Author Topic: QUESTION OF THE DAY--6/25/04----GANG SETTING-- (Read 842 times)

Bogmaster · « **on:** June 25, 2004, 02:19:38 AM »

Over the years,I have become a firm believer in multiple traps set at one laocation.I do this for every animal I trap.I may have several 330s set for beaver within 10 or 20 feet,I usually set 4 traps per rat house.3 0or 4 pocket sets for coon in 20 or 30 feet.
It is a real thrill to take 8 beaver out of 8 traps ,or 3 rats and a coon or mink at a single rat house.I even took 2 mink one time,with 2 traps,using the same stake.
How many of you follow this practice? Canine trappers ,how many traps do you set at a given location.The same for Bobcat chasers.
Tom

Appleknocker · « **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2004, 03:00:02 AM »

Most of my rats sets are in runs or feedbeds. I seldom get the opportunity to set a house because they are back in the brush and not reachable since I mainly water trap by canoe. Therefore most of my rat sets are single except for an exceptional large feed bed that I would put multiple traps on. I can not remember ever setting more than 3 traps on a feed bed. I always gang set with beaver with the most around a house an runs being 6 traps. On canine I never set less than 2 or more than 4 at one location. On cats I always set 2 traps. Coon depends on the location and can be from 1 to 3. I have never set multiple traps for mink, but now that you got me thinking, I don't know why. Thanks for the idea Tom.

Dave Lyons · « **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2004, 04:04:56 AM »

Well for me it depends on a lot. But I am with on the water trapping coon. I set it heavy and the most coon I have taken was 4 from 6 traps. Now for canines a location will get 2-5 traps. The bad thing for me is I have yet to catch a multiple on canines but I will go 4-5 days with a canine per location. I don't know why but that is what happens to me.

Dave

trappenjoe · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:10:05 AM »

The way I look at is early in the season all the young yotes run together,
and they are really dumb , so I'll set a dirt hole set with 1 to 3 post sets around , lots of eye apeal . Same goes for late season when yotes go into heat . I allways put a bunch of post sets around a dead cow , or
say a pond with good traveled trails . I use post sets around the ponds
because of the cows , they really like my lures .
For cats all my cat sets are gang sets funy creatures I never can tell
which set will catch , and I've never caught a double on cats .
Little Joe

Jacktheknife · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:14:50 AM »

Coon cubby sets at holes in the bases of big trees, {not den trees} I set double traps on about 50% of the sets. If the approach is narrow enough for one trap then I just use one. However if the approach is wide, if the hole is big, or there is several different approaches to the hole, from the right, the left as well as the front... I use 2 traps. 3 is too many. If the tree is a den tree, meaning with well used trails going to the hole, and I think Coon live in the tree, I don't use the hole as a cubby, but set he trail with blind sets.
Same with other sets, other critters. Coyotes, Mink, Beaver, if I set a blind trail set I usually use two traps. Same with some dirt hole sets.

Now boys that reminds me...{ohhh, here he goes again}
There is a place on my line where I caught lots of Coyotes. It was a high pasture where Mr. Yote could see a long ways. It was grand central station as far as Coyotes were concerned. The pond was to the east, the creek to the west, a big pasture to the north, There was a fenceline with cedars on it, and I never made this set but thought about it a lot.
I would have set the net wire fenceline with snares {a dozen}. Had a big bait, like a dead cow, or attractor like a big!!! pile of bones on one side. Set 3 dirt holes on each side, trail sets everywhere. A few scent posts, and used lots of traps.
I never used this set however because Coyotes are just not that dumb!
One Coyote gets caught and the rest will book! But it was fun to think about. Talk about lots of traps? Knife

Mallard · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:20:29 AM »

It kind of depends..... For canines we may set 2 traps at one intersection, and 2 at another itersection on the same property. If it looks like there is only 1 primary setting location, we may well set 4 in close proximity. That said, I've witnessed two traps filled with fur and sets of tracks leaving the area indicating that maybe we should have set another. I've also seem a location where we set 4 traps and connect on 3, with the forth fired and empty, and still had several sets of tracks leaving the area. maybe we should have set 6 or 7? we're limited on the time we WANT to afford on the canine line, and have a get in and out quickly mentality. (I say "we" as the canine line is always a team effort with me and my trapping partner)

For mink, I no longer really "gang set". I used to as an attempt to learn the critter and get a better idea of what works for me and where. I now feel like i can cover more ground, setting fewer traps, and harvest a good number at these locations. I find that "proven" sets at ech location continue to be good year to year. I explore new areas later on in the season, as my established line slows. Here is a situation where I might gang set to learn the new territory. I'm not as worried about numbers, as I'm am about adding and understanding new ground to my line at this point.

Muskrats get traps set wherever I see activity. I have a ton of 110's, and don't like leaving them hanging on the wall. Huts and dens get 2 checks, and then pulled.

I don't have enough traps to gang set for coon, and think a well placed set can be as efficient, over a little longer time, as gang setting.

trappenjoe · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:27:56 AM »

Jack , I've found that yotes don't booket out of there they are really
drawn to them , the set you discribe will work , Think of it as the dead cow as your local bar , everyone has to stop by to see whats happening,
nomatter if you've allready caught one .
Little Joe

17HMR · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:35:18 AM »

I gang set for all of the above except mink and might start after Bogs comment, every stop for K9 is at least 3 and sometimes more traps and snares, doubles are welcome around here but few just more chances at having a yote. Jeff

Mallard · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:37:22 AM »

Gotta agree with Joe, and think that a caught coyote will keep the others around much longer than some think. Last season at one of DanMich's sets he had 2 traps set, and connected on both. When we went out to the location it was very aparent that several other coyotes had worked the area hard in close proximity of the captured coyotes. The soil was literally covered in tracks within 25 yards of the sets. (Back me up here Dan) I really beleive that a couple more sets would have been filled had the traps been in place. Whether or not this holds true across the country is beyond me, but all the evedince I've seen in my short career indicates that coyotes will hang out, even with a captured companion.

Jacktheknife · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2004, 07:40:35 AM »

Thanks Joe. The old minefield set may have some use afterall.
I will sure try it this winter. After the first catch, I may get a few more, with them booking full speed, with that many sets in the same place, even if they all book and never return. Thanks Knife

Rob220swift · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2004, 12:19:33 PM »

2 minimum at canine locations, and I will have at least 4 at my honeyhole. Beaver: My guess at how many in the area dictates the number, but always more than 2. Coons, yes, and this year every conibear box will have a dirthole nearby.

jim-NE · « **Reply #11 on:** June 27, 2004, 12:46:41 AM »

If a location is good for one set, its generally good for 2 or 3 sets.

I never throw in more than 3 sets for any canine or cat species, but my trap inventory dictates that guideline for me much more than population or sign at the set location does.

I've tried two different approaches with every fox, coyote, and cat that I've trapped. 1st approach I tried was to flood a location with sets, such as a very large pasture might have got about 10 sets to cover all the possibilities. This approach worked for me when I only had a limited length of time to run sets and I had a limited amount of land to trap.
2nd approach was to acquire access to more land, but limit the # of sets and set locations at each stop. Took more time, but you cover more ground, more populations, and more set locations.

I run more land access now than I used to, and again my own trap inventory pretty much dictates how many and where now for me. I've found that with canines, a couple of sets per location is OK. If its a great location, I may add another pair of sets at the opposite end of the section, if the terrain and sign warrant. Both sets are of different type: one food, other a post or flat, etc. A spooked critter will have me adding 3rd and 4th sets in a completely different type than the first two sets.

For coons, I gang set somewhat. They have closer, smaller territory ranges and the true active season isn't as long before the cold sets in, so I've found it productive to "hammer" them especially on water sets. Same with beaver...and especially on a damage job. Get 'em all and get 'em fast is rule for me, so I gang set everything on those situations. I hammer rat populations like that too. Bank den runs and hut runs get at least 2 or 3 #110s if the run is long enough to keep the caught rats from reaching the other unfired traps. I trap a lot of farm ponds for rats, and if there is enough sign on any of those ponds I generally just fill a bucket with #110s and start walking the banks. In 2 or 3 days when catches fall off, I just move the sets to new runs. Same number of sets, but different locations, in this case.

I don't gang set for mink much, unless there are more than one possible little travel route for them. I use #110s now in blind sets almost exclusively for mink. I may throw a dozen sets in a given stretch of creek, but its mostly due to my limited time to run sets and to cover all the traveling possibilities more than trying to take multiple critters each trap check. I simply cover the best looking travel routes, then as I'm running other traps in the same section I can just take a quick peak at the mink sets on my way by.

I can't recall any time where I just put one trap at any location for any species. My opening comment about a location being good enough for a set then its good enough for 2 or 3 sets was one of the first things I read in Mr. Dobbin's book on land trapping. I've taken that one completely to heart ever since.

Jim-NE

Dan Mich Trapper · « **Reply #12 on:** June 27, 2004, 08:09:35 AM »

In my first years of K9ing I would set a trap here then there , sucess was almost unheard of . I have learned a great deal since them days 18 yrs ago . I will rarely make coyote or fox sets without making another within 15 yrds . This year I have an area that will produce a quad. if done correctly . Mallard made mention of the area from last year .

After skinning and putting up your yotes , notice around the base of the tail and in the hip area , you will see on a lot of dogs , bite marks . I notice this on more skins than not . I was told by my fur byer , and I believe this to be true , it is from other dogs . I have seen this behavior in coyotes while watching a calling video . When the coyote was shot , it was yelping and other coyotes started attacking . I have heard this is due to confusion .

I always gangset for coons , usually 2 sets and sometimes three .I do change-up baits with these sets .

Rats I just set on sign. never saw where a rat seeing another rat in a trap ruined it for me . They are so quick and simple to trap , I dont take the time to gangset them .

Mink , I cant even really call myself a mink trapper . I catch a few but dont think gangsetting the would mak much difference . I remember one bridge crossing , I had 5 sets under it all year and it produced one mink . I guess if setting each bridge wall is a gang , then I'm guilty . But thats the extent of it .

Bogmaster · « **Reply #13 on:** June 27, 2004, 09:34:44 AM »

Guys,one thing to remember if pocket setting mink--if a coon is already in that trap,you may have missed your only chance at it.Gang setting will more than likely have an open pocket awaiting that mink,when he makes his rounds.
Tom

coyotero · « **Reply #14 on:** June 28, 2004, 07:36:31 PM »

For coyotes I try to setup travelway intersections or hubs if accessable.I set 1 trap for each travelway.If it is a good pinch point that narrows down travel I set 2 or 3 traps.Big field edges that get hunted 2 to 4 depending on animal traffic,length of field edge,etc.Back during the "fox wars" I was setting 1 trap to a location and catching fox that were bit up.I moved into some new territory,set 3 traps on a travelway junction and had my first fox triple the first check.Nothing like sucess to open your mind.

LKVL · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2004, 05:30:14 PM »

What your definition of location?

? I always gang set for coyotes. If your not gang setting for coyotes......then your missing coyotes. I could have as many as a dozen sets on a farm depending on it's size. In this case for me a farm would be 1 location. On something more localized...meaning where coyotes maybe using a culvert crossing over a ditch(example) I may set 4- 6 sets.

fishmax2 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 22, 2004, 08:14:02 AM »

Well, this is an interesting subject to me. I know you guys may not believe it but I have hardly even managed to get a coon double. I gang set every animal but usually only get doubles consisantly when I gang set for skunks, and usually I can do that.

Huntinbull · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2004, 07:20:58 PM »

dont know if you would call it a gang set, but i set a dirthole with a trap just in front of dirthole and one to three traps at the outside of the dirt flung area. Sometimes catch my canines coming in to check out the hole without getting too close. They sneak up thinkin they are slick and hit my outlying traps.
..
Huntinbull

bmtrappers · « **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2004, 10:46:01 AM »

I feel when coyote and cat trapping if a location is good enough for one set is is better with two. I set a hole set of different variations and a flat set a few feet from it depending on prevailing winds. I try to back up the hot locations with snares and four set if needed. I had a experience this winter of a 506.00 bobcat that visited a set and I left a spot where he could step without stepping on the pan and missed him, I had a second set a few feet away that was set correct and he was there waiting for me. With only one set I could have been a $506.00 mistake.

lynx/cat-trapper · « **Reply #19 on:** August 08, 2004, 03:43:41 AM »

I'm not an avid water trapper...I DO tho set multiple sets for everything I trap. This last year I had a quad on fox numerous tripples and gobs of doubles. The same on coyote...ALWAYS set a minimum of two traps...if for no other reason to keep one working..get a skunk in one..you still have one to go!! This last winter I had my first double on lynxcats...TWO doubles in the same week...$$$$$ is what you LOOSE is you dont set an area appropriatly.
later
lynx

vttrapper · « **Reply #20 on:** August 09, 2004, 02:14:49 AM »

I always gang set for all target furbearers. Mostly for the possiblity of a double or tripple. Never caught a quad on k9s but often on rats. Teh other reason is to have traps ready if i catch a skunk or coon in one of the others. On land, at least 3 per location. On the water at least 2 unless the sign dictates otherwise.

frank