New to the Forums

Hello Everyone, I’m new to the forums. I’m also new into trapping in a more serious manner. I thought I’d introduce myself here, tell a little about what I hope to achieve as a novice trapper, and get some insight about the gear I’ve chosen to start with.

I’m in my early 30’s, a Law Enforcement Officer in the State of Missouri. I was raised on a farm hunting, fishing, and trapping the occasional groundhog. I first got into trapping coyotes/bobcats many years ago using 1.5 and 1.75 Duke Coilsprings that I normally used for groundhogs. To say I was unsuccessful would be an understatement. I mostly caught skunks, opossums, raccoons, and the occasional - I only succeeded in catching one young bobcat and one young Coyote in several winters. I lost a few traps due to poor chain/drag quality, and mostly just kept catching opossums.

Over the years, after being so unsuccessful and not taking it seriously I gave it up. I didn’t know what I was doing and just didn’t have the time. Now, coyotes have gotten way to bold and numerous in my hunting area to ignore. So I am investing time and money into taking this as seriously as I think I’ll need to in order to thin the population down. A couple years ago I actually had 3 coyotes chase me from a field walking into a hunting stand for archery season. And they haven’t gotten any more timid since then. Winter packs are close to 5-6 coyotes on average and I need to bring that down. I also plan on trapping some bobcats as well, hopefully in order to make a little money back to pay for the equipment I’m investing in. Coyotes in my area don’t amount to much for value. I also may run a half dozen or so Dog proof traps for raccoon/possum. Nest predators are bad in my area and the quail could use a break.

So, I have two properties I’ll be able to trap on without issue. One is a 250 acre cattle farm, mostly pasture with some overgrown ditches/draws present linking adjoining properties East and west as travel routes. The other is a 40 acre thicket that has not been farmed or cleared in any way for 25-30 years. During summer months, sight range on the ground is limited to 10 yards at best due to growth and even elevated 75-80 yards is about the best view you got during fall deer season. This property is about a half mile south of the other farm. Most nights, there is one pack howling in each area, with another pack or group just to the east of the cattle farm.

My idea is this: I’ve purchased/purchasing a total of 34 traps. I’ll have 18 Bridger #4 Double Longsprings, 13 Bridger #3 coil springs (4 Coiled), and 3 Bridger #5 Double Long Springs. The #3’s and #4’s will be Wolf Fang’ed to the ground while the #5’s will have Sabertooth Drags. I’m am putting the PIT Round Stock Dogs with Night latch on the Bridger #3’s with expandapans, I am also thinking about putting PIT dogs on the #4’s but I made my own expanded pans from 4 11/16th electric Box Covers and I’ll be riveting then to the original pans tomorrow. The #5’s have the PIT Pan #7 system installed, and I’ll be attaching a box cover to each of them as well. All of the Wolf Fangs I’ve modified to have a separate retriever cable for pulling it from the ground easier.

I have looked at several baits/lures, and first I decided to try some of the Locklear Claymore as well as Some other baits/lures by other manufacturers. I want to get an idea of what they like in my area before I buy very much. I also don’t want to use the same thing on everything, I’m pretty sure the ‘yotes would wise up to that smell pretty quick.

For sets I’ll try a bunch of different types of sets. For areas I believe more than one Coyote may pass by each night, I will set two traps in the area, one of which will be the #5 on a drag. That way I have the chance of keeping the bait location free of a trapped animal for the second to potentially get a double. For bobcats I’ll probably focus on Locklear’s sets. From what I’ve seen researching online, he seems pretty serious about cats and it makes sense.

The reason I decided on so many DLS is simply for nostalgia. I have always loved the DLS for its history, and it turns out to be a little better in freezing conditions so that’s a bonus. The coil springs have more speed and a bigger jaw spread, but the springs will wear out quicker than the DLS’s. They are more convenient to bed though.

So, what does everyone think? Am I crazy? Or have I just caught the trapping bug? Considering I have already turned my outdoor shop into a fur shed/trap shed and I haven’t even put a set in the ground in 10+ years, it could be either. Lol. I am probably going to keep any decent Coyote hides for myself but I’ll definitely sell any bobcats. If I decide to hit raccoons, I’ll do something with them too.

Thanks everyone for your time. I’m open to suggestions, tips, advice, etc. if I can, I’ll attach a pic of the home made Bridger #4 pan for feedback. It isn’t diverted down yet, but setting where it would be.

Welcome aboard. First thing. Cut down those pans. Too large even for cats. Between now and the start of your season. Ask a lot questions and get a couple of videos to study. Sarge

The K.I.S.S. Principal works very well on Tman. Many members here have short attention spans. LOL

Oh, and welcome to Trapperman!!

welcome to t-man, and thanks for your service as a LEO. a bit of advice,,,dont set the 3s and 4s for coon, They are to large for coon.. also, the 5 dls is NOT a cat or coyote trap, save those for beaver sets. no reason for anything bigger than your 3s and 4s in your part of the country. maybe consider a dozen mb-550s to add to your arsenal. also consider some snares if legal there.

Word of advice don't mention Clint on here man. All it does is open a can of worms and I'm 90% sure folks will just copy and past the same responses. I can tell you 80% if what's about to be ,said ( call me syndical but I've seen it so much it's a pattern )

1. Big pans bad, something something toe catches , old timers cut pans down
2. Nothing over a 1.5 for coon
3. All you need is a double jaw for coon
4. All you need is a stock #3 for coyotes
5.mb 550 mb 550 mb550


Anyhow regarding the big pans make sure you up your pan tension and if your gonna use larger traps for smaller critters your gonna need to offset and laminate them.

coyote trapping aint rocket science. a lot of people make it harder than it needs to be

sets and lure are fun to discuss and play with but 90% of success is making your set in the right place . that location location location thing was said first by a trapper not a real estate agent

a dozen traps is plenty to cover three hundred acres. especially if you will be there all winter.


that big pan thing is not new. been done before. it will be around a few years (again) then fade away again. you really do want the animals foot inside the jaws when the trap fires. pan tension is not near as important as trap speed. if you dont have a huge pan.

the big pan is more for exposed trap sets. (cats) the animal will center its foot on the pan then. you will catch some coyotes in exposed trap sets but you will get some avoidance.

everytime you get a chance to follow animal tracks in the snow you should do it. those tracks will show you location location location better than any book or video.

Welcome to Tman

Welcome to Tman!

Wolfdog and Danny have some good Advice.

Go to the Archives and read....its the best info out there.

Watch all your States Game laws , especially regarding trap size as your plans include some - too big for species traps. That part mentioned above is very real. I use MB650's for yotes but some of the Top trappers love the MB 550's

I myself don't like big pans. If I did use them it would only be for bobcats.

Enjoy and read the Archives.

Thanks everyone for the input. I didn’t realize larger posts weren’t normal. Also, I didn’t know particular people were controversial or mentioning their names caused issues. I guess it’s more like archery forums then I thought.
I saw those butterflies too. SQUIRREL!

I considered mb-550’s and 650’s, but like how I choose firearm calibers I’d rather be over gunned than under. Just a preference. They look like they are good quality, but I don’t have a foothold size limit here.

The #5’s were intended more for coyotes, I wasn’t gonna target cars with them specifically. I should have been more clear.

Snares are illegal here. Cable restraints are legal, but I’d rather stick to footholds.

Keep it coming! I appreciate it! 😁

To the OP......what part of the state? There are T-man members all over the state who might offer help and advice.

Your motivation for getting started about the same as mine. Good to know there are young guys out there getting started. My mom tells me a neighbors 15 year old grandson has become the neighborhoods go to guy for problem coon and groundhogs. I"m hoping he expands into some others......like coyotes. He may get gifted a few traps and a jar of bait if he does.

Other than advice already given, you will find the other forums on T-man to be a lot of help. The Strictly Trapping threads.........and archives. The archives are DEEP, DEEP, DEEP in threads on just about any topic you are interested in. And many of the best youtube videos are produced by T-Man members.

Also, a good source of traps is the Trap Shed on this forum. Good traps at good prices.

Welcome to our dysfunctional lil family

Hey welcome to the forum!!! It's great to have new members on here. Quick tip of advice - watch out for Leftlane....... anyways!

Just want to start off by saying that everyone has and will have a different opinion on pretty much everything, though there are somethings we can all agree with... generally. Like many guys have said the biggest thing is location, find the travel routes and the crop changes and the points of interest (stumps, random trees, jet outs in a field, ect.).

Next thing I would say is that you should probably save your #5s for beavers, I think most people can agree that a #5 is too big a trap to foothold coyotes and cats. I'm not saying that you won't catch critters, but with a bigger trap ...talk about this on a PM only. If your just targeting coyote and cat, I think your #3s and #4s will be fine. But I would adjust the pan tension a little to avoid fox, and if you can I would laminate the jaws as well. (you don't even necessarily have to buy "lamination" kit's for them, you can use scrap roundstock or whatever)

In terms of your big pans, you do what your more comfortable doing. There are guys that have great success with them, others don't and have either flipped off traps or toe catches. For me, I'm mostly sticking with stock pans. I think with coyotes you probably will get toe catches. I think where it most helps is with cat trapping.

Anyways, now it's time to make some sets. I like dirtholes. But you can always experiment with other sets like flat sets, trench sets, step down dirtholes ect. Biggest thing I can tell you with making sets is #1 - Set on sign and on a good location (sometimes you won't even see sign like scat or tracks but if you find a good travelway or feature in the landscape thats great) #2 - Bed your trap SOLID. You don't want any rock in that trap at all, theres this thing called the four point check where you press on both jaws, then both levers or springs of the trap, if it doesn't rock, your good. If it does rock, then fix it with packing more dirt or putting more dirt underneath those spots.

In terms of bait I wouldn't be afraid to buy a couple jars of bait now, there are some excellent baits out there! Lure and urine are other things to think about, similar to the bait just buy a well known brand and you should be just fine.

Anyways thats all I got time to write for right now, but I will leave you with this - Theres gonna be guys telling you that THIS is the ONLY way to make a coyote set or THIS is the ONLY way to catch cats. Don't listen to these guys, I'm not saying that they're bad trappers or that they always have bad advice, but you can fall into an awful lot of confusion and worry by listening to them. Another thing is do what makes you feel more comfortable. And besides that man just have fun, because thats what trapping is - FUN. Oh yeah and it's addictive... VERY ADDICTIVE. Like others have said - go through the PILES and PILES of threads. Check the archives too, theres TONS of stuff on there.

biggest problem with 5's is trap speed. takes longer to close. not foot damage. people who say foot damage have not used them. where they work good is out west in the rockies where snow coming in can be an issue. they will work with more snow on them than smaller traps. they reach a bit higher is why. longspring 5's especially are a little slow if covered with dirt. dry powdery snow, think cold weather not MO, they are great.

Welcome consider trapping when you start as a empty tool box people will give you tools but they won’t all fit it that box so you will need to figure what tools are best for you. Lots of gimmick out there so choose wisely.

Danny maybe not for coyotes, but that is for sure too big of a trap for fox. Thats why I said to tighten the pan tension.

Oh also here are some great videos to learn off of:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuKjVOHOyLDoIArvLEFFOgE2QcY2f4t7d

Watch out for Myside.

I will say it lime Matt Jones the reason I 4 coil is because I can't get 6 on there. Welcome to T man there is more information on here about trapping and hog castors than any where else in the world. Oh and I like big pans there I said it and I'm not taking it back.

Yeah!

Welcome, pull up a chair and your favorite drink

Does anyone have an abbreviated (shorter version ) of the OP original post ? And welcome to T-Man

Welcome Foxtrot92000. This is a great site with tons of information and many, many years of experience all at your fingertips. We all have certain things we like or prefer, such as traps, bait & lures and videos etc. There are lots of choices to make when it comes to trapping, but they are yours to make. Just remember to have fun and be safe!

Welcome

There are lots of experienced coyote trappers on here that are willing to share good advise on equipment and methods. Great info in the archives! The only advice I will give is that thinning out coyotes from any specific area is very difficult. Mark June can explain why. But you will have great fun trying. Good luck.

I was gonna set the pan tension around 5#’s. From the research I’ve done that seems fairly regular. For my cat sets, I was thinking about dropping it closer to 3.5#’s.

Unfortunately, my area has very few Fox. My entire life I’ve only got two red Fox and I know another guy caught two grays trying to get some coyotes for my dad on our farm. I’ve never seen any besides those four in 30 years. So if I catch any foxes I’ll be very surprised. And if they aren’t injured I’ll probably release them. I don’t mind foxes so much compared to coyotes.

With the big pans, I can always take them off or go back to factory pans if I have any issues. I’m sure I’ll notice a lot of sprung traps, pullouts, or single toes left in traps telling me that it’s an issue. I don’t mind trying new things and learning, even if that new thing is a horrible idea and I learned I spent time and money for a worse result.

Thank you all for the welcome. Again, sorry for the novel first post.

I live in the South eastern part of the state. Just a stones throw away from Illinois and a short drive from Arkansas.

I’ve also reached out to the state trapping association. I’ll probably be joining to get my hands on some more experience, conventions, baits/lures info, etc.

Scroll up to the top of the page and click on the chat tab. Scroll down till you see Show Me State trappers and click on that. Lots of guys on that from all over your state. Probably find someone in your area or close by.

MySide, doesnt booger em up any more than a number 3. They are still there.

^^Wisdom with a capital "W" right here^^.... L- Dog, I can see you have been around.

Welcome Foxtrot92000!

I'm going to go against the standard wisdom here, I like lighter pan tensions. The exception being if I am trying to avoid nontarget animals that are considerably lighter than my target animal. I've never ran oversize pans, so I can't comment on them, but in my mind, if the foot is setting on the pan it is in the same place when the trap goes off whether than animal is stepping down with #2 or #10 of force, so the trap should grab it in the same place, and I want the trap to go off when an animal puts its foot on the pan, not when it decides to jump up and down on it. You get a decent amount of pan tension from the springs, anyways. The old longsprings I started out with all have floppy pans, and when you set them those pans take a noticeable amount of poundage to set off. Most of my newer traps with adjustable pans I adjust down to either floppy or very close to, when you set a fourcoiled coilspring or a #3 or #4 longspring, the tension from the spring is going to give it at least a couple pounds tension, often more. I've never had an issue with misses or toe catches from this, on the other hand, I have seen tracks all over traps set with more pan tension, particularly when you get a little freezing crust or something else that stiffens up the covering and requires more pressure to depress the pan.
The exception to this is when I don't want cats and coyotes plugging up my wolf traps, I will stiffen up the pan tension so they can walk on them without setting them off (you will still get the occasional coyote, I swear they sometimes pounce on a trap). Problem I ran into with this is that if your lure or bait is good, oftentimes the coyote will roll or dig or scratch after walking over the trap, then you end up with the trap exposed or set off anyways and pretty much defeated your purpose.

My thoughts also. Listen to Wolfdog and Danny, and as 330 says, stay away from big pans and read archives posts.

Over time you will settle on your own style and what works best for you. I do live market and foot damage is one of my main points I focus on. My go to trap is the # 2 Bridger or square jaw Duke traps. I also inside and and outside laminations. I use 2 coil and haven't seen pull out problems here. 3 swivels minimum as a bound up trap chain leads to foot damage quick. Welcome to the best information on the net.

Never said big pans where bad, how ever for the average trappers who's not willing to do some thinking and work with them some I wouldn't recommend them. They don't work for most people because most people aren't will to work with them
You CANNOT use the same pan tension you do on a normal pan trap. I could talk for a long time about the in and out but meh....

No need to apologize about the length of the post. I for one enjoyed reading it. You figure out how you like your traps, if you like em great! If not you can always change them!!! Happy trapping, and welcome to the forum.

The one in TX?

Welcome to trapperman. It's a great place to waste time. LOL.

welcome , and thanks for your service