My daughter is running a "long line" of DP coon traps, and has been getting a lot cleaned out by mice. I gave her a box of white golf balls to cap them off. She smeared bacon grease on each ball . Today there were several traps missing the golf balls, some set off others not; we looked all over and never found the balls. Any thoughts ? -Thanks

fox

Is this what they do ? It happen over night at two different locations. Two of the traps were 75 yds, apart with two in between on the same trail untouched.

Drill a hole thru the golf balls and cable them to the trap. Also, bait the trap and not the balls.

Traps were baited the bacon grease was more of a "call lure".

Soup cans are better for mice

I got a call from the local golf coarse. The golfers were complaining that fox were running out of the woods and stealing the golf balls that were on the greens.

I think that with bacon on the ball that almost any animal would want to take it rather than mess with the trap, being carried off is consistent with canine behavior, but I have seen coons carry a chicken a hundred yards and up a tree to eat it. Loose gear at a set is usually a nono for me, everything gets fastened down.

Probably a golfer going around teeing off on your set. A golfing line jumper.

My golf balls usually end up in the tall grass or the water if that helps give you an idea of were to look. Lol

9 oz plastic clear cup work perfect, forget the golf balls

Fill the DP right to the top and don't worry about using any kind of a cover.

Seems like a lot of goofing around to catch coon.

I was thinking the same thing. LOL

I heard $2 from the country buyer, I couldn't afford the cups or the balls. If I go after coons I'll have to blind set.

Here’s where I ended up this year, my Plug & Play method- IMO it’s extremely efficient. I pre-load all my DP’s the night before and plug them with a PVC cap, w/chain attached. When I get to the set, no effort to compress the spring as it’s almost all the way compressed, set trap, flip cap and put your favorite lure in the cap and move on. You can also tip the cap to keep rain out.

X2

Tried the plastic cup thing this year and never had one taken off-I did what add said-just filled them to the top every second day-which worked but I went through lots of cat food LOL.First time I used a fish based cat food this year and someone else suggested to use liquid smoke with it.I made a bunch this summer and sealed it up-when i opened it to use this fall it smelt amazing-and it sure worked! Pretty sure it was Calvin that suggested it.

My wife says the same thing about trapping in general.

I have a few areas, mostly under bridges- that if I had no cap or cover, I would get cleaned out every night, no big deal… mice haul off cat food the same way they squirrel away decon pellets. For me the debate is not – to cover or not cover. I run over 100 DP’s, big marshmallow on trigger, ½ full of catfish pellets or cat food covered in molasses (I make ahead of time), all loaded the night before- cap on ready to go. Stick it in the ground, squirt some trailing fish oil and move on. When checking, I only carry a small remake bag with kibbles and a .22. I move every 4 days, reinsert PVC plug and pull traps, I don’t have to worry about shaking out the DP or having cat food all over the back of my truck. For me the cap is the same convenience as a rifle clip, everything is self-contained. I personally would rather bait than feed … but again, stay with whatever is working for you.