Archive for fox and yote information.

Question from Neo
Hey fisherman222 do you use mostly coilsprings or snares trapping in all that snow? I would really like to see some step by step pics of you setting some coilsprings in the snow.Seems like they are always getting froze in. We have had a lot of warm wintry conditions lately so I'm a little frustrated. Most of the time I just set my trap on Waxpaper and just sift the snow over the top without any pancovers. What kind of system do you use?

Response from fishermann222
I use that method and I am trying others as well. I don't have brush or trees to set in. THe very few patches of willow I did have are under snow now, so no more snaring. All CS setting from here on out. You can use wax paper, or coffee filters. Depending on the conditions. Don't touch the snow with gloves, use something to put it over the trap. Today with all the hard drifts I cut out some thin layers of snow and placed over some of my traps to see how that will work. It should break when A fox steps on it, we will see. I am always experimenting and trying new things.

Posted by Fishemann222
A few pics from today, I have a buddy up from the lower 48 and he had a blast on the line with me today.




This is a new area I found today along the coast, with all the tracks it looks promising, I put in 4 sets.


Asked by Family Trapper
Fish
Way to go.
A lot of track in that last picture.
How are you staking in the frozen ground?
What are they eating when not on the gut piles. Do you have a good vole population?

Asked by otterman
fish looks like a litle hot spot.Are there any den holes on that little bluff or is it pretty much solid rock?

posted by Martentrapper
You sure get alot of back leg catches, fish.
I see some brush in the first pic, almost enough to hang a snare. Maybe you need to cut brush in the fall and import it to trapping spots in the winter.

Reply from Fishermann222


Are back leg catches bad? Should I be trying for front foot catches? Just curious. I am just happy to have a foot in the trap

Cutting brush is a good idea, but I wonder if they would avoid it. I will be here next school year yet, then I will hit the mainland. The "brush" you see in the first photo is just wild celery that is still standing.

It is rock but there are a few holes there that we found. Did not set any 330's there though, we will see how the footholds do first.

I think they eat alot of voles, but more and more fox are moving into the gutpile area now that the ground is froze and the snow is hard pack. I think that is why I am finally starting to do better. Just took a little bit longer this year for them to move in.

Len I am using rebar and I will attach a pic of how I am attaching it to the trap. It works well for me so I can move traps when I want, I just cut the snare cable and slap on a new washer and it is good to go again. WOrks for fox, I would not trust it for much else.

Thanks for the compliment Takotna means alot coming from a trapper like you

Question from KUSKO
Ok, one my question. I have a wandering coyote up at my marten line. We cut his tracks every time we go up. What would be a good set for this guy? Should I make a large cubby for him and just cover the trap?? I have snares, but it seems there is not consistency in his pattern to justify that.

reply from piperniner
Might try a bait set with footholds for the coyote. Lots of different sets would work.

Reply from Martentrapper
Yotes are like foxes. Cubbies are not the standard yote set. How do you know it'a a yote, and not a big fox? Pee post set or something similiar. If he's hanging around a particular area, he may not get caught at a cubby, but you might snare him on a trail near it. Check Tman for yote type sets. They are generally made out in the open.

Reply from Rick Phillips
Kusko, If the coyote/fox/whatever is checking out your marten sets, you can probably take it right there. I find with my vertical sets they often just walk right up to the base of the tree where the set is. A couple of sticks to sort of guide them in and a trap right under the marten box and 8-10" out from the tree trunk has worked fine for me. It probably won't take a smart one, but I'll skin a dumb one anytime.

Reply from Otterman
Kusko If you have a place that canine is crossing your trail somewhat regular or walking your trail I like a scent post or a walk through flat set with some beaver meat for bait. If you have any beaver houses he is walking up on set a trap right in the trail where he walks up on the house this gets a fair amount of critters. I like to find two sticks that force his foot on the trap on the trail going up on the house, sometimes you have to plant one of the sticks. This set will take a few more critters if you stick some LDC of some kind on a stick on top the house. I dont know about other place but here every fox or yote that comes along will get up on a beaver house and have a look see across the flats it is a weakness that can be capitalised on.

question from Rick Phillips
Fishermann222, how are you staking your fox traps in the snow? I'm using drag poles in open country where I can't reach a tree with a snare cable, but they are a royal pain to have to carry around.
response from fishermann222.
Rick I take a 12 inch piece of Rebar with a washer on top and use this setup.


After I put the washer through the rebar stake I pound it into the ground(3lb mallet works great). If you are worried about the rebar not holding in the snow you can always step some snow down on top of the rebar, or a few drops of water on top, it will hold, FOR SURE. The reason I like this setup is it is light, and takes up little space. When I want to pull a trap I simply cut the snare cable and leave the stake in the ground. I will go around this summer and pick up as many of the stakes I can. Those that I can not get, will be easy to retrieve in the early winter before the ground freezes up solid(I did that this year).

Some areas where I can not get a stake into the ground because of too much snow then I anchorge the trap to a stick, and stomp the stick under a pile of snow. Once the snow is compressed it freezes SOLID and will hold a fox.

Hope that helps.

I find bait stations to be a GREAT way to take fox. I usually set some thawed bait back in some willows so it will freeze around the base and can't be drug off. I also then throw pieces all around my trail and the surrounding area. Fox are weary of coming into a cubby, however once they find out that some of the bait is "free" they'll be more inclined to come into bait areas. I like to set the stations up off my trail, so that I can set snares on the trail and some surrounding areas, as the fox prefer to use the trails, but sometimes won't enter a cubby. I've had a few sets where I'll take a few in the trails, and then also have on in the station. It amazes me how they won't hesitate to come in, even though others have been caught. I like to use urine as a "i've been here its okay" scent.

In this photo. To the right of the 4 wheeler (left in the picture)is the bait station, in the willows. One is in the trap there, and one is caught in the snare (front right of pic). You can make out the catch circle for the one in the willows at the bait station.


Here is the bait station and the fox in it.


Here is the trail leading to the bait station. Any type of willows act as a great "tangle area" to make for quick dispatch

I have found the fox investigate almost every beaver house they come to. It just makes sense to make a set for them on the higher houses. I picked one off another house today that was a blind set in the trail going up the side of the house. They use them for elivation to look across the flats for the most part. but a little magnum or LDC helps get tehm walking around occassionally I will stuff a mink carcas or chunk of beaver meat in a hole and set a trap in front part way up on a house they seem to liek to go about 3/4 the way up then walk down kinda walk up and down in an arc on the side of the house.

I've been told that fox don't like cubbies because they can't see in all directions. A beaver lodge set is perfect because they have no fear going up there since they can see in every direction. I've made a variation of the PVC set for fox. In the middle of the field, I place a pipe (pre freeze), so that in winter it is frozen solid and at the right angle. I then throw some bait in the pipe and just lay the trap at the base of the pipe. Dab a small amount of gland lure on the end, and perfect-o. I've taken 3 on this one set this year. Would have been more but the last one did some damage to my leaning pipe.

For some reason, they are more open to investigate if its in the clear and nothing surrounds it.

Katherine

I use wax paper or coffee filters on top and below the trap. I 've seen guys use small grocery bags also.

Posted by smalltimetrapper

f222, when you were laundering your foxes, did you do it after fleshing, before stretching? What did you use for detergent, if anything? Did you let them spin out, or just rinse and hang/drip dry? I might try it on a particularly dirty coyote (I got to get my wife out of the house first!)

Response by fishermann222

I used dawn dishsoap and then some downy as well. I let it spin on gentle cycle. Then I would dry the fur with a fan for 4 or 5 hours, then put leather out. Once I turned fur out I would leave a fan on them and fluff up the fur once in a while.
All this is done after fleshing.