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ok, after stumbling on this thread i'm convinced i need to trap. i'm thinking coon, yote, fox and rats to start with. what do you guys recommend for a new trapper? i've done plenty of skinning and fleshing on birds and varmints (specifically, porkypines), but don't know presentation styles for NAFA. probable dispatch tool will be a 4 foot section of 9 bar, if it matters.

Either choose wet or dry. Trying to do both is a pain in the ass. Theory of Medium and all that.

You need stretchers, a fleshing board, and a fleshing knife. Wood stretchers are more expensive and harder to use, but your furs will be worth more. I'm switching to wood for all my coons this year. 1 3/4 leg holds are good for all others besides rats. Don't get offset unless your regs say you have to.

Buy a few bottles of lure. I like Hawbaker 100, 200, and 400, but they're probably all good. Just have to find what works for you. If you can find Carmann Circle Maker, that stuff is the shit, but I haven't been able to find it for a while.

Tired of typing now. More later.

assateague wrote:Either choose wet or dry. Trying to do both is a pain in the ass. Theory of Medium and all that.

You need stretchers, a fleshing board, and a fleshing knife. Wood stretchers are more expensive and harder to use, but your furs will be worth more. I'm switching to wood for all my coons this year. 1 3/4 leg holds are good for all others besides rats. Don't get offset unless your regs say you have to.

Buy a few bottles of lure. I like Hawbaker 100, 200, and 400, but they're probably all good. Just have to find what works for you. If you can find Carmann Circle Maker, that stuff is the shit, but I haven't been able to find it for a while.

Tired of typing now. More later.

1 1/2 for fox and 2's for yotes right? 2's will hit pretty high up on a fox and 1 1/2 might get just toes on yotes if i remember right. had a fleshing board at one time, need to find another. don't really want to have to wittle a 4x4 down again. i sort of half assed being a taxidermist when i was in my teens, even took a class from a guy who ran a good shop. so i know "time is money". what do i need for rats? since that's all i'll probably catch hard to choose wet or dry, out here probably overlaps more than back east because of our arid climate.

No, 1 3/4 for everything. Only difference is the stake- double stake (or cable stake) if you think you'll catch a yote. Keep the pan tension around 2 pounds. Set the trap about 9" back, and 2" offset to either side. That'll be far enough back for yotes and will still get foxes.

The size of the jaws doesn't dictate where it grabs, the pan tension does. Toe grabs are from people who insist on having a light, "hair" trigger tension. That's not a good thing. You want the animal to commit its weight before the trap throws, then you get a good grab. If its too light, they'll jump when it springs, and they'll jump quicker, because their weight is still on their back feet or off foot. A 1 3/4 is plenty. If you want stronger, just add a spring to a 1 3/4 rather than getting a 2.

For rats, 110s are what everyone around here uses. Some use a 1 long spring in a drowning set, but that's an awful lot of extra work when you can just set a ton of 110s. Colony traps work well too if you have a narrow run where you can set one.

assateague wrote:For rats, 110s are what everyone around here uses. Some use a 1 long spring in a drowning set, but that's an awful lot of extra work when you can just set a ton of 110s. Colony traps work well too if you have a narrow run where you can set one.

I am going to try the colony trap this year.

3legged_lab wrote:

assateague wrote:For rats, 110s are what everyone around here uses. Some use a 1 long spring in a drowning set, but that's an awful lot of extra work when you can just set a ton of 110s. Colony traps work well too if you have a narrow run where you can set one.

I am going to try the colony trap this year.

I wanna try those this year too, theres some pretty cool youtube videos of them in action.

IMO, if your gonna set for rats you should have 110's and 1.5's. my favorite was the Bridger 1.5's I didn't have many problems with them ringing out. I did on #1's and#1 LS. The drowning sets might take a little more time but are easier to make an okay spot produce. Rather than needing to be precise with the conibears. But I enjoyed them both. Even caught some in 330's. lol. I am no expert on the canines but am thinking a 1.75 is not the best for yotes. It will work but probably not the best choice. I would definitely get it 4 coiled to help break through the frost, snow, or whatever. Assa knows a lot more than me about the dogs. I also think snares would be a great idea also. I'm guessing you deal with snow like I do. They would be a lot easier to set in those conditions. You will soon find out that you always need more traps. I started off with 5 Bridger 120's last year. I used money from my first couple martens to buy some water traps for spring. Now I have about ninety traps and am still trying to figure out how to get more. Lol. good luck

I did forget that he was in Montana, with the snow. As for the traps, #2 are better for yotes, but not for foxes. The best solution, in my opinion, is to use a 1 3/4, double staked, with a spring in the chain. Its very, very hard for a critter to get out of anything when they can't get a solid pull on it. MT, make sure you check before using snares. For whatever reason, they are highly restricted most places. Frankly, it amazes me I can use them here, but Montana is far different from MD, that's for sure

I've never tried a float set for rats, either, but know many, many people who use them around here with very good luck. A little easier than a drowning set.

Some places floats work great and others they don't. I believe they work best in spring for some reason. I have not figured them out yet. But I tried using 120's in them instead of footholds

Have you seen the floats that have a cage on top with a hole cut in the bottom? Seems like they would work, but seems like an awful lot of work for one muskrat at a time. I've got a buddy who has a bunch of those small live traps (they come two in a pack- the small one inside the useful one) and we're going to try and turn them into a bunch of colony traps, using hardware cloth and some hog rings. Should work, I think.

Yeah I wouldn't think that cage one if it has one hole is worth the effort. Having chicken wire or something over the float is a good idea though, keeps the birds out of the bait. Colony traps can definitely stack up fur if you have the right spots to set them. Did you see that we are getting 5% rebate from nafa this year? SWEET!

You talking the profit sharing? I haven't got an email or anything yet, but if so, that's effing awesome.

assateague wrote:You talking the profit sharing? I haven't got an email or anything yet, but if so, that's effing awesome.

Yep it's on their website. Will be paid on your first check next year

Ah, gotcha. That's my mistake. I never go to their website except during the auction.

well, ended up getting a couple Bridger 1.65s, some shellfish oil and fox frenzy from the woman

That shellfish oil works hell on coons.

assateague wrote:That shellfish oil works hell on coons.

good to hear i'm pretty surprised she got me lure, since you can smell it without opening the bottle

this summer is going to involve some major trap acquisition for sure. i'm also thinking i'll take yours and quack's recommendation and 4-coil everything i end up buying.

for now though, i'm going to ice fish

(MT)Montanafowler wrote:

assateague wrote:That shellfish oil works hell on coons.

good to hear i'm pretty surprised she got me lure, since you can smell it without opening the bottle

this summer is going to involve some major trap acquisition for sure. i'm also thinking i'll take yours and quack's recommendation and 4-coil everything i end up buying.

for now though, i'm going to ice fish

I wish you the best of luck. It is a bummer that trapping and ice fishing are during the same time cause I love them both. I have just too many damn hobbies. Lol

Got this beauty today on the trap line. I'm thinking about making a fur cock sock out of the pelt for cold days.

Is that decoy line?

Flightstopper wrote:Is that decoy line?

Yes it gets used for a number of purposes at the Boot house.

Bootlipkiller wrote: I'm thinking about making a fur cock sock.....

My condolences to the Mrs.

3legged_lab wrote:

Bootlipkiller wrote: I'm thinking about making a fur cock sock.....

My condolences to the Mrs.

its just for the tip

Bootlipkiller wrote:

3legged_lab wrote:

Bootlipkiller wrote: I'm thinking about making a fur cock sock.....

My condolences to the Mrs.

its just for the tip

Are you Russian?

3legged_lab wrote:

Bootlipkiller wrote:

3legged_lab wrote:

Bootlipkiller wrote: I'm thinking about making a fur cock sock.....

My condolences to the Mrs.

its just for the tip

Are you Russian?

My real name is Boris.