Dyed and waxed my traps tonight and then put them away. Going through my stuff to make an order to Hoosier Trapper. Always need more stuff!!

We are pretty excited about the coming season. Learned a lot last year and hope to add a more effort in snaring this year.

We will start fringe trapping for coyotes as soon as the season opens.

Anyone else got the bug? I know it is early

yote traps are dyed and waxed. DPs are painted. coni's and cage traps ready. bait is made and urine and scents already in the garage. got enough to run over 100 sets this year and I will be starting on yotes as soon as I can. only thing left to to go and pick up my stretchers and fleshing beam. Grandfather use to buy fur 20 years ago and found out they are still in the old fur shed. Nope, not got the bug at all....lol

One of the places we deer hunt is seemingly over run with coons, according to trail cam pictures so I'm going to do some trapping to simply get rid of them. Dug through some boxes in the basement and found the traps that I've had for 40 years and actually they weren't in bad shape. But, going to get a few of the DPs as well.

You guys apparently have too much spare time on your hands!!!!!!! We dyed and waxed traps as soon as we were finished with them as soon as we were done with them this spring. Been freezing coon bait (leftover gizzard shad). Thats about as far as I have gotten.

Yaz - you use fish oil? If so do you buy it or make your own?

Bean, you might consider catching a few carp, cutting them up and putting them in a container for a month in the sun. Many, many, many years ago we did that and it worked pretty well. Or, at least we thought it did.

I did all my stuff about 2 weeks ago. h.h.

Yes. On my coon and mink sets along the ditches. Use sweet bait everywhere else. I had some of my own brew leftover last year and used it up, and bought some. I have some of that left over, so I didn't make any this year. Thats a stinky process!!!!!! Carp like Dave said are good to use. I use those stinky little shad. Unless something changes my mind, I'll just run a batch of shad through the blender, and make a paste bait…..as I need it.

Shad shakes!

all ready here, I do need to pick up some more bait at HTS for coyote season and I am set

Making fish oil is easy, put fish in jars in the sun. Keep the lids loose to allow the gases to escape but closed enough to keep the flies out.

I paint my traps. They come out nice and it is sure easy

fish oil is awesome as a coon trailing scent, works on yotes also.

Buy it or make it, I won't trap without it.

I use salmon when it is warmer and fish and then shellfish oil when it is colder. Shellfish has a louder smell.

Menhaden Fish Oil is what we used in Florida to create a fish oil slick in the Gulf. You can buy it for around $25.00 a gallon or $13.00 a quart. Believe me its is some smelly stuff and should work good for trapping.

We would punch a small hole in the plastic jug and hang it over board so it would drip into the water, then fish in the slick down current. h.h.

http://www.catchnbait.com/fishing-chum.htm

menhaden is some good stuff.

You can save old fryer or vegetable oil and use it to mix in with the fish/menhaden oil also to make it go farther.

Thought I bring ya some for the fishing trip. Makes a great dip for chips and crackers!!!! :p

Can't be any worse than that dang sammich...

Waxed traps and painted dogproof's last week. Built some mink boxes this week. Dyed some snares tonight. Went down to Hoosier Trapper last Friday and picked up a few #2's, some lure and bait, and some more snare supplies....hope I get the fever soon so i'll be ready.

Also the last batch of bluegill we fillet, all remaining parts are in freezer along with all the frogs I pulled out of the pool and a garter snake. Figured these might work for my mink boxes.

What kind/color of paint do you use, 76? Is the smell of the paint a concern, or do you have another step for that?

color is irrelevant, they are covered in dirt. I paint mine with rustoleum rusty metal primer spray paint. Many guys mix acetone and rustoleum 1/1 and dip the k9 traps in this with great results

No odor, I paint on hot dry days and they dry with no smell within a day or so. I air them out for a week or so just to be safe.

Dye/wax also works very well but is just not as convenient

Well - going to be a stinky mess but got a couple jugs fill with carp and old steelhead filets. It may be easier to just buy some fish oil, but I like to DIY as much as I can.

You are certified "nutz"....

I am sure my neighbors will think so in a couple weeks. With my luck I will pull in every grinner and skunk from my county.

Bean, make sure you keep the lid tight, and the flies out. That will ruin your oil. I drilled a hole, put some 1/8" tubing in the lids, and stick the loose end in a bucket of water. This will allow the gasses to escape, and keep the jars from blowing the lids off. Better than cheese cloth over the mouth of the jars IMO. just DON'T get any on you while spooning off the oil on the top! A box of nitrile gloves is your best bet. You thought the coyote lure in your pocket was bad………….

I have some year old skipjack someone would be welcome to have

Jacks would make good coon bait/fish oil. They are more oily than gizzards. Gizzards smell worse though…..

I got my traps dyed and waxed...all of my supplies and baits, lures etc. together, so....

Made me some mink boxes today. The creek i'm trapping this years has mink because I saw them from my stand last year. What do you think??

Gilley,

That should work. I do see a potential problem. In my opinion, the jaws of the trap should fit inside the box when tripped. I would think that the trap would be thrown away front he box, or potentially get a "hang fire between the block for the trap stabilizer and the box if they don't. If the mink comes through the box first, the trap would be thrown away from him, causing a miss. Thats just my opinion. Try using a stick, and trip the trap to see if that is the case, and let me know..

Well I've got a wire screen stapled to the back side so he can only come in from this side. I thought about cutting a notch to set it in farther...I might just do that. I did set it off with a stick and it seemed to fire off good.

Gotcha. As long as it works. It just caught my eye that it may have been a problem. I thought it was a passthrough box also.

The boxes Ive seen have slots cut in the sides so the trap fits inside the opening. Drill 2 small holes through the top and bottom on both sides of the box. Use small sticks to pin in the trap and narrow the opening. That way a mink has to trip the trigger to get in. I also would take off the screen back and close it up. h.h.

coon box how to thread...

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2392502/1/Belisle_Traps_and_Coon_Box_Pic

I wonder if this type of box set up 3'-4' up on a tree would help with keep dogs out? Not used coni's yet due to that fear.

looks like a lot of work to catch a coon

Must be the best, and only way tho!! :rolleyes:

Good point. Stick to my DP's.

The box 76 posted is exactly what I was talking about but drill 2 holes in the top and bottom on each side, use sticks to narrow the open and pin the trap. A mink will have to go through the trigger to get in.

I noticed today something is trying to dig under my gate but I didnt have time to set a trap. Maybe tomorrow...............and me thinks it might be skunks again......!!!!!h.h.

thats the idea, not mine, found it on t man

I only use DP traps for coon also. I won't risk it with a 220 conibear where I trap