whats your best time saving tip

[stickbowhntr]

What do you do on your line -either during or before season- to help save time during season.Anything new the last few years?

[coyotewhisperer]

I'm gonna start setting up snares on private ground about two weeks before season. Hammer in my supports, stake the snare or tie off high to a tree and close the loop completley. Our opening day starts at noon so i should be able to go around opening day and open a hundred or so snares the first day. I say every year i should set more snares and this year im following through with it.

Jeff

[robertw]

I don't have ONE specific tip...When trapping coons in Iowa with conibears having all of the springs already cocked helps. When setting pockets on drowning slides in Missouri having the pocket pre dug, pre baited and having the stakes sticking in the bank above the pocket saves time and makes things quicker.

When working ditches anywhere...Having steps already cut or dug into the creek bank gets me in and out faster!

[frenchman]

Don't forget to think about the "after the catch"

Handling hundreds of animals calls for a system, and proper carcass disposal during season can eat a lot of time if unplanned.

- sharpen all skinning knives before season
- sharpen all axes, spades and other digging tools before season

plug your freezers several days ahead of when you need them!

[trappnman]

Knowing the stage of harvest is my greatest land saving tip.

and have a plan....

[frenchman]

plan A,

but also plan B

(and extra territory lined up just in case ...)

[bobwendt]

if you are contemplating staying the extra day to get that cat or coyote, DON`T. move to new ground. mo money mo money.

[trappnman]

if you are contemplating staying the extra day to get that cat or coyote, DON`T. move to new ground. mo money mo money.

I agree and its hard to do. I once read, its the hardest thing for a coon trapper to do, is pass by a spot where he knows he can catch 1 coon.

I started following this advice some years ago- when the potential catch is less than the gas money ot check the trap, don't set it.

[lumberjack]

Alot of times, at least here in the east, that "new ground" aint new ground.
Talk of higher prices ie Muskrat and grey fox, and I found out after the season I "shared" alot of fur with others.
Im beginning to believe there are more fox callers around than I already figured.
I dont know how you guys take a census of available animal populations, Im moving so darn fast when trappin I aint got time to look for tracks, other traps or talk to farmers.

[Stanley]

I clean the truck out and restock, gas up, at the end of the day. Garbage out, product in. Have cooler loaded with water and stuff that is bad for your diet. lol

[17HMR]

Organize your eqipment in the truck to your best advantage, this has saved me lots of time not haveing to runaround truck twice to set a location.

[johnthomas]

if ya have to carry a cell phone keep it turned off, the distraction from your competitor or buddy callin every 5 minutes to either brag about the giant coon he just caught to trying to wring info out of you as to where you are or what you are catchin screws up everything your trying to do to save time.

[mt]

I like to have dry dirt. In fact I just filled up another 55 gallon drum the other night. When December gets here and its cold and wet that dry dirt comes in hand to make the sets.

Mark

[bblwi]

Several small things that many of you have mentioned

Coon body grippers
Springs compressed,stored by type in totes
Home made stabilizer that holds trap from the bottom and does not spin, so no fussing with stabilizing between springs or jaws.
T-bar stake through chain ring to stake and stabilize if needed.

Coon foot holds
All 1.5s have swivel for staking if wanted, and a quick link for attaching 4-foot chain and drag or attaching to a 5-7 foot drowner cable
Have used 2 inch PVC pipes for water and land coon. Fast and OK
2007 will try 3/4 PVC and a longer pipe to see if this works better. Digging pockets takes time as does hauling large baits.

Rats
all stakes are 2 foot hardwood with 4 foot of pvc or 5 foot hard wood stakes with 30 inches of chain and O ring attached. Attach the trap chain to the 0 ring and set. 12 inches of flagging is pre attached to stakes by a staple gun so less time there also.

Canines
3 Drums of pre-sifted dry dirt transferred into 2.5 gal buckets as needed.
Several bags of dried lawn clippings for hay field sets and chaff sets.

Bryce

[JP]

Bryce,
I would like to see that homemade stabilizer. Can you post a pick or just explain it to me??
JP

[bblwi]

JP,
I have never posted a picture so here goes the text.

I have mostly used some old fir steps that I got from a neighbor when they remodeled their stairs. The pieces are 2 by 12 inches by about 30 inches long. I saw them about into 4 inch wide strips and then I cut the pieces about 5-6 inches long. I then take a drill and do a starter hole in the middle of the 2 inch width of the piece that is 6 inches long and 4 inches deep. I then drill hole about an inch from either end of the 6 inch piece right down and through the 4 inch depth. I use mostly the 1.5 twist in 160-220 size holders that MTP has sold in the past and twist these in the center hole. I buy several of the 10-12 inch pole barn nails and I thread or pound these through the two holes near the ends. This way I have a trap holder with two anchoring points that go about 6-8 inches in the ground with the trap anchoring holder right in the middle. The trap sets about .5 inches to .75 inches above the wood base and with 4 inches of wood I have the top of the 160 about 10-11 inches off the ground and the center about 8 inches off the ground. This is lower than some but I try to set under and in thicker cover on the trails as a way to avoid most larger domestics anyway. Some coons go over. When in grass I use the grass and ties off about 3 inches above the trap. I don't want something solid and that opening is much smaller than the one right below it. I don't have extra metal and constrictions around the frame and jaws of the trap and the there are fewer larger blocking sticks that the coons can use to crawl on. I put a 16 inch T-bar re-bar through the trap ring and push down till it holds well. Sometimes the tip of one of the T-bar cross pieces is between the jaws for stability. By putting them in at an angle that works well. Sometimes the jaws bend when catches are made. My BMI 160 Mags bend a lot. My Victor 160s don't. I can straighten them in the fall with my vice when I am looking over the trap for tags, dogs, triggers, spring openings etc.

Mine are all for 160s, I am going to use 220s also this year in the more open areas and use a wire cage setup for those that will be recessed 18 inches on each side. the wider open trails will get some type of dog proof trap if near sensitive areas or footholds in the more private locations.
I have used some 2 by 2 and 2 by 3 furring type strips also but like the harder wood and more depth better.

You could also router out a groove that fits your traps and save the money buying the twist holders. Then your wood block may need to be deeper and also make sure your length is short enough so that you are not getting to the corners of the traps or the bubbled ends that keep the springs more in the corners.

Bryce

[iacooner2]

presetting my snares, and digging pockets, a few days before season was the best thing i ever did to increase my catch.

[Sage Dog]

Knowing before season starts exactly where each trap will be set.

[glen]

Make sure you are in shape for the long haul, long lineing is very hard on your body!!!!!!!

[daveplueger]

Concentrate on one animal at a time and perfect one set for that animal until you can make it in seconds. Also streamline all of your equiptment to meet all the circumstances you will face on your line. Prepare evrything you can think of before season and try to have two of everything including vehicle. Have 3 plans in place. Old ma nature can screw up plan A and B in a hurry.