I bought some coon traps, watched some you tube videos and thought my son and I would slay them. Went 2 for 18 in our first attempt. I figured we’d be at least at one in three catch rate. Will try again next weekend, and got some coyote traps coming this week too. I expect we’re really about to be humbled in that endeavor. Trying to help out turkeys and a good excuse to get to camp in the off-season.

I haven’t figured out the coyote trapping yet but I always have the best luck trapping coons between the end of Turkey season and the beginning of bow season. When muscadines get ready in the fall it gets tough for me trapping coons and it continues all through deer and Turkey season. I believe the reason is people are Simply feeding corn and the coons can eat all they want. Why would they stick their hand in a trap when they can get food easier somewhere else.

Keep at it

Switch bait some - putting moonshine bait/lure on my corn helps - poring fish oil on my cat food has helped

Coyotes - make sure u secure your trap in ground good - don’t need to bounce around - always wear gloves - after u dye and wax - never touch trap w bare hand and hav separate bait gloves r your trap will start smelling like bait - not good - make trap dirt hole set as natural as possible - watch YouTube on dirt hole set and there a ton of info on Aldeer trapping thread - Pollwoll and Deadeye and others put stuff out and JohnV been as hot as anybody lately

We were only able to leave the traps out for the night so a longer time probably would have helped. Only one was sprung that didn’t catch and the rest were undisturbed. We used dry cat food, marshmallows, and sprinkled some oil from our camp fryer around the traps.

Still a fun way to spend time in the woods with my 16yo when we’d normally be home. We’ll get em next weekend

Yea - extended days helps lot and most days when I hav 4-6 sets - most times I only hv 1 when I catch

You did better than my first foray back into trapping after not doing it since I was a kid. I set 18 Saturday and it was a total blank for me. The place in trapping is a little over an hour each way and I can only work it on the weekends so it is difficult to do. I still have coons around feeders so that's where I'm trying to get them. Ill hit them again next weekend and hopefully it gets a little better.

What bait are you using ?
Dry cat food works better than anything I’ve ever used and when they won’t come to it anymore I put a little fish oil on the dry cat food after it’s in the trap

We used dry cat food in some, and small marshmallows and fruit loops in some. Also put a squirt of fryer oil around the outside of the traps or on a nearby tree. We set traps in several good drainages that flow into a large creek and there is no shortage of raccoon sign.

Put that dry cat food in a milk jug or some kind of plastic bottle and mix some fish oil or crawfish oil with it. Also try a fat marshmallow on top of the trap as a visual

I just bought some Coon crack - see if it worth a crap

I listen to a trapping “expert” on a podcast the other day that said the fish and crawfish oils are more of a smell attractant and that neither tasted very good. I haven’t thought to taste the fish oil I use

The pro advised to cut a big marshmallow in half and coat it down with some type of licorice liquid product.

I use a big marshmallow under the trigger, a hunk of sardine next, and partial handful of dry cat food. Then spray fish oil in 2-3 directions.

I also put the marshmallow under the trigger on my Bridger traps with the circle trigger but just put dry cat food under my duke traps. I managed to catch 7 coons and 2 possums on 17 traps this weekend, had to pull them this morning for the week but will trap again all next week.

Many, many a year ago when we'd sell the pelts (I'm talking late 70's early 80's)- we'd use sardines or cut bait near creeks.

If you want to target some big boar coons right now, smear a little gland lure near the trap. Doesn't have to be in the bottoms either, those big boars will run the ridges looking for females.

I use the cheapest bottle of roasted peanuts that the grocery store sells. Sometimes mix in corn or cat food in cold weather but ants always get in cat food. Catch more possums than coons when I use catfood.

I use dry catfood and a jumbo marshmellow on top. Put some deer corn out, they will come running.

The liquid licorice product is Anise. Look for it in the spices/flavorings aisle at the grocery store. There's also imitation vanilla, caramel, banana and liquid smoke that can be used as well as others. Be careful with the liquid smoke, just a few drops is all that's needed.

Peppermint candy works pretty dang good

Starting to get warm, need to putting out ant poison around the feeders so the traps don’t load up with ants. Permethrin is your best friend.

I figured out I had messed up the triggers on the new dp traps with paint and by setting them too deep in the latch. The old dukes were catching but the new ones were getting blanked. Fixed that, got the triggers back to where they will fire easily and problem solved.