Tuning DPs ?

Do dps need any kind of work to make them fire better. I had a coon take one out of the ground and not get caught. Just started using them. Thanks

If they're in really loose soil, they can be pulled out without firing. Just shove them in so the actual tube is 1/3 in the ground and kind of pack the dirt around. The spring will still be able to push through the dirt and fire. Also make sure your staking is up to snuff if your soil is that loose.

ive had mine kicked over in loose soil by, most likely deer by tracks, sometimes even set off. no tuning needed, the only thing i do with most of mine is turn the pull type into push or pull. I do leave a couple as pull only just in case I get a call to a place with cats

You don't need them stabilized solid, you can lay them flat on the ground and catch coons if you have them baited right. No tuning needed.

I caught a coon recently by the nose. He had the DP out of the ground and likely tripped the trigger with his paws on the dog. No teeth no jaws just by the nose. He wasn't happy about it. I am on board with ADC on this one. If the trap is baited and set up right they get critters. Now to get them like this i don't do much of anything. It is likely jus the bait factor that gets them on mine. Some use rubber hose over lever. Some use mashmallows over lever. Some use Lesel Rew(um i cant spell it) DP annihilators under the trigger. A lot of guys are moving towards these things to improve catch rates. For me though if i have a coon at a dp with bait it is in the trap when i get there. I run Diablos and they are great and on the cheap side. I have ran most of the brands in the past one time or another and they all seem to work great. I don't nightlatch or do anything. Next year i will likely not even anchor any DP's at all. I jus tmay go all drags on all dps next year just for ease of setting.

When the ground was frozen and you couldn't stick them in the ground, I often used the heavier rubber bands and rubber banded them to a small tree or something similar. Once the coon was caught, it would break the rubber band.

If they’ve been trapped long enough, they’ll learn to tip them over to get the goodies. I prefer the stupid coons!