This post is reprinted with permission from Missouri trapper, Tony Hursman. Thought many of you may be as interested in it as I was. It is an unusual variation of the theme where plywood is used with a hole in it over a trap.

Jonathan

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THE COFFEE CAN SET

by Tony Hursman

This set was originally designed for sand bars but i have found it will lend itself to dirt just as well. I made this set to take coon from sand bars yrs ago. As trapping sand bars is tough trapping. The following pictures show where and how i set it up in a dirt situation but in sand its a bit different. When setting this in sand the anchoring system is alot different. Instead of using a earth anchor i use a 5 gallon bucket lid. Using a j hook and washer to set chain to the center of lid. Then bury the lid 2 ft deep in sand. It works!

The first picture shows where I have cut the slices in the can bottom to produce the hole for the coon to put his hand through. The hole is a 2 inch circle.



The second pic is where I have the metal bent back out of the way. This gives you a smooth edge around your hole preventing the coon from cutting itself.



The third picture shows where we have cut the slot for the coils spring notches which allow the coil spring to fire in the can. You should make the slots at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide. And run the slots half way up the can. In the picture I didn't do this as you can see. But it should go half way up.



The next picture shows the hole that was dug for the set up and the trap was earth anchored to the bottom of hole. Then the trap was placed in the hole. The only thing left was to add the can to the set.



The next picture shows the can put over trap in the hole. Then the dirt was added to the sides of can. Then the set was blended in. Bait added. Now its just a waiting game. I hope this will give you some food for thought to think outside the box.

Interesting set, should work. I might be worried about a dog digging the can up and getting caught but I guess it depends on how well you "bed" the can. Still be worth a try, might keep the grinners at bay.

nope won't keep grinners out as they used front feet like a coon . Cats will still get into them as well .

Drifter

any catch pictures using this set?

Pete, I'll ask Tony if he may have a catch photo.

Jonathan

looks like a good setup

looks like a good setup

ive done stuff like that before too. works good but as said above, The grinners love that set too.

Just set the trap a little deeper to keep the Grinners at Bay. lol. a coons front leg is longer than a Grinner.
Not sure who showed it on here, but another variation that will also add some eye appeal for the coon is to use a piece of PVC and a Cap with a hole in it. IF someone has that post, can you repost it. That was a GREAT Set up. as well.

Looks like it should work.

Theoretically, couldn't a small dog like a rat terrier stick its foot in there and push down the trigger in attempt to dig out the bait? Why most DP traps have pull type triggers. ???

~ADC~

my rat terrier would dig that out of the ground in seconds!

Jayme, I would think so, theoretically - it is on the same principle as its plywood counterpart. Technically/theoretically with that eventuality of a smaller dog wandering by it would not be a "dog proof" set then would it? Who knows what the odds of that might be?

I wouldn't know, I am going to be using Yancy's DP and the Lil' Grizz this coming season.

To expand more on NYNovice's comment:

Sets of this nature, the PVC type similar to this configuration and the plywood covered, buried trap version, always raise the question: "Won't this set catch unwanted animals, like skunks, opossum and even stray cats?"

The obvious answer is undoubtedly it can and will. Those who use these types of sets suggest that the antidote is to simply make the trap bed deeper on the strength of the fact that a raccoon has a longer, more agile reach than the other two animals attracted to the set.

I personally have never used any form of this set, and do not know either way.

After preparing my earlier thread on the a review of commercial dog proof traps, I came to realize their increased popularity based on the limited use of the #220 on land in many states. The better DP's are rather expensive compared to a standard #1-1/2 coil spring.

This set may very well be a viable, economical option for those to develop a "dog proof" set without the added expense of a specialty trap like the Lil' Grizz, for example, especially when trapping budget considerations are of a major concern.

Jonathan

PS: I e-mailed Tony earlier to see if he might have a photo of this set with any of those animals caught in it. If he does, I'll add it later. If he sends one with a Rat Terrier in it we'll know for sure the set ain't Dog Proof!!!!!!

I had a mentor that played with the plywood version many years ago . He found if split the plywood so it came apart it survived a coon catch much better . Without the split all you had was a pile of tothpicks were his words . He had many fox dig like mad at it and came to the conclussion if it was dogproof it was foxproof as well .

Like Jonathan noted you will still catch skunk , feral cats and possums as well in that type of set . A sweet bait helps to avoid most of the nontargets .

Drifter

I bet with that can over the coons legg for any length of time you will have one sorry looking leg.
Gallon paint can lids will work no need for a 5 gallon lid. Been doing that for over 50 years.

I have used this set before with good results. I now use a pvc cap instead of the can. A sweat lure/bait works best as it keeps most of the unwanted critters away. I have cought coons in this set that passed by my little grizz to get to it. Same bait in both. Some coon for what ever reason will not work the grizz.

I havnt used the set in yrs. But i had a adc job for a lady she had a possum eating her cat food. So i used this set along the fence leading to her house. Because of the cats i used grape jelly and corn flakes mixed for bait and this was the end result.

I've used the plywood set before, but never heard of this. Thanks for copying to here Johnathan.

i made one today but all i could find was the new plastic kind so it probably won't survive the first coon but it was easy to make.

Not if you bend the metal over so wheres its not sharp but more rounded. I been using this system for at least 3 yrs LOL