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Post by ducktrapper on Dec 19, 2011 18:19:55 GMT -6
No surprise, the mild weather has the coon here still out and about. Not quite cold enough to den? At any rate, as long as they are awake they are constantly eating, apparently. I have caught more this last week than I did all of November, with way fewer traps. Average size is larger this week, getting a few true 3XL with nice color, and no kit-sized anywhere. This is mostly DPs in the woods, plus a couple 160 buckets up tight to abandoned houses with visible trails leading to the cellar (switched those to DP yesterday and caught one of my bucket "reachers" today). Bait in the DPs is sheep wool with Trapper Art's DP bait, or else some sunfish ribcage fillets under the trigger and Procoon on the trap lip. In the woods, I'm using a tip I learned here last week, adding some Gusto on a nearby tree trunk to help call them in.
Of course this weather is likely resulting in similar results for others, meaning a higher catch. And warmer weather hurts fur demand. So all-in-all, these late "higher-priced" coon might not gain me much, but I've never caught this many in December!
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Post by GoBlueGuy on Dec 19, 2011 19:13:17 GMT -6
Here in SE Michigan we have had a ton of rain and wet conditions the last three weeks. To make matters worse the temps dropped into the mid to low 20's at night and froze everything. The past two days the temps moved back up and today it was 52. I pulled all my dog proof traps out that were around barns and drainage ditches and took them to a small river I trap. It is receding fast and there are hundreds of coon tracks along the bank. Hope to get some big boars the next three days. I have to pull everything Thursday because of the holiday week. I can't check them everyday so I have to pull them. Will put everything back out after the first of the year. Looking forward to some good catches the next two days.
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Post by schweg2 on Dec 20, 2011 7:15:23 GMT -6
Hey Ducktrapper...I live down by Milltown, were almost neighbors lol
Atleast the coon your catching now will be nice and prime.
Who do you normally sell to?
Matt
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Post by trappnman on Dec 20, 2011 8:39:33 GMT -6
Wish I could say the same here- coon numbers in my area are way, way down.
most years I'd be getting triple and more coon on each check, but this year even in proven locations- its one here, one there. All BIG coon-
setting up a roak ledge along a creek today, a annual late setup because of cows. Didn't trap it last year because of the horrendous snow and had zero access, so will be interesting this year. normally, I take 20 or so coon out of it at this time of year, all water sets.
up side is lots of rats and a fair amount of mink.
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Post by GoBlueGuy on Dec 20, 2011 15:17:02 GMT -6
I have been trapping barns and small creeks in SE Michigan for the past 3 weeks because temps fell and coons went to sleep for a while. With rising temps I pulled a few and placed them along a small river. Checked them today and had 5 catches. Increased the trap set today and hoping for more tomorrow. My furbuyer is going out of town and with the holiday week I am pulling everything Wednesday. But can't wait for the holidays to get over so I can get back to normal and get my traps out again.
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Post by bblwi on Dec 20, 2011 16:11:11 GMT -6
Been running a short line for 6 days and only 5 coons with two YOY females rubbed up a bit already. Decided to pull most of the traps today and sure enough 4 coons. They ran last night but still pulled most of the traps today. Still mostly females and medium size. Good color and grade but not big or males? I bet I am 60-65% females for the whole season this year.
Thursday I will set out a new area for coons and run that for 4-6 days.
Bryce
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Post by trappnman on Dec 20, 2011 18:48:13 GMT -6
went to set up a place today- found a nice coon laying by the gate- farmer had just shot it- so am 1 ahead at that location
found fair sign, set 4 coon traps plus a few rat/mink-
trying new experiment of using lure in last years pipes for a couple of days before adding fresh.................
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Post by ducktrapper on Dec 20, 2011 20:30:27 GMT -6
As expected I got shut out today!
I think I have a normal population, but I got many of the mediums and females in November. The odds are just evening out now, the remaining animals were a higher percentage of large males. Of course even the mediums from November are a little fatter now, and fur is fluffier, so they seem better.
Shweg2 -- I was just thru Milltown today! I sell to Grony when he stops in Siren. I'm low volume, so not worth me spending too much time comparing different buyers.
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