Chew Outs

[dpomm]

Last fall I lost coon to chew outs. All of them occurred on water sets. Mostly on drowner's but a few were hard staked. My set up is a duke 1 1/2 nite latched, pan was set level with the jaws. Fairly light pan tension but the pan needed to travel a ways before the trap fired. On most of the chew outs I had toes but some were caught right below the wrist. I have been playing with the traps this spring and still can't figure out what is going on. Any ideas?

[trappnman]

I've never ever had a chew out on a drowner set- and thats a lot of coon over the years.

and you should never have any either, if your drowners are set up right.

and that means NO land access after being trapped, and a clear path to deeper water.

what were your drowner set ups?

if they weren't down and out, and you ran long check intervals....................

I never stake a fothold coon trap solid, unless the trap cannot be raised above water level and the coon stays in the water. In small water use drags- long branch drags or small logs ideal- can't do that on big water so back to drowners.

as far as toes, that happens- and it happens because of too light a tension, too tippy a trap, or a coon fooling with the trap- all can be reduced by lowering trap below bottom surface (as in bedding canine), making the trap solid so no rocking tipping occurs, using blockers (flat rocks next to trap) and by for sure, using the Anderson guide of a stick next to the dog-

I don't get many snapped empty traps, but it happens and toes happen, but it should not be the norm, or close to it.

[makete]

Would setting closer/in cover help, as far as the staked traps? I agree, setting the staked traps below grade, would help in getting a better leg hold.

[trappnman]

yes and no - for sure, staking in cover helps- but when staking solid in cover, the risk of hangups increases. but overall, yes, again IMO, setting near cover does indeed help in chewing.

[ohioandy]

Could the long throw on the pan be part of it. I like a short, quick throw on my coon traps. Think of it as a that first step onto ice, if you still have one foot on solid ground you can back off usually before you get wet. In the coons case, as he feels the pan start moving, he maybe backing off of it as it fires with a long throw. On a short latch or short nitelatch, that should not be an issue. IMO

From dpomm "Fairly light pan tension but the pan needed to travel a ways before the trap fired. "

[trappnman]

he also said nitelatched- so as you pointed out- its are mutually exclusive with pan travel

[Wright Brothers]

C h e w G a u r d s lol. I "think" RK sells them for those, or he did.

I typed out a chapter and hit that stupid goog search button instead of reply.
Oh well, fate.

Sounds like a good deburring and readjustment is a place to start.

[dpomm]

Ok It sounds like I should shorten up the travel on the pan. I did have some issues where the dog would travel and fixed that as the season went on.

T mann my checks were every other day and my set ups were down and outs with water at least three feet deep on the deep end. Path was clear and no clutter under the slide wire. I did not think the coon had land access when I set up the system but now you have me thinking about water levels dropping throughout the season. Several times I found coon sitting in 2 or 3 inches of water just sitting there. This happened after the snow fell and they seemed to mind the water less than they did the snow.

I did go through all of my traps this and did some more deburring and filed the nite latch a little more.

This was not a normal problem (4 times tops) but it still bugs me and I just could not see what I was doing wrong. I think I am now seeing the light.

[calvin]

I/m going with a fluke or light pan tension...more towards the fluke side, however. I know you were running a pretty light tension, Dan. I think ideally a tad more tension for coon is a big help. Not always practical if using the same trap for mink/coon and rats, however. Sometimes you have to run what best suits all 3 and your bottom line.

I don't like a hair notch nightlatch for coon. I ran them 2 years ago and had plenty of toe caught coon...which wasn't an issue as they were drowned. I filed more drop into the nightlatch and the problem went away with higher catches consistantly.

I don't believe for a second that coon back out of a trap when they feel the pan move. I don't think K9s do, either (wives tale) and run them both that way.

I remembered the mention of chew outs you had last year. I even think a couple were on a 24hr check...but I don't think those coon went down the wire...or they were in shallow water. But I don't have chewouts with hard staked coon, either. I remember having them as a kid and they just went away. I can't think what, if anything, I did differently, though.

I can't remember the last time I had a coon chew out and we run real similar setups. I think your traps are lighter tension and perhaps a tad LESS pan fall, however.

But in the end what works for one doesn't always work for the next guy... Isn't it fun trying to figure out what works for you...and the frustration it takes to get there? Ahhh, only the start.

Now, for those who don't know dpomm (Dan). He has all the luck in the world...but it happens to be all bad. He tries dang hard though...and never complains...just keeps jumping the hurdles...or downed trees in his way.

[dpomm]

Calvin,

Being that my luck is (usally) on the rough side and still being fairly new to trapping is why I come to this site. I know it is filled with Trappers who have a ton of experience.

[trappnman]

Dan, I don't know what to tell you- calvin mentioned a few things that might help.

I find 2 things that I always do- are set my top stake as far into the water as I can go, and have the slide as far down the cable it can go, almost taut- and still allow the trap to be where it should be. that way, a coon caught, is already going down it- takes them down quicker and easier if they aren't starting by being able to go up on land...& if they can, it takes them longer to hit the water and start down. And I say this one thing- that you can take to the bank- COON GO NOT GO DOWN A SLIDE EASY>

I am able to use deep water, and current (3 feet for me is just acceptable, to be used if nothing else is present) to aid in getting them down. If you can use such, do so, it makes a difference. I understand all don't have access to either current or depth, just saying what i prefer and use.

if you know what the Armstrong guide is, then use it. If you do not know, its a pencil sized stick, thats placed tight to the outside of the jaw, next to the dog. have your trap with dog facing away from bank, with guide stick up out of water 2-3 inches. day and night difference in snapped traps, toe catches. Credit Gary armstrong in his book for beng first to put ito ut there.

for those that do not use it- it all but eliminates toe catches, snapped traps.

[thebeav2]

I run Duke 1 1/2s No night latch. I take a factory pan notch and file It down to about half the original depth. I adjust my pan tension so It just holds the pan from falling. You need a bit of pan tension to get that coons weight committed on that pan before It fires. This will give you a better pad catch. Normally the trap will fire and you will get a Initial catch higher on the leg but the first pull by the coon will pull the trap jaws down to foot pad.

I don't try and drown my coon. I stake In deep water and let the stake end protrude above the water Or at least a few Inches above the bottom. Then I let the coon do what It's going to do. He may just sit there or It may wrap around that stake a few times and get farther from shore. Some will drown some won't But I get very few chew outs. And If I do It's a toe caught one.

But there Is one sure fire way to resolve your problems. Trade In your foot holds and run some DPs . No more chew outs and If the coon drowns It drowns If not It will still be there.

[trappnman]

I personally feel that very few toes in traps, are chew outs.

toe caught animals are the trappers fault more times than not, and its so easy to leave a toe just from the action of the trap, ESP dukes.

A true toe chew out- meaning one caught by one or two toes in the trap is rarely, IMO, a chew out. its either a pullout in that first few secs of wet foot and mud barely caught, or its a securely caught one that that working that toe & trap all night, causes. More of the same as misses in 1.75s for coyotes being called "pull outs".

bed them solid, use a guide stick, set the tension like beav is saying- and you won't get enough toe caught coon to worry about.

in WATER- coon traps are LEGHOLD traps

[trappnman]

not always Ross- quite rare, but it happens. staked soild traps, esp in wide open, and I've seen things did not believe possible.

[ohioandy]

I have even had them chew is a grizz on a 24 check.

[dpomm]

I thought maybe someone was messing with me (I found the river was being trapped heavier than I thought) but all of these chew outs had four toes and part of the pad. One was at the wrist joint.

[calvin]

Not that it doesn't happen buy typical coon (and skunk) chewing is done below the jaws.

I consider 4 toes and part of a pad a good catch... Hmmmmm.

[garman]

May 27, 2011 6:44:01 GMT -6 Ross said:

Someone was messing with you. I've never ever found a coon foot in a trap. If coon mess with their feet it is BELOW the jaws.

I have! only 2x but have seen it, also seen where all that was left in the trap was a ring of fur just like a mans wedding band...just like someone wringed the legs 1" apart and pull the paw threw. Lost about 6-8 that way that year, very odd, out of duke 1.75

[RonMarsh]

A lot of these sound like ring offs. ( foot left in trap)

Swivels and cover from bright light will help reduce these.

[ohioandy]

Ron,

Last season i had two chewers in grizz. One the foot was left in the trap, trap check in the dark on a 24 hr check. there was enough blood on the trap and catch circle, that i would guess chewing as it looked similiar to the area around the second one.

Thesecond last year, the coon was still there and i witnessed it chewing on itself. Again checked in dakness. This one was set the night before, so i know it wasn't a catch after i checked. This coon looked like it was wearing a tank top, as there was no fur left from the trap, up the leg and around the shoulder front and back.... I watched this coon chewing as i approached. The first may have been a wring out, but the second def was not.

I tlaked with some numbers coons guys on tman about this and they said it happpens. It is infrequent and typically when it is a rainy night and the coon is within sight of human activity. Barns, roads etc. Both of these were in those situations. One near a well traveled road and the other near some farm buildings.

Just my experience last year. Not a big DP user, but i caught a good number of coon in them last year.