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Post by RogueWarrior1957 on Nov 14, 2004 12:54:09 GMT 12.75
I've been accused of being a bit peculiar, but I was raised to believe that traps discovered in the woods were to be left untouched, almost as if they were sacred! My dad drilled it into my hide about leaving the property of others alone...period!
The same kind of guys who take one's traps in the field are the same kind who think nothing of taking your deer stand or game camera. Makes you want to hook something up to one of those fence chargers that runs off a car battery and let them grab hold! Think that'd teach 'em? ;D "Hey Vern...I think there's a sh-sh-sh-short in that one!" ;D
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Post by Mars on Nov 20, 2004 11:19:56 GMT 12.75
Finaly got some decent coon and "rat" sets out. Of course now it's raining and 60 degrees out.
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Post by Paws on Nov 20, 2004 13:51:46 GMT 12.75
Looks like if the weather don't turn pelts are really going to suck this year.
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Post by Mars on Nov 20, 2004 15:19:10 GMT 12.75
Tell me about it! Skinned the rats from this morning and they were getting green with hours.
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Post by Rich on Nov 20, 2004 15:39:46 GMT 12.75
Got a question for you trappers. How do you keep the neighbors dog out of your traps? And, if you do happen to trap one how do you get it out without it trying to tear your head off?
I want to set some traps but afraid of catching too many dogs. Cats, I can handle but dogs are a little different.
I tried a little trapping in Alaska but discovered I wasn't too good at it. I got to where I could catch marten pretty good but the yotes and wolves were a lot smarter than I was.
I set a couple along a frozen creek bank one time. Covered the trap with wax paper and then sprinkled snow over the trap and chain. Stuffed some bait into the side of the bank and covered it with snow also.
Went back the next morning and the bait hole had been dug out and the bait taken. There were yote tracks everywhere. However, the places where I had set the traps were just covered with yellow snow.
They were actually smart enough to know it was a trap and just took a pee on it, ate the bait and then left.
Rich
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Post by Mars on Nov 20, 2004 15:56:28 GMT 12.75
kokvik; Just remember a dog is all mouth. Throw a coat over his head and hold his muzzle while removing the trap. Then kick him in the backside as you turn him loose. Most dogs are smart enough not to get caught again. Of course the "best" is just to shoot it but not always advisable. Tn. law stated that ALL animals caught by traps/ trapping must be killed. No exception for "pets", although they also had a damage clause if you did catch "fluffy", you had to pay the owner for his/her loss or damages. I never turn cats loose. Those fur balls have claws to go with those very sharp teeth. I don't like being on the wrong end of a chainsaw. I've caught Herons as well. Same thing as with a dog. Throw a coat over them then take the trap off.
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Post by Rich on Nov 20, 2004 16:04:37 GMT 12.75
Thanks for the info Mars. Man, the thought of catching a Heron never entered my mind. I'll bet that's interesting.
I brought a bunch of traps and snares with me from Alaska. Actually it's been so long I'm not sure what I have any more but if memory serves me somewhat right they were mostly for yotes or smaller stuff. Probably have something in there that is big enough for a wolf but then again I may have left those. Guess, I'll have to go see.
What about conibears? Do you guys use those at all?
Never tried to trap rats or beaver. Hate to admit it but I'm just too darned lazy for those. Lots of work catching those critters.
Rich
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Post by Paws on Nov 20, 2004 21:50:38 GMT 12.75
Cats heal up pretty well Mars so carry along a heavy leather glove along with a cloth sack of some sort. Pick the cat up by the scruff of the neck and it will go pretty much limp. If it is a forepaw in the trap drop its rear end in the sack and close it up as close to his head as you can and then remove the trap holding back end of the sackand the cat will escape. If it is a hind paw sack the cat head first leaving only the trap and paw exposed. Release the trap and pull the sack away as quickly as possible and the cat will run off.
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Post by Mars on Nov 21, 2004 13:31:03 GMT 12.75
I just remember an incident along time ago when my partner caught a housecat and turned it loose. The owner didn't like his cat with slightly dented paws and confronted my partner out in the woods and pretty much raked him over the coals. Partner just stood there and let the guy rant and rave. That was the last time we ever turned a cat loose.The cat was caught in a #1 single spring so it wasn't hurt at all other then a dent that would go away. kokvik; I use the smaller conibears for muskrat all the time,both single and double springs. I also started using colony traps this year for rats. Lots better having more then one rat in a trap per trip. I have and do use conibears for coon. I pretty much delagate them to specialty type sets when nothing else is practical. I think they are the 220 size. The 330 size are illegal here unless completely under water which means beaver only. I have seen snares used for beaver but have not tried it myself. I think trapping rats and beaver is pretty easy. The only downsides with these two is getting wet and beaver being hard to skin. Of course that big coon or mink showing up in a rat or beaver set just makes the day. ;D
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Post by Paws on Nov 21, 2004 14:40:18 GMT 12.75
I've neve done any trapping. How come nobody uses box or live traps? Is because of the size, weight or what?
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Post by Mars on Nov 21, 2004 14:46:06 GMT 12.75
Paws, several reasons, they are ineffective in that most animals avoid them, cost of the commercial ones, bulk of the homemade wooden ones and #1- easily seen and stolen.
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Post by Rich on Nov 21, 2004 17:39:37 GMT 12.75
Well Mars, you got me thinking about doing this some more so I pulled out what I had and it isn't as much as I thought. Five #2 double coil Victors and one #1 or #11/2 single spring. Two double spring conibears that I have no idea how big they are and ten snares. However, that ought to be enough to get me started again. I'm still a little worried about the neighbors dogs but if that happens will try the coat thing and maybe a doggy bone.
Have no idea what I might catch but will try to make sets for fox and coyote. I probably have some coons out there too and I did see a bobcat a couple weeks ago. Don't have enough water on my place to try rats, mink or that kind of stuff. Sure wish they had Marten in Arkansas. I got pretty good at catching those critters and the price for their pelts was pretty good. Seems to me they used to bring about $40.00. Course, I won't be in this to make any money. I would just like to tinker around with it to see what I can do. Gives you a good excuse to be in the woods every day.
Thanks for all your help.
Rich
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Post by Mars on Nov 22, 2004 2:41:12 GMT 12.75
Shoot, if the dog is friendly just pet him up and let him go. Most will growl or nip when the trap is removed though if they are friendly then it's not a problem. A #2 won't hurt the average size dog. A #1 he should pull right out of. Only set in water and use veggie based baits to avoid them in the first place however a coon or fox set will catch them no matter what. They do make a dog-proof coon trap but I have not tried them.
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Post by Rich on Nov 22, 2004 3:39:24 GMT 12.75
Thanks again Mars. I think I'll start boiling these things and see what I can do with them.
Rich
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Post by DaGriz on Nov 24, 2004 8:24:17 GMT 12.75
I'm back. Don't have any probelms with catching domestic dogs up here where I trap. If I catch a dog it's onme that has been let out and is fending on his own for some time. I usually don't turn them loose if I think they are living off the land. Never have let a cat go. Flucking cats in the woods need to be irradicated as they are worse predator for rabbits, and game birds.
You might want to warn all your neighborts that you're traping so they keep their dogs penned up. If they let em roam free then shame on them. Like Mars said, use scent baits and make your sets in areas where dogs aren't likely to go. Up here the 'yotes or wolves take care of any free running dogs.
If you use cubby hole sets for fox and 'yotes and buckets sets for racoons you'll have less of a chance to catch someone's pet.
I'm not a water trapper, go mostly for 'yotes, fox, bobcats and fishers. Beaver is too much work for $$ you get. I'll set for otter but we are allowed only 3 of them.
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Post by Mars on Nov 25, 2004 1:50:52 GMT 12.75
I'd like to catch one Otter. Not legal game in Indiana. If you catch one your supposed to leave it in the trap and go get a CO.
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Post by DaGriz on Nov 26, 2004 1:11:05 GMT 12.75
I think most state wildlife organizations have no fricking idea what the population is of any critter. We are overrun with fishers and pine martins but trapper are allowed only 2 fishers. We have loads of bobcats but can only take 2. A trapper I know has caught and released 12 bobcats already this year!
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Post by Mars on Dec 8, 2004 12:51:28 GMT 12.75
Man, is it ever gonna stop raining! The fields are a muddy mess. Just walking a hundred yards tires me out because of the knee deep mud. There was a guy the other night that went off the road into a cornfield. His truck was buried to the bumpers and they had to rescue him from the field. It was atleast waist deep mud and the guy was stuck and almost froze to death. Forget trapping for now.
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Post by Mars on Dec 11, 2004 3:43:26 GMT 12.75
And still it rains! Gonna go build an Ark!
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Post by DaGriz on Dec 19, 2004 10:37:27 GMT 12.75
Got so much fricking snow and more falling as I write this. Can't set traps as the critters are sinking better than a foot when they walk. Going to go to snares for coyotes and cat tomorrow, Hopefully this snow will quit and settle down!
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