Anytime! C3 loves his mb650's and I think the K9 extremes are the best thing since sliced bread! Wouldn't it be a shame if we all thought alike and there was only one manufacturer of every product!

Thanks North40! Good pictures.

Just got back from Flemmings and I believe I’ve got everything I need to get started now. They had MB-650 traps on hand so I just went ahead and picked up a couple of them to try out. The only thing I did forget to pick up while I was there is some setters for them. I realized that real quick when I got home and started playing with them. I’m a pretty stout guy but I can’t set these by hand. I tried using my feet but it’s really awkward and just asking to get my hand caught when I slip. I may it try it again using my knees and see if I have better control. I'm gonna have to get the setters. I sure wished I'd remembered that while I was there. I wasn't planning on getting traps and just didn't have it on my list.

I also picked up 5 Dukes DP Coon traps while I was there and I’m gonna go ahead and get them set up on the coons. There’s no telling how many are using this beaver swamp back here. Just double checking….but they changed it to no closed season on racoons, correct?

On coon sets…..are ya’ll just running one set here and one set there kinda thing? I was pondering over it and it seems like it might be good to set them out in clusters around hot areas. Say like 3-4 traps within a 25-50 yard circle at the end of a beaver pond or something of that nature. I’m just thinking that I know right now I have a minimum of 5-6 coons on this beaver pond behind me through running trail cams. If this were a larger property that I was trapping, then it wouldn’t do me a whole lot of good to only put out one trap in this location and move on down the road.

Gang set, especially around deer feeders.

I had to use the trap setters last year when I started but now I can set any of my traps without them. That is one thing I like about the dogless traps like the K9 or Bridger is they are easy to set.

I found these while doing some google searches. It sure looks like it simplifies the process and might save a sore finger.

I went ahead and bought some bait and lure for the yotes but I’m gonna experiment a little with the coons because I’ve never had much trouble in the past catching them in cage traps on just about whatever. First round of trials we’re going with corn and coconut oil. The coconut oil has a strong, sweet aroma to it that should catch the attention of any nearby noses and I thought the white might offer a visual appeal as well. We’ll see…….

CNC, where you live? I have some "coil spring trap setters" I bought from f&t for $10.95 a couple months ago(December). If you're nearby, I'll give you a good deal on them and save you shipping. I prefer using my feet on my mb550s

I appreciate that man. I’m in Macon Co though so we’re pretty far apart. I think I may contact the guy who makes the one handed setters in the video and see how much those would be. They look like they would be pretty handy.

With just a little practice and the right method you can set them by hand! I set all of mine by hand from mb650's, K9 extremes, ts-85 and CDR beaver traps. I even set my 330 conibears by hand. It's all about the method!

Well apparently right now my technique must suck.

Beginner's luck on day one.............

That's the way to get started. The turkey will love you.

I have turkey come in here every spring to nest but I’ve yet to see one raise any little ones. I’ve got a ton of coons though so its no surprise. Gonna see if I can have any impact on that.

You about to become an addicted! I am setting a dozen MB 550's out tomorrow along with a few coon traps and I probably will not sleep tonight! Lol

Yep, I like the challenge it poses…..fun stuff.

Has anyone tried to paint your DP coon traps hunter orange or white or metallic silver, etc and see if it makes any difference to coons??? It sure would make the traps easier to spot and keep up with if we're talking about setting a bunch of 'em. That's still one thing I'm pondering over. I need a very orderly way of keeping up with where I place 30, 40, 50+ traps.

i painted some of mine white. dont really know if it made a huge difference but i do know that a coon can take a coat of paint off a dp in a heartbeat.

I have been using the VSIB app on my phone to mark them using GPS and I can pull it up on a map to look at. There are a lot of free apps for marking stands that you can use. I saw someone post the other day that they use a journal and write location and what bait or lure they use. I know at my age I have to use something because I have lost game cameras for over a year until I walked up on them again.