Waterproofing DP Coon Bait

Is there anything made that will waterproof fish food pellets or dry cat food so it doesn't turn to mush in a DP? Is it even possible to coat this type bait to keep it from turning to mush too quickly?

I'm currently using Ztrap caps and pvc caps to keep some of the rain out.

This is for summer time nuisance coon trapping with almost daily rain..

I'm using a variation of baits and lures....

A) marshmallows with kool-aid powder (my go-to winter bait) - dissolving away to goo in couple days and ants are bad.
B) anise scented coon grabbers - work OK but not enough edible attraction.
C) sardines - too attractive to ants and lasts less than 24 hrs in trap.
D) floating fish food pellets and whole kernal corn (with vanilla extract and almond oil added......best bait so far...but pellets dissolve in 2 or 3 days.
E) added commercial grade smoke oil to fish food/corn mix today...results???

Any other good bait ideas. I'm not interested in purchasing commercial made DP baits...and need any ideas for a better bait or bait coating, etc.

Today was check day 4. Have caught 16 coons out of 40 DPs. Not great, but the struggles are real...lol

I coat my fish pellets in molasses for my DP's it seems to help

Floating fish food soaked in molasses for a couple weeks and stirred every few days then mixed with whole dried corn. The molasses coating makes it very waterproof for me and the whole dried corn also stays well

The main issue besides mush, is ants. I swapped all my baits out to peanuts where I am now. 2 possums and a coon this morning…that’s after the DP’s had set for 2-3 days with grape koolaide corn or grape koolaide catfood with no results. I would think the molasses would attract ants as well.
My properties seem to differ on baits based on what’s being fed on the property. The last two properties had plenty of corn/protein feeders, so the grape catfood worked well.
This property has no feeders except for grain sorghum spread out on the feed trails. I really thought the corn would work, but they have a few bait sites with peanuts for hogs and that’s what’s drawing them in, so peanuts it is, lol.
I do know during the winter months that even if the catfood or marshmallows turn to mush, they’ll still hit the DP’s.
Right now there’s so much food everywhere I think it just depends on what they’re in the mood for. I seem to catch more in flat sets set for coyotes than DP’s right now.

a little help is Gatorade bottles , I cut the bottom out leave the cap on , they are clear so you can see to check your bait , coons take them off very easily

orange caps make them easier to spot

and they fit over most DP's

it keeps the rain off , humidity is still an issue . I came to this while I was trapping some nuisance coon and it was raining every night it was also hot and we were chugging Gatorade to stay hydrated , had some rolling around the truck and said hey that would fit.

I recently tried setting one with a golf ball for a cover for the same reasons you mentioned- It seemed to work at keeping the bait dry and should add some eye appeal I would think?

Is this liquid molasses yall referring to?

tumble the pellets in your cement mixer used for waxed dirt, and tiny amt of wax and then add some sort of liquid scent or additive to make sure the minimal wax didnt cover up the food odor too much??

but then your waxed dirt cement mixer dedicated to waxing bait pellets...??

I'm gonna do this. Have plenty of water bottles too.


Good idea....the clear bottle part...I like.

Ah, "Fur King". I love that bait!

Letter D above is what i would have tried without the pellets.I would soak my corn in the almond oil /extract for a couple days. Also if you can find a sack of persimmon flavored corn that works well. I think the key is soaking the corn long enough to pic up the aroma. Swamp Wolf are you blind setting so to speak or setting around protein feeders.

I took some federalas preator bait and add like spoon full to a jar of dog food and shook it real good. Crap seemed to give it some kinda oil coating and I had some in a dos for a pretty wet and rainy week and seem to shed water really well.. no clue how it would work int he heat though. Will say however after about a week it's like you flipped a switch and it turns to mush. And Locklear's federalas seems to be the only one this worked well with.

Melted animal fat might work

Slipknot,
Most of the coon have been caught near a 2 acre field-corn field they're raiding. A few have been caught near a corn feeder and others near domestic grape arbors.

Landowner is a deer fanatic. Everything he does is for deer and deer only. Guy is a multi-millionaire and doesn't even hunt much...go figure.

Another good idea!

Won't eliminate the -ants but the waterproofing might do good.

Beeswax will do the trick plus it has its own attractive odors.

Seems like you answered your own question.
Near or in the corn field a pile of corn around your trap and maybe creamed corn in the trap.
Around the grapes use grape jelly in the trap and grapes around the trap.
A few ants ain't gonna bother coon much.
The golf ball thing works but I drill a hole thru the ball and screw a 1" long dowell to it. Stays on better and a coon has no trouble removing it. Also saves the hands setting all those traps at the trap sites.



just

when I have been trapping around chickens I could set a dozen DPs and never catch a one even though I know there are walking right past them

if I set cage traps in the tire ruts down the lane the would follow I would get some because they basically walked into it

move back to the den trees 300 yards away and if I can put them right in their face when they get down that tree I have catches

in the trail they make once they have sight of that chicken house nothing

the chicken house is a big green house like structure on skids that gets pulled down the field for free ranging , there is electro net around the chicken yard but they fly in and out all the time some are dumb and spend the night outside the wire.

Yes

Just wanted to clarify - the fur king is just smeared on the outside of the golf ball / rain cap . Not sure if it makes any difference but figured it can’t hurt

Cheap dog food- small kibbles lightly coated with maple syrup is what I have been using for bait inside the traps when it’s warm out.

Get you some shell corn smear some bacon grease on it Or just fill dp with corn put a wad of bacon grease around lip of trap

25# of cat food mixed with 1 coffee can of bacon grease will make it through a few rains and still work. At least for me it does.

Chopped up/ puree'd prunes / wild Cherry oil
Or Loganberry and puree'd prunes

Also Glycol & Essence oil of your choice ...I like Anise oil for a Squirt of trail lure from the DP out away

Bingo! Now that is a SUPER IDEA!!!

i saw somewhere someone used the bottom inch of soda can (cut off) as a cover for the DP. Said the coons could flip it off very easily and kept his bait dry.

I think he spray the cap with fish oil or smeared it beacon grease.

I was planning on trying it this years, have about 30 of them now and more by seasons start.

Says they will get beat up