I remember Johnny Thorpe talking about a fella in his neck of the woods taking 100+ fox a season on a walking line back in the '30's,all from the spring hole set.

I used the water set when I was beaver trapping and would find springs in the beaver ponds, they weren't pretty and I would use several traps usually caught coons fox,coyotes and bobcats in that order. Found that coyotes would sometimes wade like a coon hence I would use a "sod" and set a couple in the bottom, put three on a cat once and would occasionally double on coons and coyotes.

Good to see you posting OldCoon. Eckert wrote a pretty neat little book explaining his methods. I have chatted via email with a couple of his students. He could make that set work on all types of water. As you noted it is probably not a PB style set but it is a good set. I have yet to really make it work on coyotes but will.

I remember mafia set as having one trap, I better look again, I use two traps at a cat set cause you don't want to miss them when they come through

T20,your right,OG used one trap at each set but he made two or three set In a trail.

Guys that's not what I remember the pics showed two traps with droppings in the middle.

Question for the spring hole guys... where do you put you trap? I dont put my trap nearly that far out from the bank. Johnny emphasized that the trap and lure stick are very close, and from the landing rock to the lure stick only the span of your hand, or about 8 inches.

I prefer my trap about 6 inches from the bank. The bait/lure rock 6 inches from the trap.

The more solid appearing your stepping sod is will play no small part in selling your set.

Sometimes I used bait and lure, other times just lure and other times just bait. In the dead of winter, when snow covers the ground and everything is frozen, try taking a generous handful of hog cracklings and putting them on the bait rock. Put a few dry leaves over the bait to conceal it from birds overhead. Use small stones to weight the leaves down to keep them from blowing away.

Good luck.

OldCoon thanks for sharing. Good to see you posting you ole Mink skinner.
I still set a couple of Spring Holes.

I took lessons from Lew when I was 16. Drove to his place in Barryville, NY and spent the whole day on the line with him. The set is a great producer for coon,fisher,mink,greys,reds and even otter. Every spring on the old line has a notched rock there for a drag.It is a great producer for me after deer season.

So I had an idea and wanted to see what y'all thought. Since you need to put some moss on your trap,think you could do what cat trappers do where they glue a shingle or something similar to the pan so you don't have to worry about finding moss ? Just an idea

That's one of those things that SOUNDS like a good idea,but....

It doesn't have to be a spring, just a small, shallow spot of water. I saw a guy use it in the middle of a two-track in Louisiana where there was a huge puddle. The cats and coyote were forced around the edge and he had two sets with rocks 12" from the edge with bait and steps 6" from the bank. He had them on drags and I saw sign of at least two catches. Never did meet the guy to talk to him. Seems like a low percentage set compared some others, but a useful change-up in the trapper's tool kit.

Good post and have had several questions answered Thanks Old Coon!
Like already mentioned another tool to have in the bag....will add that Calvin Cobb showed me his Western version of this set....Cobby bedded a #3 Bridger with a 8 ft. heavy chain and grapple hook at the edge of a creek bank. The bank had a slight angle going down into the creek. The trap pan was approximately 6 inches from the bank. Next he took a dead stick and dipped into one of his lures (Roadrunner) and pushed it down in the mud just outside the jaw closest to the water. When he was done he pointed out that the wind was blowing the odor of the lure towards any traveling predator walking the creek bank. But a smart trapper would have another set like this across the creek when the wind changes directions. Set took less than a minute to make.

This has been a good thread. Good to see you posting Mike Mason. Good post Mr. Mcewk on another version of the set.

If one gets out of the idea that you need the picture perfect spring you will be amazed the number of spots this set will go in.

Mac

Spot on Old Coon,Lew used his mason trowels(he was a mason by trade)to blend leaves along the end of the sod/moss to make it appear rock solid.

I like your out of the box thinking. I think it would work, but moss would be a higher percentage bet. Remember with it-You are trying to make the set look as natural as possible. Moss gives you that edge. Also remember you're next to a spring or similar water area, moss is everywhere.

Seems like I’ve seen a post where someone made a moss slip-on pan cover. I’m sure it works. I know I step on moss while hunting when I can. It’s an opportunity for a silent step. I suspect predators know this too—-they hunt for a living.



Can’t be hard to make at all. Hot glue gun and 2 pieces of waterproof paper cut to size to make a pouch

If I were trapping high dollar cats I’d be making slip on pan covers for exposed sets like I worked in a Bangladeshi sweat shop

I've used variations of this set for coon but never for larger predators.What got me thinking about this set was the coyote tracks I've seen along the edge of some beaver ponds where the banks and the surrounding areas were mud.Up here our low lands and ponds tend to be cedar swamp type of habitat with the ground soil being very wet,some might look at this set as low percentage and maybe it is compared to others,but I think in its place it would really shine.Now I'm really getting fired up for the fall of '18!Excellent thread