PPHA Forums
Predator Hunting => Trapping => Topic started by: Hern on August 03, 2017, 08:37:10 AM
-
...for fur season?
The crops were planted late this spring in my area, due to rain and wet fields.
But we had ample rain for corn and beans. Possibly a bumper crop. A bumper crop will slow harvest with more trips to the truck or emptying trucks. In turn, crops may be in the fields longer.
I trap mainly crop fields for Canines. I may not set the first day/week because I don't want traps drove over or my locations may still have crops standing.
I visited some locations this week to make adjustments for late standing crops.
I weed wacked a few spots and transplanted some grass tuffs.
Still have a few dozen traps to boil, peat to sift and other last minute things to do.
Anyone else getting ready?
-
>:( >:( >:( >:( Way to busy with Honey-do's... ??? ??? ??? Can't seem to get caught up, and I still have a load of wood to haul home :P :P :P :P :P Geez!!
-
I don't do any trapping, and I hunt year round for coyotes, so I'm always ready!!
-
Jake, I know this a trapping thread, but...
Do you adjust your setups, calls throughout the year due to denning, crop harvest, human pressure, hot & humid/cold & snow and so on. Do you take advantage of dispersal routes or weather fronts or dead piles?
I make adjustments during trapping season. But a good location is a good location year round.
-
I sure do. Sequences are different, locations are slightly different also. I'm targeting the young dogs more so than the old, wise adults.
-
Jake, trapping I target the old dogs. Same with calling. Opposite of you. Weed'n the garden.
I try to keep adult population down. Younger pairs will mate and have larger litters.
The young get caught or called killed easily by targeting adults. I want the old Fox/Coyote out of there.
By that, I have observed where old, dominate pair of Fox or Coyote produce a small litter of 1 or 2 pups or completely barren with no pups. The area is dead. The old pair controls the area but is void of other Canines.
Several old pairs of Canines in a township or two can lower the population.
This took years of experience and observation for me to figure out.
Once the old pair is removed, younger, healthier pair moves in and population rebounds.
Am not in a high Fox population. So I help them along.
Targeting adult Canines with still produce the young and dumb. Line management is part of fur taking.
On a side note...
Last year I trapped a 16.2 lb. Red Fox, male.
I hadn't trapped this area for years. But it was always a producer. Reds were caught like spit out of a machine gun.
But not last year...
Nothing. 3 of 5 sets were chit on that week. Sets not worked or disturbed. Dealing with Mr. Know-it-all.
The day before I pulled, I tried a trick at one set.
Next morning, that 16 pounder, melon head of a Red looking all embarrassed with those big yellow eyes.
I was very happy with the catch. Not because of it's size or I tricked him. Because I knew this coming season, a young pair will take over and there will be Reds to catch.
Sort like pulling weeds in the garden.
-
Hern says.."Sort like pulling weeds in the garden.".. ??? ??? ??? ??? Between you and jaspr1 :-\ :-\ :-\ I'm gonna start callin one of you, the Green Thumb and the other Mr. Greenjeans!! ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
-
Hern, I like the old ones too. They're usually just smarter than me!!
-
The kids and I can't wait, we made some wax dirt and have our peat moss. We have a dozen new mb550's to get ready yet.
-
Hey Doc! Do you still have your sights set on getting a bobcat this year?
-
I bought a couple of duke dp's at the renovo show, Tim got me set up with everything I would be needing and gave me some awesome tips to start out with. The 5 year old is super excited to get out and catch his first coon, figured since he's not ready to hunt yet, setting a few traps might get the fire started for a lifetime of loving the sport.
-
;D ;D B66....."Tim got me set up with everything I would be needing and gave me some awesome tips" ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D..........B66...............you don't start a fire with WET wood... ::) ::) when you could PM ...Hern and get some good advice ;D ;D............we don't want the little man to get a handle like "CoonLess" :P :P....... 8)
-
I have been using buckwheat hulls to set my traps on for a number of years as a part time trapper.Now that I'm retired I would like to give it the dickens and have more then just a few sets.I have read here and around ,like Hern using peat moss to bed traps.Is this peat moss like one can get at Wally World or a lawn and garden center? Can anyone give me some input what advantage peat has over buckwheat hulls.Thanks !
-
Yes foxhound, my daughter and I both have our bobcat tags. We did alot of scouting late last winter and early spring and also spring gobbler season.
-
That's awesome Doc! Glad to see the enthusiasm your kids have for the outdoors. I have a 23 year old daughter that archery hunts with me. She's a better shot than her boyfriend....
-
Typical father. Never wants to give his adopted son any credit. :o :o :o I'm just a nice guy trying to pass on some things I learned the hard way. Darin, I wish you and your son the best of luck. Remember, keep those thumbs out of the DP when setting. ;D ;D ;D
-
Shurshot, I purchase Peat at Lowes or local hardware store, largest bundles.
Peat always seems moist and wet in those bundles. I like to dry Peat before I sift and use.
I purchase now or early spring (for next season's trapping). I cut panel out of large side, leaving about a 2" edge around sides and corners to keep Peat in place. I then store opened bundles in loft or out of the way place. While stored for a long period, Peat (bundle) will dry out with this opened panel I created.
Dry bundles will save me time. Now I don't need to spread out Peat in Sun to dry. Plus dry Peat sifts easier.
Buckwheat Hulls vs. Peat
Every trap covering has their advantages and drawbacks.
Peat may be inexpensive and ready available compared to Hulls.
Peat & Hulls work about the same in the field.
Clean, bagged Hulls is less pre-season work. Open bag and ready to use.
Peat is cheap covering but requires work to ready for season. Some folks sift Peat at set. I sift before the season. Personal choice here.
So one has to use different trap coverings to find what fits their needs.
There is no perfect covering for all weather conditions.
A story...
Back in the late '80's, Andy Stoe introduced clean, Buckwheat Hulls in a bag. I used them right away for winter trapping. I missed alot of Fox that season.
Next year at a Trappers Rendezvous, I talked with Andy of my misses using his Hulls. He said,' Come around to the back of my trailer.' Andy got down on the ground and began to give me personal instructions on how to bed with Buckwheat Hulls!! He made a small trap bed, placed Hulls in bottom of bed, bedded trap, then placed Hulls inside and outside jaws. No Hulls on pan. Then finished set with sifted dirt.
My problem, Andy pointed out, was I was covering my pan with Hulls. Fox foot was skidding or moving or slipping on Hulls/Pan. Andy said Not cover Pan with Hulls. To top dress set with sifted dirt or grass clippings.
That tip solved misses in years to come.
-
My daughter is just getting into archery (crossbow) foxhound. That is the first thing on the to do list for this hunting season is to get her a buck with the crossbow then the bobcat. She shot her first gobbler last spring so this season is her buck and bobcat. I to will be taking my son who is 8 out so he can catch coons.
-
Good luck to you all, Doc! Be sure to post up some pics!
-
Maybe someone can post how to put pics on here because I can't ever figure it out. Thanks again to Lookn4Fur for posting my fisher picture and my daughters red fox picture last season.
-
:) I have peat in a medium sized trash can, next to the shed......dried out nicely....and stays dry...for a small time trapper I would think this would be adequate. I can move it around easily if it gets in the way. 8)
-
This is how to do it from your computer.
1. Reply or open a new post in PPHA forum boards.
2. Open Photobucket on a second page. (You must have a free account and be logged in)
3. Select "upload photo" and select the photo you want to upload. (stored on your computer)
4. After the photo uploads it should display four type of URL's. Click on the "IMG" URL and it will copy it.
(See Pic)
5. Go back to the PPHA forum post and right click and paste the URL into the body of the post.
6. If you want to add any text, click above or below the URL and type what you want to say.
7. You can preview your post but be sure to Select "Post" and you are done.
8. You can resize the picture in Photobucket if need be but make sure you save it and select the URL for the
saved picture.
9. So easy even an OLD Coot like myself can do it. :o :o :o :o
(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h73/lookn4fur1/Untitled_zps8dtbt90p.png) (http://s61.photobucket.com/user/lookn4fur1/media/Untitled_zps8dtbt90p.png.html)
-
I like photobucket for the fact that you could view your post with the pic before you send it.
-
THANK YOU very much Hern.You have explained right what I needed to know.Trapping Bobcat the last few years I did have misses now I know why.I will try peat moss but I have some buckwheat left from last year so I'll try one or the other on different sets.Thanks again Hern.....