Like to run a 220 box idea past the pros

I keeps hearing alot about refusals on conventional solid 220 boxes. I’m wanting to start using 220’s to control coons for turkeys but mainly because I snare hogs and coons are out competing the hogs for the sour mash I’m using for bait. So here it is. Build the box frame with 2x2’s then put enough plywood on the sides to hold the 220 accommodating the slots then use limbs on the outside with a solid bottom. I’m thinking with a more natural appearance it may make them more comfortable going in. What say you? Yes I have alot of time on my hands.

I don't think it will help. Now, if you place a foothold in front of that and call it a bobcat set, every coon in the country will be fighting to get caught.

Make it open on both ends with 220’s there, at least 12-18” between traps.

Can you trail set 220’s in your state? If so dump the box and set the trails.

I don't seem to have refusals with the set up we have to use in PA. The boxes have to have the trap trigger 7" from the opening & the opening must be 50 square inches max.
Don't know if that helps not refusing or not. A trap immediately in their face at end of box may make them think twice?? With PA set-up they are kinda committed & go for it ?
Choice of bait/lure is probably a big deciding factor

I run an L shaped trigger when I run boxes and don’t think I get many refusals. The L shape trigger will allow smaller critters to come and go , unless it’s just not their day.

How do you even know how many walk by? Unless you have a camera on it or it's in mud?
Just seems like there's a lot easier ways to catch coons.

I'd go with DP's until I knew for sure they were not going to work for you. The right bait should be more appealing to them than the hog bait.

220 boxes catch coons, somewhat, but what happens to your trap if a hog gets in it?

Coon do not care about how natural something is…anchor a box on the side of a tree SOLID so the opening is facing down and only 5 or 6 inches off the ground with the trap recessed into the box 4 or 5 inches. Coon will push their way in and up head first and it will be over. This type of setup avoids dogs and I would think hogs too.

Some great ideas. Have never used a box this far south it did try do’s with little success several different baits did use a camera they more times than not as soon as they had found the mash they went straight for it. I did use footholds in trails I had snares on and did have some success but they are coming from so many different directions it didn’t come close to stopping them. When I put footholds at the bait holes it caught them but they wrecked the fencing. I finally got 2 220’s and put them on each side of a fenced bait hole and they pounded them caught 5 in 3 nights but the hogs wouldn’t come in with dead coons on top of the bait hole. Once I put the whack on them they left that spot alone , but they didn’t slow them down on the other locations. Plus 3 different properties and same thing on each one (mainly all wet bottom land).

About 90% of what we run for raccoons are boxes. They're quick, especially if you prebait and preset them at your shed or shop. Throw them out, take the safety's off and you're ready to go.

good read, I use buckets same as boxes.

Listening to others who trap in the south....food is everywhere. The coons in the midwest/farther north not so much unless around livestock.
The coons know where the mash is and they know it is easy to access...they have "mash" on their brain. It seems to me you need to condition those coon
to your boxes/cubbies by feeding them fish, bacon grease, or other edibles they like BEFORE they can access the mash. It's not the box set up...it's the access to easy food.
Just my take

I ran a good number of boxes at one time. We have a pretty low coon population compared to a lot of places. But they are fast to set and are ready to go with out messing with them for quite some time. As far as refusals go, I ran two dozen DP's and a box four to five feet apart with the same bait for a couple months. I only once caught a coon in a DP by a box.

AND you can leave the boxes out on the line all year if you choose

I don't have time to watch the videos right now so maybe this was discussed, but I do know this having killed a lot of coons in buckets and boxes. If you put a screen on the back of the box rather than a solid board you will have a lot fewer refusals plus you have better scent distribution.

This is the key to boxes plus they can only get to your bait thru the opening. Catch a coon today, still got bait for tomorrow, unlike a DP or foothold trap.

This is what I was thinking as well from my experiences with coon boxes and DPs. Seems I had far more refusals with the DPs as opposed to boxes where the bigger #220s are used.

I always enjoy posts (or replies) where people have done actual side by side testing on the subject.

Never had time to build boxes always used buckets I’d just heat a piece of rerod with a weed burner then lay it across the opening to burn spring slots then burn a stake hole through the buckets. Fast simple and efficient support system and bait holder.

I’d just be very selective where you use any such setup.

The boxes the guy used for mink on port protection had the bottom piece of wood way longer than the rest of the box. I assume that way the critter isn't trying to go into a box and step onto something new all the same time. Since the bottom was longer they were already physically on that part and now stepping on it and into it at the same time isn't an issue which gets rid of one of the variables that would keep them from committing to going in. Just something I noticed.

My biggest problem wasn't so much refusals, but reaching in and catching them by the foot. I had the bait way back in the box. That happened more with a 160 than a 220.

With upwards of 10 or more coon coming to the barn each night to steal the cat food, I had a high population to study to watch how they worked buckets, boxes, cages, etc. Dozens of game camera videos. With horizontal buckets or boxes, the vast majority of them would setup just outside the box and reach in if they could. They were not eager to stick their head in either of those.

What they could be trained to do and would enter every time with no hesitation was the same box set up in a vertical position with bottom entry of box only 4 to 5 inches off the deck. Have to crawl under the lip to rise up in the box to get to the bait on a shelf up top. To get in they have to lead with their head while pushing forward with back feet and pushing up with their front. Stock triggers of 160 or 220 offset about 1/3 off to one side. Perfect neck strike every time. Leave that baited box out to train them to enter and when you are ready to start the harvest you will have traps to clear the next morning.

Bonus to this orientation is far fewer chances of an incidental catch.

I'm no coon trapper but caught a few many years ago. Coon make beat down trails when they are feeding on a static food source.I remember when I was a kid guys catching them in #2 LS traps in trails between hardwood bush and cornfields,creeks etc
I would blind set 220s in the trails if there are trails I imagine you could hammer more of them quicker with gang sets on each trail and a couple day check schedule,and not have to haul around a bunch of big boxes.
Boxes would be good at proven annual catch locations away from the trails at their denning or feeding areas,like traditional cubbies as long as you could leave the boxes in place season to season
Regardless of the species you target,locating and Identifying travel routes pays off.

Lots of great advice. One of our major issues here is they wander so much making defined trails difficult to find. Deer hogs and small game use the same trails alot of the time. If i find one coming out of a thicket that is like a tunnel I blind set it and generally do well. I guess I should have mentioned it to start with I’m just starting to use 220s because I figured out that I could dispatch them without them destroying the hog set. So actually I’m just getting started with 220s. The camera info I have is limited and after seeing some of the replies could be deceiving. What I hope to do is be able to catch them close to the snare without shutting the spot down. I’m thinking if I put them in way before deer season then the deer will get used to them being on the food plots and when the coons show up which they always do once the feeders start running I can eliminate them during deer season instead of waiting till after deer season when they disperse. Still learning and needing suggestions. So far a lot of great info and ideas

Keep in mind people posting have different factors that impact their coon catch in boxes/buckets like coon size, populations, regulations, habitat and food sources.

I will Law Dog fortunately in Ms we have some of the most liberal trapping regs in the country. Our coons run medium to small compare to say Illinois coons. Where I’m at we definitely have numbers. They haven’t been controlled in quite some time due to low trapper coon hunter numbers and there is no market for our smaller coon. Going to spend the off season going to school on otter and beaver as those numbers have exploded as well.

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Where I have DPs and buckets(w/160s) together, I always get coons in the DPs and grinners in the buckets.