not to early to start getting ready.

[trappnman]

its never too early to start getting ready. That's why I think is kind of funny to hear how someone that usually traps coon, or water is going to really hit the coyotes this year- the amount of work needed to be ready to do just that, is at times almost overwhelming.

just permissions alone- as the years go by I have more and more "locked in" permissions, but its still time consuming to touch bases and at least get a quick overview of the land for that year.

I've started bringing home gophers and this year got a little smarter (after cursing last year) so insteado f just randomly dumping a bunch I na bag, I'm freezing them 10 to a bag.

biggest project is collecting and drying dirt. We just started- for my method, I need hot and dry- that allows a 6 gal bucket to dry I n1 day, so the pattern repeats itself.

Heres how I do it- I have my peat (8 bales) set up on wood, on blocks, with wood to separate the top layer. all bags have multiple holes punched into all sides, and then a sheet of plastic is loosely wrapped around to keep side rain and splashing off (learned this is needed the hard way)

once a week of so, will put top layer on bottom, and flip/reverse each bale as I go- takes 5 minutes, and gets the job done.

Dirt I spread on a plywood board, mix it up 1 or 2 as I walk by and each night after gopher trapping, bring back another 6 gals. I usually collect 200+ gals of dry dirt + the peat.

[Deleted]

Jul 4, 2015 8:12:51 GMT -6 trappnman said:

its never too early to start getting ready. That's why I think is kind of funny to hear how someone that usually traps coon, or water is going to really hit the coyotes this year-the amount of work needed to be ready to do just that, is at times almost overwhelming.

just permissions alone- as the years go by I have more and more "locked in" permissions, but its still time consuming to touch bases and at least get a quick overview of the land for that year.

I thought the very same thing when I started seeing all that type of rhetoric!  

I was down to our Farmer's Market this morning and while buying some pork from a local farmer I found out he's within one of my coyote loops and only aout a 1/2 mile from another property I trap.  Welcomed with open arms to trap coyotes on his place as well.  He told me he has real trouble raising his free-range chickens because of the coyotes.  He'd heard I was catching coyote and bobcats on the other fellas place a couple of years ago but had forgotten my name and didn't see me last year.  I didn't trap that loop last year with the old man's death and ma's dementia and being both Trustees and POA there were months of legal and medical work I had to take care of but hopefully this season there won't be the distractions.

As I get older I find myself each of the past few years narrowing down and eliminating trapping activities I don't enjoy, usually because they just don't trip my trigger or challenge me anymore.  Speaking of change for enjoyment, I did the same thing 4-5 years ago when I switched from trapping crop farm ground to the woods just because the woods makes me feel good to be there!  So finally this year I'm giving up my last rat pit/marsh and I'll be completely done trapping rats, coon, and mink just leaving me to trap the canines that I love!  The property owner actually has a list of other trappers who have been asking when I'm leaving so now they'll know when they check him out.

[blackhammer]

Quit trapping rats,mink and coon??? Variety, you coyote guys crack me up. LOL Thinking qbout trapping, locations, animal numbers is an adiction that occupies my mind too much all year long. Got some goals in mind already in reaching all time highs for catches on some animals. No coon is not on that list but I will still take a decent amount. Been trapping a good amount of gophers myself this summer and the money profit is probably better than I will do on fur this fall. But running out of gophers . Man season will be here in a blink of an eye.

[trappnman]

for anyone buying peat near a Menards, in store sale right now $7.25 for 2.2 CF bale- and bonus is its keep indoors, so at least semi dry

I picked up a couple of big new farms this year, and in fact tomorrow will be setting up on it for 3rd time- hit it early, and 1st, now o n2nd and it wsa very much improved 2nd time around- but always some you miss, esp on big new properties. but recent years in te 1500- 2000 range when years ago was taking 3000+ at the peak

I hear you never on your giving up rats and mink- and am not there yet, but last year, for the first time ever, did not have water traps in until well after thanksgiving- kept dicking around with a few snow coyote locations just to see what I could do- I'll tell you this- I learned a ton trapping winter type snow for a month and more- do not wish to repeat the experience that's for sure! the older one gets, and the closer to "average" his catches become given the variable of up and down populations, the more one sees that the biggest factor by far for success in trapping is the weather. We are so at it's mercies- and blessings.

but I like cold weather water, and on a 3 day check, I can make expenses and more- and I've heard worse gloom and doom before- I sold every coon I had a month after the crash- for $6 nose count- and I had a lot of coon in those days...so maybe things won't be as bad as they seem

I am waiting for the other shoe to drop on coyote prices.....that WOULD hurt.

I'll agree on the gophers- steady income, and predictable.

[Deleted]

Hey, I figure there's certainly nothing wrong with making expenses doing something that isn't exactly what you want to do.  Heck, I'm as much a trapping wh----e as the next trapper because I purposely trapped rats I was getting $12-$13+ average.  The same with those nasty, greasy, frigin coon when I could get a mid-$30 average BUT I didn't enjoy my time even though I only set where it was convient, had rats, mink, and coon, where I was trapping canines.  If you'd remember the old joke about the guy in the bar and the gal next to him is on the make and he's working her down in price and when he gets pretty darn low she ask him what does he think she is and he says, we've already established what you are, we're just dickering on price!!

It wouldn't surprise me a bit if my coyotes dropped somewhere into the $20.  It is what it is.

I'll tell you this- I learned a ton trapping winter type snow for a month and more- do not wish to repeat the experience that's for sure! the older one gets, and the closer to "average" his catches become given the variable of up and down populations, the more one sees that the biggest factor by far for success in trapping is the weather. We are so at it's mercies- and blessings.

AH but look what you learned!!  Priceless experience that I bet you'll use and always have in the back of your mind because now, it's not "the unknown" and was adaptable.  I seem to remember a fellow trapper saying one time that "if you want a rabbit dog to hunt rabbits, feed him a lot of rabbit tracks".  Same holds true with learning different and certainly non-comfort zone conditions because each episode improves success. 


I probably should add something about me and the rat trapping.  The pit/marsh I've been trapping is the hardest on my body as anything I do mainly because it's all wading in waist or a little deeper water with an odd type weed that is a tangle-foot that comes up a little over my knees also there are no cattails just dang thick Frigmitties.  During the past couple of years I've had some problem with loosing my breath and getting weak/tired while in the water but everything always appeared normal.  Well making pancakes one morning a couple months ago I lost my breath and couldn't get it back.  Down in the rat water if I stood still for a few minutes my breath would come back and I'd continue.  Anyway, they found in ER I had a short circuit so after lots of tests(probably not done yet) and wearing a heart monitor for 30 days they've found I have the heart and arteries of a young man, a great heart in fact BUT a short circuit.  I've been taking a Beta Blocker and everything seems normal even with hard work/exhaustion but it's not fixed yet.  Interestingly, 2 weeks after I found my heart problem, my mother with dementia and in assisted living had a similar problem except she kept falling down and ER found A-fib with her so now we're both taking the same meds!!

Yes I agree, the weather is a serious deal changer!  I bought that new Skidoo a couple of years ago for my coyote trapping and proved to be a fantastic help so and allowed me access to increase my catch which I didi and that I didn't have to hump in the deep snow.  So if I need something for bare ground, I'll go buy a new quad to get me around instead of having to walk when it's to wet to drive in.  I know you're talking more about setting conditions and I'm talking being able to get to the sets due to the wet clay and not tearing-up the trails/lanes.  Slogging a 1/2 mile in with gear and slogging back out possibly with a coyote or two 1-3 times a day until it freezes may not be in the cards now.  At least that's my excuse to buy a new toy! LOL 

[braveheart]

Bought me 150 bags of top soil has peat sand and dirt in it for 50 cents a 40 lb. bag.I am drying it and waterproofing it.Going to get more permission Monday like I really need it.

[jim]

Talk about dirt cheap!
Jim

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2015 3:53:17 GMT -6 braveheart said:

.Going to get more permission Monday like I really need it.

Where you live/trap, what would be an average acreage size when seeking permissions?

[RdFx]

Going to check out Menards today after church... Have 400 #s of waxed dirt done also....

[musher]

I haven't even considered trying to dry dirt/sand yet. All it does is rain.

[northof50]

Those peat prices seem steep. 9$ for a 4 cu ft here
BUT
THOSE 2 cu are easier to handle

[RdFx]

Rain when your getting ready to trap and rain when your trapping, oh well go with the flow.... wear life jacket...lol.... Rain makes more work

[Deleted]

Jul 5, 2015 15:03:24 GMT -6 RdFx said:

Rain when your getting ready to trap and rain when your trapping, oh well go with the flow.... wear life jacket...lol.... Rain makes more work

 I don't think that will cut the mustard with the property owner telling him all I really needed was a lifejacket after I've wallered back in, in 4x4 and when wallering back out that 1/2 mile getting stuck and tearing the living crap out of his trail!  Nah, a nice shiney new quad would most certainly cost more then a lifejacket BUT both me and the property owner would be most grateful with the quad choice!  I'll be 69 when coyote trapping season starts next fall with a short-circuited ticker and my 61st year, I figure I'm beyond slogging it out and pissing off property owners!



Of course, if coyote prices fall it could be as the age old adage says "I've wallered for a dollar and I've -ucked for a buck but I'm still doing it!"

[braveheart]

Most my farmers are the big rollers with lots of land.Most of the average field is about 200 acre plus.Like behind my house it is 265 acres field.I got 2 new spots and trying to loop over to them and back.The dirt is from a place that I use to trap beaver out of their peat pits the dirt is good stuff.

[Deleted]

Jul 6, 2015 5:33:32 GMT -6 braveheart said:

Most my farmers are the big rollers with lots of land.Most of the average field is about 200 acre plus.Like behind my house it is 265 acres field.I got 2 new spots and trying to loop over to them and back.The dirt is from a place that I use to trap beaver out of their peat pits the dirt is good stuff.

Thanks for putting your type of country in perspective Braveheart!

[trappnman]

that's the biggest concern about rain here as well- access. Most all of the field roads are dirt, and turn instantly to a slippery mud- add in that often the fields are plowed on both sides of the roads, and its a situation waiting to happen. One nice thing is that bean fields are seldom plowed here, and all my big dairys chop corn and if they don't immediately then plow and liquid fertilize it, they often stay unplowed til after I'm gone- and you can drive pretty good on both picked beans and chopped corn.

That's 1 great advantage to only staying a week- while the 7 day forecast is iffy at best, it does give you a good idea of what the weather will be like on that line, and one can plan accordingly.

I do have a few gravel, or good grass field roads- and those take the rain well.

[Deleted]

I remember some years ago BW made a comment about getting in and out of properties before the frozen crust thaws.  There are many times I'll get a good soaker and then two nights later I get a freeze tight enough for me to run my Ranger over it IF I change my route that morning and get to the bad ones before the thaw.

Yup, weather is a factor of trapping coyote that we don't have control over and second to the weather are the property owners who are avid deer hunters.  When I'm out reupping my previous properties and touching new ones, getting permission is usually quite easy, it's knowing WHEN I have access to the property that causes me to scratch my butt and head at the same time!  

Here's how it goes, I get permission and am told WHEN I can set it.  I then scout the property because when I get permission I'm only gong on experience and satellite mapping.  There are times when scouting is a pleasant surprise or verification that I do have set locations AND coyotes at those locations.  The downside is if the time frame of access is way wrong for when I'm going to be on other properties on that loop so I do a lot of stickpins on maps trying to adjust a loop and not be driving and zig-zagging all over the frigin country.

Along the same thought process I have found I need to take into account another variable.  Just because coyote are on one property during scouting before season, they may not be there when I can get there to set.  A no-brainer example is unharvested crop land to plowed crop land and 1/2 the reason I no longer trap crop land unless by special request.  Human pressure is something I can't control but absolutely need to know how much pressure is being put on those coyotes when I want to set.  There are properties that I can't set 11/1 because of the bowhunting has pushed the coyote off but I do very well about Christmas time.  Christmas time means snow (can be deep) and frozen ground instead of the nice setting conditions but not a limiting factor for me except if the property is way off the loop I'm running at that time.

Just a couple of examples of my  "getting ready" and what I consider integral to my success.  Me being retired allows a heck of a lot of opportunity to study coyote BUT you have to know that conditions are never static and always influx some of which as I explained absolutely need to be understood and adjustments/options already lined-up.  

 

[trappnman]

1080 once said, get permissions on every farm around- then in coyote season, just trap the farms WITH COYOTES THERE now

and I cannot argue that- but its very hard for me to get a permission, and then not come back to trap it.

I've got 2 types of farms- big operations- not so much in field size, but in total acres farmed- which means usually multiple farms under the same ownership or at least management.

These types of farms are 2 crop farms- hay and corn. Which is good and bad, goods in that there is always going to be some cropland that is driveable. The disadvantage comes from hog farms- which I have a lot (all under 1 ownership) but the problem is as Never says- all corn, and its all plowed up sometimes same day as its harvested. Plenty of coyotes during scouting....but its a barren landscape although I do find waterways going into rough stuff here and there- but that type of location is inconsistent at best- the type of location I either do very well (a near-by litter) or do nothing.

The big operations are my favorites for 2 reasons- 1) is its THE attraction point simply due to the multitude of cows present and the end result- manure and dead piles (compost mainly, but same thing) and 2) the places I want to trap- are non production areas that are constant year to year

My second type of farm is the true family farm- mom and dad and the kids- and these make up the majority of my farms. Whats nice about these farms, is they are 3 crop farms beans, hay and corn and bean fields are perfect locations if the are near attractions such as dead cows, or rough hunting type cover. The disadvantage is the rotation of crops- I have several farms that are very good one year, nothing the next and its all in access both for me, and the coyotes.

[Deleted]

 its very hard for me to get a permission, and then not come back to trap it.

Yes, since I got cut way short last year and had no thoughts at the time to contact the property owners to tell them I wasn't coming.  Once things slowed-up for me in early summer I touched base with most and explained why.

Yes, I used to do exactly what 1080 said mainly because without previously being on the property, I have to at least have a general idea of the property as being worthwhile and not every 20, 40, acre parcel has even one set location on it.  So, remember once I'm given permission I'm also told when I can be on it which at times I can tell the owner thank you and sorry I bothered you.  If scouting shows promise or not I have to go back to the owners and tell them if I can set it when or tell them no, I won't be on it.  Either way I have to bother the owners again and take their time which Ive found isn't always convenient for them or me all based on a best-guess.

[Deleted]

Here's my latest pin-map and the viewer should be able to see the mile sections.  What is shown is actually 3 loops that are sort of interlaced by time frame as I explained previously(hunting, human pressure, prey,).  One may say "hey, there's lots of country there you can set".  True BUT time of access, coyote density at avilability, other trapper present, and most importantly, how far do I need to travel and for how long a day?  All mentioned are essentail variables for me.  Most of what I've pointed out being part of my getting ready early everybody does as well but specific to their area.