'Coon filling in the voids

[tweedledumb]

What are your thoughts about 'coon filling the voids you create during the trapping season after it gets cold? Once they have chosen their spot to wait out the cold is that their shelter 'til spring? or Will they abandon that shelter for something else they find on those warm night outings?

[trappnman]

I'll give it a shot-

I think when it gets cold, coon have their layup spots-

and they will continue to use those same spots for semi hibernation as long as the spots remain viable

I firmly beleive in 2 things about cold weather coon, and by cold weather I can only speak of my circumstances, in a mn winter- and that is #1 they wander in warm ups and #2 they have little interest in food during the periods of enforced layups

one thing I did for many years, is follow coon tracks during warmups, and the thing that always amazed me, is how damn far they DO wander- not from the den to food and back, but random wandering. in my own circumstances, I found this wandering to have only one thing in common, and that was they WILL visit open water quite consistently. so I find that setting up sets that provide a curiosity element with the lure has far more appeal than sets made with bait during the dec/jan cold weather/snow period.

and if you make these sets where the water stays open more often than not, you will see a slow but steady turnover of coon at these spots.

but these are coon that already have their "patterns' set, I don't believe that they are "new" coon moving into an area, but just a steady rotation of what locals are in the rather extended area coverd by the open water I'm at.

[blackhammer]

I think probably in Feb breeding season maybe even for the females later after they have been bred as temps moderate is whan they tend to fill in areas with good habitat that are void of coon.Males by late Jan when it's warm I think go from den to den and can move good distences But I do believe early in the season they disperse into prime spots after the locals have been wacked at times to some degree. In a week or two if you left your sets in after they went cold I think you get a movement of new coon depending on population. But when it turns winter I think there localized till breeding

[tweedledumb]

Thank you for your insights. I have been assuming they were a little more nomadic than either of you describe. I does add confidence that I have a shot at 'coons from an extended area at the right location though. Thank you.