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Post by Jellyhead on Sept 12, 2008 15:08:32 GMT -6
Ok guys, I've got a few dozen #11 dls I picked up recently cheap. They are very strong, most appear to be Blake and lambs. I've never used these before, and plan on setting pockets for coon and maybe some blind sets for mink.
Any tips on using them? Most of my pocket trapping has been with 1.5 coils. Also, is there any tricks to placement of them at pockets to increase the odds of taking mink?
I've used a bunch of #3 dls over the years for coyotes and cats, so I know how to bed a dls well on dry land. Just curious how the #11's do on dry land for coon?
They look like a mean little trap.
Aaron
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Post by trappnman on Sept 12, 2008 19:00:09 GMT -6
I know some that love them, and will say this- it holds what it catches.
I used them for 3 years on otter, and had lots of misfires by coon- BUT- I was setting trial sets-narrowed down trail sets, but still trail sets. Also caught a lot of coon in them.
Hated them on land- found them about impossible to cover with dirt to even a little degree, and still have them fire.
I prefer 1.5s i ncoils, and #2 in double long springs.
when Mike sees this- he will tell you the real skinny- he catches a ton of coon, and the #11 is his trap of choice by far
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Post by trappincoyotes39 on Sept 12, 2008 19:45:17 GMT -6
Also Gary armstrong who has caught a monster pile of coon in his day his favorite coond trap? 11
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Post by mustelameister on Sept 12, 2008 21:36:09 GMT -6
Ah . . . . my favorite 'coon trap in the water!!
The key to successful 'coon trapping with the #11 is knowing how to make the set so the 'coon will put his front foot onto the pan.
My favorite #11 DJ: the Newhouse. Very strong and holds its strength over time.
My favorite #11 water set: pocket set. With a very small diameter pocket. Lay your hand flat on top the table. The distance across the top of your hand from outside of base of thumb to opposite side is maximum width of the pocket.
You can use those narrow water trowels to dig this, but it takes awhile. I prefer a narrow tile spade, blade held vertically at an angle so two quick thrusts into the bank will give you a triangular high pocket with a base no wider than described above. Peak of triangular pocket is maybe 8-9" high. Pocket is at water's edge angling up so back of pocket is dry.
Best bank material for this trap is that muddy stuff that stays put when you cut your hole. Sand ain't gonna work. Neither is a rocky bank. Dirt bank is ideal for this set.
After you've baited/lured whatevered your pocket, and rigged your drowner setup, you take that set #11 and set it dead center in the middle of the pocket. The dogged jaw faces the pocket, with the dog directly under the upper lip of the pocket.
The ends of the longsprings are jammed into the bank on both sides of the pocket. This makes the trap rock solid, and if a 'coon should step on any part of the trap without firing it, the trap won't rock.
Important---the loose jaw on the outside must be guarded with a pencil-diameter stick. The stick should stand up at least six inches. This will force 'coon, mink and 'rats to approach the pocket from the side.
This setup works for me, but again, only with the small pocket. That #11 is small enough for mink and 'rats to slide it out to deeper water and 'coon just can't shake it.
It is NOT a trap to set for the hindfoot of a 'coon. Therefore, I don't use it in blind sets or at pipes. Just the pocket.
I also prefer the Newhouse as the chain attaches to the end of one of the longsprings. It's my opinion that a 'coon front-foot caught will pull that trap out at length, and if center base attached/swiveled, will place his feet on the longsprings and push with all he's got to get free. I got rid of all my Sleepy Creeks for this reason, that and I found they were getting a bit soft after three years.
This is also a good set in multiple use areas, as the pocket can be made then grassed over, and the critter will almost always take that #11 to the bottom of the drowner system.
My two cents. This works for me.
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Post by thebeav2 on Sept 12, 2008 21:46:54 GMT -6
But a 1 1/2 coil will do the same thing and will work on dry land. Don't own a #11 sized trap. In fact In the water I would rather use a #3 coil on a drowning rig.
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Post by trappnman on Sept 13, 2008 6:52:35 GMT -6
a trap is just a tool- and as Bogmaster once said- use 1 tool long enough, and you wil lfigure out how to use it
Gary Armstrong uses a variaty of coon traps- I know, I've sat down and talked with him about it.
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Post by trappincoyotes39 on Sept 13, 2008 7:31:19 GMT -6
So have others and he will tell you his favorite of all those tools in the foot trap department is the #11 and he is also using egg traps as well. I think Gary has gotten board with all those coons and looks for new challanges to trap them in large numbers.
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K-zoo
Demoman...
Posts: 163
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Post by K-zoo on Sept 13, 2008 7:34:08 GMT -6
Very informative post Mr. Meister!
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Post by trappnman on Sept 13, 2008 7:46:48 GMT -6
whatever TC, Im not going to debate who's talked with him more. the point is- he doesn't use #11 exclusively, as your post made it seem. hey- I've caught a literal about 17 tons of coyotes in a 1.75 Duke, you going to them.?
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Post by trappincoyotes39 on Sept 13, 2008 9:15:06 GMT -6
No because they are not the best coyote trap made I do remember awhile back some made the comment that no big numbers serious coon trappers would use a #11 for trapping coons in large numbers? Most will use what they think will give them the best efficantcy and then the design and size can tell you how efficant a trap can be in many situations
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Post by trappnman on Sept 13, 2008 10:14:37 GMT -6
exactly- and a 1.5 is the coon trap FOR ME, thus, my original post
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Post by markymark on Sept 13, 2008 10:45:07 GMT -6
The 11 is one of those traps you either love'm or hate'm. There sort of a regional item. M&M fur couldn't give them away years ago, go to Ohio, Arkansas and those boys can not get enough of them.
There has to be a reason they have stood the test of time.
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Post by garman on Sept 13, 2008 11:02:49 GMT -6
I never, rarely ever had a missed coon in a pocket set with a #11, but they are not the catch, use at every set trap. I sold all mine cause the 1-1/2 coil is easier for me to set and make stable at the set. But never lose a coon out of a #11.
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Post by thebeav2 on Sept 13, 2008 11:11:04 GMT -6
It just seems counter productive to have a trap that Is so limited In It's use. It needs more guiding to make It effective It Is a poor trap for targeting a hind foot
It's a poor trap for dry land trapping..
It's pretty much coon orientated.
Coon still chew when caught In #11s
Give me a 11/2 or a 1.75 that I can target multiple species and use It both on land and In the water and still catch as many or more coon then the trapper that limits himself to using #11s. But to each his own.
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Post by PAskinner on Sept 13, 2008 11:25:21 GMT -6
I love 'em, land or water. What I don't get is everyone saying they are hard to bed. Maybe it's my rocky creeks, but a coilspring is a lot harder to bed for me. I also think I lose more coon with the bigger jawspreads. Coon chew in #1's, but rarely chew out.
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Post by mountainman on Sept 13, 2008 11:46:00 GMT -6
These days I haven't had extra money to throw around testing larger numbers of traps so I generally dont buy as many to test. I've used some #3s and 4s in blind mink sets where there was a good chance a beaver or something else would get there first. Caught mink, beavers, coons etc in those sets. Last season I bought a single #3 coil Duke at a feed store and put it in a blind mink set with a straight tie off out over the water on a leaning tree. Next day a big coon was hind foot caught and sitting on the tree with no significant damage to its foot. When I can keep the coons I'll use drowners or at least try to keep them in the water. If I ever get to work with a 3 day check for drowning sets I'll make every effort to get all of them drowned.
I set a lot of different type locations on both land and water. 1.5-#3 coils give me a lot of options. For instance if a mink is running a small log from a sandbar to a bank trail I'll most likely put in a 1.5 coil there. Sometimes a coon gets there first.
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Post by trappnman on Sept 13, 2008 12:11:24 GMT -6
you use #1s here- and your coon numbers will be punctuated by a lot, I mean a lot of misses and I've caught many, many coon in #1s.
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Post by markymark on Sept 13, 2008 12:50:20 GMT -6
Bolte. Redder all used 11's and they made some huge catches.
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Post by trappincoyotes39 on Sept 13, 2008 13:00:32 GMT -6
Who targets hind foot on coons and why? The highest majority are all front foot caught and targetes for such.
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Post by thebeav2 on Sept 13, 2008 13:17:23 GMT -6
Well When your trapping high water conditions and your traps are 8" under water and your pocket set Is 4 or 5" above the water line you will be targeting a hind foot or you won't be trapping just waiting for the water to go down. Or when your pipe trapping with the pipe sticking out of the bank above the water line. In most cases the coon will be standing on It's hind feet with both of It's front feet In or on the pipe. You can kill deer with a 22 cal rifle but a 06 Is better.
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