Author Topic: Coon- too hard to handle...? (Read 2519 times)

trappnman · « **on:** January 13, 2003, 04:56:54 AM »

I recently read a statement saying that "any trapper of any experience soon learns that coon are hard to hold.."

Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Please- just yes and no for no- we wil get into reasons later

Tim B · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2003, 05:26:25 AM »

OK Trappnman,
I didnt 'bite' on the newbie post, but ill get in on this one...I have a lot to learn about 'coons.
YES...I think they are hard to hold in a foothold trap.

come on the rest of you...post so we can get to the learning....
Tim B

Bogmaster · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2003, 06:45:05 AM »

Steve, NO

Mallard · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2003, 06:56:34 AM »

No.

clint · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2003, 07:11:28 AM »

No I dont think there hard to hold at all.

Sounds to me like somebody needs to reconsider the type of set and the traps there using. maybe there weak ? to much entanglment ? Theres a number of possibilitys that can be causing the problem.

clint

trappnman · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2003, 08:00:15 AM »

come on guys- a few more replies- doesn't matter if you are experienced or not- just if you trap coon. My vote btw is No.

Five Points John · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2003, 08:20:13 AM »

My answer is yes on dry land and no at water sets. This is my 2nd year traping them using 1 1/2 c.s. on dry land. I tried to clear away any thing solid they can get a hold of but I still have trouble. I would like to hear the solutions you guys have.

oso lento · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2003, 08:22:28 AM »

no i don't think that they are hard to hold. :grin:

oso lento · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2003, 08:24:48 AM »

no i don't think that they are hard to hold. :grin:

OldCoon · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2003, 09:49:56 AM »

No, never had trouble holding coon.

TraplineMusher · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2003, 10:24:31 AM »

No Steve, I can hold them anytime in my mink sets... LOL
John

Pa.CoonTrapper · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2003, 12:09:53 PM »

bogwalker · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2003, 12:32:41 PM »

Hey...no I dont think they are hard to hold.I think some people use a trap thats to big and thats where they lose em.

RdFx · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2003, 01:34:27 PM »

Not hard to hold at all with proper traps and sets.

Tim B · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2003, 02:25:23 PM »

OK Trappnman,
aside from five points john (on the land), im th only one that has trouble holdin coon....so I guess Im the only one that needs help. Whats your point and why do I have trouble holding coon and everyone else aint??
Tim B

Five Points John · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2003, 02:55:55 PM »

Yea this 2nd year trapper would like to know my self. I'd like improve any place I can. :?

trappnman · « **Reply #16 on:** January 13, 2003, 03:25:30 PM »

All those that feel coon aren't hard to hold in a trap- I would like to know 2 things- do you trap on land or water (or both) and what trap do you use?

For those that do have trouble holding coon- the same 2 questions apply.

For those that do not feel coon are hard to hold- why do you think your trap and methods are giving you these results?

For those that do feel coon are hard to hold- why?

Is there any connection between viewpoint and trap?

:? Patience now- the reason I am doing this piecemeal is so neither I nor you get any preconcevied notions. It will all tie together by and by.

OldCoon · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2003, 03:06:07 AM »

When trapping coon I prefer to set in water.
For traps either a 1, 1.5, 1.75 or 2 will do.
Operating on a daily check few coon will be lost.

Tim B · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2003, 03:17:03 AM »

on land I usually am setting for yotes, fox or cats. I use 1.75cs for most sets with the exception of #3cs for my cat sets. The coons I have caught there have been incidentals. I think they are hard to hold because i have seen where the trap hits the animal high on the lower leg and then when i run traps (early morning, usually before light) I see the ol'coon only hanging on by one toe!

in the water i use 1.5cs and used some 1.5Ls till a feller convinced me they were worthless for coon (not sure if I believe that or not) anyway, all my sets are on drounder cables, however i too often see where the coon has refused to go down the cable and instead claws for the land leaving me a empty trap. The chains on my water traps consist of 2 swivels and 3 links...totaling about 6 inches. I usually dig picket sets, and stake as far from shore as i can so the trap stayes as close to the water as possible. Most of my water sets are onder 2-4 inches of water.
help...i wanna learn.
Tim B

trappnman · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2003, 03:34:23 AM »

Tim- hopefully we can help each other !

I was asking the questions for a couple of reasons. I personally think the 1.5 cs is the perfect all around trap- if by law I could have only one trap- that would be it. I find coon not at all hard ot hold on land, and I don't worry about tangelements, etc. Only "secrets" are- 1) as one poster stated- bed your traps as for canines 2) use a dog guide stick. #short chain. I use Dukes. On land- my instances of pullouts are very rare- almost non existant.

Now in water- in general, I have little problem with pullouts. On staked or drag sets ( I use logs on small streams) I again have little problem holding coon.

But on drowning wire sets- I have more pullouts than any other type. I find more of this occuring in "high lever" type traps such as the older Victors. I find these empty at the end of the wire 2-3 times a week. My theorey is that as the coon tries to go down the wire, his feet push on the springs, and he looses the grip enough to pull out. The wet foot surely helps this happen.

I thought #11 might take care of this problem, and that problem they do- but I found that, for me, the number of snapped traps was just way too high. In water, most catches are by the back foot, and the back foot on a coon of any size can easily span a #11.

A #11 on land, although I hear of some that have success with it, to me is worthless- it just can't come up through the amount of dirt needed to bed traps properly.

Comments?

TraplineMusher · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2003, 03:57:11 AM »

I personally use Dukes 1 1/2 cs when I do set for coon. Bedding the trap is a must as I found out at the early stage of my trappping endeavors. I now bed all my sets just like I was going for a K9. Short chains(all my traps have chain lengths no longer than 6 inches), I feel also help with keeping the animal secure. 24 hour check is mandatory here in Maine and I like that law.
Water sets-- I feel you can get away with a little trap slop as coons are general walking on matter that moves. I use drowning set ups and also drags. Staking away from shore, so the coon stays in the water.

Tim B · « **Reply #21 on:** January 14, 2003, 04:41:17 AM »

Also....I orriginally thought the springs were weak on my 1.5cs, but showed them to a friend who catches 100-200 coon a season and he said they wernt weak at all! He also said he liked them to be a little weak cause the stronger the trap the quicker the foot goes numb and the quicker they chew!! It makes sence to me...unless they are at the bottom stake dead...then i know they cant chew...LOL
Tim B

Mallard · « **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2003, 06:25:38 AM »

Might be getting behind on the post, but in reply to T-man's second query:

I trap both land and water. The reason I state "No" as far as coon being hard to hold, is because I am a very big proponent of drowner slides on the water line. Whether using a 1 1/2 LS (With Auxilary springs added), or a 1.5 coil, the coon will be at the bottom. The only thing I do differently this year with the drowner slides is to start the loc or open swivel on its way down the wire as far as it can without moving the trap. As far as my land sets go, I think I've held most coons due to daily checks and well swiveled traps.I also beleive that by night latching my traps, I am getting a MUCH better initial grip on the critter. I started using offsets this year on the canines, and have not had the problems that some claim to have on coons pulling out. I'm not sure why I was expecting problems, but will guess the daily check plays favorably into this also.

I was suprised to read that you (T-man) have stated "But on drowning wire sets- I have more pullouts than any other type"

It seems to me that the few coon that have pulled out on a drowner slide set for me have managed to find something to pull against on the surface, without ever going down the wire, and I have rarely found an empty trap at the bottom of the slide......Pretty interesting.

Good thread.

Tim B · « **Reply #23 on:** January 15, 2003, 01:46:48 AM »

Here is another thought. What about grinding the majority of the spring arms down so even if the coon is pushing on the trap with the other feet he wont be able to get good leverage. May make setting the trap a little harder but still shouldent be a problem....just a thought. What do you think? maybe it isnt even necissary..
Tim B

trappnman · « **Reply #24 on:** January 15, 2003, 02:52:04 AM »

I have thought of that, and some of my traps have ground down levers- I do find this happening more with some makes of traps over others.

Anothger trhing that helsp to get a good hold on land is to surround the traps (2-3 rocks) with flattish rocks or bricks. Make sure the bricks don't move. I thing the coon works around these obstacles or down from them, giving a better catch. but in cold weathr, these rocks cause quicker freezing. Same with dog guide stick- gives ice something to form on..

The

Tim B · « **Reply #25 on:** January 15, 2003, 04:32:56 AM »

I have noticed that with the water sets I have out right now...the ice starts forming aroundd the 'dog guide stick'. And these sets are in moving water and the temps are in the teens to thirties every day...some of them are out of commision by morning....but will work if the coons move early in the morning...but the coons havent been moving much in the last few days....at least I havent been able to tell if they were.
Tim B

bogwalker · « **Reply #26 on:** January 15, 2003, 01:16:53 PM »

Hey...I use bucket sets with 160 conis in them almost exclusively now but still think coon are easy to hold if you keep the trap small and they have nothing to grab hold of,and I agree that if you are using footholds it should be a daily check.

TRAPPER/MIKE · « **Reply #27 on:** January 15, 2003, 03:56:27 PM »

NO they are not hard to hold using the right traps. :-D

trappnman · « **Reply #28 on:** January 16, 2003, 02:28:21 AM »

I was hoping to get into a discussion concerning trap sizes and styles used for coon, and to see how that affected the opinions og whether coon were hard to handle.

I'll start it out with an observation, based on live trapping otters for over 3 months last year with #11 dj. These traps were set in pullouts and crossovers- 2/3 water, 1/3 land (roughly) #11's have good points and bad points- but in no way, no shape or no how do they cut down on either the occurance rate of chewing by coon or the intensity.

OldCoon · « **Reply #29 on:** January 16, 2003, 03:29:06 AM »

The only problem with a number 1 trap, and a number 11 as well since it's merely a number 1 with an extra spring, is the jaw span. Now the jaw span is fine and dandy when dealing with a coon's front foot. Throw rear feet into the equasion and we're talking a whole different ballgame. A raccoon's back foot is too long for an accurate catch in a number 1 or 11 trap. Using either of these 2 mentioned traps will result in a number of snaps that would perhaps be catches in a larger trap size. That being said, I have never found a decent number 1 to be lacking in power to hold raccoons, although I don't think Pennsylvania raccoons are particularly large when compared with southern or midwestern coon. I have caught and held many coon in number 1 longsprings, but I've also hand plenty of snaps ........ in my opinion ......... the results of tangling with the coon's rear feet.