cats run all over.

Often they are owned by self proclaimed bunny huggers who have no clue they are turning a lethal killer loose when they let their cat rut. I meet people all the time who do that exact thing. It has been proven cats eat a ton of young birds including game birds, rabbits, squirrels, not just mice!

Sorry, tangent, lets carry on with trap line talk :D
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Feb 16, 2017 6:22 am

JoeRE wrote:Yea that is a perfect example man, live and learn. I have caught cats in footholds too. Its a problem because many coyote sets & lures seem to be attractive to cats.

The whole country has a major feral cat problem, so you may be doing mother nature a service if you dispose of it instead of letting it go (I know, that makes me a terrible person doesn't it ), but if you are catching someone's pet cat that's a bad situation obviously. Often hard to tell the difference, every cat in a trap looks dirty and wild.

House cats left to roam have been proven to kill a ton of birds and bunnies so the leash rule you have is a good thing. No such rule here in Iowa....I hate seeing cats run all over.

Often they are owned by self proclaimed bunny huggers who have no clue they are turning a lethal killer loose when they let their cat rut. I meet people all the time who do that exact thing. It has been proven cats eat a ton of young birds including game birds, rabbits, squirrels, not just mice!

Sorry, tangent, lets carry on with trap line talk :D


Gotta agree on the feral cat problem. Most by me are overflow from the farms in the area.

Be careful on the cat killing thing. We were told it's a federal offense when we took out a couple of the strays by us. My brother was told this by a fellow hunter. Never looked into it for sure.

The oldtimers loved to use caught cat as predator bait. Chunk it up fur on. Taint a bit and presto. Great in dirt holes.
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby Outdoor814 » Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:03 am

stash59 wrote:
JoeRE wrote:Yea that is a perfect example man, live and learn. I have caught cats in footholds too. Its a problem because many coyote sets & lures seem to be attractive to cats.

The whole country has a major feral cat problem, so you may be doing mother nature a service if you dispose of it instead of letting it go (I know, that makes me a terrible person doesn't it ), but if you are catching someone's pet cat that's a bad situation obviously. Often hard to tell the difference, every cat in a trap looks dirty and wild.

House cats left to roam have been proven to kill a ton of birds and bunnies so the leash rule you have is a good thing. No such rule here in Iowa....I hate seeing cats run all over.

Often they are owned by self proclaimed bunny huggers who have no clue they are turning a lethal killer loose when they let their cat rut. I meet people all the time who do that exact thing. It has been proven cats eat a ton of young birds including game birds, rabbits, squirrels, not just mice!

Sorry, tangent, lets carry on with trap line talk :D


Gotta agree on the feral cat problem. Most by me are overflow from the farms in the area.

Be careful on the cat killing thing. We were told it's a federal offense when we took out a couple of the strays by us. My brother was told this by a fellow hunter. Never looked into it for sure.

The oldtimers loved to use caught cat as predator bait. Chunk it up fur on. Taint a bit and presto. Great in dirt holes.



Your 100% correct stash! My great uncle is who got me into trapping. He said he would catch neighborhood cats in a box trap that would get in his garden. He said he would chunk them up with a hatchet and fill mason jars with them. Then he would burry them for a few month in the garden and pull them out just before season!
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Feb 16, 2017 11:56 pm

Color me yellow, don't think I could chunk a cat :o :lol:
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Feb 17, 2017 1:14 am

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Who wants to come get some beavers? Should have gotten a picture with my dog standing next to the trees. Easily 2'+ diameter trees they are getting
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby screaming eagle » Fri Feb 17, 2017 1:38 am

There is an old saying - " You can make a small fortune trapping but you have to start with a large fortune"
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby stash59 » Fri Feb 17, 2017 2:44 am

screaming eagle wrote:There is an old saying - " You can make a small fortune trapping but you have to start with a large fortune"


:lol: :lol: :lol: No kidding!!!!!!!
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby cedarsavage » Fri Feb 17, 2017 2:53 am

Haven't trapped in years, I'd love to get back into it.
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby Outdoor814 » Fri Feb 17, 2017 5:26 am

JoeRE wrote:Color me yellow, don't think I could chunk a cat :o :lol:



X2!!
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby DeerDylan » Fri Feb 17, 2017 7:17 am

It's been a few years but I get the itch from time to time. I wouldn't be surprised if I start laying steel again in the next few years.

I'd prefer to move to a state with more liberal bag limits on Bobcats. I really enjoy setting for them.
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Re: who's running trap lines?

Unread postby blueKYstream » Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:47 pm

JoeRE wrote:
blueKYstream wrote:I just started trapping and snaring this year. My main target is coyotes. I've snared more deer (2) than coyotes (1) so far. I only put out 12 snares initially that have been out for a month. I have a week of trapping under my belt. I have caught 1 red fox, 1 skunk and about 15 raccoons on 12 DP's and 12 foot traps covering just under 500 acres. It's been a lot of fun trying to learn how to do it!

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Congrats on a successful first season!

Regarding catching deer - there is a learning curve to understand where you should and should not set coyote snares to avoid deer.

One big rule I have learned is do not set fence crossings if there are deer around. Ever. Fawns love to go under fences just like coyotes.

If yotes are using the trail, set it a few feet away from the fence and put a jump stick over it. Deer pretty much always hop over jump sticks, say 18" off the ground no more than that for sure, and yotes always duck under. Gotta use a big enough stick deer see it too.

Maybe you you caught one by the hoof, I don't know - deer stops are a must, required in most states.

Don't worry, after you gain experience you will almost never catch deer in a coyote snare.


I ended up catching 4 or 5 deer with snares. The deer stops allowed two or three to get out. One broke the link connecting the snare to the extension. I never found that one. Another two died. 3 of the 5 catches were under fences. 2 of the 5 catches were 5 or more feet from a fence crossing (one was a leg catch and one a neck catch). I have no idea how it resulted in a neck catch away from the fence but it happened. All-in-all it was a good learning experience.

I never had luck using snares other than one yote catch. I had much better luck with foot traps. For that reason and because snares are basically a 1-time use only, I'll probably stick with the foot traps in the future. They are great for some people, but I'm not sure I'm one of them.


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