PPHA Forums
Predator Hunting => Trapping => Topic started by: coonreaper on February 27, 2011, 02:37:52 PM
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This summer i completed the test for cable restraints at the starview club in york. I didn't have a chance to put out a ton of sets because of school and sports but i did catch about 10 foxes with them. I was wondering what height is best for areas where there is just foxes and what height is best for areas where there are coyotes also. Most of the foxes that i did catch were at a height of 7 inches. I know that there is coyotes in the area also because of scat and tracks that i encountered while checking the restraints. my goal for next year is to catch my first coyote and grey fox in a restraint. Any tips will be appreciated.
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Go by your book they gave you...If there is coyotes and fox in the area make sure the loops are the size for coyotes.. You might catch a few fox a bit farther back behind the neck.. Like even behind one of leg at the shoulder or even the torso.... The distance from the ground does not really mean anything other then to have non targeted animals pass under.. Skunks, possums, It's the loop size.. By the way I have caught coyotes in cable restraints when i thought only fox were around.. So it might be good to go with the larger loop.. I caution you however the larger the loop that also means you might catch a deer... As you now a true Pa Cable Restraint to Spec should break away if a deer or bear gets caught..Sometimes things that are suppose to work don't so that is a negative side of using the bigger loops for coyotes.. Make sure you keep the training book they gave you handy.. Refer to it often on just how the loop should be hung and the shape of the loop too...
Suggest if you get to one of the Trapper get together this year attend one of the cable restraint seminars.. Some good info when you should not set a restraint on a trail..Like placing some fresh dirt on the trail prior to setting the restraint. If you see deer tracks in the new dirt don't set a cable restraint on that trail..
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Thank you for all the advice. this is my first year going after foxes via trapping with cable restraints so i got some learning to do lol. and when you said that you would sometimes catch deer does that mean around the neck or around the foot because i know that there is the loop-stop so that a deer should be able to pull its foot out.
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hey coonreaper just did my 2nd year nothing this year , had coyote get out. U might want to check out prosnares.com, I don't know if u ever saw the differences with a loaded cable or not, but wow really smooth.
I have a buddy that told me about this site, that's where he gets his from. Tried some others that said they were loaded and he was really disappointed with them. Placing my order for next year shortly.
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hey coonreaper just did my 2nd year nothing this year , had coyote get out. U might want to check out prosnares.com, I don't know if u ever saw the differences with a loaded cable or not, but wow really smooth.
I have a buddy that told me about this site, that's where he gets his from. Tried some others that said they were loaded and he was really disappointed with them. Placing my order for next year shortly.
As you know you have 36 hours to check your cable restraints... Never ever check them every 36 hours.. Check them every 24 hours.. Here is what a coyote can do to a cable restraint:
(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh71/unclebuckpa/chewcablerstraint2.jpg)
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thanks thearcher1340. ill have to check out that sight. did u mean that you didn't get any coyotes in the cable restraints or did you mean that you didn't get any foxes or coyotes? And yes i did load some of my restrains in the later part of the season and i think that it deffinatly helped make them quicker. Before doing that i would catch alot around the hips and one one occasion it started to damage the fur. after loading them, i didn't catch any by the hips.
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Can one of you explain what you mean by loading the cable restraints?
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Cable will retain memory when bent or worked over. When you do this to a cable in a certain spot your snare will fire instead of just dropping closed. Makes a huge difference...
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yah. what method of loading works best for you? do you just bend it with your hands or bend it over a rod or the like? i tried over a pice of rebarb once but it kinked the cable and ruined it. I've done most of them with my hands but just wondering if there is a better and more efficient way
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I don't mess with mine like this aka Loading... I just soak them in baking soda.. LOL LOL
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I use a spike pounded in my workbench.
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I disagree with UB's statement about distance from the ground-
UB says- The distance from the ground does not really mean anything other then to have non targeted animals pass under.
The most important detail, for me, is how high the bottom of the loop is off the ground. Hence; where's the canines chin going to be?
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What Hern Disagree with me? No!!!!! LOL LOL
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;D ;D
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I soaked mine in baking soda. i guess u do that to take away the shine or scent but idk i just read to do it online lol
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Yes I do and I did learn this from Hern to use baking soda........Some people boil them in the baking soda.. I don't.. Some people also paint them brown or white...I don't!!! I do draw me a little map where each is located on each property and I will put a small I mean a small piece of orange tape close to where each cable is too..Sometimes the wind knocks them down or deer knock them down and your looking for a set cable and they are laying on the ground..Caution you..if the orange tape is to big someone will mess with your restraints.. I had a kid....One that was trapping the same farm pull three of my cables restraints.. He told this person that snares were not legal.. I could have hung it too him but I figured the landowner who allows me to hunt predators and small game and trap would be upset if I got this 16 year old kid fined...I did have him talk to the boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I agree with Hern... and also like to use a chin lift.
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The height of the loop can also be determine by the terrain too.. Like a trail going up the hill or a trail going down the hill.. I love to use the momentum of a fox going down a hill to catch them in cable restraints.. You will have to think OK when this fox or a coyote reaches this point just where will his or her head be..IMO as it goes down the trail from and elevation it will most likely lower it's head... I also like to set a cable restraint on corners that separate a field from let say higher grass. Also if there is a wood pile near by I know the fox will be checking that wood pile out so that coming around the corner set gets them... They are going to check the wood out for prey or piles of brush.. So..they will be coming along the bend between the two covers...Even a restraint set on a path to the wood pile or brush piles is awesome too. Start to think like a fox not just go out and lay cable anywhere......
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You think totally opposite of me UB..... How in the heck do you set a trail where they're only going down hill???
I want a fox or coyote moving... not hunting. I want a fairly straight run with nothing to slow them down. I don't want them pussyfooting along, ie your trail to the brishpile set, although I just use baitpiles.
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You think totally opposite of me UB..... How in the heck do you set a trail where they're only going down hill???
I set them at the bottom of the hill too.. Namely farm ponds...They have to drink water.. So restraint just on the down hill side and one at the bottom of the path.. I will use more then one cable on a trail
Here is a catch at the bottom of a farm pond.. looking at he picture the left side starts to climb up to the main pond...
(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh71/unclebuckpa/028_25A.jpg)
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Here is a catch at the top of the hill.. He knocked down quite a bit of the high grass but it was starting to slope down into the ravine below:
(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh71/unclebuckpa/P1010005_edited-1.jpg)
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This would be the wood pile and the bend at the corner of the field set: Caught this red as it turned the corner of the field and coming along the side.. Again thinking like a red fox... How would I come to the wood pile? Probably come along the field and take the bend. oops what was that around my neck?
(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh71/unclebuckpa/pilefox.jpg)
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I allways feel bad for an animal in a trap. I hate to see it suffer and i hate to look into its eyes and tell it i am about to kill you. I guess i'm gettting old . NO, i'm not a bunny hugger. Great pictures. LOL
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They look alot like my locations... ;)
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Foxpro51 -- You are an antis best friend.....
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Renny I think there is a need for trapping. It's the history of this country. It just bothers me. I like to hunt them at night but trapping an't me.
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FP51 they suffer no more than your dog does when you put its leash on.
Look at UB's pics, they're not even panting
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Foxpro51 -- You are an antis best friend.....
+1
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Yah i think a fox in a restraint is no different than a dog in a leash as long as its around its neck and the wire don't get really kinked. with one fox when i got up to it the restraint was kinked at the slider thing so it didn't allow the restraint to relax, and the fox was dead :-/. that was the only time that i ever even had one that the fox was in any discomfort. them foxes are tough as hunn to skin when theyre cold tho lol.