Trapping Equipment

[mlammerhirt]

Ok....with a few of us receiving the at home trapper course...and hopefully getting our certificates soon we can get in a few sets before the season is over.

Wanted to start this thread to get us newbies going.

 

What's recommended from real life experience vs. what the trapping class recommends?

 

Where is a good place to buy equipment?

 

Also post any tips or tricks that you have picked up along the way.

 

1st up....what's anyone with experience think about this kit?

 

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[Culvercreek hunt club]

Stay off amazon. I've seen more guys pay more than needed. 

F&T harvester

Minnesota trapline products (I think they are still doing flat rate shipping so I bought 90# of flaked wax from them and their shipping was great)

Funke

Schmitt Enterprises

Southern Snare supply

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

It would help those that would recommend what you wanted to go after trapping and what type of terrain you are planning on trapping in. For instance. to get into coons cheap I'd grab duke dog proofs (I like the pull only triggers. it helps avoid cats and things like a dogs tongue)

If you are in the woods or hedge rows  I wouldn't waste money on anchors since you are trying to get a few out fast for a short time. I'd get BIG barbed fence staples and anchor to a stump or tree. A coon will not pull those out. May have to skin off the bark to get to good wood.  You won't need setters for DP's unless a 14 year old girl can beat you arm wrestling...lol.  I'd go with meat flavored baits for the rut as a base. fish will get you more opossums and skunks. dry dog food, maybe mix in a little wet food. Vanilla or anise flavoring is good and so is dry koolaide and maple syrup.  Literally the DPS, hammer and staples with some bait and you can get DPS out. Bigger question....what to do after you get them?

[SilentStalker]

While I am new to the game, my brother has researched extensively and is assisting me along the way. He echoes Culver's advice with Minnesota Trapline and also has had good experiences with Hoosier.

 

 

[Water Rat]

Minnesota Trapline Products and F&T Fur Harvester’s Trading Post are the best in the business ( IMO).

[mlammerhirt]

@culver......are these the Duke dog profs your were talking about for Coons.

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[Culvercreek hunt club]

9 hours ago, mlammerhirt said:

@culver......are these the Duke dog profs your were talking about for Coons.

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Yes. I like the pull only triggers, especially if there is a chance of domestics around. Inside the tube of a DP trap is a lever, the trigger.  When you fill the trap up with bait there is some below and above the trigger. a push pull will fire if the lever is pulled up or pushed down. These are suppose to be fairly coon specific becasue of how their hands work...they can grasp with their front foot. a skunk, domestics cat or even a dogs tongue can push at the bait and with a push pull can fire when down pressure is applied to the trigger. Yeah you may miss a few catches but I chose to go with a pull only trigger to limit the amount of non target catches. it's a personal preference. 

Side note--Opossum can manipulate a pull trigger easily as well. 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Culvercreek hunt club]

depending on the bait chosen when using a DP you can also limit non target catches. fish smelling baits will draw about anything. (skunks and opossums). I used cheap dry dog food with something sweet on it. maple syrup, chocolate or strawberry syrup or even dried koolaid mix. I sprayed fish oil around the set as a trailing scent tha the animals can be attracted to but also take the scent away with them when they visited the trap and leave a trail of scent heading back to the trap. 

You will get mice that clean you out. many use golf balls on top to limit this and rain gettign in the trap and ruining your bait.  An old timer on a forum shared this with me. He makes these pretty cheap and they work great at keeping mice and rain out. 2" x 1/4" fender washer, old twist off soda top, some tie wire and so epoxy. The animals pop them right off and they are laying thee when you reset. 

Apparently from what I am told and read, some guys paint their DP's white. That tends to attract opossum for some reason. I left mine brown...lol

[phade]

Good places listed.

If you're not in fear of incidentals a basic 1 or 1.5 cs Duke will land you alot of coon. Similar thoughts about staking as we've just used wire to anchor them around a tree, log, heck even large rocks at times. Coon are tough critters but they're not going to pull out at anything other than the trap itself or do some chewing. I haven't looked at DP prices in a while but they're usually more $ whereas a half dozen or dozen duke 1 or 1.5 cs will be somewhat affordable. I try not to get to fancy with coon as it really ends up being more about numbers than set quality IMO (within reason) which is very different than canines. 

If you're in a place with non-target opportunity, then DP are applicable. 

Check out Night Owl lures - NY guy and makes good stuff. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

4 minutes ago, phade said:

Good places listed.

If you're not in fear of incidentals a basic 1 or 1.5 cs Duke will land you alot of coon. Similar thoughts about staking as we've just used wire to anchor them around a tree, log, heck even large rocks at times. Coon are tough critters but they're not going to pull out at anything other than the trap itself or do some chewing. I haven't looked at DP prices in a while but they're usually more $ whereas a half dozen or dozen duke 1 or 1.5 cs will be somewhat affordable. I try not to get to fancy with coon as it really ends up being more about numbers than set quality IMO (within reason) which is very different than canines. 

If you're in a place with non-target opportunity, then DP are applicable. 

Check out Night Owl lures - NY guy and makes good stuff. 

I like Night Owl. Picked up a bunch of their stuff as the Frankfort convention this past summer. 

[phade]

Also, one tip to help speed you up this time of year is using old rims that may be around - sounds crazy but old tractor tires, car rims, etc. seem to be in some of the most random places in woods, creeks, etc. Lift up the rim, set a 1.5cs and place your bait/lure around. Once triggered on your typical rim, the coon cannot pull the trap through the hub area. I have had good luck doing that and saving time and dryland coon will find it, even if its in a hedge row off of a woodlot....lol.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

as Phade said. I have a couple dozen of these

https://www.fntpost.com/Products/Duke+Coil+Spring+Traps/+1+1+2+Duke+Coil+Spring+Trap

Pretty cheap and versatile trap. fox on down and makes a very good pocket set trap for mink muskrat or coon. They doo need some adjusting and a little easy file work can night latch them so they are easy to se with the pan level with the jaws.  They make a very good baited muskrat trap for open water or under the ice.