When targeting foxes/coyotes, what do you all do with your sets after you catch a possum? When I was younger I was always told I’d never catch a coyote or fox in a reset after catching a possum. So I’ve always dug up the trap, put a new trap down outside of the catch circle, and cleaned/rewaxed the possum tainted trap. Never even gave it a chance to see what happened. Do you all leave them be and reset or start from scratch?

Reset and forget

X2

I figured I was doing all that for nothing. I’ve lurked on here a while and noticed the subject never came up so I figured I’d ask myself. Thanks, fellas.

All I do is scape off the possum hair and let it eat.

If it will increase your confidence just change the trap out.

I truly haven’t seen it make much difference.

Why the hate on the possum?

No hate! I mostly trap the places I turkey hunt so I’m fine with catching them since they’re nest predators. I’d prefer to catch the other critters though. I was just curious what others did since I never really saw anyone post about it. I’m sure it was just an old wives tail from the man that got me into trapping. It’s all I’d ever known so just wanted to ask.

Yeah, I’ve heard the same thing. They release some sort of secretion that warns all the other animals of danger and to stay away. Thankfully I deal with stupid critters that don’t know any better. I’ve caught possums then a coyote. I’ve caught a coyote then a possum. Heck I’ve caught a possum in one trap and 15ft away catch a coyote on the same check. The bobcat/coyote combo always has me wondering who got caught first. I’m guessing the coyote and the cat came to laugh at him and gets got.

I don't know about up north, but down here I reset and move on to the next set. I don't change the trap or try to fix up the catch circle. I try to find my old bait hole, rebait, reset the trap right back into the old bed, or someplace near the bait hole. I have caught more bobcats on a dirt hole that has been blown out by a possum than actually setting a bobcat set. There is something about a blown out set with a smelly catch circle that our bobcats like.

I reset no matter what I catch. I've caught over 20 possum in a week so that would be a lot of replacement traps. My one week trapping vacation is next week and we have a few days forecast to not get above freezing so the possum catch will be low this year. On a side note, if I catch a domestic it seems to be a hot set for coyote.

I brought up the same topic in the open forum a week or two ago. I had two different sets where I had caught bobcats that were plugged with possums in a day or two. I was always told once a possum is caught you might as well pull the trap and make a new set which is what I did.

Moving forward I plan to reset the old trap along with a new one outside the catch circle just to see if it makes a difference.

I've only caught one animal in a possum remake it was either a cat or coon. And I pretty much always reset them just because it's easy. I believe only remake I've ever caught a coyote in is another coyote remake and some years they don't produce too well either

I appreciate the input, fellas. I’ll do a little experimenting this year and see what happens and come back with results. Thanks!

We don't have possums here, so I can't attest to that, but some years remakes are the absolute best set going, other years they are duds, for me. I usually always make them, the trap is already there and if I pull it I am going to have to take it home and boil it before reusing it elsewhere, so I generally remake. In my experience a trap that has had a cat in it, large are small, is a great attractant for canines, either coyotes or wolves are going to check it out if they come by.

Downfall of remakes, regardless of species caught, is that deer find them very intriguing, if there are deer in the area I can about guarantee they are going to pop the trap unless it has already connected on something else.

I agree with bearcat2, in fact I've got two Newhouse traps out right now that have caught skunks. The skunks not only sprayed but tore the area up. I reset and caught a number of possums and reset again only to catch coyotes and raccoon. It happens...a trapper has to experiment to find out. With these fur prices it is a great time to experiment.

I reset two possum catches this morning so we will see what happens.

… never had much luck after a possum compared to other remakes for some reason