After having a couple cubby sets destroyed by a caught raccoon, I need to do something different.

I bought some DP’s to set nearby. I have never used them before. Do I just put some marshmellows in the bottom of them for bait? Whats up with people putting golf balls on top of them?

Golf balls are used to keep mice and rats out, they aren’t very weather proof though. If a rat can move the golf ball, he’s generally waiting for me in the trap.
As far as marshmallows, I’d probably try whatever you caught them on in your cubby sets. Maybe marshmallow below the trigger and a dab of whatever on top.

Mark June posted in a thread of mine in lure formulators tab about how he sets dp's to protect his cat sets in this format. cant find the thread no but in principle he sets four dp's two up wind and two down wind of his set equal distant from the set on the trail with his own bait in them and this really helps his Cat sets. If i remember right though he put emphasis on the up and down wind part for the locations to lure the coon away from the sets. Might ask Mark or see if he chimes in here. His knowledge and ability far exceeds mine. I would hate to put words out as his and be incorrect.

For added punch, I like to add about 4-5 drops of my food based PrimeTime coon lure to each DP and watch out...
I have to get raccoons cleaned out many times on the ranches here in Texas as they muck with my pretty dog and cat sets. So I need them gone quick!
Or if I'm trapping delicious cat country in NW Nebraska, I set two DPs upwind and two DPs down wind of the high dollar bobcat set to ambush the little boogers before they find the sweet set. I have found this to be a A-1 combo that stands the weather and keeps on reaching out.

Quote from Mark June above. copied from another thread.

Prime time coon is his lure and he also has a dp bait which was referenced by me in the thread as well.

The golf ball is not a requirement and only used if you have a mouse problem cleaning out dp's. I don't use them until i find the problem. otherwise i would have a ton of golf balls in the field all the time. Usually about 25% or so of my dp's end up with a ball on it to stop mouse thieves.

It is one of the reasons I don't like using cubbies.It is a lot of work to build and more to rebuild.It is tough to keep coons out of about anything but adding extra sets can help.Also if cats don't commit to a cubby,they sometimes circle around,behind the cubby and a well blocked in blind set may grab them.I would expect a coon to take a more direct route,straight in the front.

Coons are generally a little easier to catch with foot traps vs DP's,so you may have better luck with traps you are more familier with.At any rate,I think 2 or 3 new sets around your existing cubbies,might hedge your bet and .I believe it could increase your odds If those sets could also catch and hold a bobcat,just in case.Maybe those coons will thin out quicker than you think and give that bobcat a chance to come in.

Good luck.Keep working on it till you connect!

Here in ks i wait for cold weather. Cats don't really fur up good till after xmas anyway. If you have to set early for them make multiple sets. Not to close together though. Coons can be vicious and you want your next set some feet away so a coon wont keep a cat from working your set.

Don't fool with cubbys unless you need to keep sets working through a heavy snow. They are a waste of time. Cubbys catch cats just fine but so does a blocked down dirt hole with GOOD pee in the backing and bait in the hole. Red fox coyote or cat bladder pee all works about the same.

Some rabbit fur or sheeps wool or chicken feathers ,with carmens magna glan in your dirt hole is good. John grahm makes a gland lure called tom cat I like to put close to the trap on the side opposite the hole. A good prepared coyote bait in the hole or even fresh jack mackerel works good too.

Do you have any pics of some of your blocked down dirthole sets?

no motley row i do not.

That's a very accurate quote from me!

Or wait until deeper in winter when cats are more prime around here and coon are less active.

Jim

Unfortunately not an option for me, I drew a tag this year in Wisconsin, and my season only goes to December 25th, so I need to be trapping now.

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I’ll just keep plugging away, and hopefully I’ll get some of these ringtails in my new DP’s.

How did it work out for you Motley?

The coon issue is 1 of the reasons I held out for the later season, but so far it hasn't proven successful, & I'm dealing with a lot of snow which I'm unsure is helping or hurting me.

I did good at keeping coon out...until yesterday. They must really be moving now. 1 hit a cubby yesterday, and a dirt hole today.