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Post by trappnman on Jan 18, 2006 8:06:19 GMT -6
keep track of your results on coon Jeff, Marty wants more data on them.
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Post by bblwi2 on Jan 18, 2006 9:34:51 GMT -6
Keep head scratching and writing, lots of insight here. As to the wandering and waterways. All coons probably are dehydrated as H after holing up , urinating and metabolizing even at lower rates. The waterways with the older males during Jan-March (WI now) I would think and guess that all coons YOY, females etc. go from den to water, or food, wander a small area and back home. Could be small area, larger on warmer nights etc. The larger and older coons can then travel the length of a stream, river, ditch road etc. When the mating season is on this may be the way the older males find the females, intersecting their tracks and smelling they are in estrus and following them back to their den or as RK stated they know "every lock that ain't locked" and investigate them all. The larger older males could be then denning as needed while on the circuit if you will.
Another thought about food. If we use humans as an example and let us say that we maximize our caloric needs for growth and development at say 20 years of age and we live to be 80. If coon are similar a 2 year old coon is done growing. Now it eats for maintenance, work (mating) and fat deposition. One of the reasons that a 25 lb. boar or a 22 lb. barren female may be prime and fat on Oct 20 in WI is the same calories that it took to grow a YOY coon to 14 lbs is all that it takes to fatten an old bugger. This may come into play also during the mating season and why so many larger coon are wandering around during the winter. The YOY coon need to grow more and need more calories per lbs. and therefore it is wiser to sleep and save calories than to risk not making the winter when rations are limited. Just some thoughts. As Linda Richmond would say from SNL "I give you yet one more topic to discuss, talk among yourselves." LOL
Bryce
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Post by trappnman on Jan 18, 2006 10:59:45 GMT -6
I think during this run, I've caught maybe 10-12 females- and those big coon.
you might have something bryce on calories.
I look at it similar- I feel that a coon bulks up, and around here a genetic strain was created to allow that bulk up. Now, that genetic strain is still dominant, but with the mild winters, these coon become more active, yet do not have that urge to gorge. Living off the stored calories.
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Post by mustelameister on Jan 18, 2006 12:40:41 GMT -6
Bryce: Excellent ideas.
As for dehydration, what does my lab want when I get home after work? Choices: a treat or fresh water to replace the block of ice in his kennel bowl?
Water . . . and he laps it down as if he hasn't had a drop in days.
Ah, grasshopper . . . hence the wandering tracks on top the shelf ice. No food there, but it's the easiest route to follow along the riverway after the thirst has been quenched.
Empty #220s up on the bank in the old trails now explained. Now that I'm thinking about it, the pipe sets hooked up to drowners that hit the most were at the intersections of eroding ice shelves with steep banks, where 'coon were forced to the water or back up on the bank.
Might take a float trip this weekend and specifically target these intersections. Dang this is fun!
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Post by mustelameister on Jan 18, 2006 15:09:46 GMT -6
From the T&PC, Sep 2001, "Numbers Man", the story of Mike 'Red' O'Hearn and his eight 1000-coon seasons: "When it starts to get cold, he changes his tactics. He changes largely to pocket sets, since he wants mink and muskrats, too. He also starts using baited #220 buckets. Cold-weather 'coon trapping is an entirely different game. Raccoon behavior changes dramatically, but Red knows where to find them, and has developed techniques to take them even in subzero weather. His catch slows noticeably, but these 'coon are prime and densely furred." " . . . baited #220 buckets."
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Post by primetime on Jan 18, 2006 15:40:18 GMT -6
Not Here - Not Me anyway. Quote: "His catch slows noticeably" I did catch one in a bucket this season. How "Slow" was he talking. ;D
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Post by trappnman on Jan 18, 2006 15:58:49 GMT -6
by far the vast majority of Red's coon are taken before subzero temps and winter.
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Post by rk660 on Jan 18, 2006 19:43:52 GMT -6
Red uses them when they work, and he says they arent too hot at times. He snares and conibears trails alot in winter too I know.
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Post by trappnman on Jan 18, 2006 20:25:58 GMT -6
I have no doubt in Iowa, its snares. Seems to me coon go out of their way to get caught in snare. They have absolutely zero heisitatin to go through a snare.
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Post by primetime on Jan 19, 2006 8:36:03 GMT -6
Well we got about an Inch of snow a few days ago, so it has allowed me to see what is around. Today while checking my sets (PVC Sets w/ ProCoon) I seen a good amount of Coon tracks wandering like we have been discussing. Many "Wandered" as close as 20' from my sets, but never broke stride. One appeared to turn into one of my sets, but there was no Coon waiting for me and no sign of disturbance or tracks right around my set.
I'm not sure what the secret is. This afternoon I'm going down to the court house to change my name to Steve Gappa, hoping that will bring me a little more success.
I figured If I got Coon close w/ ProCoon I'd start to get some action, but no takers. It must be more of a waiting game this time of year - like Mink trapping.
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Post by thefoxtrapper on Jan 19, 2006 8:54:58 GMT -6
i can count on one hand how many coon i caught this year, a true blessing thus far, but if i was coon trapping right now, its hard to beat a good blind set or two in wore down trails, otherwise find where multiple tracks cross going both directions and kick a few holes in the bank and lure heavy, also I have caught many, many coon blind on beaver dams with just a dab of lure on a stick out in the water with trap between stick and dam, just enough to get him to stop and move around, simple subtle sets sometimes are the way to go, w
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