I actually like our 24hr check laws. If I get a critter why tie up steel with a critter ive already caught! Empty and wait for the next! Even my conis get checked in 24 hr intervals now! In my brain a critter suspicious of a trap has its fears confirmed seeing a fallen commrad in it!

Well, if you like 24 hr check laws, then good for you. Doesn't make any sense with a critter submerged in a drowner set. But enjoy.

As far as critters becoming suspicious of fallen comrades, keep in mind a critter at the bottom of the drowner system is out of sight, and therefore mourning of said comrade should be nonexistent.

Anyone who sets an area and comes back to find empty traps 'cause it's a "dead" area never did their homework in the first place. "Set on sign." Simple as that. If sign ain't there, don't set it.

One would know 'coon movements after several seasons of setting the same areas. If it comes as a surprise you've got no fur in your traps, you're still in the experimental stages.

It will get easier over time.

And you might at least try a couple of lines on a two day check if legal where you are. You might be surprised how trapline management changes when you're not pushed for a daily check over the same traps.

Ok you got me there im not a 30 year vetran! But I can read sign! And I got off topic. The traps I was referring to was otter and rat sets with conis. Personally I don't mess with coons much if any these days. Still a trap with a dead critter in it isn't producing its potential.Now if it was empty for the next taker. I just got accustomed to the laws at hand. But im sticking to my guns on a trap staked in deep water for coons is faster and just as effective as a drowner rig

First off,many traps wont connect on the first night,second, checking empty traps is unproductive.Traps have to be given time to connect.After 3 days leapfrog your first hundred and keep production high.
100 traps out for 3 nights is 300 trap nites.300 traps set for 3 nights is 900 trap nites.which do you think is going to produce the most fur in the shortest time?

Extended checking has nothing to do with distance to travel to the line it is about covering more territory with traps,increasing the number of trapnights and catching more fur.

When mink and rats were worth trapping I ran 3 75 trap loops. I was a bit illegal since we could only run a total of 75 traps but you got to do what you got to do.
It would take about a day each to set them and I never started checking till all 3 lines were set up. So I guess I was making 3 day checks. But back then we had NO check laws when It came to water sets. If there was dew on the grass we were good to go.
About 3' of chain on the trap no swivel at the stake. They would wind up around the stake and never get back to the shore line. A coon that gets wet and can't dry off Is dead.
Big traps and rats and mink were all dead hardly any wring offs on rats because the trap was high up on the shoulder same with mink.
As long as the coons foot was under water you were good to go.

Here in Kansas you have to check every 24 hours so it makes trapping Monday - Thursday very hard for me due to work unless I run the line in the evening.

Sign Is a crap shoot It's been laid down but will that critter come back once you start laying steel. I can't tell you how many days I have set On fresh deer sign and never killed a deer.

Rats are pretty predictable they don't travel far from where you found sign. Other then In the spring.

It's like sign under the bridge It never goes away. But It looks like a 100 mink have passed that way.

Helps to stay awake the whole time Gary.

That Isn't a problem LOL

Furbearer trapping is considerabley harder here in mo versus killing a deer! I gave up deer hunting it lost its luster to me! Yotes replaced that sparkle in my eye. And cats just give me a smile a mile wide!

I believe everyone is correct … It’s a (1) day check and (3) days trying to figure out how to cross the railroad tracks

Excellent in all respects!