I've been getting catches by the paw or fingers in pull only Duke DPs and a few pull outs.

Is there something I could do to get a deeper catch?

What are you using for bait? Catfood and strawberry topping is what I use and they are usually in there deep. I think they are trying to scrape up the goodies

I had pullouts when I added chain to my Duke DPs. There is a reason whey most DPs come with a pretty short chain I"ve found. Keeps em in the trap better.

I use cat food in the DP

Calvin.... interesting....I used a cable to anchor to a tree. All the pull outs we're wrapped all to heck with debris or other saplings.

I just hate staking.

Bingo!

better off staking, it's not that hard.
cable to trees is convenient and quick, done that. but wrapping around trees and stuff gives them leverage for pull-out. that's what you're getting.
Almost treat them like a cable restraint with the WI no-entanglement rule.
I am using z-traps and I have not had a pull-out yet (fingers crossed!)

I've had hip dislocations, and broken ankles because of entanglement. I use drags now, nothing to complicated though. I cut a 4" to 5" sapling about 4 to 5 feet long and attach in the middle with a 2"fence staple. No more broken bones and they don't go far either. Just as quick as a long cable and a lot more location friendly. It does however take up quite a bit of room in my side by side deploying and retrieving all of those drags.

Use disposables, 15 inches of cable, push down to the chain and done. Keep away from trees.

Would the drag entangling end up with the same result as my cable getting tangled up in brush and having pull outs?

Do you rake away the forest duff also?

I would rake away all brush and debris within reach of the trap. I usually use a short cable w/ a loop. Quicker for me and it seems to let the coon pull the trap around the tree w/out getting caught or tangled up. When I catch one, there is a big plowed up dirt circle around the tree. I use a lot of stakes also. Whatever works to get my trap close to the trail. I also have had a lot of luck using cat food lately. I use Z- traps, so I don't usually fill mine to the top. Don't know if it makes any difference or not, I just put a lil bit in front of the trap, and then fill the trap about half full. sometimes put a lil lure on the lip of trap, etc. Bottom line is, DP's have really worked well for me lately w/ no pull outs. I run about 12 to 14 DP's and 6 boxes before work in the morning, and the DP's don't take much time at all.

I run Pogos with short chain and swivel on my Duke DPs. No issues at all with breaks, foot damages, or pullouts. They always in there deep.

I've used deck screws before. Just attach to root of tree next to trail. Also unless they're carrying a cordless drill not much chance of them growing legs and walking away!

So far it hasn't. they burn a lot of juice dragging that stick and it seems to give a little after they get hung up. Anyway I've not had any foot damage after I went to those . I also like the ability to stop , stick a DP in the trail and go. I just lay the drag beside the trail. No looking for a tie off or pounding in a stake or anchor. My ground is very very rocky, sometimes it takes a lot of pounding to get a set in. The drags are bulky and cumbersome and actually are a pain, however I'm not spending my time looking for a spot to anchor .. To me the trade off is worth it.

Bait type has nothing to do with short or deep catch. The amount of bait and what is under the trigger on a pull trigger has every thing to do with it. if you want deeper catches then less bait and a bait holder under the trigger that can not be pulled up with out setting off the trigger. Also placing the trap in a position that forces the coon to reach down in deep. I just covered this in depth in the South Jersey Trapping and snaring school 2 weekend ago.

I don't believe the amount or type of bait matters at all in losing coons in pull only traps. They can't pull up on the trigger if there is bait under the trigger. They can't get a hold on it.

Bottom line is if you have a pull out from a good DP trap its because you messed up and set it where they tangled to lose swiveling, or they could leverage themselves out of the trap by pulling on something or compressing the spring on something, OR someone or something pulled them out of the trap.

I have never lost a coon that it wasn't due to one of those factors from a pull only DP and you can count them times on two hands. That's out of 10 years plus of using DP's and hundreds or raccoons.

A raccoon can't grab the trigger if the bait is under it lol are you kidding me. I will go a step farther I put hollow fill batten under the trigger lol somebody better tell those coon I am catching they can't pull the trigger

How do they wrap their paw around the trigger if its full of bait up to it? No matter how much or how little bait is in the trap, they have to reach their paw a certain distance into the trap to be able to hook the trigger and pull up on it. talking pull only type triggers.

Lol well I guess they just grab it. What kind of bait you talking about here poured concret with flavoring. How hard do you think bait is packed in? Next I stuff the hollow fill in under the trigger the coon can still grab the trigger or if they pull the Batten hollow fill that will pull the trigger, either way I got him deep in the dp. Next any one that has heard my DP Talks will tell you I use very little bait in the trap but it is always below the trigger

Forget the bait altogether... the coons have to reach x amount of distance into the trap to get a hold on the trigger enough to pull it up. Take a thin wire with a 90 degree bend on it, reach it into the trap and pull the trigger, its going to be caught in the same place on the shaft of the wire everytime.

I don't see how the bait, more or less will change the distance a coon has to put his foot into the trap to pull the trigger.

They are certainly not going to pull the trigger by picking and eating bait that is above it.