I was just out in the shop replacing a few 220 triggers and it occurred to me that if we could ever get a 48 hour check on snares and footholds during the cat season, I would never set another 220 for them. Does anyone else feel the same way?

I agree. Is it legal to check with a cell camera that you can make take a picture when you want it too?

Honestly, I am not sure. I am low tech and I have never had great luck with trusting electronics in the cold.

I’m not sure what it’s like in MN but if you had a live cat in a trap for any amount of time during season, a dog hunter will kill it for you.

Oh I am sure that could happen here on state land. Chances are you would loose the cat also.

I have set 220's for them but I have never caught one. But I will try again this year.

I have caught quite a few in them over the years. For everyone I catch, I get 5-10 refusals where they just circle the box. You finally catch one on a 2 day check and the next one along eats the belly out of it. 220's are my least favorite but in many places, the extended check on them makes them the only option. Cages are my favorite way to catch them just for the excitement. It sure is easy to just roll them over to release a female or kitten.

I’d love a 2 or 3 day check on snares, I don’t set a body grip for cats, and I don’t try to hard to catch them, but snares are how I would like to do it.

Or a two or three day check on cages would be alright.

I agree.

Osky

I suspect the grouse and pheasant hunters would support this as well as it would result in less 220's in the woods.

I use 220s for trails and in the water, but never in a cubby…

I don't catch many cats anyway, but I agree with you 160. A two day check would make it a lot easier to fit in with my work schedule, and I've always had much better luck with footholds for cats.

If we had extended checks on snares (or footholds after the start of cat season for that matter) I would 100% never set another 220 for them. They are the least efficient gear choice by far. But, for those with 8-5 jobs (all of the daylight hours), you really don’t have any choice but to run body grips. I would love to see this pursued with the DNR, or if they won’t listen, the legislature. It would be a big win for dogs. I was told by the DNR that they won’t support an extended check in an area because it would dramatically increase their use. So what? Why is that a problem? Certainly less of an issue with dogs than 220s.

I never set a 220 for cats, but caught a bunch setting for fishers. What caught the most was welded wire cubbies I made staked down with one opening legal size and the 220 on a trail stand and a big chunk of beaver wired in the back. Then weave balsam bows all over it, pile any other debris and even snow. I had to check them everyday here anyway started using foothold so I could release the bobcats. My biggest ever was drowned in a mink set.

I agree, I've only had cats refuse cubbys with 220's. The only cat I've caught was in a foothold set for wolves, when we had a season.

I would certainly support a two day check on snares and footholds and quit running 220's. I run beagles on snowshoe hare and would breath a lot easier with fewer 220's out there.

I don't know about the 2 day check on snares. It would be great but know there would be more green belly critters. Sometimes a 24hr check on a coyote that died right away in a snare already start to go green if I am checking after work in the late afternoon.

Fair point. I guess I was talking specifically about cats and never considered coyotes and fox. That said, if it were a 48 hour check, still checking them daily is always an option.

As I understood the original question you were talking about the 2 day check during cat season only, where green belly is usually not a problem. Currently they can be 3 days dead in a 220.

Not sure about MN. MI law book says cell cameras don't count as checking.

As far as green belly the cat season is in awfully cold weather as a rule and cats with the thinner hide and shorter hair it would seem to me would cool down quicker to the outside temp and not go green as fast as say a coyote.

Ive experienced green belly coyotes but never a cat so I may be speaking out of turn, feel free to enlighten me.

Osky

The only way you will get a 2 day check on foot holds in MN, the land of liberals is to cut the state in half and combine with the Northern 1/3 of WI. But then we have to check body grips every day here. And there is no snaring or ROW trapping, and it takes 10 years to get a cat tag and…….oh never mind.

I've never had a green belly cat but then again, I have never left one lay for 3 days either.

The green belly, if it is an issue, is the individual trappers concern, not anyone else’s , thusly doesn’t have to be part of any legal argument, and is irrelevant to the discussion.

Green belly is a non starter.

The dakotas, and all of the west has multiple day checks on snares. So do several canadian provinces.

There fur seems to dress and sell just fine.

Both very valid points. Thank you.

For you foothold cat trappers, is there any concern with frostbite in cold weather if you’re releasing a cat?

In Michigan we’re only allowed one cat during our two-week season in the Lower Peninsula. I know a few cats are around, including a kitten that I’d want to release. Curious if I should be concerned with tissue damage if releasing.

Yes I agree Les, I have never had a cat with a green belly and don't want one. I have had enough coyote with them so that itself pushes me for a 24 hour check. I agree a 48 HR check or more would be great. A person could put out more equipment and check different areas every night especially after work checks.

I sure could have expanded my run with a 2 day check back in the day.. I would set my cat locations with bodygrips, footholds, and snares..
Some places that cat may only come thru once, so I tried to cover all the bases... Caught cats in all but the snares never seemed to shine as good once they were legal...
All bodygrips are not created equal, The early belilse 220 classics had a generous spread...

Dale, you know I always appreciate your input. It seems as if we could ever get a 48 hour check, the bird hunters would be happy and the market would be flooded with used 220's.

I see your point and would have happily given up on 220s for a 2 day check...
I never recall seeing a bird hunter come cat season. But I did stray onto the res more often than not and the natives had very few restrictions.. A 330 guarding a huge box with a 50 lb beaver carcass was not an uncommon sight... That may have changed and besides isn't there restrictions on 220 boxes now...

For the guys that use 220's, are you using wire triggers or conibear pans. I've seen where some shim the front of the box up. What do you all use?

Not just cats , just about anything you catch and traps disappear also.I have had loops cut also

I see your point and would have happily given up on 220s for a 2 day check...
I never recall seeing a bird hunter come cat season. But I did stray onto the res more often than not and the natives had very few restrictions.. A 330 guarding a huge box with a 50 lb beaver carcass was not an uncommon sight... That may have changed and besides isn't there restrictions on 220 boxes now...[/q



Daie,
Are you sure that was a natives set?

Rally, I am certain about those sets.. Next time we meet I'll fill you in..