Coon Trapping Question

[Waterwolf22]

This is a newbie trapping question but here goes.... during the September - October timeframe sitting in the tree stand archery hunting we saw coons nearly everynight in some good river bottom / wooded area country here in SW Minnesota... Now I decide to give trapping a try during the month of December and in 10 days have not caught a thing. I realize coons partially hibernate but with the warm weather maybe they would be up during the night looking for food. Using live traps and 220 conibear bucket sets with no luck....

What am I missing? Thanks for any help

[crappiegetter]

Baiting your sets will increase the catch. I trap muskrat, coon and mink and I usually use the rats as bait for mink and coon. This time of year it will be slow they stay in when its cold. Best time I get coon is in the first few weeks or so while its still warm. Usually I will make pocket sets at down logs where it has a good pinch point anything that will get it to walk into the trap before getting the bait. Glad to help you out more pm me and let you know anything you want.

[johnsd16]

What are you baiting with? Just be careful with those 220s and buckets. You've probably heard that but be mindful.

Dogproof traps are also a good set, easy for a new guy, safe and quick. Get them where the coon are and bait them with good bait and you will catch coon.

Coon are like deer, they change their habits and travels based on the food and cover available. Try to get around some den trees this time of year and set right at them. You need to be where the coon are, or on their travelway between where they are going.

I have noticed the coon shut down to an abnormal degree this year without snow. Usually I have continued to catch some coon as long as there is no snow, regardless of temperature. You will have much better luck in general if you give them a shot around deer season to thanksgiving.

[verg]

I am no coon trapping pro but have been catching then as of late. Think the nice weather has kept them active at night. A farm that has several old buildings has been active so I have just been using live traps with sardines. Has been golden. Can get sardines at our locat grocer for $.75. Good luck

[LOTWSvirgin]

The biggest thing is trying to get them to stick there nose in the bucket since they have not been denned up for a month Best time is to get them in bucket ins end of Febuary early march after they have benn denned up and are starving they will eat anything