Sticksender, you're cleaning them up. I haven't caught a yote in a couple weeks, not sure whats up. Put out a few snares yesterday so maybe they'll produce. Did catch this big boar this morning.

Stick, you sure are on the yotes! That is a pretty looking dog especially since its a dead dog! Wildlife in your area should really multiply next year.

Nice coon gilley! Coon catchin should slow down with the colder weather moving in. h.h.

2 more coons today. All boars and in the lil mans traps he set.

Nice luke

Bean, you and Luke need to slow down with the coons, I was trying to catch you.

If anybody wants to watch some of HTS's trapping videos, google or click this link: www.hoosiertrappersupply.com and click on the youtube icon. There are some really cool videos. Have been watching them for hours!

Old TW caught his ninth coon today! Figured I'd share this big coon since I had the pic!

Caught and released by an acquaintance in Johnson Co. Thought I'd post up the picture.

Awesome pic, Dave! Kitty is pizzed!!!

where in Johnson co?

cool kitty pic. love to catch and keep one of those legally. maybe someday.

Not to far from Atterbury Justin.

The other day I was Dad. Now I'm old TW? Thanks B & D! I think my coyote traps were visited last night but too frozen to trip. I'm going to redo with peat moss tomorrow. Love the cat picture Dave! If I ever caught one it would cost me big. Full body mount would be the only way to go!

It would cost you even bigger if you got caught with an Indiana cat Tony!!!! I just had some friends send me a trail cam pic of another cat.

Some big muskrat trapper I am! :rolleyes: 6 sets, one connibear knocked out of the hole, one trap on the float was tripped and they ate my corn off the cob, and two more pocket sets froze in! Looks like the pond trapping is done for a while with the ice. Anybody use float sets?? I think it would work with some tweaking.

Funny how the world can change so quickly Tony! B&D, you better be on best behavior for a while.

1 more big boar for me today

Lol! I am the keeper of the pics! He's having a blast doing this and for sure has prolonged his season! I love getting the pics and hearing what he has learned!

Oh and dad, I hope you never catch a cat!

I meant trapping one LEGALLY guys!! Someday we will have a season on Indiana. Probably never get one in my part of the state though.

I KNEW exactly what you meant Tony…..I just wanted to be the site's C.O. for a change!!!!

Nice catch gilley. Im setting snares in a couple days. We are suppose to get some snow Friday and that will help me see where they are traveling. h.h.

So far I think Gilley has the NASTIEST looking catches this season...

The ground is about froze enough here to drive my truck in the fields. Its much easier to set for the first time out of the truck cause I can carry everything to trap and snare at once. That way I can make one pass through and have it all set up. After that the 4 wheeler works fine. The one advantage I have is, I already know where every snare, and trap is going to go, so it shouldn't take but a day to get it all out. If I would get the right wind, I would like to get one more deer hunt in before I go back and stink up the place though.

Always covered in mud. He was standing in the creek when I got to him.

True, I catch yotes in the same place each year. I just remake the sets from previous years. h.h.

I imagine that adds prep time having to rinse all the mud out and comb the fur? h.h.

It's not to bad, just put the hose to them real good. Worst part is getting sand out of them, very sandy creek i'm trapping.

Car wash @ 5:00am…….thats what my Father does. He's not doing that this year. He said a $1.50 is not worth it on a $8.00 coon!!! Rinses them in the creek, and 5 gallon buck at home now…….

I hose them off then hang and let them dry before I skin. It works just fine.

Keep at em Gilley - you have almost caught us.

We are setting most of our traps out tomorrow now that the ground is frozen.

I don't have many traps out at all out but I did manage another mink that makes 3 so far

NICE! You got the mink figured out now!!!! With the the higher water, and the creeks moving pretty good, the next week or two will be good for mink trapping. FInd the open water! A drainage tile dumping into an otherwise froze up creek will be a hot spot!!!

My question of whether or not those 2 jumbo beavers from last Friday were the only 2 that moved in was answered today. Beaver #3 was waiting on me this evening. This one only weighed 47#!! I also caught raccoon #10 on the year. My biggest coon yet. Also redid the 4 coyote sets with peat moss. What do the rest of you more experienced trappers use when the weather starts freezing?

Peat moss and salt not that I am experienced though

Tony:

Nice work on those beaver!

I don't think I count as experienced but I will tell you what I do.

I also use peat moss when it gets cold. Also use table salt layered in the dirt when I sift it on.

Dry dirt gathered from under bridges also works. It collects road salt when the road above melts off so is in a way, pre salted dry dirt.

I learned this from Randy Smith of PA, a big time trapper.

peat moss AND under bridge dirt. I also have some regular dry dirt in a 5 gallon bucket saved for frozen ground. I bed the trap, cover in peat moss, then sift a small layer of dry dirt over to keep peat moss from blowing away and makes it look more natural. What I do, but this is just my 2nd year.

Also, with the dp's. Take a cordless drill and drill a hole into a stump or blowdown. Put your dp in the hole drilled. That way it will not get frozen to the ground which can cause pullouts.

Tony, This time of year is when I get started trapping. So, I have many years of cold weather canine trapping experience. What I do is obviously not the only way, but What I have learned from many years of cold weather trapping. You can't completely eliminate traps from freezing. Once it gets cold and STAYS that way you can. But a rain and freeze, or afternoon thaws and freeze can be tough. I can keep traps working in just about all conditions but the hard freeze after a rain. Nothing works with that situation, including peat, coveralls, or Calcium.

I use Calcium Chloride and VERY dry dirt from under barns or any other dry, odorless dirt source. Another little trick is to use waxed paper directly under the trap, jaws, and spring levers. I use wax paper most of the time as a pan cover, so I already have it on hand. Its best to cut or tear a piece to the right size to go under your trap. Wad up the paper into a tight little ball to break up the wax so it doesn't crinkle and make noise. Then bed your trap on top of it. The wax acts as a mold release so to speak.

I use Calcium Chloride over regular salt (Sodium Chloride). Both are hydroscopic, and draw moisture from the ground and air. However, Calcium Chloride produces a lot more heat from the chemical reaction as it draws water, and has a lot lower freezing point. So, it keeps traps working better in the colder temps. I buy the flake CC (don't get the pellets) from feed stores. I also run it through the blender and pulverize it. That way it blends in the dirt a lot better.
It is cheap! Dad and I have been using a 50lb bag for 6 years or better, and still have almost a 1/2 bag left.
So, my sequence is this:
Dig trap bed and get it level and where you want it.
Sprinkle entire bed with a light coat of CC.
Put in wax paper.
Bed trap
Layer dirt inside and outside trap.
Another layer of CC.
Final sifted cover over trap.
Light layer of CC.
Light layer of sifted dirt to cover CC.

Don't be afraid to USE it. I sprinkle it a couple inches outside the jaw spread around the entire trap. The only downside is it does leave a dark spot where you sifted dirt over your trap. That is from the moisture. I've never notice refusals from it though.

^ yeah what he said.