Hey guys, I've experienced a lot of pullouts and a couple chewouts in the last couple days. Running 15 dozen Duke w/Wild River pans and Bridger 1.5s on drowning rigs at pocket sets. I've switched over from T posts to regular stakes on the trap end of the drowner to keep them from getting tangled up. Also plan on adding another swivel 3 inches away from the trap. What should I do to further reduce this issue? Four coil and lamination? Thanks.

When I'm just coon trapping I just run all DPs and all my canine traps are off set trap, with 3 swivels on them, no lost fur.

Always set the trap so the coon can’t get out of the water unless you are using dp’s then avoid entanglement if at all possible.

Pan tension upped a bit so they have a lot more weight committed before trap firing, gets you deeper holds than just toes. Can also try setting for back foot vs. Front foot catches, had better luck with back foot holds on bigger coon.
Swivels...lots of swivel points. Should be at least one at the trap, a double swivel mid-chain, and one on end.
Shorten up chains too. Don't let them roam around at all they can grab with all four feet so set with no brush or roots, weeds nearby to grab onto for powering out. Long chains get wrapped up and swivels won't work for you.
Keep them in water if making water sets. Even if not drowned or water too shallow, their fur isn't water proof and stake them so the stay out in water...a cold night hypothermia is your friend.
I catch a ton of coon on purpose every year in dirthole sets. Short chains, lots of swivels, bed traps solidly (even in water sets, bed solidly), and move it back s bit like you would for a coyote set so you back foot catch them. I run a lot of bridger 1.5s and duke 1.5s in dirt sets for coon.
Also, pockets and dirtholes, make em deep and put the bait far back in so they use front feet to grab food and shuffle their back feet around over your pan.
DPs too, short chains, lots of swivels, don't give them anything nearby to grab on to. They will be waiting for you next check if you do all those things.

on a slider, you cant have the top stake sticking up where the coon can tangle. never. if the deep end is in a foot or more of water, you should have no chewing problems when theyre held in water that deep. we always used about 2 feet of chain, staked with a t-bar, out tight from the trap bed. place another t-bar a foot beyond that as a tangle stake, to keep the coon out and away from shore. this is NOT a drowning set, and have to be checked each day according to minn law. no need to 4 coil if your traps are in good shape. the dukes, with the flat or square jaw face are the best for holding coon, and the brands with the rounded jaw face allow for more pullouts. no need for lams with the right traps. lots of good info above, from jabne.

Chew guards / double jaws

Is there any need to laminate or double jaw the Bridger 1.5's (regular or OS) for coon?

Mine are not laminated or double jawed.

Thanks for the great information guys, highly appreciated! Fossil why donyou run the tangle stake method instead of drowners? Considering your putting in two stakes, I'm just wondering why you view this method as superior.

any mink or rat will be dead in 6-12 inches of water so no need for sliders for them. a coon held in that same depth wont drown, but will be prevented from chewing. faster and easier to push in a second t-bar than to waste time running a cable, just to hold a coon in a foot or so of water.

long lining is all about speed and efficiency, and theres nothing fast or efficient about having to rig 500-600 drowning slides. also no easy way to keep the truck organized carrying all that cable around, especially when youre away from home for 2 or 3 nights at a time. equipment needs to be standardized. every trap we carried was identical in every way, same with every stake.

if a steep bank with deep water below, stake as deep as possible below the pocket with no slack in the chain. this will keep a coon in the water, wet and miserable, and he wont chew. if cold weather and water, hypothermia will kill it.

trap chains are stock length with 4 double links of 2/0 twin loop chain attached with a universal swivel. chain end is a heavy ring to stake through, but is big enough for 2 or even 3 stakes to fit through in soft silty mud. trap can be short chained through the mid chain swivel if in a narrow tile run or small trickle, or staked further out through the staking ring at chains end.

stakes are 3/8th inch rebar with a 4 1/2 inch tee top, and all are 30 inches long.

depending on my setting/checking schedule, id have between 400 and 600 traps out at any given time. weve found this is the most efficient equipment to use for running that hard and fast.

Fossil and Jim,
Thanks for sharing


Mac

Only if not running drowning sets.

Thanks, I think I understand a little more now.

BanditBuster, thanks for starting this thread. As new as I am at this and there being so many subtleties, most of the time I don't even know what questions to ask.

Also, don't waste time on "marginal" sign locations. Set on good sign, good funnel locations, trails, etc and hit those hard. Gang set to pick up multiples at good locations plus a skunk or possum plugging some traps will leave other open for target coon and mink. If a spot is good for one set its good for two or three or more sets. Make the stop worth the time.
Jim