AntiFreeze & Bait/Lure

[primetime]

How important is an AntiFreeze in your Bait/Lure. I've set out a good number of Coon sets this week hoping to take advantage of the warm weather we are having, but have not been having the best success. I'm beginning to think that the Coon are just not finding my sets, or ignoring them for lack of a strong smelling lure. I'm using some Fish scraps from a friend of mine, and some Fish Oil mixed with what little ProCoon I had left. Problem is the Fish bait freezes solid and even my ProCoon/Fish Oil freezes to nearly a solid.

I tried mixing a pile of Salt in with my bait on a few sets, and I'll see if that works, but would like to hear how important you all feel keeping Bait/Lure from freezing is on your trap line.

Also what do you use to do this.

[trappnman]

bait is ineffective here during winter. Good lure is what takes wintercoon. I'm over 70 coon during this warmup. You know what I use......

[primetime]

Steve does what you use not freeze most nights?

So the score is 70 - 4.

Who's the man!

[primetime]

Also, not to argue, but just to learn. What are the Coon's doing out this time of year if not to eat? It seems to me like it would be a waste of energy and there fat supply. Also what are they doing working the open water? For heaven sakes if you want to take a stroll when it's 25 degrees stay out of the water. They must be looking for food - aren't they?

Why do you feel bait is ineffective in the winter?

If a person was to trap dryland coon this time of year what sets would he use and what attractor?

PS - This isn't just for Steve. Others can comment if you've got some opinions.

Later - PT

[mmwb (Andrew Parker)]

"Coon's doing out this time of year" Looking for other coon.

[walkercoonhunter(Aaron L.)]

well primetime i have found from running coon hounds this time of year that the males are going into the early stages of rutting...our breeding season will start here in about 2-3 weeks and they are looking for the other half of the breeding cycle...as far as food they will get it when they can but not a dead hunt for food....and as far as your question as for water....well your trapping the creeks and runs and the males run there looking for females....i would say if ya cant hammer them on PRO COON there aint no coon there....lol or close by....

[trappnman]

What they said.

I've seen this many times over the years- coon ake an edible bait, carry it 2 feet away, and drop it untouched.

I've also followed many coon tracks trying to find denning areas- and walked for miles w/o a coon coming close to a den. They just like to wander.

I believe, and I might be alone in this- is that winter coon come out and wander much more than people think, and do so for 2 reasons, wanderlust and to get water.

I am in no way saying coon don't eat in the winter, but what I am saying is that its not the driving force like it is in Sept- Nov and again in Feb-March.

Winter coon in the north are genetically structured to spend several months in basically true hibernation. Wth the past decade of warm northern winter,s these coon are in turmoil. They are active, but with the fat reserves, not really hungry.

Yet, as all creatures, some things ring bells and are stimulants.

I've been a coon trapper all my life. I've tried out most popular coon lures and many you have never heard of. All work to a degree. Most are worthless in winter conditions. I finally found my ultimate lure- Hardcore- and used it for years. My friends, I kid you not, I tested ProCoon for 1 year w/o additives for 5 months on land and water..and it left Hardcore in the dust. I won't say this about many things- but I have never see a lure for coon like ProCoon, and in my opinion it is the definitive lure for coon.

[vttrapper]

If your bait or lure freezes solid, the amount of scent molecules released from the bait or lure will be much less than if it was not frozen. Try mixing some glycerin or glychol with your bait and see if this makes a difference the attractiveness of your sets. Salt works but will freeze solid after a while, glycerin and glychol will stay fluid at lower temperatures.

frank

[trappnman]

thats the beauty of ProCoon over Hardcore- ProCoon never freezes.