Let's talk DP coon traps.

[trappincoyotes39]

Well I was asked my opinion on using DP coon traps after 1 season of using a few dozen Dukes and more Coon Daggers, I have some opinions on which is better and what baits and lures work the best.

First I like the Coon Daggers better, reasons are: 2 way trigger, better staking system, can have them pre set, trigger makes bait stealing almost non exsistant.

Next what I liked sticky baits and fish oil mixtures down the tubes, they performed very well. Dry bait I thought would be great but in soft mud some where pulled and dumped out, so I started to use the dry baits as "chum" around the tubes and worked better kept the liquid/sticky baits under the trigger less messing around and pulling in loose mud conditions that way.

Staking I found in all soil types the wider spade on the dagger to sit better than the thin rod stake on the Duke. I also found the gripping of the bar to hold better on the 45 angle of the dagger than the half moon shape of the Duke pipe, not to say I lost many coons but the foot did move more in the Dukes. I alsi like the fact of the welded 9 ga inside of the Dagger tubes made a differance on foot movement for sure.

MY method of anchoring was 80% pogos pre rigged on the traps and ready to go 1 1/2" Diameter fender washers bought cheap, worked very well and super fast slam and go. The other 20% where for bridge setting and consisted of 8ft 3/32nd cables with adjustable ends, wrap around a bridge piling slam in and go, worked very well!

I had many spots where I had 3 and 4 coon catches and the amount of time saved over setting footholds was noticeable. I plan on adding more of these to my mix and less coon footholds.

My coon take much higher than my coyote take had fun with my kids and enjoyed some fur trapping again. After doing a few coyotes I could see my time better spent on other things. Next year Otters if that market holds and more cats.

Your thoughts on DP's

[RdFx]

The push -pull varietys ect have picked up canines ( beagles- various foo-foo dogs) here in Wi this past season so cant call those "dog proof". I have had same experiences as trpyote39 with duke vs dagger. I have to agree less bait stealing with push -pull and the sticky is way to go as dry results in some areas of alot of bait stealing by mice....ect.

[trappincoyotes39]

Never had issues at all with dogs, I trapped on a guy that had 16 or so beagles he lets run his property and not 1 issue with them at all. Did take a pile of coons off his place though.

[wolfrunner]

Mar 28, 2012 5:17:39 GMT -6 RdFx said:

The push -pull varietys ect have picked up canines ( beagles- various foo-foo dogs) here in Wi this past season so cant call those "dog proof".

Smells like BS....

[rionueces]

I used both, Daggers and Dukes, and the catch rate was the same. I did have a problem with the dog slipping around to the side on the Daggers, which can be a problem if you dont have the right tools to make the adjustment in the field. This is not an issue with the Dukes since the dog can't slip to either side. For the money, I am buying more Dukes.

[RdFx]

wolfrunner evidently you havent been in the game long as (You can never say never). One fellow caught his own beagle twice in dps he was using. For sure a canine with large paws wont get into a dp.

[Wright Brothers]

39, I gave my opinion last time you asked, but I was,
Wrong Brothers lol.

[trappincoyotes39]

Tell me how they got caught with avg to above avg big feet? I just don't see it? What trap where they caught in? I have a hard time with a dog being caught and help by the small surface area of the Daggers. Again had beagles all around never an issue and they went down by this pond on a daily bases.

[Wright Brothers]

[trappnman]

While i prefer footholds over dps, i can say I've never had the bait stealing so many report. but i use a liquid bait, so nothing for them to grab, so perhaps they keep trying, I' don't know but to me the demerits of a pull only trigger vs a push/pull, are not worth worrying about.

Why do you believe dogs with small paws wouldn't stick them into dog proofs? The idea behind "dog proofs" was the PULL trigger. Watch any dog, of course they stick their paws into things- now of course I admit that dps even with a push/pull trigger, are going to catch a very small % of dogs, and far less than footholds- but WITH a push/pull it does become more of a factor to consider.

wolfrunner, I don't know you, but I do know Lee (Rdfx)- he doesn't bullshit. Plain and simple.

and the same goes for Wright Brothers.

[cmr2]

Have not seen it or use many DPs , but watching canines paw stuff could see it happening , have heard of yotes in them buy it's few and far between and I've not seen it so have to go with it

[trappincoyotes39]

How could a coyote or a dog get a foot down in there far enough to trip the trap? Unless your packing it full of bait? The shape of a dogs foot not a toy poodle or such but an avg dog get it's foot down in there? Not going to happen but so small a % not worth worrying about IMO. The licking and getting caught well again packed full of bait or I would have to see proof to believe it.

A DP isn't like a foot hold where the pan is exsposed in order for there foot to engauge they would have to get it down inside the tube 2inches plus and would take avery small foot for sure.

Keep the bait under the trigger NO need to pack them at all on top, push/pull is the way to go IMO for max efficantcy around most situations.

[Wright Brothers]

Tman I was not dissen just jaggin, I appologize if needed.
"
Like RDFX said, never, AND always don't apply.

I like DPs.

[Coon King IV]

Ive got 3 dogs in the fifteen pound range (smaller than beagels) and I cant even force their foot in a duke.

Strictly for coons I think a DP trapper can stack them up faster than footholds.

[trappnman]

no .WB, I was stating if you said something, it was true.

Why the arguement if dogs CAN be caught when they obviously HAVE BEEN?

I've never caught a dog in a dp either- but if 2 here say it has occurred to their knowledge- I'll accept that.

[trappnman]

dps work, are fast to put out, etc. thats the main reason most use them- easy and fast.

But in that search for fast and easy, do we give up efficentcy?

I don't personally believe they are better, in fact, I think overall they are worse, in that you do get refusals from them, and that very rarely happens with a good pocket or dirthole.

and before I get jumped on, I'm not sayiing dps aren't good coon traps, I'm just saying for me, they would never replace footholds if I had to choose one over the other.

luckily, we don't..................

[mtcbrlatrap]

Here in WI we open coon for dry land trapping 1-2 weeks earlier than water trapping so I want a pull trigger DP only. Also after water sets I still don't want a push trigger near bunkers, piles, bags or around buildings with lots of cats etc. They may not be hurt but the bad PR plus plugging traps with incidentals is one reason to go to a more specific trap even with a lower overall catch rate. If I am just using it as a replacement for a foothold then take the more versatile and efficient one. If one has more specific issues as to why they choose which trap than that carries a lot of weight in the decision.

Bryce

[calvin]

One thing I didn't like about the Duke DP is the staking system in anything other than firm soil. Mud...forget about it. I had to go bracket/holder on a stake to keep them from being pulled out. I also drilled a few pilot holes in logs and tapped them in there but still not ideal.

I ordered some Z traps as I can still use the holders or tap the pointed end into a log, tree. We/ll see.

[trappnman]

any one stick them much into logs, bales, things like that?

edited- i missed that in your psot calvin, I see you do it. I like the vertical look better, and think i have less refusals with it. but thats abjective and more of a guess than stark figures.

[trappincoyotes39]

I don't personally believe they are better, in fact, I think overall they are worse, in that you do get refusals from them

WHAT?

What is more natural to a coon than a hole with something edible comming from it? I mean really??

If your getting refusals then go to the daggers and see if your refusals drop, maybe you have some that aren't pulling but rest assured they go down the tube and hit that trigger on a dagger they will be there, as high or better than a foot trap No Doubts about it.

Again look at a Dagger trigger versus a duke and tell me what takes up more surface area inside that hole. Add push and a win/win. Then add in the fact I can set at least 2 to 1 over footholds and your tyalking a very efficant system. You can pile them up in a hurray with these style of traps.

When running my long snare lines in NW Iowa I thought it couldn't get any quicker or better, but these style of traps are as quick as snares or darn close and zero worries about chewing and snare issues on fur. These are my go to tool for coons period. They have proved themselves to me in a quick hurry.