Trapping?

[huntall]

After deer season is over I always set about twenty traps with my boys. They love it! We mostly run the Duke DP traps for coons.
We make it a big thing! We do this about three or four weekends. This is also during squirrel season. Squirrel hunt about half the time and run traps the rest.

Last year my third boy joined us for his first hunt- trap line. He was 5 and enjoyed every minute of it.
It's just like Christmas morning to the kids running the traps!

Y'all ever set traps?

 

[Jim Timber]

I've been running mainly DP's the last couple years and have been known to set some 220 conibears on trails and in bucket sets (which tend to get skunks rather than coon). Been contemplating expanding my line this year, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

First year I trapped coon, I got 25 of them running the line 3 days a weekend and only while I was hunting. Did amazing things to the area's bird population, and significantly reduced coon sightings. We used to have bands of 5-6 coon roving the shore in the summer looking for loot. I still have coon, but their numbers are down and I think the area is a lot more balanced because of it.

 

[huntall]

This is a squirrel that they got and my little boy said that was his first "skeerl"lol

 

[bat man]

We run snares in the winter. Learning curve seems lower and we have a lot a fun. Awesome to see the fox tracks go for a couple hundred yards only to see or smell the set and backtrack never to be seen again.

 

[huntall]

A few from the traps.

 

[Jim Timber]

I've got a dozen snares too, but I wasn't able to run them last winter due to the insanely deep powdery snow (too hard on my knees). I'm hoping to change that this year. We've got what sounds like a couple yote packs on the lake right now. Every night around 1:30 they howl back and fourth. I'm contemplating spending a couple nights calling next week and see if I can bag some before rut starts.

 

[bat man]

A few from the traps.

Are those coon avg size in MS?

 

[huntall]

.

 

[huntall]

Are those coon avg size in MS?

The one is larger than normal.

 

[Jim Timber]

Ya'll need to feed 'em better or something. :p

 

[huntall]

lol.....that's a big one!

 

[Jim Timber]

Considering I'm 220#, yeah, she's not dainty either. :D

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Very cool! Keep those boys into things other than video games! I cant wait to get a cabin built on my place so I can take a wk or 2 and run a trap line with my boys. They are very intrigued by my traps hanging in the garage. They always ask me to get them down and snap them on a stick! Duke 1 3/4 is my go to yote, fox an bc trap. 330's for the beavers.. I havent trapped in 5-6 yrs. I miss it bad!

 

[Turkey Creek]

I lived in NC for 6 months trapping for the government. I caught a couple coons in Januarary that were "huge" asked my buddy who had lived there awhile when coons have their litters in NC, I couldnt believe how small they were, "He said those are full grown!" Some of those southern coon have pretty fur, but dang they are small! Furbuyers here wouldnt even buy those saying they are too small.

 

[huntall]

Very cool! Keep those boys into things other than video games! I cant wait to get a cabin built on my place so I can take a wk or 2 and run a trap line with my boys. They are very intrigued by my traps hanging in the garage. They always ask me to get them down and snap them on a stick! Duke 1 3/4 is my go to yote, fox an bc trap. 330's for the beavers.. I havent trapped in 5-6 yrs. I miss it bad!

Thats great! lots of fun running them with the kids!

 

[huntall]

I lived in NC for 6 months trapping for the government. I caught a couple coons in Januarary that were "huge" asked my buddy who had lived there awhile when coons have their litters in NC, I couldnt believe how small they were, "He said those are full grown!" Some of those southern coon have pretty fur, but dang they are small! Furbuyers here wouldnt even buy those saying they are too small.

We dont sell the fur...we do it for fun and try to thin a few out.
To my kids they are trophies regardless of size.

 

[Turkey Creek]

We dont sell the fur...we do it for fun and try to thin a few out.
To my kids they are trophies regardless of size.

Definitely. Just commenting on the size of the coon north vs south. That is awesome that you take the time to trap with your kids. I took mine with me long before they made hip boots that would fit them. Enjoy every chance you get to make a memory with your kids, they dont stay small for long.

 

[Jim Timber]

I don't sell the fur yet either. With how mangled my skinning attempts have been, it's a darn good thing I don't depend on that income for food. :oops:

I thought I did pretty good on my skunk pelt, and then left it in the brine too long and the fur fell out.

Depredation is the sole reason I trap coon. One day when the population is booming (yotes have run them off again :mad: ) I'd like to get a red fox mount for the man cave. Until then, I don't set too many foot holds because I don't want accidental catches.