DP Traps

[ChrisM]

I have never set a DP trap in my life. However I'm seriously thinking of going to them in a big way. Most years we get very little if any open water and there's just way to many worries with 220's in the ditches in South Dakota's pheasant range. I dont like the idea of live coons spinning around in the ditches but will sleep better I believe.

So, all you guys who have experience with them,...give me the good and the bad. Grizz or Duke... maybe the new model Grizz?

Do I need to go with the push triggers? Needed modifications? favorite methods and lures?

I know some of you guys have used a lot of them.

[Coon King IV]

Ive got about 150 right now. Hope to have 300 b4 the season starts. Its pretty much all I like to use anymore.

The only two negatives is its a high theft if their found any ya better like skinning coons.

IMO the push/pull is a must. There is no negative to the p/p trigger. It is amazing what coon can get out from under the trigger w/o pulling on it. Some coons just wont pull the trigger.
After going to the p/p trigger my "mice" theft went to almost zero. Opening night I had roughly thirty percent empties on 60 traps. After pulling and adjusting to the p/p I had 2 empties the rest of the season. Its that big a deal.

I also noticed the toe catches are almost nonexistant now too.

If its really cold where you live their can be some issues but they havent been a problem for me yet.

YOUR BAIT MUST TASTE GOOD!!!! Odds are hes gonna get a taste before he gets caught.

As w/ anything location is the key and a good smelling bait. Some guys will tell ya some coons wont stick their hand in their, Ive yet to see that. Show me a coon that wont work a crawdad hole.

Do yourself a favor and buy a setter if you get a Griz type. Setting a hundred of these daily is rough on the hands.

[packerfan]

Save $$$$......Buy the Dukes.

[trappnman]

Coonage, I'm going to have to differ with you on bait.

Now this well might be another case, of size of coon making a difference.

I used to have 2 oldtimers come up from northern MO every year in the early 70s and hunt coon for a week. and they were amazed, at the size of our coon- and in fact delighted in going home showing those coon to some of their buddies, telling them they found a secret "honeyhole" of big coon.

so our coon here, definitely average bigger-

so perhaps that explains the difference in my results, vs yours with empty and snapped dps. I don't use near as many as you do, but used enough each year and other the years (I was one of first to test and write on the lil griz) to find I have very little problems with coon not getting caught after working the trap with the original griz trigger.

piece of tubing on the trigger bar, and liquid lure/fishoil squirted into the bottom- and by tracks in mud or snow, IF they work the trap, they are there in the morning.

Very seldom do i have traps worked by a coon, and no coon.

so for me, once their paw goes under the trigger, tries to grab what isn't there (so now really tries I'd guess) they apparently try to bring up nothing, can feel only the tube on the trigger so tries to bring that up- and it works.

as always, different strokes.................

[netrap]

Chris, I'm no expert with the dp's. Last yr. was the first yr. trying 2 doz. of them. I had good luck with them. All kinds of bait seemed to work for me. I had a place next to a silage pile where I could see coon walking by a couple dirtholes. Stuck in two dp's and the next day had a double on coon where I had replaced them for the dirtholes. Also worked good next to cattle trails where a snare was a no- no. I have bought more and will find more places where other traps can't be used. I also had good luck with squirting used fryer grease as a trailing scent and sprinkle around the trap. I use mine stock and just painted them with khaki color paint to keep from rusting. I think white would be great , but worry about theft as they would be easy to see. Hope this helped some.

[motrapperjohn]

Chris, Just had a guy from Mississippi pick up his 6th dz of my Daggers with the 2 way triggers he started out with the dukes but has now gotten rid of them because o f bait theft. He has a big hunting club and the coon has been tearing up his garden and getting into his feeders. To date he has taken over 200 coon and he is no trapper. Myself I have used the GRiz since 99 and had some issues with it , #1 was bait theft, # 2 was cleanout after a catch. MIne has pretty well eliminated those problems plus a few more. Like some of the others said a lot depends on the bait you use. I havent set a reg foot trap since using these.

[thebeav2]

Yep I just bought another 10 doz Duke Dps to go along with my other 10 doz. I have very few problems with cleaned out traps with the standard pull type trigger.
When the rest of the dp manufactures can sell me a trap for less then $10.00 each I'll buy their product.

Cleaning Is very simple just line them up and give them a good going over with the power washer.

[ChrisM]

John, didn't mean to exclude yours or any other brand..I will take a look at yours too if they are in Columbia.

I thought the push/pull triggers was an after-market modification. Didn't realize some come with it standard. Thats the sort of info Im wanting.

Is there a push pull trigger available for other brands?

Cost...link?

Is it a big advantage? Beav... you seem to feel otherwise? have to agree with you the cost of the Dukes is appealing. I see a thread over on Dobbins about the new Grizz model... looks like a well made trap and nearly the same cost as the Dukes. Not sure about availability though?

I dont want to buy 20 dozen and then wish I'd gotten a different brand.

Netrap.... hey stranger! Thats exactly what I invision.... stickin em next to the trails in the ditches like ya would a snare. Also some of these farm yards up here are over run with coons..they destroy the silage tarps ect...

Does anyone use them on the shore lines just like a pocket set?

[TurTLe]

I'm getting 3 doz Daggers to go with my 12 doz grizz traps. If the daggers are as good as I've heard, I'll be retooling 100% with them.

I'm with the give them something they like to eat crowd as far as bait/lure is concerned.

[Aaron.F]

Jun 30, 2011 17:27:00 GMT -6 ChrisM said:

Does anyone use them on the shore lines just like a pocket set?

Just a part-timer here but I used them along sand bars and right along the banks. When using on the streams I still set a pocket to try for any mink. If I were just after coon I would probably only use Duke DP's. I haven't had any problems with bait theft or missed coon, but I am not setting the volume of a lot of these guys. Marshmallow on trigger, fill with cat food, cover with liquid molasses and move on.

[netrap]

Chris, I like to set up log crossings for coon with snares. Last season, I found some that would have been a real pain to set up with snares. So I set a couple of dp's on the ends and did real good on coon. Even had several doubles. Some on the banks where they were crossing others right on the sand bars. All worked great. Now I'm not going to switch over to all dp's, but they do have a place on my line.

[eedup]

Where's chris from? Bait or lure seems less of an issue in places where coon hibernate. Lots tougher to consistently catch coon in the south ie ark or miss. I feel this is because they dont have to eat in the fall to keep from freezing . Have had coon walk right by the best bait or lure in the south. Put something soft on the trigger , tubing foam marshmellow and the bait stealing problems will be over. Until someone tests pull only triggers beside push only triggers , I'll run my grizz and dukes as they came. And yeah availability will prob be a prob with the new grizz just like the old ones. I could only scrounge up 36 grizz when i wanted em, got 150 duke dps now.

[Getrz]

Chris, I figured I'd chime in with my .02 on this subject.

I've been manufacturing Grizz Traps for the past 10 years and I get plenty of feedback from Grizz Trap users. Fact is there are 2 guys that regularly test Grizz Traps for me and I use info from them as well as others to decide if any changes needed to be made. The issues of bait theft can be a problem and nothing is fool proof.....had plenty of reports of coon stealing the bait out of push/pull equipped Grizz Traps and the dagger....like I mentioned, nothing is fool proof.

If you want something that is almost 100% fool proof.....shove a piece of fish on the trigger and adjust a Grizz Trap or any of the clones out there to a hair trigger and see if a coon can lift it without firing the trap. Or, shove a big enough chunk of bait under the trigger so the coon has to work it out from underneath the trigger......one guy from MO does just that and has no problems with bait theft.....must work as he went over 11,000 coon using that system.

Just my .02....take it for what its worth.

Gary

[braveheart]

I had a doz. of every kind of Dp to try last year the mice and small coon cleaned all of them out.And some had a stand in wet weather that fell over and all are useless in frozen ground.So I found some one else.

[thebeav2]

I don't think the cleaned out and un sprung traps are coon doings. It's Mice that are doing It and the trigger system Isn't going to change that.

[blackhammer]

Jul 1, 2011 6:12:50 GMT -6 @thebeav2 said:

I don't think the cleaned out and un sprung traps are coon doings. It's Mice that are doing It and the trigger system Isn't going to change that.

I agree.Once in a great while I'm sure a coon will get the bait but so rarely I don't worry about it.I'm curious about two way triggers and may test a few though.

[ChrisM]

like I said I've never set one...but.....I just cant imagine a coon reaching into a hole to get something smellin like food, and not pulling on whatever he grabs. Thats how they make their livin!

The freezin ground could well be an issue up here tho most years.

[motrapperjohn]

Yea I think the Beav is still po'd about me hammering on Bill Duke for coping everyones trap! Bill didnt seem to have any problem when I was razzing him the last 2 weeekends even when he was at my booth eating steamed clams! Hey Beav, I dont think very many people carry a power washer with them when checking traps! How many people have gotten videos on their game cameras and regular cameras of the COON cleaning out traps, not mice. I guess that was just one big ringtail mouse that was filmed cleaning out 4 traps they got while filming tha Management Advantage show. And as I stated before it depends on what bait you use. I like keep things fast and easy. Grinding up fish or useing a prepared type bait is way easier than cutting chunks to fit. And taking a spoonful of bait and dropping it in the tube is way easier and faster than having to spear it or put it under the trigger. Fast and simple.Braveheart, I still have a few cleaned most of the way out buy mice and did catch several this year. Also I tried to addressed the frozen ground deal. One can use a 3/16" rod that is driven into the ground and the trap slips on it. Cheap and simple.
The triggers are back on the market with a new smooth bolt that I had made speical.
eedup, they , the 2-way has been ran side by side with the standard pull trigger, with the same bait and it was over 2 to 1 that the 2-way out performed the other. Even a couple of the griz guys that was razing me so much last year had to fess up. If you guys want a # of the guy I was speaking of, pm me and I will give it. You can check out webisode 3 on the Managment advantage and see what Chuck Sikes has to say about them. Hes not even a trapper and can tell the difference

[garman]

I hope to late this year or next do the same thing, I want to buy from a couple different guys that have constantly improved the product without begging, pleading etc., and only changing after the competition has put the hurt on his business. From vendors that want to help the trappers as well as his business, which is good business! That is enough of that, I have seen the video spoke to those definetly in the know and have made my decision.

[trappnman]

I don't believe its the bait you use- I believe its the size of your coon. not many WI MN coon, are going to be able to reach past the trigger, and come up, without firing rtaps. I agree with beav and blackhammers.

you get those smaller southern or lower midwest coon, then I can see how it might be a concern.