do toy have any cover crops in the fields like corn or any grapes if you do i would scout where the heavy cover meets the crops or any hedge rows that divide the fields i would have to think any type of orchards if you have them

Look up ACP animal control in New Jersey. You’ll eventually get to his website. He’s studied coon and learned from them, when and where they travel.

I’ve found his knowledge is spot on for what he does. It’ll have to be tailored to your part of the country but denning sites around and in buildings, time intervals between having them at a specific location, and playing the wind has helped my situation here in Minnesota. I actually went to his class in New Jersey in 2019. Would love to go again.

Since then, I’ve developed confidence in snaring. Ron gave me that, too. Confidence and arthritis are super motivators if you want to keep trapping as you age. New Jersey trappers are restricted to cages, snares and DPs. The fines for even having (not even using) foot traps are hellacious. Ask Newt Sterling of New Jersey. He’s got the record!

Thank you.

1. No tracks (trails) means no coon there now. If I were to try to find a lot of coon, I'd look for trails not tracks. Find what they are feeding on (cornfields if you have them) find trails that lead in and out.
2. I'd prefer dry conditions if I were water trapping coon. (remember, find the food source)
3. Yes, dig a pocket, poke a hole in bank etc. Throw fish in that hole, the more oily the better, set foothold in front. You'll also catch the mink, rats, beaver etc.
4. If you have a lot of coon, they will leave a lot of sign. Find where they eat and work from there.
Don't for 1 second worry about every 7-12 days and male coon vs. female coon. blah blah blah.It's nonsense. If it's true, it doesn't matter in November anyway. They eat every day, they move every day until it's cold. They use the same food sources unless it changes. There are "seasonal' habits that will change. Here, it's as much about crops as water or time of the year. Once the crops are gone, they'll go to water more often. You should find trails in the water parallel to the bank if you have "lots" of coon. The trails should look shiny and well used. That's why road trapping can be a good tactic, like Beav said. (personally I hate it) It's also why boat trapping could be so good.
I'd prefer drought or dry if water trapping, it concentrates the food, makes it easier to find them. It also makes it easier to access them for the most part.
If you have corn, start there. If you have cornfields along a river or creek, start there. If you have cornfields along a river with big trees, start there. If you have cornfields along a river with big trees and an old barn or abandon house, start there. (hopefully you see the pattern)If you don't have cornfields find whatever the main food is and start there. Find lots of sign, set lots of traps in front of lots of holes. Once you are successful, repeat that over and over.
Don't overlook old beaver holes in low water. They can be excellent areas with great coon trails in the water. Don't over complicate coon trapping. Unless your trying to catch hundreds or thousands and running hundreds or thousands of traps, it's easy. This should get you started anyway, then fine tune all advice for your personal situation, or throw all advice away. Whichever works best for you, there's no 1 right way to do any of this.

Keep in mind that most of those "hot" trails going into cornfields will go dead when the field is worked up. A plowed field is no longer a food source so coon will go elsewhere.

1. No tracks (trails) means no coon there now. If I were to try to find a lot of coon, I'd look for trails not tracks. Find what they are feeding on (cornfields if you have them) find trails that lead in and out.
2. I'd prefer dry conditions if I were water trapping coon. (remember, find the food source)
3. Yes, dig a pocket, poke a hole in bank etc. Throw fish in that hole, the more oily the better, set foothold in front. You'll also catch the mink, rats, beaver etc.
4. If you have a lot of coon, they will leave a lot of sign. Find where they eat and work from there.
Don't for 1 second worry about every 7-12 days and male coon vs. female coon. blah blah blah.It's nonsense. If it's true, it doesn't matter in November anyway. They eat every day, they move every day until it's cold. They use the same food sources unless it changes. There are "seasonal' habits that will change. Here, it's as much about crops as water or time of the year. Once the crops are gone, they'll go to water more often. You should find trails in the water parallel to the bank if you have "lots" of coon. The trails should look shiny and well used. That's why road trapping can be a good tactic, like Beav said. (personally I hate it) It's also why boat trapping could be so good.
I'd prefer drought or dry if water trapping, it concentrates the food, makes it easier to find them. It also makes it easier to access them for the most part.
If you have corn, start there. If you have cornfields along a river or creek, start there. If you have cornfields along a river with big trees, start there. If you have cornfields along a river with big trees and an old barn or abandon house, start there. (hopefully you see the pattern)If you don't have cornfields find whatever the main food is and start there. Find lots of sign, set lots of traps in front of lots of holes. Once you are successful, repeat that over and over.
Don't overlook old beaver holes in low water. They can be excellent areas with great coon trails in the water. Don't over complicate coon trapping. Unless your trying to catch hundreds or thousands and running hundreds or thousands of traps, it's easy. This should get you started anyway, then fine tune all advice for your personal situation, or throw all advice away. Whichever works best for you, there's no 1 right way to do any of this.[/quote]


Thanks for this. few corn farms that have already been cut here as of a week or two ago. starting to cool off a bit. frost a few times already. I'm starting to keep an eye out when grouse hunting (got my first one today, fast little things!) but never see one back in the woods. no real food I guess. I find even deer are mostly up front on edge of woods. More time with boots on the ground and ill keep paying attention