So I:ve been using some 160s in trails for coons, and I seem to have it figured out pretty well. Problem is, I can't use them on public land, we're limited to a 5x5 on land. So I'd like to go to a 155 in trails for coons. I did a little archive searching and it seems doable. Is there much to it other than raising up the stand a little more (4-ish" off the ground) and making sure it's in a tight trail, and blended well? Are they just as willing to stick their heads right in em they way they do with the 160's? I really like using the 160's but if going to 155's is going to be a huge pain, I'll just go to footholds in trails, which also work for me.

Pick points that are really tight and line the trap up with the hole in the trail like you would with a snare.

I'm no pro coon trapper but I feel 155's are way to small for coon.

Sure you can catch young of the year coons in them but big boars, I doubt it.

This guys head barely fit in a 220.



I'd try legholds.

I'd go with footholds as my primary and use the 155 when you find the ideal, very tight spot. Scott Adams out of Ohio had a good video on 5x5 conibers on coon. "Tactical trapping" or something like that.

Try them and let us know.

Interesting... I used to use 220's. Now I use 160 for coon's. 160's are deadlier. The coons try to stick their head through the smallest opening, and 160's. In a small opening box. I would have figured big coons wouldn't try it, but they certainly do.

I have poor luck with a 5" BG trap for our Northern Nebraska coon. A 7" is about as small as I go as I have tried 6" ones and they require a certain narrower spot than a 7" which can mean a lot of searching for the "just right spot". I have caught 3-5 coon in the 110 size in my life and 3 coyotes in the 220 size BG (over 30 red fox in 1 season with a 220 sized BG) so if a critter can get his head in, the trap usually holds them. A foot trap will get you a variety of marketable fur with few, if any, misses.................................. my take

I live in a 155 state they suck! work great on kits but big coons will go around or over them.

This Is what you need to do If your only BG choice Is a 155 sized trap.
First you need to know a coon won't back up once It's committed. So you need some wire fencing then form It like a loaf of bread. Make It about 24" long and about 12" high and about 8" wide
Place your trap on It's stabilizer and keep It about 5" off the ground now place the cover over the trap and keep the trap about half way Inside the cover. Use some T bar stakes to keep the cover In place. Or when your cutting your wire just leave a few wire prongs along the bottom. That way you can just shove them Into the ground.

Once that coon commits to that cover It's not going to back up or be able to go around that trap or over the top of It.

The other thing you want to do Is shove some debris under the trap so the coon will keep It's head up and not try and go under It.

I don't try and cover the cover there Is no need to do so. In fact I think by covering the cover your making It more noticeable.

This makes the 160 a real coon killer It should also help you If you have to use a 155 sized BG.

I've never tried elevating a BG very high in a blind trail set. It might work. I'm not sure if states have laws on how far off the ground an open BG can be set. Good question though.
You could always use DP's...quick to set & effective.

Your missing the boat If your placing your traps right On the ground. Do you think a coon moves around with It's head tight to the ground? Get that trap 4" to 5" off the ground and fill In that space under the trap.

You can force the coon to the ground by putting limbs with a lot of branches over the trap. You need to make it several feet on either side of the the trap. Of course that's a lot of work when you can raise the trap up on it's springs and use a tbar to stabilize the trap.

All my H stands have the legs cut off at about 6" And I have welded my stake to the center of the stand. When I make the set the legs go Into the ground about 1" to keep the stand from turning. Lots of trappers use those legs on the stand to stake the trap not a good Idea. The problem I have found Is trying to get both legs In to the ground . There are more times then not you hit a root or a rock with one leg and then you have to move.

I have found the more you try and camouflage or blend In a BG In a trail the more refusals you will have.

No way I'd waste my time trying to get a coon into a 155. There are so many other easier, more productive ways to catch them. Save them 155s for small skunk sized holes or whatever and set footholds or DP's in them trails. IMO.