A Salute to the Lowly Grinner

Almost nobody tries to catch them, and nearly every trapper hates them, but somehow we end up with them in set after set.  They are the ultimate "non-target" catch.  Yeah, I hate when they ruin a good fox or 'coon set, but here's my take on the lowly grinner: they are the ultimate survivors of the woods.

Think about it: these ugly little critters turn up everywhere.  The woods must be teeming with them, maybe because those higher on the food chain can't stand to eat them, just as many trappers can't stand to skin them.  They remind me of Gonzo on the Muppets, except not quite as friendly, and that's another thing.  For their size they sure are feisty, combative, and love to show those teeth.  I'd hate to get bitten by one.  They are butt-ugly too.  Seems like the Lord showed a sense of humor when creating them.  Killing something so ugly just seems to add insult to injury.

They must have an excellent sense of smell because they sure can sniff out my dirt hole sets better (or quicker) than the 'coons seem to be able to.  When you let them go (if you let them go) they seem like they want to stay and fight rather than run away.  Gotta give 'em credit for that.  They ain't scared, or if they are, they don't let on.

I have a new respect for grinners.  The last few I caught I just gave them a salute, let 'em go, and remade my set.  I have decided to co-exist in peace with the lowly grinner, the ultimate survivor of the woods.   

Duke DP Update

Hi folks.  I mentioned in a previous post that I've been fooling around with Duke dog proof traps for the first time this season.  I've just sprinkled them in along my 'coon line here and there alongside my usual spread of foothold traps, just to see how they compare in terms of ease of use, catch rate, etc.

It takes literally no time at all to punch in a set with a DP trap compared to making a traditional dirt hole or trail set with a foothold.  I'm amazed at how much easier it is.  While a few of my dirt hole sets got washed out by heavy rain, the DP's stayed perfectly operational.  Also, I experienced no pull-outs with the DP traps.

Just as a little experiment I made a few 'coon sets side-by-side:  a dirt hole set with tuna as bait and a DP trap with marshmallows as bait.  So far the DP trap / marshmallow bait combination has outperformed my dirt holes.

I see no downsides to the Duke DP traps so far, and if they keep performing this way I may just use them exclusively on my 'coon line next year.

Best wishes, and tight chains!

Attaching Trap Tags

Here's a tip for attaching your trap identification tags so that they won't fall off or get torn off by an angry 'coon.  A kindly old trapper taught me this little trick.

Curl up one of the ends of the copper trap tag using long-nosed pliers, like this:

Hook the curled end of the tag around a link of chain, like this:

 

Using your fingers, roll up the tag around the chain link:

Finally, once you've rolled it up as far as you can with your fingers, use your pliers to crimp down the end of the tag so it is rolled up tightly:

Then just boil your traps with the tags attached like this.  They will turn dark and blend in with the chain.

Duke Dog Proof Traps

The Duke dog proof traps came out over a year ago, and they seemed to cause quite a stir of conversation on trapping blogs and forums.  Why?  Because, like all Duke traps, they are more economical than most of the competitors.  Dog proof traps ain't cheap, and to purchase a respectable number of them is a sizable investment.  The new Duke DP's were initially looked upon with suspicion by most, precisely because they are quite a bit cheaper than similar offerings by other companies.  However, after finally acquiring a few of my own for testing this year, so far I have found them to be of very good quality.

I have used foothold traps exclusively for years, but decided to expand my horizons a bit and add a dozen  Duke dogproof traps into the mix this season.  Besides the obvious advantage of cutting down on non-target catches, my main motivation for trying DP's is to keep my 'coon line running after the weather hits that freeze-thaw seesaw.  Keeping footholds freeze-proof can be done, obviously, but I personally find it to be a pain in the butt.  A self-contained, above ground trap offers many advantages when the weather goes bad.  So, that's part of my plan for this season.

Here's a Duke dog proof trap out of the box:

   
Here's another view:

One thing I like is the sturdy stabilizing stake on the bottom of the trap.  After anchoring the trap from the chain with a rebar or cable stake, the trap can simply be pushed into the ground and stabilized in the upright position.  The springs are VERY strong on these traps right out of the box.  The trigger inside the tube of the trap is activated by being pulled, so bait is placed on the trigger itself and/or below the trigger at the bottom of the trap tube.  These pictures show the trigger within the tube and the trap in the set position:

 

The only modification I made was to shorten the chain and add a mid-chain swivel.  I don't see the need for so much chain on the stock trap, and you can never have enough swivel action to keep the 'coons from twisting out of the trap or damaging a foot.  Here's my slightly modified trap chain:

 

I'll post some results once I get these traps in action.  I'm waiting until mid-November until our Pennsylvania raccoons are prime.  If you have any tips or experiences to share regarding these traps, I'd love to hear from you!