|
Post by samuelhasguns on Nov 9, 2008 7:43:55 GMT -5
LOL Like you can even lift a five pound rock ! ? I carry a pair of five pound "rocks" with me all the time! Yeah sure....Your sounding more and more like Lou and his fairy tales. LOL
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 9, 2008 10:22:19 GMT -5
You're just jealous of real men like me and lou.
|
|
|
Post by samuelhasguns on Nov 9, 2008 10:58:48 GMT -5
;D
|
|
|
Post by Sunshine on Nov 10, 2008 7:52:00 GMT -5
lol, scansy,i think hes just jealous of your and Lous relationship.
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 10, 2008 15:16:00 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by huckleberry on Nov 10, 2008 16:53:17 GMT -5
what size and type trap ya using? offset? I use very little pan tension on my coon traps and don't have a problem with them not gettin caught. How much cover you useing over the trap? That is a mistake many new trappers make.....useing to much dirt over the pan....slows the smaller traps down more then ya think. Especially in frozen or near frozen ground. Offsets for coon IMO is a NO NO. I lose several every year in my canine traps that are offset. Another thing is ....once in your traps...can they reach anything to pull on? If so they are simply pulling out. they are strong little dudes and any leverage they gain can allow them to pull out.
Mink tracks look real similar to squirel tracks.
As soon as i make a set with the DP buckets and Fh's I will post a pic of the set up.
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 10, 2008 17:36:00 GMT -5
I'm using 1-1/2 Bridgers - no offsets. They may be a little big for coon, but in the interest of $, I went with them cause they can be used for fox and coon. So far, that's all I have. The pan tension is just enough that the pan will hold itself up on it's own, but not much more than that. They are set with a hair trigger - at least it seems like that to me - but don't have much experience with it and I didn't measure it. They are not offset, and I baseplated/4coiled this year. Three swivels in each chain.
Ground hasn't been frozen at all - we had been only getting to about 45 or so at night (until tonight). Maybe I'm covering too much. I'll be carfule with remakes.
I don't think the traps are moving at all. Most of the "misses" are with the chain stretched out, so something was in them at least a little. Nothing around for them to pull on that woudl hold solid.
|
|
|
Post by huckleberry on Nov 10, 2008 18:05:28 GMT -5
1 1/2 traps aren't to big for coon. just right IMO.
If they have nothing to pull on....and the trigger aint so hard it would take a grizzle bear to trip it....I am gonna go with to much covering over the pan. I cover my pans as lightly as I feel i can get by with. The less the better with any of the smaller traps. Or you have a two legged critter messin with ya.
coons will dig traps.....but usually don't trip them or pull them out to chains length.
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 10, 2008 18:56:24 GMT -5
I don't think it's a 2-legger. To many new tracks.
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 10, 2008 19:44:18 GMT -5
Did you night latch them? I like that "click". I got em setting nice and flat..I got a pan tester this year too. Really a good thing to have IMO..No more guessing.. Takes time, but after a while you can get close to what you need..
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 10, 2008 20:11:19 GMT -5
I've got the new style Bridgers. Not sure if you are familiar with them or not. I filed them down so they have a hair trigger. It's not a night latch in the traditional sense, but it has the same effect.
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 10, 2008 20:41:38 GMT -5
Yep I have seen them...I like that... I don't have any of those.. But I have been thinking about it. I have mostly Montgomerys, Victors, Northwoods, Sleepy Creeks.. I hang on to my Montgomerys!!! I just got 10 1.5 RJs that are like brand new. they are STRONG!!
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 11, 2008 7:58:28 GMT -5
Same thing happened top me this AM scansy... I think it was too much dirt... My bad.. I was sifting it while holding the flashlight in my mouth!! I gotta tell myself to slow down.. Did pickup one out of my few sets that were out..
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 11, 2008 11:18:42 GMT -5
I'm thinking about pulling sets from here soon and letting it cool down some. Wait maybe two weeks and try again with better covering. I'm using the dirt from the site to cover and it's very wet and heavy. Anyway, 82- you asked for pics and I finally got some. Here's the trail leading down to the water alongside the bridge. I have permission on this side. This is the area I'm trying to set The same area, just showing more of the water These next two are showing the tracks. It's just littered with tracks. Coon and also looks like a large bird.
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 11, 2008 11:55:11 GMT -5
I see some rocks or blocks on the near side of the bridge (2nd picture). What about a little cubbie with the bridge as the back wall. You could put the bait in what looks to be a gap in the bridge foundation. Trail 'em in with some fish oil.. If pets may be a problem, I have read and heard about banana oil. Never used it myself, but I cant imagine pets being to into it.. What is to the right of that brush in the 1st picture along the water's edge? Any tracks or sign on that bar in the middle or is it off limits?
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 11, 2008 11:55:56 GMT -5
Oh yeah. Did you find the camera or highjack one?? ;D ;D
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 11, 2008 12:09:15 GMT -5
Those rocks were placed by me around my bait - to try and force the approach of a coon. I sort of cubbied up my dirthole - but not a full blown cubby.
Off to the right is some of the thickest nastiest underbrush around - except right at the waters edge is some mud and then some high grass. It doesn't show, but this bridge is only about 20 yards above a lake. This is the upper end of the lake and it's pretty shallow. I actually set on the point where the creek enters the lake last year, but no movement for a couple of weeks.
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 11, 2008 12:12:14 GMT -5
I did not find the older camera that I had been using for trapping (and hunting and fishing.....), but took the new (expensive) one that my wife got for Christmas last year so I could get those pictures. It won't be going out on the line with me again. Unless someone can recommend a good lawyer.
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 11, 2008 13:52:13 GMT -5
I kinda did that on the coon this AM.. Except it was a pocket set about 10 feet off the creek. Smaller rocks. The bank I dug into is created by spring flooding. I might try a pocket by that nasty brush, maybe two. Is it too deep (wadeable) to make a set? I thought that was where you got the camera. I wouldn't even take the "we" got!!!
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 11, 2008 16:08:16 GMT -5
I could wade it.
|
|
|
Post by huckleberry on Nov 11, 2008 17:58:43 GMT -5
Those bird tracks are made by the infamous.....Scansystumpsucker............a very ill minded bird that aitn got enough sense to spit down wind. But does have enough sense to outsmart a few Pa. trappers. LOL
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 11, 2008 18:24:50 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by shaggy on Nov 11, 2008 20:00:26 GMT -5
Try a dirthole set up in the grassy area shown in pic 2 don't overdo the covering but have the trap bedded solid. use a loud sweet bait with a trailing scent running from the mud up to the set.
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 12, 2008 13:04:52 GMT -5
Well, after all those misses, I got a coon at the bridge today - and it was a good solid catch. Go figure. Here's the hold. And shaggy, this was in the grass you talked about - maybe four or five feet off the edge of the bridge. It was fish based bait with salmon oil trailing to it. Sorry the picture is blurry - it's from my phone.
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 12, 2008 15:31:46 GMT -5
;D ;D I want to thank everyone for all the info here on this.. Re-opened my eyes... I got more wooded areas, but after all of this.. I am putting some DH set in along the old stone fencse that lead to the creeks.. Good for you Scansy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 12, 2008 17:05:45 GMT -5
82, if you have any misses, just let me know. I've seen it all at this bridge - in one week.
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 12, 2008 17:23:47 GMT -5
Just that one, and really think it was too much dirt.. But one never knows.. I am going to try and take some pix on this one place that I am going set up heavier..
|
|
|
Post by scansy on Nov 14, 2008 16:32:27 GMT -5
Saw these tracks today around my sets. To me it looks like a cat track (not bobcat - housecat). Sorry the pictures are blurry - used my phone. They are about 1-1/2" across. So, what are they? This one is on the left side, just below the leaf. This one's right in the middle below the leaf.
|
|
|
Post by trapper82 on Nov 14, 2008 18:02:48 GMT -5
I am twisting my head all over...That would be one BIG kitty..I am not setting this weekend.. Deer season in the AM..
|
|