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Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota #6993249
09/17/20 09:20 PM
09/17/20 09:20 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Teacher Offline OP
trapper
Teacher  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Because of chronic wasting disease, nothing that might attract and cause deer to congregate can be used as a coon pre-bait. Today, I asked a warden I know if fishfood pellets fall under that requirement. As I recall, fishfood pellets, such as koi or catfish feed pellets are pelletized fishmeal. I suspect however, they might contain some flour and other things which are binders, which would keep them from being acceptable.

Sweet feed (contains molasses and grain) won’t work. Creep feed contains bits of corn and possibly pelletized alfalfa hay. Calf starter may contain molasses though I’m not sure. According to the DNR rules, grain, fruit, vegetables, essentially anything that can attract deer can’t be used On or near the ground.

I’m leaning towards raking fish meal and a combination of fragrant oils (including smoke oil) Into the soil over a 3 ft circle. Does anyone have another bulk material idea that isn’t attractive to deer to suggest?


Never too old to learn
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993259
09/17/20 09:31 PM
09/17/20 09:31 PM
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 74
Tennessee
C
chicken1 Offline
trapper
chicken1  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 74
Tennessee
We used lots of used fryer grease and fish scraps for bears. Fry grease was from the back of a restaurant. Put it in a sprayer.(big mesh filter). Was free 20 years ago.

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993449
09/18/20 01:45 AM
09/18/20 01:45 AM
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 271
MN
K
K9BeavCoon Offline
trapper
K9BeavCoon  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 271
MN
Ran cat food, marshmallows with jello powder. I’m sure fish pellets would work as well. The oil in the cat food makes the jello powder Bond to everything. Used bait station made from 5gallon buckets to target coon (look up Sam Woods Burger King coon trapping on YouTube) I would imagine you might be able to use corn in a coon specific feeder.

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993450
09/18/20 01:55 AM
09/18/20 01:55 AM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,121
sseMinnesota
blackhammer Offline
trapper
blackhammer  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,121
sseMinnesota
Why on earth would you find pre baiting necessary in southern Minnesota???


Ah,for the life of a millionaire,say some,but just let me stay a trapper. Bill Nelson
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993488
09/18/20 06:37 AM
09/18/20 06:37 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,666
Wisconsin
G
Green Bay Offline
trapper
Green Bay  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,666
Wisconsin
Especially with the current prices. You will burn more money in gas and bait than they are worth.


Author of The Lure Hunter: A Guide to Finding Fishing Lures
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993639
09/18/20 10:20 AM
09/18/20 10:20 AM
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 195
Central Minnesota
Outdoors Guy Offline
trapper
Outdoors Guy  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 195
Central Minnesota
What I will be doing this year is I took a bunch of old meat scraps, bacon grease etc and froze it all for now and will be adding that into my cat food / dog food that i will be using for some more substance and they will smell it better as well. its no harm because it all would have been thrown out if I were to not use it anyways. I will be going pretty hard trapping for a week this year and then doing it around my job after that so i have to make that week count so i will be prebaiting to help condense animals to locations so i can set traps at these areas and not need to be so spread out throughout the property. yes you do not catch them all this way and some people do not necessary to their particular situation but it is to create a habit for them to come back because they got food at this location and that habit will bring them back to the traps. We will see how well it works this year and be able to see if it helps for my particular situation as time is the only piece of my trapping season i need more of haha. I have the link to the DNR for the counties that are not allowed to have bait attracting deer. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/cwd/feedban.html

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993661
09/18/20 11:16 AM
09/18/20 11:16 AM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Teacher Offline OP
trapper
Teacher  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
In my county, chronic wasting disease has been identified. The DNR rules for much of SE Minnesota say nothing that might/could concentrate deer can be put out. Dry cat food contains flour as a binder and might be considered within the ban though I’ve never heard of deer eating kitten kibble or Friskie’s seafood blend.

I like catching coon and doing it fast. Concentrating coon helps do that. My farming friends like seeing them come off in bunches.

I’ve now got a liquid smoke and anise mix that I’ll rake in And will follow with a trail cam. Will keep you posted.

Last edited by Teacher; 09/18/20 12:23 PM. Reason: Corrections and additions

Never too old to learn
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993673
09/18/20 11:43 AM
09/18/20 11:43 AM
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 195
Central Minnesota
Outdoors Guy Offline
trapper
Outdoors Guy  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 195
Central Minnesota
trying that and also you can try old meat, fish would work well as well. meat is not on the list so you should be on the up and up for that. you can catch a bunch of carp or whatever is readily available in your area, take out the guts, chunk it up and apply some kind of preservative if you choose like salt or something else.

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993686
09/18/20 12:11 PM
09/18/20 12:11 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Teacher Offline OP
trapper
Teacher  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Meat is a problem in that exposed animal protein might attract eagles—there is a restriction on how close you can set to exposed meat.

I’m not trying to buck the rules. The warden is young. I’ve kind of known her for years. The fish food pellets, which I’ll assume are fish meal, bone meal and some sort of binder may or may not contain grain. And I can appreciate the chronic wasting disease argument even if I don’t agree with it completely. Being in corn country where bushels are dropped occasionally between the picker and the drop box wagon has to be / is more of a concentrator than a 5-gallon bucket hanging on a tree with 4 pounds of dry dog food, sweet feed, shell corn, or creep feed with its bits of corn. Liquid baits raked in are an option.

I’ve done the fryer oil with success. But I had too much of it spilled in the back of the truck—which was my fault. But I’d rather use something dry if I can.

Sam Wood’s Burger King method would be good if we didn’t have the feeding restrictions we have in the counties where I trap. The DNR says no grain, vegetables, fruits, hay or ingredients that will (or even might) cause deer to congregate, can be put out. Consequently, liquids and fryer oils seem to be the direction to go.


Never too old to learn
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6993775
09/18/20 03:37 PM
09/18/20 03:37 PM
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 195
Central Minnesota
Outdoors Guy Offline
trapper
Outdoors Guy  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 195
Central Minnesota
Correct you would not be able to set next to your prebait if you were to use meat but for prebaiting not trapping it would work, once season came around and you are to trap the area you would then just need to either clear that area of that prebait, or set further away from it to follow the restrictions, a note on the fryer oil you can put it into milk jugs which is what i do that way it will not leak and it is a good amount of oil for you too use at a time and easy to carry as well.

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6994010
09/18/20 09:22 PM
09/18/20 09:22 PM
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,820
Frazee, MN
B
backroadsarcher Offline
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trapper
B

Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,820
Frazee, MN
Licorice would work for early pre baiting. I have about 200lbs I would part with!!

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6994082
09/18/20 10:30 PM
09/18/20 10:30 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,619
Nebraska
WadeRyan Offline
trapper
WadeRyan  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,619
Nebraska
With your restrictions and if you are dead set on baiting for coons. Find a bakery. Ask for what they don't sell and have to throw out. Donuts, pastries, etc. I can't say I have ever heard of a deer eating a donut but I've been told the bears and raccoons will go crazy for them.

Last edited by WadeRyan; 09/18/20 10:31 PM.

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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6994315
09/19/20 07:27 AM
09/19/20 07:27 AM
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,336
SE MN
2cylinder Offline
trapper
2cylinder  Offline
trapper

Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,336
SE MN
I dont know how much baiting you'll be doing. But cat food in the 40 pound bags for $20 might be your best bet. They've been hitting it hard in the barn lately.


Rebuilding john deere and international/farmall carburetors
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6994487
09/19/20 10:42 AM
09/19/20 10:42 AM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Teacher Offline OP
trapper
Teacher  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
If I was close to Frazee I’d take you up on it. Lucky 7 Bear Baits is closer so if I want to try it I’d probably start there.

Cat food is made with a flour ingredient. I was told in a pocket set or dogproof it would be okay because the quantity was small and it would be enclosed, and yada, yada, yada.

I sent an email to the warden about the bread/bakery raccoon packs of old donuts and pastries. We have bears here in southeastern Minnesota and I suspect people are baiting them, if for no other reason than getting shots with cameras. Donuts have flour as an ingredient, but I’ve never encountered a donut pile with deer tracks around it.

Baiting for the sake of seeing what actually works has been interesting. JabNE put me onto mixing various pellet type feeds With liquid attractants. Kitchen chow or cat fish pellets mixed with persimmon oil has been phenomenal. The same base with Kaatz’s Smokin Aces has been too. Molasses with these bases has been so-so. Kool Aid with a little salmon oil (to make it stick) hasn’t gotten much attention.

My nose is getting old so for me, it takes several ounces of liquid smoke to give 4 cups of kitten chow much of an odor. I suspect the coon have better noses. Cherry oil mixed with corn syrup over cat food wasn’t as good as persimmon oil or Smokin Aces. So far, these two have the most odor and the fastest responses.

This week I’m going to try fish meal raked into loose dirt and then sprinkled with liquid smoke with anise for more of a draw.

To stay legal I’ll use the liquid smoke I have on hand. Cumberlands had liquid smoke for less than $15 a gallon a could years ago so I bought some to use with pre-baiting. I added the anise after being a sucker for Locklear’s sales pitch. His product does work but $29 for 16 ounces isn’t a deal when you can get a close second for under $20 per gallon.


Never too old to learn
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: blackhammer] #6995933
09/21/20 08:44 AM
09/21/20 08:44 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,005
N Central Iowa 40+
iayogi17 Offline
trapper
iayogi17  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,005
N Central Iowa 40+
Originally Posted by blackhammer
Why on earth would you find pre baiting necessary in southern Minnesota???


I'm with you on this one Paul


Brad Mohr
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6996148
09/21/20 12:35 PM
09/21/20 12:35 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,194
Maine, Aroostook
Posco Offline
trapper
Posco  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,194
Maine, Aroostook
This is what my bear baits look like at every site every night.
[Linked Image]

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6997333
09/22/20 04:11 PM
09/22/20 04:11 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Teacher Offline OP
trapper
Teacher  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Some of you trap in coon kingdoms. We have a bunch where I live but huge corn and bean fields bordered by a few trees, a house and farm buildings, with even fewer streams and the occasional wood lot means they could be anywhere. Prebaiting gives me a better idea of who’s home and if they can be enticed to a good access location.


Never too old to learn
Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6997380
09/22/20 06:08 PM
09/22/20 06:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 177
Minnesota
G
Gerald Schmitt Offline
trapper
Gerald Schmitt  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 177
Minnesota
I fully understand that coon trapping is not profitable at current prices levels, not matter how efficient you are. That said, I think Teacher has a good idea.

Looking at it from a numbers perspective, you see some of the largest coon catches being made in Iowa. I'm talking about catches of one thousand on up. Good trappers that know their area, and know when to pull and move, and know how to move hard and fast. Most of these large catches are being made with pocket sets in the water. Three month season, some years open water for much of that time, depending on what part of the state you are in. Minnesota,and even in Northern Iowa you are going to get froze out most years. You can trap a lot of coon in or near the water, but you have a shorter window before the weather shuts down production line trapping. Yes, you can catch some coon in conibear boxes in the winter, or in open water with footholds and DPs during warm spells. But you generally have a shorter window to maximize your coon catch. At least in the time frame when the coon are prime, and you have open water and no snow.

Looking at how many coon hit deer feeders or bear baits is an eye opener. We have had a deer hunting customer in a state were deer feeders are legal buy a dozen DPs, set them by the bait station, and have 12 coon the next day. Raccoons will travel a far distance, once they have found a consistent food source. And they will visit this site night after night.

Running pockets or DPs even in good coon locations, it takes awhile to trap the coon in an area. Certainly longer than it takes to catch the mink at a location. The coon just keep coming in, over a longer period of time. Pre baiting would be a way of concentrating them in one small area, and being able to catch the bulk of them in 2 or maybe 3 checks. With 8-10 DPs around a bait station. You would have less stops than a traditional mink or coon line, but your coons per stop would be much higher, and you could pull and move more frequently into new areas.

The really good trappers that I know are always thinking about one thing: How can I catch the most animals in the easiest and quickest way possible. Or, what I would call someone's system.

I think most trappers underestimate how many raccoons live in good habitat, good den trees, good water source, and access to cornfields. Just because you are catching some coon, doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. I've generally focused on mink over the years, but caught every coon I could in my mink sets. But I know I am leaving a lot behind. I think raccoon trapping will be more profitable than mink trapping in the foreseeable future. I think a system like Teacher is talking about could really shine. I respect Teacher for thinking outside the box, so to speak, especially in poor market conditions, when you can make more money doing almost anything except for trapping.

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6997424
09/22/20 07:06 PM
09/22/20 07:06 PM
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,207
Missouri
H
HayDay Offline
trapper
HayDay  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,207
Missouri
If looking for baits to try........dry cat food laced with a sweet / smoky BBQ sauce.

May be more addictive than crystal meth.

Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota [Re: Teacher] #6997488
09/22/20 08:15 PM
09/22/20 08:15 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
Teacher Offline OP
trapper
Teacher  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
For those who think it’s foolish to trap in a no-market market, yeah I know where you’re coming from. But it’s my “thing”. Some people hunt, others ice fish, others sit around and talk about the fur booms of 1979 and 2014. I just enjoy being out there, talking to property owners who have become friends over the years. They like to see the catches and will bring their home schooled kids out for a nature lesson.


Never too old to learn
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