|
Post by cnyh2ofowler on Nov 25, 2014 8:13:39 GMT -5
I see guys on this forum catch fox in pocket sets for mink quite often. Do you set these pockets with gloves or does the water take care of the scent problems. Would love to catch a fox in a pocket.
|
|
|
Post by kirkwooder on Nov 25, 2014 9:28:35 GMT -5
I never had any luck catching fox in any kind of set until the members of this forum convinced me to forget about trying to make sent free sets. I have had great success on fox sets in the last few years since I have started concentrating on making a good set as opposed to worrying about how much of my scent I leave behind. I don't care how careful you are, that fox or coyote knows you were there. The key is to make them wonder why you were there, enough, to find the free bracelet your offering! I set a lot of late season pockets for coon and mink, and have caught a few fox in them over the years. What I have found is that I seem to catch more fox in pocket sets where the trap is set up above the water line. I make a lot of these sets in freezing weather in an attempt to keep the traps working, instead of under the sheet of ice that often covers the trap when set in the water. They take quite a bit longer to make but the extra time seems to pay off with a higher % of working sets. I doubt that anyone will ever advocate the pocket set as a canine set, and I would even suggest that another "canine" set be made near the water rather than relying on the pocket to try and attract them. I'm certainly no canine master, just my $.02.
|
|
|
Post by cnyh2ofowler on Nov 25, 2014 11:51:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the info. On your above the waterline pockets, how do you cover the traps? sifted dirt, grass, leaves? How solid do you bed your traps? I will be setting my mink line on Thurs. and have not trapped mink much so I plan on putting in some blind sets, bottom edge sets and pockets. I like the idea of catching other critters in the pockets.
|
|
|
Post by kirkwooder on Nov 25, 2014 15:06:11 GMT -5
I bed them with either dry dirt, waxed dirt or peat moss and then cover with what ever is in the area(leaves, grass, moss). I try to bed all my sets as rock solid as possible, just like I was setting for fox. If you dig a big enough pocket you can set the trap deep enough in the pocket that it is somewhat protected from the weather. You never know what will visit your set so I find it best to set for what ever may come along. I also very rarely set a single trap. If I dig a pocket set, I usually will bed a trap blind on the top of the bank if it is flat. That is the trap that often will connect on canines, as they come in to sniff at whatever I bait the hole with. I will try and take a few photo's tomorrow,
|
|
|
Post by kirkwooder on Nov 25, 2014 16:49:01 GMT -5
Here are a few photos of a set I just went out and made. The first photo shows the trap, a 1 1/2 coil, bedded but not covered, set in the pocket under an overhanging bank. Having the trap set back far enough back in the pocket and under the overhanging bank keeps the snow and rain from making the set inoperable. Keeping it high and dry, out of the water helps prevent it from freezing as well. This second photo shows the trap covered with dry peat and blended with just enough soil to make it look fairly natural. This third photo shows the top trap set just above the pocket and to the left of the hammer. All that is visible is the pan. It is set in a high spot along the top side of the creek bank directly above the pocket set. And finally, the last photo shows the top trap covered with peat and blended with surrounding ground litter. This is how I make most of my pocket sets. I believe that most fox will come in and investigate from the top of the bank. They tend to like the high spots to stand on when investigating things. Any mink, coon, skunk, possum, or fox that is coming along the water line will climb up the 12"-18" from the water level to investigate the lure in the pocket, and any critter traveling the creek bank will stop up top for a whif of the lure in the hole. I hope this helps.
|
|
wcs
Posts: 1,159
|
Post by wcs on Nov 25, 2014 17:15:08 GMT -5
Kirk, very nice tutorial. Thanks for the time to post the useful information.
|
|
|
Post by mvernelson on Nov 25, 2014 19:55:07 GMT -5
Nice pics Kirk! Thanks for posting them.
|
|
|
Post by countryboynwco on Nov 25, 2014 20:20:27 GMT -5
Nice pictorial good info for sure !
|
|
|
Post by greggwny on Nov 26, 2014 5:29:25 GMT -5
How are you staking?
|
|
|
Post by Lonny Mattison on Nov 26, 2014 5:33:58 GMT -5
If it is warm out I do not wear gloves bedding a set for fox or coyotes. They know I was there. No point trying to pretend I was not. I do wear gloves when applying lure or bait.
|
|
tmc
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,447
|
Post by tmc on Nov 26, 2014 8:48:34 GMT -5
kirkwooder, very nicely done EXCEPT: You're missing some photos... of CATCHES! I know, I know, they're on their way. Nice place to trap there, I wish you well!
|
|
|
Post by kirkwooder on Nov 26, 2014 10:58:41 GMT -5
I have used 18" re-bar stakes since I started, back in the early '80's. I have never lost a critter to staking issues, until this year! I lost a coon in a dp, and had to get a ladder and a pole saw to recover it from a nearby tree. Then, about a week later I lost a dp with a good catch circle, lots of coon tracks, and a set of coyote tracks. I think that the yote came in after the coon had pulled the stake and made it's escape, but who knows. The first dp was set too close to a tree, allowing the coon to pull the stake straight up, there wasn't even a catch circle, luckily the trap chain caught in the crotch of a branch or I'm sure that coon and trap would never have been found either. Needless to say, lesson learned, and the second was no where near any climbable objects. I don't quite understand how that coon pulled it. Tim, I took the camera this morning in hopes of a catch photo or two from there, but the set had been plugged by a "non target" rodent type critter. First time for that in a pocket set for me as well! Maybe tomorrow! That's the nice thing about this sport, the anticipation never ends!
|
|
|
Post by cnyh2ofowler on Nov 26, 2014 13:13:15 GMT -5
Thanks for the great photos, I will try this over the Thanksgiving holiday.
|
|
tmc
#2 Newhouse
Posts: 2,447
|
Post by tmc on Nov 26, 2014 18:53:11 GMT -5
Ditto, the photos are great, definitely worth a thousand words apiece.
|
|
|
Post by mvernelson on Nov 26, 2014 19:06:09 GMT -5
So this has really got me thinking now. Today I was out setting some swamps and creeks for rats/mink and it dawned on me that I've never put any kind of land predator type sets in these areas once I'm in "water" mode. I'm thinking I've been potentially missing out on a lot of fur in these types of areas right next to where I'm setting water traps.
|
|
|
Post by kirkwooder on Nov 26, 2014 21:47:35 GMT -5
Anywhere I trap the water I always look for trails crossing the creek. I think that the coon and mink tend to check these out, or travel them at times. Fox and Coyotes are bound to use these areas as well, so why not set for them while your there? I run a very small line on very limited ground and need to make the most of what I have access to. It's how I learned to trap as a kid. I walked my line and couldn't cover as much ground as the "old hands" that rolled the back roads in their pickups. I learned early on that if you saw some sign, you need to set on it, and when your a 14 year old just learning to trap, you try to catch what ever comes along. Now I'm there with either the truck or the ATV and always have an extra trap or two, and we all know they don't catch much fur if you leave them in the truck.
Later in life I heard it referred to as a mixed line, and had to ask what that meant. LOL It was just trapping to me.
|
|