Trapline Systems

Hey guys, the last five four years I've had very little time to trap. I spent the majority of my time growing a business from scratch to ten employees. Through out that time I've learned that systems and processes are a extremely important to keep everyone on the same page and doing it the right way every single time.

As I've prepared to run more traps this year, I've spent a great deal of time thinking about systems to put more during in the truck faster and more efficiently. The long liners trapping 3,000 coon a year aren't just driving around and throwing traps out aimlessly, they have a system they follow. Let's hear your guy's best advice you've learned over the years to be a more effective trapper!

On canines, locating those good funnels, pinch points, and terrain features that channel animal movement, which produce repeated catches.

Much better to have fewer traps at high traffic locations, than a bunch of traps at mediocre locations.

Works on coons too.

Gang set the best locations and move on to the next, the key with yotes is to hit as many groups as possible, The rest is up to the yotes themselves. Use the best gear and attractors you can afford.

Big thing is try to do only one thing over again and over again. You don't want to do everything under the sun on your line. At least not the same day. Like on my coon line I'll do snares day one, dog proofs or pockets day two. If you want to do mixed species lines, set traps for animals that need longer soaks like coyote first then coon or beaver second. Never try to mix land and water the same day. That's always a nightmare.

Several long liner coon guys around here keep it pretty simple. One doesn't even use all same equipment though. He runs bridges and got permission on many of the across a very long route. A mixed of water, conibear, and DPs at each stop maybe 3 to 4 sets a stop. Hits them hard covers all the possibilities and gang sets like this. He has a simple bucket with a pair of conibear tongs, a jar of bait/lure, and his spade. If water freezes up he's got trail and DPs working. When water is open its pocket sets and the other two operational too.
I know another guy that runs only pocket sets two to a bridge or culvert and very quick stops. all of his are simple wire drowners a wood stake on each end wire pre attached to both and trap with lock on the wire ready to unroll and set. He makes a bunch of those up ahead of season then grabs two at the culvert stop and runs down the bank to put them in. He said after freeze up he pulls the drowners and switches to 220s on stabilizers.

Make your Gear and sets cookie cutters. Buy one size and style of trap. Forget about all the goofy sets people come up with. Pick Two sets, ones that don’t require a bunch of goofy stuff. I do dirtholes and flat sets, that’s it. No pipe dreams, hay sets, tire sets. Learn to make those sets as fast and efficient as possible. When you’re going for efficiency and speed you’re not out to get all of the critters. You’re looking for the dumb, bold, aggressive ones, once you’ve got all the easy pickings you move on. No time to screw around with a digger, that one gets to live.

find the locations that produce every year that way you have the "backbone" of your line that you will be setting every year. then you are able to branch out from there for new territory but you will always have good producing sets to fall back on

Great advice above. Kiss , standardize your equip. Think the whole process thru including after the catch. It's just production line work do the same thing over and over and over.

Interesting post jabNE since you need landowner permission to set traps at road culverts and bridges,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and since landowners only own to the middle of the road a person would need 2 owner's permissions if setting both sides. Oh and a 220 size BG is illegal on road right of ways also. I do know in Lancaster county the road crews are instructed to turn in trap sets they find as the county owns many of the road right of ways and they do not give permission on the ones they own..................... the mike

Yeppers, the Mike. Thanks for the cleanup on ROW specifics in our state. I'm no ROW guy myself, not a fan, and never cared to even try it so my post probably shows a bit of my ignorance to the method. I'd have to assume they followed the rules and did have permission, and probably set out away from the bridge beyond the ROW line and on privately held land. Who knows, just relaying info I was told.

Jim

As mentioned standardization is paramount, I would add organization as a close second. Having a place for everything and everything in it's place helps avoid multiple trips to the truck and helps with efficiency.

I think the biggest factor that a lot of people leave out when they are trying to catch any animal in large numbers is having the ground to trap and the animals to trap. You can't catch them if they aren't there. No matter how standardized your process or gear is. I've learned as I go on each year I try to find more ground even if I don't think I can get to it. You never know when it might come in handy. Sixty-100 miles in one direction can be a huge difference in weather here in Nebraska. Where one place you might not be able to access due to drifts and snow just 100 miles away the ground might just be dusted.

Back to the animals to trap. Find the locations where the animals are congregated this especially applies to canines for me. I used to be the guy that would trap the nice wooly fenceline in the middle of an open field because that's where the coyote would run. No doubt you'll catch a couple coyotes traveling that old brushy fenceline. However, if you go about 10 miles over there's a hog unit that the coyotes can smell for miles covered in tracks or a cow feedlot that has seven sets of tracks the night after a snow. Find the large operations in your area and set them.

When I'm trapping before work I kind of have adapted the hammer them and go. Set up more sets than I normally would on a location. Take the quick ones in the first 1-4 nights then move on to the next place. I also run a lot less traps at that time just more concentrated. When I have vacation I'll spread out as many traps as I can run in a day over more miles, generally only two traps to a stop. When I'm picking off certain locations like feedlots etc. where I know there's a number of coyotes coming the trap count goes up.

Awesome advice everyone, thank you!

Do you run a variety of lures, or only one or two? When running large amounts or traps, what is your go to way to keep track of all of your sets?

I bought author trappers trapline record book mainly to help the young man out and its easy to write down your notes location type of set bait and lure used and I also write the type of trap author trapper is a member on here and his book is available on line I believe I got it off amazon.

personally I use about 4 to 5 lures and baits. not all at the same sets of course.

www.amazon.com/Trappers-Advanced-Jumbo-Log-Book

https://www.amazon.com/Trappers-Log...mp;psc=1&refRID=YGGCKYVZ5SQGSSPNQEXE

sorry the first link didn't work but I see he has 3 options now pocket version, regular log book and a jumbo log book.

I haven’t run a large line for about 5yrs now. All gear was all organized. Dps where all baited and set. I knew my locations. The route I was taking and how many I was setting at each location. I enjoy Ohio’s 1 minute after midnight set start time. 1 bait 2 lures. Did that for days until everything was punched in. Then cream caught. Pull. Then do all over again. Repetition and new sets is the key. Set catch skin freeze. Set catch skins freeze. Keep good records and time yourself. I pushed for 5 locations set per hr. That was the average pace I tried to keep everyday. And lots of ibuprofen and coffee and water.

For me before I worry about how to standardize my traps or the actual sets. I map out my line and then MAKE SURE I STICK TO IT!!! Also keep your stuff organized as well as you can throughout the season

For rats I have three ways I trap rats open water (flat or marsh) with a canoe and stoploss with bamboo stakes, river and stream line open water large otter sled with 1 stoploss and an assortment of coon traps, body, DP
Through the ice rats with single spring 160s, stoploss, otter sled stakes etc. STICK TO THE PLAN IN A MARSH Don't go way out of your way to do a house if it slows you down 15 minutes where you are setting out your line.

Mapping out a line and locations for dry land coon or canines is even more important. Know the route and don't go down a side road 1-2 miles to make a set. If your mapped line is short go to the next mapped out line or plan.
This year I will be doing the most multi-species line trapping I have done dry land in many years. It is harder to stay on focus and task for me with the multi-species line. I have my 4 wheeler now setup to be able to set out about 1-2 miles of field edges in a loop for canine and coon.
Also know how much time the line will take to run. I have found I can check a line in about half the time of setting unless it is strictly body grip dry land coon or pre set DPs. Determine how you want to handle your catch and dispose of the carcasses. How much time does it take to comb, dry, and skin say 2 coyotes and say 15 coons? Everyone has a different speed so know how much time to plan for.
AS to traps I only really have 1 stoploss, 160 body grippers with two or one spring, 1.5 coils 1.75 coils and half dozen 330s. I find organizing lures, baits and urines to be the most difficult for me so I have minimized a lot of that aspect of my line, especially bait. I use a lot of chopped hay and lawn clippings so need to manage the bulkiness of those items.
DID I mention map out a plan and stick to it?
Bryce

Awesome information guys, love it! How many traps were you running at your peak? What were you targeting and what were you using for transportation? How long did it take to check on average?

I ran 40 doz dps with 20 doz 1 1/2 coils. Coon was my target. All dry land trail sets. Chevy 1500 Silverado. Start 5 am and depends what the day would bring for the end. Normally home by 8. Over 200 miles easy. Like bblwi said. Have a route. Have it mapped and stick to it. The two best books that I ever read that helped me where. Red O. And Gerald S. These 2 guys along with fossil on here can rack up numbers of critters. It can be done. You just have to be dedicated.

And apparently retired, lol.

Nope. I left a job I hated. Trapped my way to wellness. 4 yrs until I retire.

So you trap for a living? I took the 5-8 as 5am-8pm. Hard to hold a full time job with those hours.

You ran 720 traps in a day?

That’s what I was wondering too?!

Me too!!!!

Gentleman. When my line was completely out yes. 100 locations. Gang setting. Not to hard to set out that many traps

I was sharing my system. This is what works for me. There are a lot better trappers on here. That can catch more then me. Yes. I do run that many traps when I ran a big line. Long days. Not bragging. Just sharing what works for me. The late Charles Dobbins would say. What works for one trapper won’t necessarily work for the other trapper. Enjoy your fur season. I am sitting this year out.