Post by tmc on Nov 2, 2019 19:27:16 GMT -5
I know, nothing new but I've learned to love 'em.
What I found is that we (maybe just me) spend time making a great set (if not why bother?) but the first catch kind of ruins it, sometimes it's still good enough to do a remake but many critters won't enter the catch circle.
So what I do is make sets (some, not all) with enough chain to allow the caught critter to make a catch circle far enough away from the set so it's not close to the original set, then I can easily remake the set as good as new and the bonus is, done in no time at all AND I can make another set just outside of the far side (if that makes sense) of the catch circle. If I have time and material then, I'll use another slide-away at that new set as well. If I don't have time I can always come back and do it. And so on, repeat as often as necessary lol. My thinking is, along comes another coyote (or fox, or whatever, that won't enter the catch circle), sees both the catch circle AND the original set, thinks to itself, "What was that dumbass doing making a mess over THERE, when there's a perfectly fine meal right here?" Yeah, maybe so, maybe not, but that's my thinking.
I'll say right off I am NO "big time trapper," in any way, and certainly not in the ranks of most (or all) of you, but it just makes sense to me to use the slide-away since it honestly takes only the time to anchor the other end of the chain. IF I ever get a critter at the catch circle set (or a double with the initial set, lol!) on such a set, then I can make another slide-away set at the "new" catch circle, then another, ad-infinitum. Done right, end up making a sort of a square series of sets, or run the slide-aways off in any direction or pattern or whatever works for the particular area you're making a set. Also it kind of runs off the idea, "If it's good enough for one set, it's good enough for more." I don't know, makes sense to me though.
Like I said I'm not a big timer but I've been trapping since the late 60s, and this - while fairly new to me - is something of a mental gamechanger for me. I've been using chain slide-aways for several years now but the idea of making another just outside the catch circle didn't come to me until this past summer. I use #2 machine chain, and the attachment for chain is widely available and pretty cheap, or easy enough to make if you have a mind to. I do not use cable slide-aways because a hard-fighting coyote makes the cable (or wire, but I can't bring myself to think about risking using wire) a one-time use. Again, that's just for me. Another bonus is that while a good drag can also leave the set relatively in good shape, where I trap, other properties where I'm not allowed are too close to risk the animal going far enough that it could present a problem, or sometimes not being able to find it at all. I know, not likely, but still possible. With the slide-away, that entire scenario is completely eliminated. And whether I use rebar or earth anchors for each end of the slide-away chain, I've never had any issue with either end of the chain getting pulled out.
Anyways, just my thoughts. And hopefully with the coyote I got at a double dirt hole set today, I can put my theory to the test soon.
Sorry if this is old news to you guys, but it was a totally new thought for me. If it helps anyone, well I'm glad.
What I found is that we (maybe just me) spend time making a great set (if not why bother?) but the first catch kind of ruins it, sometimes it's still good enough to do a remake but many critters won't enter the catch circle.
So what I do is make sets (some, not all) with enough chain to allow the caught critter to make a catch circle far enough away from the set so it's not close to the original set, then I can easily remake the set as good as new and the bonus is, done in no time at all AND I can make another set just outside of the far side (if that makes sense) of the catch circle. If I have time and material then, I'll use another slide-away at that new set as well. If I don't have time I can always come back and do it. And so on, repeat as often as necessary lol. My thinking is, along comes another coyote (or fox, or whatever, that won't enter the catch circle), sees both the catch circle AND the original set, thinks to itself, "What was that dumbass doing making a mess over THERE, when there's a perfectly fine meal right here?" Yeah, maybe so, maybe not, but that's my thinking.
I'll say right off I am NO "big time trapper," in any way, and certainly not in the ranks of most (or all) of you, but it just makes sense to me to use the slide-away since it honestly takes only the time to anchor the other end of the chain. IF I ever get a critter at the catch circle set (or a double with the initial set, lol!) on such a set, then I can make another slide-away set at the "new" catch circle, then another, ad-infinitum. Done right, end up making a sort of a square series of sets, or run the slide-aways off in any direction or pattern or whatever works for the particular area you're making a set. Also it kind of runs off the idea, "If it's good enough for one set, it's good enough for more." I don't know, makes sense to me though.
Like I said I'm not a big timer but I've been trapping since the late 60s, and this - while fairly new to me - is something of a mental gamechanger for me. I've been using chain slide-aways for several years now but the idea of making another just outside the catch circle didn't come to me until this past summer. I use #2 machine chain, and the attachment for chain is widely available and pretty cheap, or easy enough to make if you have a mind to. I do not use cable slide-aways because a hard-fighting coyote makes the cable (or wire, but I can't bring myself to think about risking using wire) a one-time use. Again, that's just for me. Another bonus is that while a good drag can also leave the set relatively in good shape, where I trap, other properties where I'm not allowed are too close to risk the animal going far enough that it could present a problem, or sometimes not being able to find it at all. I know, not likely, but still possible. With the slide-away, that entire scenario is completely eliminated. And whether I use rebar or earth anchors for each end of the slide-away chain, I've never had any issue with either end of the chain getting pulled out.
Anyways, just my thoughts. And hopefully with the coyote I got at a double dirt hole set today, I can put my theory to the test soon.
Sorry if this is old news to you guys, but it was a totally new thought for me. If it helps anyone, well I'm glad.