Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
#6993249
09/17/20 09:20 PM
09/17/20 09:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168 Rochester, MN
Teacher
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6993450
09/18/20 01:55 AM
09/18/20 01:55 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,121 sseMinnesota
blackhammer
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,121
sseMinnesota
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6993488
09/18/20 06:37 AM
09/18/20 06:37 AM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,666 Wisconsin
Green Bay
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,666
Wisconsin
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6993661
09/18/20 11:16 AM
09/18/20 11:16 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168 Rochester, MN
Teacher
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trapper
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OP
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6993686
09/18/20 12:11 PM
09/18/20 12:11 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168 Rochester, MN
Teacher
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OP
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6994082
09/18/20 10:30 PM
09/18/20 10:30 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,619 Nebraska
WadeRyan
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 2,619
Nebraska
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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
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,336 SE MN
2cylinder
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,336
SE MN
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6994487
09/19/20 10:42 AM
09/19/20 10:42 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168 Rochester, MN
Teacher
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OP
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Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6997333
09/22/20 04:11 PM
09/22/20 04:11 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168 Rochester, MN
Teacher
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OP
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
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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
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6997380
09/22/20 06:08 PM
09/22/20 06:08 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 177 Minnesota
Gerald Schmitt
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Posts: 177
Minnesota
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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.
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Re: Pre-baiting coon in Minnesota
[Re: Teacher]
#6997488
09/22/20 08:15 PM
09/22/20 08:15 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168 Rochester, MN
Teacher
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,168
Rochester, MN
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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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