gbt
Demoman...
Posts: 124
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Post by gbt on Dec 28, 2007 19:08:07 GMT -6
I was wondering If any of you cat men use uncovered traps if so how do you construct the set and get trap placement right.
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Post by kyboy on Dec 28, 2007 19:42:58 GMT -6
usually the trap pan will have some sort of shingle attached to it. The dirt can be lightly spread on it to make it look natural. A lot of guiding for trap placement. Something like these walk thru sets here.
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gbt
Demoman...
Posts: 124
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Post by gbt on Dec 28, 2007 19:46:42 GMT -6
thanks I will try that bet you dont miss many with a set like that.
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Post by mat on Dec 28, 2007 19:51:14 GMT -6
i am by far not an expert but i switched and love them. i will never bury another cat trap. i started with simple dinky sets and caught one... then i got more adventuros.. and then i had some great trappers put all my learning into context and round off my rough edges. i just switched off 30 sets to look just like the last one some key points are. 1. nothing inviting for the cats foot other than your pan. 2. don't make the cat go somewhere it isn't already going! 3. make your blocking shoulder high to a cat. 4. don't try to make the cat go somewhere it isn't already going!! this is a crash course if you want all the facts there are great books and videos that deal with this topic!!!
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gbt
Demoman...
Posts: 124
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Post by gbt on Dec 28, 2007 20:10:45 GMT -6
Thanks alot that realy helps I am definnetly going to do that.
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Post by redeagle on Dec 28, 2007 20:30:03 GMT -6
kyboy- thanks so much for the pics and info. This is exactly what I have been needing. I have been so frustrated with missing cats. Today, I had one trap sprung, and two others with bait stolen at dirt hole sets. At a carcass set, I had a sprung trap. The thing is, I have been using guides, such as sticks and rocks, but the cats always seem to step wrong for the pan. I have tried the trap close to the hole, farther back from the hole, off-set to the hole, in line with the hole, etc. But, the traps are all covered. I trap along forest service roads and set up on the banks flanking the roads, rather than set right on the road itself. So, I don't know if the cats are coming from the sides, or from the front. Wherever they are approaching from, they seem to miss the pan. I would like to try the uncovered sets, as your pictures show, but I am concerned that thieves will find them and steal them. Has thievery been a problem for you? I haven't been able to detect any actual trails in the areas where I trap, because it is just oak/hickory forest with some pine interspersed here and there. The ground is rocky and tracks are a rarity, and all the ground is covered with leaves. I go mainly by cat droppings at salient land features. I will definitely remember what you said about don't try to make a cat go where it is not already going.
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Post by robertw on Dec 28, 2007 20:52:24 GMT -6
The down side of doing this is that with out snow covering you will catch very FEW coyotes. There is not a better way to hurt your bobcat populations than to take the bobcats and not harvest the coyotes in the same environment. Just my .02 worth.
When you have the tools, manage the resource, don't rape it.
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Post by lynxcat on Dec 28, 2007 20:57:14 GMT -6
DOWNSIDE? who the !#$!@#$'s trapping coyotes? When I trap cats.. I DONT WANT ANY coyotes PERIOD... just my "mind set" when I'm cat trapping... I'd MUCH rather use Mat's last photo as opposed to KY(sorry)...MUCH better guided and :MANY TIMES more effective.. lynx
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Post by GUTPYLZ on Dec 28, 2007 21:01:15 GMT -6
I hardly never agree with Bob Wendt, but he did bring that up one time what Robert said, so I try to take my share of Yote's even though I only get $15 bucks apiece for doing so.
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Post by robertw on Dec 28, 2007 21:02:56 GMT -6
Lynx, Maybe if you killed those coyotes off your trapline you'd have more bobcats to catch.
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Post by lynxcat on Dec 28, 2007 21:05:06 GMT -6
IF I choose to trap coyotes... I trap them BEFORE I trap cats... in the area I'm in there are a couple GOOD # coyote trappers that DONT trap cats... WHY should I trap coyotes??? NO reason... sorry but in MY circumstance... doesnt make sense.. lynx
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Post by mat on Dec 28, 2007 21:26:52 GMT -6
i know that in Utah with the calling contest's every week, literally hundreds of weekend callers, W.S. and coyote trappers the coyotes aren't going to get out of control, like Brent said, hit the coyotes in the T shirt weather and hit the cats when they are prime.
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Post by Brad H on Dec 28, 2007 21:40:16 GMT -6
Here's my before and after from last year. Most of what I do is based on what I've read from Joel on this board. A search through the archives will blow your mind. Though some of the buyers are paying good coin for coyotes this year from here, and I do set for coyotes toward the bottom, this is primarily a cat area. This set was more of an afterthought which caught two cats when some of the areas I thought to be sure things caught nothing. I sure won't fear a gut feeling on cat setting anymore.
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Post by mat on Dec 28, 2007 21:52:49 GMT -6
DUDE!!! throwing a deer horn in your set? around here you would catch 3-5 "horn hunters"
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Post by Bob Jameson on Dec 28, 2007 21:55:36 GMT -6
I have caught alot of coyotes over the years in all the sets shown in those photos. With and without snow. I find it hard to keep coyotes out of my cat sets so I set more heavily in hopes of catching them before they get to my designated cat sets. But I agree with the managing of the resources if at all possible.
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Post by mostinterestingmanintheworld on Dec 28, 2007 23:50:19 GMT -6
We manage the resource by harvesting the kittens and females. Without biological data showing the age and sex ratios of your population your management is by seat of the pants anecdotal information. That may be a little harsh but I don't know how else to say it. I can name several states that if the antis decided to come in with a lawsuit like we had in 1985 they would likely lose. Their only defense quite frankly would only be "because that's the way we've always done it". There is no biology being practiced in many places. They just pick a season and a limit out of thin air and they are good to go. Well enough of that. My name was mentioned here and I want to make a couple of points because the pics aren't necessarily how I do it. I make my sets similar to Mats. One thing I do a little different is pile some rocks on the brush to anchor it down. I've had coyotes and badgers get in and try and dig lure out and screw the set up. A heavy wind will move a pretty big piece of brush as well. I use a shingle or an enlarged pan but I know Mats way works just fine with and exposed stock pan. I don't use little stepping sticks because they get kicked around and usually end up on top of the trap. I don't bury walkthrough sets but I do bury my flat sets when I make them. I put two big rocks in front of the trap and nothing of any size to the sides or in front of the set. Cats are notorious for "stopping" in front of a "stepping" stick on a walkin set. I want them to "stop" in front of the big rocks where the trap is buried. Usually I have a scooped out depression with a pile of turds behind the rocks and usually I only make this set under a big bush or Juniper tree where it is hard to make a walkthrough. Heres a couple of pics. I like high brush and dense fences on my walkthrough sets. You can't see it here but the draw is blocked off for 40-50 feet to the left forcing him over against the hill. I put the high brush on the uphill side. I don't want to give him any ideas about jumping or going around. This one shows the big rocks in front of the trap and pebbles for guiding out front, two traps here, usually I only use one but my confidence in the buried sets isn't as high. He could walkthrough this sets if he wanted. Here's the set that caught the cross. It isn't finished though, I pulled some big brush and covered the rocks and fenced it out aways and got some vertical fencing close to the traps. This one shows it a little better high rocks to the side and an inviting pan to step on. Joel
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Post by GUTPYLZ on Dec 29, 2007 0:06:53 GMT -6
Joel, do you think Mat would like your shed antler?
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Post by JWarren on Dec 29, 2007 0:30:43 GMT -6
Joel, on the flat set why didn't you just fence it off and make a walk through?
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Post by kyboy on Dec 29, 2007 0:56:28 GMT -6
We have a limit on cats sho I make my cat sets sort of "multi-specieal"..I do want to take the occasional grey and yote because I got plenty of time to take 5 cats. If I was out west with you fellars(shewww, I just shuddered when I said that,LOL) I would focus on cats to. Lynxe, no need to say sorry ;D Different territory,different methods.
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Post by Brad H on Dec 29, 2007 1:48:00 GMT -6
I had to take a second look at my second pic. I could have swore I had a shingle cover on but I guess not. I think it may have gotten smoked by the first cat. I knew there was one that got destroyed but the others were just laying off to the side.
This is more of a "walk around" rather than a conventional "walk through". None of my rock wall locations gave up anything.
The sheds are the way to go, for me anyway. I have hundreds of'em. I build coyote calls out of the bases, but you'd think a true horn hunter would pass it up being that's it's already been found. ;D
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