Targeting Coon with a Pocket Set

[CoonDuke]

"Standard" pocket set...4-5" hole made at water level in a near vertical bank.

What is your trap placement?

I always set dead center in front of the hole and tight to the hole. Textbook mink pocket set. I never had much trouble catching coon in this type of set.

Through reading articles, books, and watching videos, I notice some coon trappers set back from the hole, and some set for a back foot catch.

Thoughts on this?? I never thought a coon was very tough to catch by setting tight. I never really had problems with snapped traps and what not but I aint a trapper that catches hundreds of coon a year either...

[Maineman]

Over the years I've had traps for coons at pocket sets,everywhere from totally inside, to 12 inches outside the hole and realized that setting my pans about half in the hole and half out of the hole works best for me...Trap placement on any set will get you as many different answers as you have trappers...It dosn't really make anyone wrong.....Just different...

DHZ

[trappnman]

I've settled on having the trap fairly close to the hole- not as tight as Dave, but not any 10-12 inches back. I like a coon trap back enough so that I miss all the mink..LOL. Not becasue I want to miss mink- but because I think a coon works a set many times back aways and just reaches into the hole. A tight trap does, in my opinion, miss a few of these.

On dirtholes- I like a trap back 8-10 inches for coon.

[robertw]

I like a pocket tile spade depth (roughly 18") and narrow (4"). I set in the mouth of the pocket with the trap wedged in. Placing the trap like this catches nearly every mink as makes the corner into the pocket. Wedging the trap in place keeps the coon from lifting it out of the trap bed if he feels it. Front foot catches require less water to drown them in and reduces the amount of bank being tore up by the coon when compared to back foot catches.

Basically I mink trap my raccoon. I want every muskrat, mink and raccoon that comes through.
The only exception to this is if there is otter sign present. Then the trap gets moved out of the hole a couple of inches.

[thefoxtrapper]

My trap is positioned where the pan is a few inches back from the opening of baited opening, however I am changing my style in constructing pockets to force the coon inside them thus over the trap, which cuts way down on flipped traps or just plain misses from the coon standing back and not hitting the trap. I also employ the use of a small guide stick that trappnman talks about so much, it really does help as my catch percentange went way up as soon as I started using that trick a few years back....but my main strategy this year on pocket sets, is not making any for coon, unless something drastic happens with the fur market because my meat market is gone....oh almost forgot to say, I pretty much use #1 longsprings now on a kill poll in deep water, didnt do much coon'n last year, but the little I did seemed to work well with this setup..winston

[trappnman]

number one way to cut down on flipped traps- the Armstong stick dog guide. I set my water traps with dog towards stream and guide stick on outseide of jaw. If you do not do this yet- biggest tip you will ever get on coon.

[thefoxtrapper]

I position my traps on a 45 so no matter how a coon works the pocket, the trap will grab something,and a #1 b@l aint letting go....now if I road trapped coon, I would use mainly 1.5 coils as weight and equipment would not be a factor as it is in a water vessel. w

[trappnman]

Here's a couple of pics of the Armstong stick guide.

Land or water- I NEVER make a coon set without it- it is that important.





another trick in water, clear water...set a couple of rocks around the trap- I usually use 2 back about 4-5 inches. Make sure then aren't tippy. Break ups the stark outline of the trap on the bototm.

[JP]

On land sets, where do you put the stick and dog in relation to your hole? This might be a dumb question, but what does the stick do? Does is force the coon in some way. How does it cause him to not flip the trap. I believe you that is works, but was just wondering why. That is exactly the picture I was looking for.
Thanks.
JP

[trappnman]

depends on the set- on land back 6-10 inches. I use nothing but stepdown variations for coon on land. Why it works? I've a couple of thoughts on it- but when I started using it- I saw an immediate drastic reduction in snapped and flipped traps.

[trappnman]

I have the dog and stick at 3 oclock on land, at 6 oclock on water.

[Clyde Isaak]

Steve - Do your guide sticks actually stick up that far as in the photo's? I assume you also want the stick to be pretty stable so it doesn't get knocked over to easily. Clyde

[trappnman]

not quite that far- but close. I like them to be 3-4 inches above the dirt or water

Very stable- a strong stick and at least half below ground

[CoonDuke]

When talking about snapped or flipped traps...

I almost never have this occur in the water. Don't know why, but I aint complaining.

On land, it is a different story. To me, coon are one of the hardest animals to pattern on land. I can't figure out where they travel, and when I get on them, I can't figure out where they will step. Give me a red fox any day...LOL!

[foxtail]

I make my pockets up off of the water's edge. I do this to allow for small changes in water level. I don't have a specific placement for my trap except in front of the hole.
I just put it where it fits the best and screw it into the bottom using the levers as handles. I don't go far out because the trap needs to get the mink too. I suspect that the mink have to work a little bit to find out if they want twhat is in the hole because it is up above their heads a few inches.

[fishadict]

Trap tight in pocket with dog at 10 or 2 depending on direction of water flow. I am setting for mink and also catching coon. Will try some with the stick this year.

fa

[bblwi]

For about the last 3 years now I have gone from the pocket set to the PVC set for coon on land and in water.
I for some reason seem to have better success with this system. I could very well be I was never an accomplished pocket trapper.
I like the PVC Pipe is 2 inch or 1.5 inches and about 12 inches long. I pound it in the bank for water sets at about6-8 inches above the water level. I set my trap with the pan about 1-2 inches out from the end of the pipe and directly below the pipe. The trap then is about 6-10 inches below the pipe in about 2 inches of water.
For me I get fewer misses and sprung traps this way and more front foot catches. I do not like hind foot catches on drowner slides. Many coons power out of those. With more drags losses are not as many but rear foot catches are less likely for me to be there in the AM then are the front foot pad catches.
I think the PVC pipe has me planting the feet in front before rising up or pawing in the pipe. With no trap near the pipe I don't get those searching and pawing catches that are poorer holds. That is my opinon.
On dryland I set the about the same but maybe back a tad more.
If not the PVC I prefer the built up v branches mini cubby over a pocket or dirt hole for coon. I like getting them to step over something and then funnel to the trap. Less working from the back . I also like squirting my lure mix along the one of the sides of the V. I for some reason maybe due to being lefthanded squirt the left side. I then offset the trap a tad to the left and it works pretty good that way. These are mostly drag sets. I will be doing more of these near public roadways this year and need to do the dryland slides to get them out of view. Something new every year. That is what I like about trapping. not expensive to try something different and the results can be seen quickly.

Bryce

[trappnman]

a quick reply here bryce- you get more front foot catches with pvc than backfoot? I find just the opposite- more bakcfoot catches and I attributed this to the way I think a coon will work a pipe set. I envison the coon standing or semi standing at the pipe...holding on to it, probingi nside it, etc with his front feet.

BTW- that guide stick at those pockets...........

If a good solid clay type bank, I prefer a pocket..but on many of my creeks- pockets during freeze/thaw throughout the winter keep crumbling and collapsing. So all in all, probably now use 75% or so pipes in the water.

[M35]

I tried the PVC pipe last year and it seemed that the coon worked the set harder which allowed more opportunity for them to step in the sweet spot.

I'm thinking because of the smaller restricted hole that won't increase in size with their digging at it helps keep their interest in the goodies just beyond their reach.

Plus the "in your face" white object that stands out from the surrounding colors helps also, I think..

I only use PVC in places that I feel the 2 legged coons won't mess with it..

[bblwi]

Steve,
It may be that I was getting more misses at the pocket sets because of poorer guiding and the pipe works as a more centralizing attractor and focal point. As I think this out too Steve I am probably setting my pipes up where the approach shelfs or water depth is less than what you might be at. I may be getting the front foot before they actually start working the set harder. I use mostly lure with a small amount of bait. marshmallows to be exact. I also as most do trail scent the animal into the pipe. I was assuming that I was loosing the coon after the catch on the drowner but they may have been poorly held front foot catches also. I have had some back toes also. I have set my pan tension up a bit on the coon pipes also. Miss some mink but better coon catches from my perspesctive.

Bryce