Trapping 2017- Tales from a short-liner-the final run

[Jared]

I thought I'd share some of this seasons trapping experiences. I run a short line all within eye sight of the house. Mainly just for conservation purposes and my entertainment but I do put up my own fur and ship to NAFA annually and tan some for decor. My target species are Coyotes, Bobcat, and Grey Fox.

Day 2 on the line I find a first for me, the result of what happens when the coyotes find a grey fox caught in a trap. A grey fox front leg left in the trap (walk-thru set), and a jip coyote(walk-thru set) in a trap 30 yards away. Another set 30 yards further had been scratched around and marked by a coyote (post set). The second coyote is a male a couple hundred yards away (walk-thru set) and the second grey fox is between it all (post set). It may be worth noting in years past I nearly always catch a pair of foxes the same day or back to back days.
View attachment 96115

 

[Jared]

The next day I have this mature tom in a rub set and double on pair of coons.

 

[Jared]

Days 4 and 5 produced a coyote each (flat set & walk-thru). Then the snow came and I wasn't prepared so I pulled everything up.

 

[Jared]

I reset 10 days later after the snow melted and a few days of rain cleared out. It took about 4 days before I caught something other than coons and got this mature she cat on a rub set and a coyote on a dirt hole set.

 

[dennishoddy]

Awesome! I've never trapped coyotes. I've heard/read you have to be totally scent free to be successful.
You've got it down to a science it appears.
I trapped during early January taking 12 possums off a 22 acre wood lot. I have pics of coons, but for the life of me can't trap one. I've trapped dozens and dozens in years past off that place and another where I keep feeders going.
I'm 45 miles from where I put traps, so its not a money maker for me, just getting rid of the nest robbers for upland birds.

 

[Jared]

More rain came for a couple days and I was certain I would have no fur with the hard rain exposing pans/jaws and washing dirt under the pans. I went out after the rain cleared to reset and was shocked to find a 4 coyotes and a grey fox. And most of the traps that were untouched indeed had exposed pans and/or jaws. Sets used in order of the pics: bone post, rub, walk-thru, walk-thru, rub.

 

[Jared]

Blanked for a couple days then had a grey fox (dirt hole set) and a double on coyotes (walk-thrus). All three were caught within a 100 yard circle.

 

[Jared]

Then the last two out of three days of this set I had a coyote each. (dirt hole and rub set). Then I pulled everything up to clean and will likely reset soon.

 

[adamsredlines]

How big of a property are you working with?
Sure is alot of wildlife there!

 

[Jared]

Its pieces that are broken up but all within eye sight of each other and total its around 600 acres +/-