Hey folks, I dont chase coon normally, whatever i pick up in coyote, fisher sets. But if i wanted to cherry pick some bigger coon, whats the best way? Live traps or dps? Id like to let the small ones free to live another day.

Trap on higher ground where the males tend to hang out. imo

Sounds like that is what he is doing already. Don't know for sure, but when Im trail setting it seems like the first one or two are big, then they seem to reduce in size.

A DP is a live trap, same as a foothold...…...I spose you mean cage traps?
but small coon can be released from either

I did mean cage traps yes. Sorry.

I just keep my big ones . It seams in my area your better of dispatching them all to help reduce over population and distemper.Im not positive on this but im starting to believe in a over populated environment the coons start to dwarf.

I usually catch the biggest coons in canine sets. Maybe try using coyote lures. Get a catch pole and release the little ones.

same here.
I dispatch everyone I catch. if I got caught releasing a coon of any size on any of my properties I guarantee you I would lose that property.

Following

I've heard that using coyote, bobcat, or 'coon gland lure during breeding season really catches those boars. I HIGHLY recommend NOT turning any loose! They'll come back to haunt you, mark my words! As for traps, I like Duke DP's or any #1 1/2 coilspring.

If you want to release the smaller coons my first choice would not be DP's.

If your trap for them during the rut and put your DP right on their trails you will pick up more bore coon as they are traveling more looking for sows.

Stay away from water and trap the uplands like fox areas. The smaller ones are typically found along water. That's all they know.
A good coyote gland lure works well with them at post of flat sets. Cold weather is good for big coon too. Little one die or hole up.
Make sure your trap is bedded well. If you have any loose dirt they will find your trap and cause you problems when they figure out it is a game of hide the trap every night.

I am not a big numbers coon guy, we just do not have the numbers. I have observed that I tend to get my largest raccoons in late season fisher sets and in spring hole sets.

From my experience box traps would be the way to go.I tried bringing a couple coon home for dog training that where caught in dps and they all tend to chew their foot off below where they where caught in the first day.

I catch more coon in cage traps then any other method and use them when I can drive up to the set location. If I only want the bigger coon mainly boars, I will use k9 or cat gland lure and urine. along with a bait and lure. I snare and DP a lot of coon but for releasing small ones or sows the cage can not be beat with ease and time.

I catch coons in my coyote sets. The ones that show up in big pastures with no row crops for several miles are usually huge. They are competing directly with coyotes for the same food. Primarily rodents. A few frogs and crawdads around ponds, and small creeks, maybe some sod worms here and there, dandelion flowers and who knows what all but competing with coyotes. Including a knock down drag out brawl time to time. I don't catch a lot of them in those big pastures but they are always huge. Unfortunately usually poor color. Yellow most of the time.

Same for me here
J

Here in Utah its law to kill them on sight. At least last I checked.

Yep. Fence lines along ridges with large trees that connect crop fields always seem to produce the biggest(and driest) big boar 'coon around here.