Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Jackalope's Coon Trapping Bonanza

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Part of my agreement on a new property this season was that I could deer hunt providing I also trapped coons. The coons are causing damage to the nesting habits of an unnamed threatened species here in Ohio and they need help controlling them. Not a problem and a good exchange if you asked me.

The property itself is loaded with coons. Unortunately the price of coon fur is in the toilet and not really worth putting a knife to. Last i checked it was around $5 for XXL prime. I've tried to find someone that wants them but even seasoned fur trappers don't want to mess with them due to the work vs pay out. So unfortunately it looks like they'll enjoy a proper coon approved funeral in their second favorite home, a dumpster. They don't call them trash pandas for nothing.

Last week I ordered a dozen Wolf Creek Dog Proof traps that should be here tomorrow. When they come in I'll post up pics of any modifications I do to them before setting them in the field Friday. As season progresses I'll post pics of sets and catches.

So i guess stay tuned.

 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Good luck! Have you ever used the Z Trap dog proof? I have a few and prefer them over my dukes. Trigger works up and down or side to side.
 

Iowa_Buckeye

Smartest person here
1,776
85
Linn County Iowa
Good luck! I am always interested in the best/secret DP bait, so let us know what works best for you!
If things go as planned, I hope to trap a few over the long Thanksgiving weekend.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Good luck! Have you ever used the Z Trap dog proof? I have a few and prefer them over my dukes. Trigger works up and down or side to side.
I haven't but I have fiddled with them, due to the possibility of dogs i have to use a true dog proof which means a pull only trigger.

One thing i liked about this trap is the swing open clean out door on the bottom. Useful for cleaning gunk or old bait from the trap, but also handy for loading a big marshmallow behind the trigger.

 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
I haven't but I have fiddled with them, due to the possibility of dogs i have to use a true dog proof which means a pull only trigger.

One thing i liked about this trap is the swing open clean out door on the bottom. Useful for cleaning gunk or old bait from the trap, but also handy for loading a big marshmallow behind the trigger.

That clean out door is nice. A lot of nasty old bait gets stuck in those.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I like my Z's, but do like the sounds of a clean door at the bottom. I plan on upping my dog proof game at the farm this year just cause I enjoy laying the hammer to a coon. Looking forward to following along and learning a little!
 

Buckmaster

Senior Member
14,362
191
Portage
Make ya a coon skin hat there Joe.

I do miss your Old Man and coon dog threads.

Those stories brought back my childhood memories.
 
I used dog and cat food in my DP's around the chicken coop this summer to weed out 20. Had early issues with mice stealing the bait as well as water making a mess of the bait. An old timer told me to put a golf ball on top of the trap, worked like a charm.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
I used dog and cat food in my DP's around the chicken coop this summer to weed out 20. Had early issues with mice stealing the bait as well as water making a mess of the bait. An old timer told me to put a golf ball on top of the trap, worked like a charm.
I'll be trying the golf ball, thanks!
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
I used dog and cat food in my DP's around the chicken coop this summer to weed out 20. Had early issues with mice stealing the bait as well as water making a mess of the bait. An old timer told me to put a golf ball on top of the trap, worked like a charm.
I have also read about guys putting a soup can over them. Not only keeps the mice out but also keeps freezing rain and snow from gumming up the trap.
 
Early in the season when the ground was soft they'd often push the trap over, spilling the bait. I put a half of a cinder block over them and fixed that problem. I also sprayed the traps with WD-40 every couple of days to keep them slick and would catch one almost every next day. Must be something with the WD odor.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Traps showed up today. First impression is good. Not much in the way is needed for mods. They can be set to trip without much of a pull force, plenty adequate.

I will tack weld the nut holding on the clean out door, simply because its a nut that can and likely will come loose with repeated catches.

Spring is plenty strong although not as strong as a Z trap. Which is fine by me as I don't want to keep track of a setting tool. Plus there's an extra lip welded inside to create a slot for the jaw and help prevent pullout. I don't see a coon being able to pull out with that in there.