Just about any quote “coyote size” trap will be too big for coon. But if you are targeting coyote you need to use a “coyote size “trap.
Around my area here we have a mix of farmland, creeks, a variety of terrain and we have high coon population. It is difficult for me to strictly catch just coyotes without snagging coon too. Anything interesting to a coyote is also attractive to a coon. Believe me I’ve tried all kinds of different sets and locations and coon show up and find sets just like coyotes here. I’ve had to release coon in later spring if doing coyote control work and coon were not in season.
You can do your best to minimize coon catches by getting away from the cover, food, and such. Think a flat picked bean field with a lone fence running along it. I’m talking wide open no cover no crop food areas. Those can work but not full proof. Big boar coon show up anywhere on my line even pretty remote featureless areas.
Just look for coon sign and try to set as far away from it as you can. Make sets with very little eye appeal and very minimal scent, too. But if you have coon it’s tough to avoid them if just trapping coyote. My experience anyway.
The best “release” model for coon is cage traps. Open the door, they exit. Same with any small animal.
Sometimes I short circuit the coon in areas I am targeting coyotes by setting cages specifically for coon closer to coon trails and habitat to nab the coon before they get to my coyote sets in same area. It’s not fool proof but it works well enough it keeps my coyote traps focused for coyotes when I need them to be.
Jim
Last edited by jabNE; 12 hours ago.
