Trapping Your Land.

Maddog3355

5 year old buck +
Does anybody trap there own land? Do you think it helps fawn and nest survival? Grant Woods use to preach it but haven't seen or heard trapping out of his videos for awhile.
 
I trap our land and our quail and turk population had increased significantly. I say had because the turks numbers plummeted this past year(not sure why but its going on all around us in southeast NE) quail numbers have jumped as well in this region. I can't say with objective certainty that trapping is helping but I am sure it is subjectively. I will continue to trap coons, possum, skunk, feral cat, and bobcats, regardless of market value. Right now I can't give my coons away and there are some excellent specimens. I could drive a long ways to sell them for 2.00 on carcass but I would be in the red if I did that. I try to find people that want animals to have a tanned pelt from for their house.

I take at least 30 crittters off of 130 acres and believe 100 percent it has helped some ground nester have a successful hatching and some make it to adulthood that would not if those critters were still scouring the ground.

How I trap I don't catch coyotes but I shoot them when I see them. Those I can sell locally that will pay the gas money.

Since the fur market has fallen greatly the past couple years, it may have caused the trapping sponsorship of his show to dwindle as well.
 
Growing deertv has had trapping on last couple of shows,I trap my place and a couple neighbors for coons and will set a few coyote traps.If I don't catch the coyotes then a buddy that traps solid for 3 months comes in and catches them.i too think it helps.
 
It definitely helps, but you need to understand the biology of the animal (home range, when they give birth, etccc.) Killing coyotes in small area surrounded by a sea of coyotes accomplishes very little when done in the fall, but has a much larger impact if done just prior to the coyotes giving birth. Since coons and skunks tend to be less mobile, reducing their numbers during the winter does still make a difference come nesting season.
 
Thanks for the replies. I have been trapping my own land every year and trap other people's land when the fur market is better. I hope I am making a difference. I just wish Missouri would allow trapping in the spring when the animals are staying put and it would really make a difference.
 
I have a friend trap by my house and he usually gets a couple dozen skunks, opossum and coons. Here landowners can trap problem areas year round, so I throw out live traps by my barn to get them in the spring when some wander back before they tear up stuff in my barn. I figure it has to help out ground nesting birds somewhat. The carcasses make great fertilizer for my apple trees too, which is a bonus. If you have a fruit tree that is struggling, throw a carcass or two under them and they really take off the next year. The tree leaves are dark green and the weeds and grass by the carcass will be a foot taller than adjacent areas.
 
I trap. I get a half dozen coyotes off my own land between trapping and calling off both places, it seems others yotes move right in though. I wage war almost year round with the raccoons and shoot/trap a couple feral cats a year too. All I know is it sure doesn't hurt to thin them out.

I leased both my farms for a few years before buying and now with; food plots/laying off does&fawns/predator control/feeding/managing habitat/ponds, I have all kinds of deer/turkeys/bunnies/squirrels/birds way more than before I bought the properties.
 
If you are wanting to catch coon,the duke dog proof is the easiest

I like the Z traps, they have a push-pull trigger. I agree the coon cuffs are a great way to focus specifically on coons if your trapping them year round.
 
It definitely helps, but you need to understand the biology of the animal (home range, when they give birth, etccc.) Killing coyotes in small area surrounded by a sea of coyotes accomplishes very little when done in the fall, but has a much larger impact if done just prior to the coyotes giving birth. Since coons and skunks tend to be less mobile, reducing their numbers during the winter does still make a difference come nesting season.
I think the most effective time to trap coyotes is right when they are pupping. This also coincides with fawning. The yotes have mouths to feed and the deer are the most vulnerable. Other times of the yr it seems that two fill the void when you take one out.
Most of our does have twins with them in the fall so I don't imagine the yotes are hurting the population much locally.

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I trap my land and believe it helps but I can't say I have seen a difference because of it. I trap to help reduce some of the predators and because I enjoy doing it.
 
I trapped little over 125 coons in a ten year time frame from the old barn by me and my in-laws farm.
Last few years I been seeing quail and grouse pretty regular.

Other reasons for trapping for me is these barns are close to my house and my dogs and kids could run into a coon. Plus that crap on the round bales of hay when in storage.
I'm after one now in the barn and figure it's a female and come spring if not caught means 5 more perhaps.
 
Always wanted to try trapping. Don't know much about it. Would love to eliminate some coyotes. Leghold traps are illegal in Mass...not sure how else you'd trap a coyote.
 
Trapped allot as a youngster. My neighbor and mentor taught me allot. Learned allot more than how to put up fur in the OL fur shed. Think that's where I learned how to drink beer and a thing or two about women.
I wish I had the time to run traps for a week or so every yr but I just can't seem to make it happen. Maybe next yr. This yr a buddy of mine is going to trap my place. Yotes are thick and healthy... They messed up a couple of my bow hunts. My buddy went down to the farm a couple days ago to scout things out for trap line and did some calling while he was there. He an his nephew called in two yotes. He dropped one and went to get a shot at the second but the yote buggered when his nephew apparently yelled "shoot it!" Lol
1 down more to go!
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Always wanted to try trapping. Don't know much about it. Would love to eliminate some coyotes. Leghold traps are illegal in Mass...not sure how else you'd trap a coyote.

Snares would be an excellent option for you if they are legal in your state.
 
I have been considering letting a neighbor trap my creek bottom in an effort to reduce the coons and the like. I shoot yotes on sight when ever possible but don't hunt them. I have never lost a downed deer to one so I am not sure I have all that many......which is a good thing. Game birds however struggle here and I think thinning out the coons and the nest raiders might really help. The neighbor kid is roughly 16 that does it and I like the idea of him learning how to do it and trying to help him as well. I don't trap, never have. I also have a hatred for cats beyond the barn lot. Cats in the barn are fine....they venture too far beyond that and they are killing the wrong things.
 
I have been considering letting a neighbor trap my creek bottom in an effort to reduce the coons and the like. I shoot yotes on sight when ever possible but don't hunt them. I have never lost a downed deer to one so I am not sure I have all that many......which is a good thing. Game birds however struggle here and I think thinning out the coons and the nest raiders might really help. The neighbor kid is roughly 16 that does it and I like the idea of him learning how to do it and trying to help him as well. I don't trap, never have. I also have a hatred for cats beyond the barn lot. Cats in the barn are fine....they venture too far beyond that and they are killing the wrong things.
Cool. Help a kid learn the outdoors, get rid of some coons and critters, and maybe a wild cat or two. Cats are GREAT predators...

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Cool. Help a kid learn the outdoors, get rid of some coons and critters, and maybe a wild cat or two. Cats are GREAT predators...

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Cats may be great hunters but they make better targets!!!!
 
^^^^ Saw a cat with a freshly killed grouse ( still twitching it's wings ) once. Grouse immediately got it's justice via 12 gauge.
 
I don't trap, but did just shoot a yote on my carcass pile at 215 yards this morning out of the Aqua stand! And will continue all winter killing them.

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