noticing alot of coons do not have any interest in my dp sets. I will set dp in a hot trail and a trail set with a number 2 further down. It simply ignores dps. Walks around it. Just to get caught in leg hold. However. My pocket sets along bank in that same property have been extremely effective. But for whatever reason. Not enticed by dp at all.

Variety of traps and baits is key. And i don't think they get shy to anything,, just not interested. Ive had them in some seasons never touched a dp and walked right by them only to end up in a 160 a few feet down same trail. One year cages were my top producer and I was glad I put some in. Next year it was all DPs. Go figure.
Mix up your traps and set types, try that.
DPs are a great trap but no trap is best trap in every situation.

Give them something special for bait in them DP's. Coons aren't smart enough to shy away from any traps. If they want what's there they will try to get it.

Ketchup down in the DP and around it . Or spicy ranch dressing and butter lol

The trouble with dps is that he really has to want it.
Where with a dirthole or pocket set for example all he has to do is check it out.
I'd just as soon just put a regular trap in the trail.

I've always liked dps cause they are quick. But I know some veteran trappers believe in the more traditional style sets are more effective. I'm not near as knowledgeable as most on this web site. Why I value everyone's opinion. And always wanting to learn more knowledge.

I trap Nebraska and have the same problem. Watch Drew on this youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7kK8zppOdw

Drew was interviewed on a Trapping Radio Podcast and stated that he tried every bait known to man for his DPs in Nebraska. For me it was a revelation as I was not catching on Dps either. I switched to all walk through sets and never looked back. My favorite is a Mafia set with 2 traps on big drags because on hot trails I'd much rather catch 2 then 1. NOTE: I'm an idiot and tried to use smaller coon sized drags and multiple times I had to climb trees to get my coon and trap back.

Fancy cat salmon flavor. 38 cents per can @ wallys

I have limited experience with DPs compared to many trappers. I have found over the last 5-6 years that my refusal rates after first catches in DPs is higher than any of the other sets I make, even the cages. To me that means I need to gang set an area more and get more the first check. For some reason my body gripper blind trail sets are the most productive and the least refusal, especially if I can move up or down the trail even a few feet.

Bryce

Ive also noticed that remakes with DPs after a catch is not as productive as undisturbed DP.

Move them DPs out of the catch circles, just down the trail 5' is all you need.

change the presentation of the DP

I'll ask how many variations of the dirt hole is there in books ?
Answer-100's
So why just bait a DP and push it in the ground. So the coon can see it.?

Why not make the coon work for it ?
A dead skunk laying on the ground. Has little appeal to the average K'9 or coon.
But if you bury it. Very K'9 and coon will stop and dig it up.
THINK !
this aint rocket science

Yes bingo newt.
Bud boda in his coon book talked about his pet coon. He put a live crayfish in a jar without a lid. Coon took the crayfish out, played with it, then left it and walked away. But when he put the crayfish back in the jar and screwd the lid on, the coon worked HARD at that jar for a long time. Wouldn't let it go.
How many of us found coon worked dirtholes where bait was pulled out then left on ground nearby not eaten.
Curious animals, but satisfy their curiosity and they are done quickly. Make em work for it or throw them a curve, and the magic reappears in their curiosity.
Lots of different baits you can use, lots of different presentations.
Jim

Ever consider you can also 'train' a raccoon to get caught in a DP trap ?
Get a length of pipe, cut to size, if you color your DP's, color the pipe. . .
Tap it in along side the trail. Fill it full of goodies, dry cat food, small pellet dog food, dry floating fish food ( my favorite ) and flatten a large marshmallow and press over the top.
When the raccoon empties it, fill it back up. If it pulls the pipe up, just replace it. The raccoon will return.
After several 'visits', add in the DP's.
Oh yeah, it'll work !

And stick it right under their nose.
This one is from this morning's check. And this is coon #2 from same trap in 3 days.

Been doing it for years

[video:youtube]https://studio.youtube.com/video/wDf1vVXr2-I/edit[/video]

I mostly do nuisance trapping for myself and a few neighbors, but have had good success with coon using cages, DP's, body grips in boxes and buckets (elevated in buildings as per our rules), plus coil springs in dirt holes. Have been pretty careful what I set and where, as I don't want to nab any barn cats or neighbor's dogs.

A few months back, there was a bit of an argument between a couple guys who claimed they put up big numbers of coon in a short amount of time, and it was NOT using DP's, which caught my notice. I would have thought the speed of putting out a bunch of DP's would prevail over the others just from time spent making sets alone. But as for those two, I think both were using 1.5's. One mentioned water sets. If the other said what sets he used, I don't recall.

So if I wanted to branch out and try new sets with footholds, what are the high yield options? I know blind trail sets (which for us is the alternative to 160's and such, which are not allowed on dry land)....pocket sets, dirt holes, and pipe sets in shallow water. What else is there with a 1.5 that will out perform the DP's?

I can't use foot traps here in my state. But I have found I can use a DP in any situation that I use to use foot traps. I found presenting the DP the same way we used the foot traps gave me a higher catch than just using the DP by shoving it into the ground and doesn't take any longer than bedding a foot trap. I use DP in my ADC business right in yards if I need to and with no worries about catching cats by the baits or lures, I use. I also have seen a dp baited with the same bait/lure that is presented differently will produce better than a DP stuck in the ground (standard set) with the same bait/lure set 5 feet away. 80/20 concept.