end of 'coon season today

[mustelameister]

February 15th, pulling the last pocket & pipe sets in 48-degree weather. Feels more like late October out there, but down in the marsh smells like late March.

Still experimenting with the colony traps. Added another one in the middle of this little stream, using the submerged log as the BE.



And it scored a 'rat after a 2-day check. The set nearest it hadn't had a thing in there for over a week. So do 'rats become "colony trap shy" after awhile??



My two Old Faithful winter 'coon sets opposite each other gave up another 'coon today, though it was a small one. Believe this was #18 from these two sets. This is the same pocket I posted on the small traps thread, with the pipe set on the opposite bank.

Pipe set in the clump lower left-hand corner, pocket on opposite bank.



Guide stick tilted back, fileted out bluegill with stick run through it pulled out . . .



. . . and 'coon swaying in the current.



Another nice pad catch with the #11 DJ.



The other 'coon came from a pocket just upstream that didn't score all that well. Nice 'coon out of this pocket. Pocket is just upstream of the log about a foot or so.





Got more 'rats out of this set than I did 'coon.



Another nice pad catch with the #11 DJ.



I like these pockets along banks of this height. The chimney I poke through to reach the fish hanging in there allows the shellfish oil to "flow" up or out of the pocket.



And that's it for the 'coon. Reopens in 8 months and a week. Time to get ready.

[blackhammer]

Great pics as usual.Eight months and a week.lol That's a true trapper's attitude.

[thebeav2]

Ya and If the DNR would get their head out of their butt we could still be trapping coon along with rats and mink until March 29th. Just doesn't make any sense to me.

[trappnman]

we can trap coon until march 15th- but its just not worth doing so with the poor grades of coon and rubs. I'd much rather they took 2 weeks off end of season, and add them to the front.

[kelly]

Mike, try the other side of the log, too. I've found those type of obstructions to be good BE sets so a colony trap should work, too.

[thebeav2]

Well since our rat and mink season goes to the end of Feb It makes no sense to keep catching coon In rat sets and have to either float them away or turn them In.

[trappnman]

beav- did you mean feb 29th?

[packerfan]

He did. Had me excited for a minute. I wish it did go that late.