Tips for a newbie?

[WIMN]

Hey all,

I live on a small hobby farm that consists of a small pond, an alfalfa field, and a yard (plus a barn and house). I know there are coons, foxes, coyotes, skunks, and maybe other smaller furbearers around here.

I have trapped coons in a Hav-a-Heart trap in the barn who got into the cat food before, and shot them. Same with some skunks. That's about the only experience I have trapping.

My interest in trapping arose pretty recently... I buried a doe carcass in the field after I butchered it, and overnight some animal had dug down to the body and dragged a shoulder/leg about 100 yds across the field. Right now there is a burrowed hole a bit smaller around than a basketball going down to where the deer's body is buried. I was thinking that that would be a good place to put a trap, since something is obviously going in there and eating.

I also know that there is some kind of small mammal that has a den on the edge of my pond. Every morning I went out to shoot some ducks in the pond I would hear it crashing around through the cattails, and now that it is cold out I can see some trails where the cattails have been broken down around the pond.

So... Was wondering if anybody could point me in a good direction for getting started. What store sells traps? What kind do I need to use in an area where neighbors have large dogs (they go for walks down the road every day)? I've read the first page or 2 of threads on trapping talk on this msg board, and the phrase "dirt sets" came up pretty frequently. How do you secure your trap in the dirt so an animal doesn't escape? Are any trappable animals good eating? Is it possible to set traps for pheasants or geese? See both of those on occasion in the field.

I do have fat and silverskin trimmings left in a cooler outside that I am now thinking about using for bait. Was going to bury them, but after I saw that an animal had gotten in to the doe carcass I buried, thought it might be a good idea to save them.

And, final question--can you use crow meat as bait for animals like foxes, coyotes, coons? Lots of them around here, and I think they scare off some of the smaller birds that come in for the bird feeder. If I could "kill two birds with one stone" here (kill crow, get fur + more birds in my feeder) that would be pretty awesome. So far I have not shot any crows.

Matt

[swamptiger]

The first thing to do is to thoroughly study the game laws and trapping regulations (MN or WI - wherever your farm is located) so you know which species you are allowed to target, and when the seasons are open.

The next thing to do is to familiarize yourself with the various animal habits, sign, and tracks, etc., so you know what animal you are targeting.

In your instance, I would suggest starting with a larger cage trap like the Hav-a-Heart trap you used for the coon. That way, if you happen to catch something you don't intend to catch, you could release it. There are several trapping suppliers located in Minnesota and Wisconsin you could locate by doing a search for trapping suppliers on the internet.

[Powerstroke]

In MN crows are currently closed.

[Grayfox]

Matt,

I'm not sure which state your in but in Wisconsin you'll have to take a trapper education course before you can get a trapping license. Minnesota has an age limitation and I'm not real sure what that is. The best direction I can point you is to take the trapper ed. class. I took it with my son and learned a lot. From the laws, basic sets,how to anchor your traps,not putting a trap within 25' of sight exposed bait and how to skin your catch for sale. You can read all you want about trapping but during the course you can get in there and get your hands dirty and actually see them put in the sets your reading about.

Rob

[jigginjim]

I took a class a couple of years ago, the best days I spent. I last trapped back in the mid 70's, with the new rules and several guys are willing to show you a few things to help you in your trapping.