I'm looking for plans or dimensions for some soon boxes
I am limited to 5"x5" in Missouri and have about 30 155's. My nephew is going with me this year and the boxes will be "his line". He'll be involved from start to finish on making boxes, dying traps, checking, skinning and finishing pelts. Any help is appreciated.

I made mine from 1 x 10 lumber for top, bottom and back end, and 3/8" plywood for the sides.

Lumber is 16 inches, end is 7 1/2 inches and is inset inside top and bottom (screws into end through top and bottom) and plywood is 9" x 16" and all screws through the plywood into the solid wood of the top, bottom and end. Reason for lumber is I've never been a big fan of running screws or nails into edge grain of plywood.

If a person was going to be building a bunch of these, there are some tricks you could use with marine epoxy that would enable you to build the whole thing out of 1/4 plywood.

In my limited experience with coon, keep the trap at least 3 inches off the ground so they don't have to duck down to go in. I also make the bottom cut out to at least the trap jaw as their prefer to walk on dirt over a board. 16 inches to the bait makes them stick their head in and not just reach in.

Randy Adams has an excellent dvd trail trapping coons with the 155s https://www.schmittent.com/adams-tactical-5-x-5-coon-trapping-scott-adams. You could run less cubbies and snag coons with his methods on the same trails. I set a box and a trail set or two at each location.

15/32 plywood. All four sides 7 3/4” wide. The top and the bottom go to the inside of the sides so that it is slightly wider than it is tall if that makes sense. Make the slots for the trap 1/2” wide.

I make my boxes 16” deep with slots for the trap just deep enough for the trap to fit inside the opening, which I think is 4”. I put wire in the back of mine Because I have a bunch of it but a solid back is fine too.

Started building some boxes for 155’s and have a question. Why have a bottom?

I thought about the same thing and came up with this.

If you set those you're going to have all the skunks and possums you care to skin. Even here in Iowa where you can use real raccoon sized traps, boxes are not a highly productive set and they collect all the trash. I don't mean to sound discouraging but before you put a ton of effort into it you really should try just 6-12 and see for yourself.



You better stake that box down solid, I can't see any other way to get a coon to get down and crawl in there. I set my snares for coons often 7-8" up off the ground. A big coon is not short and would flip that box right over to get at the bait, likely do the same even if it had a bottom with that tiny opening.

Based on my experience you all would be better off with DP traps if you don't want to get in the water to catch raccoons and are limited to tiny body grip traps like those.

~ADC~

ADC. Thanks for your input but I was given a dozen new 155’ for my BD. With prices today it’s time for fun time. Two more points. I’m sure our coon are no where as big as yours and I may try also for fisher.
Rendezvous. How long is the “back bottom “board?

10-4. I don't know anything about fisher so you may have something great there for them. Good luck.

Thanks for the input guys. And as far as catching trash I don't mind the skunks and oppsums. Skunks are very consistent selling and the essence is worth more than nearly any fur I catch and the oppsums are great for teaching someone young to be careful with a knife and even more careful fleshing. They are thin skinned and not worth anything if you mess up.

Have you found a buyer for the opossums you put up or do you just use them for practice/training purposes? I typically just release them as I dont normally run conies on dryland so mine are always alive.

The box is 14" long and the "back bottom" board is 8" long. I made these boxes primarily for Fisher. These cubbies are usually set next to stone wall or area with a lot of down trees, easily anchored by simply placing a rock, log or two, or a combination of the two.

Outdoor Guy, typically it's just training purposes I don't target possums but its bound to happen that you catch a few and I can get those tanned or just use for training. I don't encourage wasting any animal that I catch. Also there is rumor that Groenwolds is buying oppsums this year also.

Been playing with boxes for a long time and like them. Here's what works for me...IF you are using cheap, second hand wood you have two options...remove the boxes from property annually.
(Its best to get permission from land owner to leave them out). OR paint the crap out of them. I can get about 4-8 years out of a painted box compared to about 2-3 years. Pre bait the boxes a few weeks ahead of the season. I like triggers facing my baits. Use coni pan trigger system of some sort. I like Chip Davis' pans. I feel the coni pans really invites the animal into the box.
Stake solidly. For the #155 boxes I make the boxes about 6 1/4 X 6 1/4 and around 14-18 long. Hope this helps....