Does anybody have experience with using the MB 450 OS for DRYLAND coon? I have areas that the big boars run the ridges and cornfield edges, I want to take them there. I have plenty of DP's, not the way I want to go in this situation. I want to take the skunks and possums too, they are too thick, hurting the turkey hatch. This will be trapping in fur season.

They work great and will hold the yotes that get in them to. I will say that no matter what trap you use for dry coon, bed them solidly and pack the dirt around them. A coon will dig up any wiggly thing they come across, and loose dirt to. A coon will teach a trapper how poorly his trap is bedded every time.
Good luck with killin them ridge coon.

Body grips In those trails will catch all the critters you mentioned.
But the MB450s will also work.

I’ve caught plenty of opossum and skunk in DP traps.

Not a fan of OS for dryland coon trapping but if you can backfoot them it should work better.
Jim

X2, if you are buying these traps specifically for skunks, coons, and possums, get the closed jaw. The offset jaw does work, but I’ve lost more than a few coon in the offset version.

I guess If It were me I'd be using BGs and Dps In those trails. And If It comes to just foot holds I'd be buying used traps or New Dukes.

I may not be considered a trapper and might be considered lazy, but I’m not setting anything that requires bedding for coons. DP’s work just fine for that.

If you want to take the skunks, possums, and coon, the go for the BGs and the DPs for sure. All will take those three same species and the traps are actually more specific to those small game than the 450s are. Any dryland coon set guarded with a 450 can take many other species than the BGs and DPs.
Find the tight trails and hit them. Leave the 450 OS at home would be my choice in the situation you are describing and especially this time of year
Jim

The MB450os is my favorite dry coon trap. I lower the pan tension to 1# and take all the animals mentioned. Very few losses! Make sure to add at least a mid chain swivel. From trap to anchor the chain swivel setup is 12-14 inches. Ya gotta give coon a bit of freedom..

I can think of cheaper traps to use for those species but if you’ve got them, you might as well use them.

So, I appreciate everyone's input, but let's change the question. In order to use a cheaper trap, you decide to use the Duke 1.5. I don't care for the standard jaw for coon on dry ground. Would you use the Duke 1.5 laminated, or the Duke 1.5 DJ. Remember, we are talking DRYLAND.

Do you not have any DP’s?
I catch coon and possums all the time in OS 550’s. Not setting for them, just my luck when trying to catch coyotes.
When targeting coons, all dry land, unless you count setting a creek bank as water sets, they’re all DP’s.

That's interesting... in my experience when ever I decrease pan tension I get more toe catches with dry land coon. That's why I have always went a little on the heavier side on pan tension. I guess that's the good thing about this site is you can see everyone has there own techniques that work for them but maybe not everyone, it can give new guys different ideas to mess with and develop what works for them.

And what are laminations going to do for you?

I don't know Mr. Beav, that's why I asked the question. There sure seems to be a lot of people using the laminated Duke 1.5 on coon for some reason. I personally have never used a laminated trap on coon.

I have lots of DP's, some years running near 100, but I, unlike most do not believe they are the sun, moon and stars all rolled into one. Are they a great trap? YES, no question. But there are situations they are not the best option. I've trapped this same area since 1974, but I'm still trying to learn new ways, new techniques, new traps, new baits, to do a better job every year. It's not just about piling up dead coons on the fur shed floor. Most of the farmers I trap on, want me to take care of the fur bearers on their place. One guy ran a coon through his combine radiator when he started in in late winter to move it. $9000 later his combine was fixed. Now he wants all the coons gone, all the time. I have the run of the place. Another raises sheep. "Do what u want, go were you want, just keep the coyotes in check." Some of these guys knew my parents bf I was born. It's as much a community service sometimes as anything. I want every trick in my trapping bag I can learn.

well to be honest with you I see no need for them In your situation. They don't eliminate any chewing and as far as I can tell the coon Isn't any more comfortable when laminations are used. After several minutes with out circulation the animals foot goes to sleep and It feels nothing.

Most laminations are made from round stock so that may do away with the sharp edges on the factory jaws. But a file will do the same thing.
The rank and file believe that with the addition of laminations will spread out the force of initial hit to the foot. That may be so but after the trap closes It's mote point In my opinion. I also belive that laminations being round with no edge will allow the foot more movement.
Laminations will not give you a better hold on that foot while a square faced jaw will give you more holding power.

I will admit to using laminations while trapping for the live market but that Is just to do away with any visual effects of capture. But When I used laminations I used Inside laminations.
But since your not trapping for the live market I don't think laminations are of much of a benefit.

Thank you for that explaination.

I just want to know what y’all feed the coons to keep the population so high? I took 19 coons last year and only 3 this year off the same property. None on cameras either. And you’ve been trapping the same property for 45 years and they still have problems with them. I can’t even find a track.

Corn and beans as far as the eye can see with a few creeks, farm ponds and the river mixed in. I heard of a guy a few miles away that caught 44, and disposed of them, with two live traps on his deck in one summer.

That’s $440-660 down here, $10-15 per small critter. We have agriculture but no where near the numbers like that.

That was the homeowner that caught 44 on a temporary nuisance permit.

I don't try to catch them all unless there is a real problem. Some years I may have permission to trap on 60 or more farms but can't get to every one each season. Plus with the coons filling in where you make a vacancy, they do alright. There are very few coon hunters left and probably less than a dozen trappers in any county around me.

Your old fox traps with chew guards.

#11 just wondering what part of western Illinois your at? when you say the river I assume the big muddy miss? there sure are a heck of a lot of coon along that entire stretch of river. I actually am planning a trip of to savanna area this fall with my sons to trap for 4 days on the edge of the river outta a boat. should be good time. im in Stephenson county and ogle county and a little in Winnebago county.

I've caught a lot of coon in offsets (mine are BMI Wolfers) but you will lose one now and then. I think the 450 with regular jaws would be ideal. A perfect coon trap is usually not a perfect all around land trap. For strictly coon, a 1.5 double jaw is better, IMO. I agree that dps are not always the best option. I've set many on trails and had a blind foothold out perform them.

I trap the Illinois River along the Beardstown and Meredosia pools. That Savanna area will be nice. They have a really nice coon up there. I have always wanted to find an area to trap north of I-80 for the first 10 days of season.

You've got good coon around Beardstown too. Illinois has some good fur. Most of the coon I get on land come out of body traps or DP's. I get a few in coyote sets.

i have trapped hancock, schuyler, and mcdonough counties. good fur there too.

Used #11 and #1 Blake and Lambs for dryland coon when I first started. I caught a few coyotes and foxes in those. They are a tough trap.

Smooth rounded jaws are not good for coons. Once they chew, you got 2 smooth slick bones to hang onto. Without a sharp edge to bite into them they are likely to pull them free.

Yes we do. I also find the farther I get away from the river the better fur and better color I have. It always appeared to me at fur sales that I-70 was kind of the breaking line in fur. Then again about Galesburg -Peoria-Bloomington. My good friend at Roseville has some very nice coon.

There are pockets of good and bad ones all over. On the flat ground we get coons that live in filed tiles and they rub their fur early.