Trapping questions?

['eyesmaster89]

I just have a few trapping questions. I only trapped mink and muskrat this year because I am only 14 and can't drive to any good locations for much else. Next I am going to widen my area ,cause my partners getting his license. I got videos and my dad told me how to trap coon, but I was wondering what kind of sets and baits I could use for coyotes,fox,and weasels. Are there a lot of weasels in Minnesota, particulary central Minnesota.

Thanks for any info

Keep your stick on the ice

[protrapper]

Yes, there are weasels in Central MN. Use fresh bloody bait for them. Once you catch a few use the carcass's for bait. Look for weasels in high grass and swampy areas. Also alder swamps, and brush piles. Use a #1 long spring in a wooden box. It will catch them high and kill them. you dont want them alive as the blood and urine will stain the whit fur.

Fox and yotes can be trapped in dirtholes and 1.5 coils. Double staked. Cause you will catch yotes in this set also. So you can aslo use a 1.65 coils. You can also make flat sets which is just lure or urine on a backing of some sort. This set will work for both fox and yotes.

As for bait you can get your own by simply trapping mice and smashing them and putting them in hole or use them hole. Venison scraps, bird guts will work also.

Or you can buy some lure and prepared bait from a dealer. Also I like to use some urine at my sets makes the animal think one of its kind was already there.

If you have more yotes in your area I would use # 2 or # 3 coils. You can use drags and stakes if you wish.

The best advice is to get a fox or yote video by a trapper. Slim Pederson's are the best out there. I own a few. You can order them from a mag. Yotes and foxes are the most challenging critters to trap, and videos would be the best way to learn. And practice making a dithole and bedding a trap rock steady over the summer.

I like to take alot of my fox and yotes in the winter with snares at bait stations. It's cheaper than traps and I can set alot and they pretty much maintain themselves.

Hope this helps. post some more questions if you need more info.

Good Luck,

Trapper

['eyesmaster89]

Aren't snares illegal in Minnesota. Do you have to worry about your scent when trapping weasels like you do with mink. What are weasels worth?

[This message has been edited by 'eyesmaster89 (edited 01-12-2004).]

[protrapper]

Snares are legal in Minnesota. You can snare fox and yotes in the forest furbearer zone. Look in regs for map. You need a permit to snare fox also. You can snare in the farm zone only as a sumbmerged waterset. So your limited to beaver there.

You dont have to worry about scent on weasels or mink. I have sold weasels for a dollar with highs of 10 dollars plus over the years. You wont know until you sell.

[trapper1]

Really good advice from trap pro. I would like to talk to you a little more about snares. First good for you for setting for fur. I have been doing it all my life. The problem with foot traps is the amount of equipment nessasary. you really should have 2 of all your set making tools. one for fresh sets and one for remakes. Snares are light weight, cheap and highly efficiant. they are the best yote "trap" there is. (when properly set!!)the MN. Trappers Assotiation has a complete video library that you can rent if your a member.Unbelievable amount of info there. give snares a try!! The Snare Shop has everything you will need and will give lots of advice. Neil is a great guy. He has a web sight. Good luck but always remember!! snares
can easily disapear after you set them. MARK YOUR SETS WELL and always pull those snares when you are done!!

[Mikinaak]

eyesmaster89,
Make up boxes for weasels.
12" long x 6" wide x 6" tall. Use a "V" cut in the front for a door and place a No. 1 longspring right in front of the door inside the box. Nail the bait inside the box to the back wall. Place a jump stick between the bait and the trap (this is important).
This method you can use all winter, snow doesn't effect it.

More later on...........The Trapper.........

[This message has been edited by Mikinaak (edited 02-25-2004).]

[protrapper]

Really neat to see some more trappers on here. Welcome! Where you guys from? what ya trap? Feel free to share that info. I just got this forum started not that long ago. So post some good info.

[trapper1]

I'm from the Miss. river bluffs between DBQ and Bellevue. Mostly trap coon and beaver but we did snare some yotes this year. My 9 yr. old son is really getting into it so he kind of recharged my batteries towards setting again. Did some ADC work a few years back but just don't seem to have the time anymore. It would be great to see more young trappers asking ?

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trapper

[Mikinaak]

eyesmaster89,
Here is your next BIG tip.
Where talkin fox trapping here....
First, you need to set on a good location.
The set really doesn't matter, dirt hole flat set, etc.
You need to bed your trap real solid, the only thing that can move is the pan, and that is when the animal steps on it.

I am currently living in Colorado but am from Little Falls, Mn. I have trappped profesionaly from northern mn. to southern mn. I was vice president of the Northern Mn. Fur Takers, twice!

[This message has been edited by Mikinaak (edited 02-25-2004).]

[trapper1]

what is the status of trapping in CO.?? is it still outlawed completely. shame that so much prime fur habitat has to go to waste.

[OUTDOORNUT]

I grew up in Central MN and no reside in Duluth. Grew up trapping coon, mink, rats and a few beavers. One of my favorite sets were a pocket set for coon, I'd break off a 1/4 of a cob of corn, dip it in an attractor and stuff it in my pocket. Another good coon and mink set is to set a submerged trap at colvert intakes, mostly the smaller ones for field tile. If you haven't tried bottom edgeing for mink, we need to talk! Not only do you catch more mink, your traps are hidden from a-holes that mess with your sets! When I was young I trapped using my bike, all fall and winter long, I got out as much steel as possible by using alot of gang sets, I only trapped 5 or 6 spots but, had 30-35 traps out in those areas. There was nothing better than trying to ride my bike with two or three coons in my bucket and a smile that could reach my ears!

[Gissert]

The bottom edge set is a dealy set for mink, and it works good for beaver as well.

Mink will often swim along the bottom, tight against a bank or a bridge abutment. If you can place a conibar on that bottom edge, you have a nice set that is effective and very hard to spot by thieves.

Ken Smythe has a good book on this type of set. YOu can get copies in the Trapper and Preadator magazine, or maybe on Krause Publications HSOforum.

['eyesmaster89]

I still don't fully understand this bottom-line mink trapping or were to set them.

[OUTDOORNUT]

Go get yourself some wire stands, they are a "H" shaped unit that accepts a 110 nicely, you can find them through most outfitters. Then go and find all of those nice concrete colverts that are all over that part of the state, and set your 110 on the very bottom, perpendicular to the drop off. It may take a day, a week or even a month, but one things for sure if there is a mink in the area he use the bottom!

[Mikinaak]

trapper1,
yes, legally we can't trap with footholds.
There are a few ways aroung it, trapping beaver or coyotes for people with problems is one way. and conibears is another.

eyesmaster89,
so what do you think about my tips to you?

['eyesmaster89]

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to make a few weasel boxes for next year and try out them fox sets.

Whats your favorite bait for fox, weasel, mink,coon, and coyote?

[protrapper]

For weasel I like weasel carcass. After you catch some just cut them up and put them in your weasel box. Or any bird guts, mice etc.

For mink I use nothing but fresh fish. Bullhead, smelt, suckers, carp, any fish will work. You can use a mink gland lure if yuo want but I have found it works better in latter part of season when its cold.

For coon fish is good also. Fish will catch coon and mink. Cat food and sardines also work. Also just some coon lure smeared on a stick in a small hole poked in the bank will work. I use fish all the time.

For fox and yotes. In early fall i use small dirtholes with mice or grouse guts and feathers for bait. With fox urine and shot of gland lure at lip of hole. In winter I put out big bait stations and snare them when they have trails coming to the bait. But woodchuck, mice, bird guts, even canned dog food works. It really works well on fox.

I would suggesta book on trapping and a subscription to a trapping magazine for more info. Or go to trapperman dot com for lots of info. Its the best site on internet for trapping.

[beretta]

i am also trying to get started trapping. im 17 and live near brainerd. i have tried to trap otter and fisher this fall. got one fisher in a coon set this fall (before the season.....dont worry i called the warden) and that was it for my otter and fisher action. i got 2 coon last november and got one today. i put my traps back out last night otherwise they havent been out since november for coon. i also put out a beaver set today on a run going into the mississippi. what advice can you give me about trapping coon. i have 12 220 conibears, if that helps. thanks

[protrapper]

Make yourself some coon buckets. Use 5 gallon pails or 4 gallon square pails. Cut the slots for your 220 springs. Put some bait in the back,and set the 220 in the opening. You can also make wood ones,but the pails are easier you jusr cut the slots in sides of the pail. Or set the 220's in coon trails running through the grass. Keep them about 3 inches off the ground and stabalize and stake solid. You may have to practice to get the hang of it. Make sure you set them 220's where no dogs will get caught. Best advice order a coon video. Red O'hearns Coon Trapping The Untold Story is a great video to learn from. Get it out of Trapper And Predator Caller magazine.

[OUTDOORNUT]

There is a great article in the newest Trapper about big river Otter trapping. FYI.. .I caught my first otter just north of Brainerd. Good luck!

[trapper1]

you can trap the coon for experience but their fur value is gone. I would leave them for next year. beaver are prime and on the move. now is when the mud pie set works great. if you have good coon numbers and you set those 12 traps right come next Nov. you should be able to take 2 or 3 coon a day. That would be my goal. as soon as the catch drops off move the traps. bucket sets are easy and effective but they stick out like a sore thumb for the thieves. stabilized trail sets is about all i do now.
they work great and you can really camo a set so people will walk right buy and not see it. GOOD LUCK!!

[Aktrapper]

Eyesmaster89,
Great to see trappers give advise to each other! I was born in St. Paul and raised in Rosemount. I was trapping gophers and rats at the age of 8-9. I left Minnesota at the age of 18 joining the army because of Vietnam. I got stationed in Alaska instead, gosh, that really sucked! I've been here ever since. I live in North Pole Alaska. I trap with two other partners and we have over 150 mile of trapline that we use snowmachines to run.I've been trapping in the interior for 28 seasons. Believe it or not, I still like trapping rats through the ice! I trap the best area in the world, and still go back to my roots, were it all started, trapping rats. When ever I'm out there I think of the guys that started me out and had shown me things over the years, I'm still learning! So if you ever are in an area where there are marten, wolves, wolverine or lynx, drop me an e-mail,I'll give you all the advice I can.
To all you old guys, keep the tradition alive, share what you know, we're a dying breed!!!
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"
Aktrapper

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[trapper1]

I use to live in Valdez and trapped one winter out of Bettles. a pilot named ron Costello (?) took me out and i made a drop camp. Lived in a tent 50 miles north of the artic circle in nov. Crazy but awesom!! everybody should expeience that level of wilderness at least once in their life. At least every young trapper that is crazy enough to try it. I just wish I had the experience I have now, i was green as grass then. And in case anyone is wondering the coldest it got was at least 50 below. God bless the goose down mummy bag and Carabou skin!!!The wood burner didn't hurt either(-: Keep the young guys interested, their the future.