Blind setting

[trappnman]

It really sounds like blind setting is a lost art. I don't blind set much for canines, but should.

On water animals, I don't have a doubt in the world that in any mink and rat scenario, I'll take as many as quickly as anyone using bait and lure.

and on beaver, except in traveling river situations perhaps- you can take as many on pure blind sets as any lured set.

I know this to be true from starting out as a blind setter, incorporating lured and baited sets form any years, and watching the results and seeing what works- for me.

and for me- sure, lured and baited sets work- but I do enough of that on land- in water...blind sets are easy and productive. My first choice by far for any of the water # animals.

I think part of the reason many don't blind set or think lures outproduce blind sets- is that blind sets while easier to make- are harder to learn. Blind sets are ALL location...and a precise understanding of the animal and where, what he is going to do- is essential and most don't bother to learn it.

Now on land- I use lured sets like castor mounds on a river- to make a set where I want and to "pull" the animal to my set. I also believe on coon and canines- that a good lure adds to the working of sets. If I wanted to take the time and effort to make blind sets almost exclusively, I have no doubt that over time, my catch % would be the same.

I'm at that stage in water.

I grew up with mink, beaver and rats- and my dad never used lure and was a 100% blind set man. I listened, learned and expanded his teachings. I don't say blind sets are for every trapper, nor will I say in the hands of an average trapper or one inexperienced in blind sets that such sets will outproduce lured sets..

But I say with no hesitation- that a good blind set man will not be out trapped by a lure man.

Comments?

[plueger1]

Steve, you know as well as I do that two words don't apply to trapping. "always" and "never" I wouldnt say that a good blind set man will always out produce a lure man. Several years ago an old blind set trapper had set the same river line I had. He was well known in the area as the best trapper around and all he ran was blind sets. I had about 100 lured pockets set for coon and he had around a 120 blind sets also for coon. First run I waited for him at the boat dock just out of curiosity. He had 14 coon in his boat and I had 38. For the next couple days I outproduced him by far with my baited lured pockets until he got discouraged and pulled out. In my opinion a lure that an animal really wants will stop him and cause him to move his feet more therefor increasing the odds of a foot finding the pan. When I do blind set its ussaully in conjunction with a good lure just for this reason. About the only time I blind set without lure is if my quarry has become lure shy for whatever reason.

[wannacatchmink]

I dont blind set on land much, a few snares and body grippers.

But i try and make my lured sets in blind set locations if that makes any sence. For pockets i usually look for a place that forces the animal into the water and put my pocket set there or in that area, I set on tracks and sign also.

I to like blind sets for water trapping, for beaver i find my self useing more castor mounds though. I need some deep water stabilizers and i can start setting them good channels, usually around mid thigh is how deep the ones i find are.

[trappnman]

I wouldnt say that a good blind set man will always out produce a lure man.

no, and I never said that either.

I said as good as

and i also didn't say coon....

[scott kimball]

trappnman said:

But I say with no hesitation- that a good blind set man will not be out trapped by a lure man.

Comments?

maybe im wrong but you made no metion on what traps you are refering to bodygrip or leg hold, also i think it would make a differance just for one reason you dont have to be RIGHT on location with lure.(just my insight)

[trappnman]

blind setting might be more time consuming- guess that depends on your speed and skill- but time at the set- isn't a factor in productiveness of that set.

I prefer footholds for all types of trapping.

I'll use 330s in marsh settings simply cause they go in quicker.

I've gone full circle with bodygrips- didn't use them, used them alot, used them sometimes, now use them seldom.

I don't and wouldn't say that footholds are better- but they are better for me, my style, what I prefer.

[plueger1]

Sorry Steve, my mistake. I saw you mention water animals and I would venture to say that the majority of the coon harvested in this country are caught in the water so I consider them to be predominantly water animals.

[trappnman]

I was just referring to the true aquatics.

I use as much or more lure as the next guy on coons.

[oldmink]

But I say with no hesitation- that a good blind set man will not be out trapped by a lure man.

It's all about confort level. You started as a blind setter, for water animals, so that's what you go back to because that's your comfort zone.

Years back I partnered for 3 seasons for mink. My pard was a tunnel/pocket set man and always employed a good commercial mink lure at his sets. He understood mink, he understood where they traveled and why but when the time came to make a set he would devise a tunnel or dig a pocket. Did he catch mink? Darn right. More than me but I totally discount that because at the time he had much more mink experience than I. I was just learning the trade. He had it mastered.

While today I am an almost full time blind setter I still go back to my lessons learned with pard every season when confronted with abnormal situtations.

He could never get the complete hang of my blind sets. I would be making a set and he would come up behind me and ask why I thought I'd catch a mink there and I'd tell him why I thought they mink would be traveling that way and why. But then he would say what if he travels over there motioning toward a spot some yards away from my sets.

I must admit sometimes he made a good point but other times I got to rub his nose in a mink catch. But see I was playing to my comfort level while he was reaching toward his.

I will say this though abut old pard, he taught me a heck of a lot about mink location. There's an old fisherman's story that 99% of the water is just to hold up the boat and 1% is for catching fish. It's pretty much the same for minnk trapping. 99% of the water is there because it has to be but only 1% is where the mink can be caught.

Where is this spot? Usually the most singular visible object or feature along the stream. Remember that last sentence. It can be a complete mink lesson to the wise trapper.

As far as one guy catching X amount of coon on blind sets and another catching Y amount of coon there's too many variables here to draw any conclusions. You can go along any river or large creek around here and find coon thicker than fleas along one little section and almost nonexxistant a half or quarter mile downstream. Why? Maybe hunting/trapping pressure, available food and/or cover.

[JWarren]

I guess I don't understand what a blind set is. Is a funneled down cat trail with some lure near the trap a blind set? What about a mink trap set on a ledge they are running with some lure applied on a stick? I guess I'm saying alot of times a blind set is augmented with lure, but does that make it cease to be a blind set?

[trappnman]

As far as MY definition- a blind set has no lure and/or bait.

[bobwendt]

don`t miss my demo at the fta. it will be worth your time.

[trappnman]

Ill be there in the front row...

[bobwendt]

I`ll be doing it behind the bleachers, unless you move back there, then I`ll run up front again. pretty soon I`ll have a good used trail to show my blind set......

[k9]

I think a good understanding of blind setting is a good educational foundation for all trappers. Good blind set knowledge requires an understanding of the animals, which is half the battle.

[thorsmightyhammer]

my catch % would be the same.


No arguement to to this.

But what is more important to a trapper. His catch ratio or maximizing his harvest potential in a given amount of time.

In the spring a blind setter will not get out as many traps in a day as a castor man(one who will set good blnd sets that are right there).

I am going to do something I dont normally do and comment on something I maybe shouldnt and that is mink. Although I have put up some good catches in short periods of time,I havent broke the hundred mark yet, but in Mn I dont think that is a "big" #.

So here goes, I'm going to get in trouble for saying this. With all other things being equal between to different trappers other than blind setting or pocket setting I will venture the pocket man will catch more.

Steve if you say that you can honestly say that you can catch a 100-150 mink in a week blind sets here I'll take your word for it I know that there are more than a few pocket setters doing just that.

[Dun Dign]

When i set up for a blind set, in most cases I'm placing the trap at the {EDGE} wall, rock,log, etc. no lure.

Steve, you have mentioned several times blind setting for beaver. I consider setting a body gripper for beavers in there run, the worn down path on the bottom that they, and others have created. Also a narrow spot on a brook is another example.

Zag mans pic of his dogs next to the puddle in the roadway, "Dances with wolves" that is a perfect example of the {EDGE} blind set.

Looking back over the years, 95% of my sets for mink were blind sets. No lure, tight to the edge.

[payotetrapper]

im with you on the blind set men are just as good as lure set men when it comes to water. But not sure about the k-9s. A good trail set here and there will do good for those smart old yotes and reds, but i think im sticking to the lures/baits for k-9s.

[trappnman]

I agree steven, I agree. Castor mound sets- bing, bang, bamn sign or no sign.

I'm talking stream beaver- 4-6 individuals... I don't need a lot of sets, and I'm dealing with permanent populations.

running blind, that is on travelling beaver- for sure castor mounds are the ticket.

I always qualified- on sign.

[Dhat]

i know no-one is talking about nutria but yall said true aquatics so i figured i would throw this out there. NWRC researchers tested lures for trapping nutria . they applied 4 lures in a random pattern to 4 groups of traps. a fifth (control group) of traps received no lures. the lured traps increased capture success by 60% or more. figured yall would like to see this for some of the research junkies out there