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!

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!

Conibear Boxes for Coons

Tim in PA shares some pictures of how he makes conibear boxes for his 'coon line.  It's always helpful to see a few pictures and get ideas from what other trappers are doing.  Thanks Tim!

Bridge Trap Set for Raccoon and Mink

Bridges form a natural bottleneck on the travel routes of all kinds of critters that run the water's edge.  These locations can be real hot spots on your 'coon or mink line.  Thanks to "ADC" from Iowa for this article on making sets at bridge crossings.

Bank Hole Set for 'Coon

Tony Hursman illustrates a simple and effective looking set for 'coon along creek banks.  Thanks Tony!

The Cubby Set

Thanks again to J.C. Desclos for another informative article from his forum Swamp Talk.  In this article J.C. illustrates several variations of the cubby set, which is especially effective when targeting raccoons.  If you've never visited Swamp Talk I'd encourage you to check it out.  There's some good info over there about hunting, trapping and homesteading.  Thanks J.C. 

Using Cage Traps

by Tony Hursman

Cage traps are an important tool for catching animals and may have a place on most traplines. They will catch and hold animals alive and damage free. You may get more trapping ground by having this ability because most farmers have cats and dogs, and cage traps are by far the best traps to use when domestic animals are part of the situation. 

Late Summer 'Coon Scouting

Scouting this time of year is tough, but that doesn't stop me from getting a head start.  Everything is still green and thick, and in my neck of the woods the ground is bone dry.  Looking for animal sign under these conditions is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack, and any travel patterns and food sources may change before the season starts anyway.  Still, what the heck?  Animals still leave sign; it just may take a little more power of observation to find it under these conditions.  Besides, it was a nice day for a walk.....

I went looking for raccoon sign along this creek bed.  Usually in this kind of situation I walk both the high creek banks looking for trails parallel to the creek while also looking down along the banks for tracks or crossings.  Some guys don't bother trapping water sources because they say the little 'coons run the creeks while the big ones run the ridges.  That may be true to some extent, but I've caught some big 'ole coons along creeks so I still set these locations.  You can always let the little ones go.

The following pics aren't great but can be clicked and enlarged for a little better detail.

While intently scanning the creek bed and the high banks I almost forgot to look up for den trees.  Just as this thought crossed my mind I looked up and saw a hollow tree den and a raccoon peering out at me.  He must have heard me and was watching me make my way up the bank.  He ducked down before I could snap the picture, but here's the den.

The tree showed a lot of scratch marks from the 'coons climbing up and down, but the ground was so covered with dry debris and leaves that I could not find any distinct trails leading away from the tree.  Looking more closely, I found a nearby log that sat about 18" off the ground with the dirt underneath worn smooth and showing faint tracks.  I figure that this is a pinch point on their travel route and the log above the trail helped preserve the evidence of the trail running underneath it.  The point I'm talking about is circled in red.

This point would be a good location to try a trail set, but if the trails don't clear up and become more obvious I'd throw in a bait set or two on the bank below the tree.  When I'm putting in a bait set in a spot like this I like to look for some kind of natural cubby, especially at the exposed roots of larger trees.  Right near this den I found this tree with an odd root configuration that forms an excellent natural cubby.  It would be easy to put a bait set in here.

Well, there you have it - just one little discovery from a late Summer scouting trip.  When the season comes and the fur gets prime I have a feeling I'm going to meet that 'coon again in person, but next time he won't be peering down at me from the safety of his tree den.......

Raccoons in the Big Apple

It seems that more and more urban population centers are having trouble with furbearers moving in.  I've noticed the past few years on my modest 'coon line that the little suburban woodlots I trap here and there are always more productive than the big, wide-open rural areas.  It seems that raccoons especially thrive in or near human population centers, being attracted by the easy meals from garbage cans and dumpsters, and grow in numbers because of little trapping or hunting pressure.  Suburbia may be the new raccoon trapper's paradise, not to mention the increasing demand for ADC work.

Case in point:  A bill has been introduced in New York that would require the city to trap raccoons upon request in any of the five boroughs.  "People have been calling my office complaining that they have been seeing a lot of raccoons," said councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, the originator of the bill.  Dozens of raccoons trapped in Central Park tested positive for rabies, a sure sign of an unhealthy overpopulation of the critters.  One wildlife specialist, Bobby Horvath, basically called it a losing battle: "They are in the city, and you have to learn to live with them.  They will have less contact with us if we don't invite them."  The full story is available here and also at the Camo Underground.

This year on your 'coon line try getting permission to scout and trap a few wooded lots in suburban areas.  The owners will probably be more than happy to have some raccoons removed from the area, and chances are you'll find a few little hot spots with big, concentrated populations.  You'll also be providing a valuable service to your community, even if your only reward is your fur check.

Edited to add:  Raccoons aren't the only problem in NYC.  Two more coyote attacks were recently reported in the suburbs.  Read the story here.

New Trap Design by Tony Hursman

Tony is a contributor to this site and a very experienced trapper.  For the last three years he has been testing and perfecting his new traps which are now available to the public.  Based on his experience, Tony has incorporated some unique design features that trappers will appreciate.  That's what you get from a trap designed by a trapper.  Tony provided some of the following info and pics as a preview. 

The trap is made of 1 1/2" 14 gauge square steel and measures 5" long.  It comes with 6" chain, two swivels, and a stabilizer, and has a centered push type trigger. This trap can be set with one finger making it easy to set for trappers of all ages. All mechanisms are on the inside of the trap, including fully enclosed springs, which eliminates external damage and freeze up. This trap is light weight and compact even in comparison to other dog-proof traps.  The interesting part is the design of the trap door. When a raccoon is caught and pulls it will tighten the door, when the raccoon lets up the door will relax causing minimal (if any) damage to the foot. If the raccoon pushes down on the trap it will only be caught deeper in the trap. The coons that Tony caught during testing still had circulation in the caught foot with no damage.  Tony reports having no pullouts during testing, and releasing a coon is as easy as pushing the door open with a stick or similar object. The bottom of the trap is open so you don`t have a clogged up trap after use, and they are easy to clean.  The trap is cost efficient at $13.95 and looks like it has better features than many other dog-proof traps on the market.

The manufactuer is HD Outdoors LLC, owned by Jason and Jessica Vandergriff, located at 3593 4th Street, Owensville, MO, 65066.  Orders and inquiries can be sent to demo33@fidnet.com.  The traps can also be ordered at The Trapboard.

Give this trap a try and support an innovative trapper!

All pics can be enlarged.

 

Tony also sent this short video that explains some of the features and benefits of his trap design.  His roosters get a little rowdy toward the end :-)  His video is also available on YouTube at this link.  Thanks Tony!

Making PVC Pipe Sets for Raccoons

by Hunter in Minnesota

Tools needed...Sawzall or hacksaw, hammer, drill, tape measure, sharpie, pliers and PVC piping with 90 degree angles.  All pics can be enlarged.

 
Take your measurement and mark you PVC were it is to be cut.  I cut mine so that the end you push into the ground is at a 45 degree angle.

I make two sizes: 12 inch for hard ground and 18 inches for soft ground.  Mark the tops of them with your sharpie if you wish.  I do so just to make sure I grab the right one when I'm in a hurry.

If you have problems with coon pulling them out you can drill a hole through the center and wire it off to a disposable stake and then drive into the ground. This really helps if you are trapping a river with a fast current where your pipe could float down stream.

And here is the trap placement in front of the baited pipe (trap would be under shallow water).

Pipe Set for Raccoons

by Tony Hursman of Alabama

The first pic is of a typical location for a pipe set along a lake bank. This set up has yielded a lot of coon as well as some rats and mink for me. I like a bank that is a little higher than the water.  All pics can be enlarged by clicking on them.

The second pic is of the tools I use to make the set: a piece of field drainage pipe about 20 inches long, a Victor 1 1/2 trap with the square pan and my trap shovel for digging in the bank.

The 3rd pic is of the hole being dug to the proper depth and width of pipe. Remember to save the dirt for filling around the exposed pipe.

The 4th pic is the pipe inserted in the bank hole. The dirt is applied to cover at least 3/4 of the pipe, leaving at least 4 inches exposed.

The 5th pic shows the set with the camouflage added and the trap placement.  I set the trap so just the pan is exposed. The pipe is extended beyond the bank and the trap is set about 3 inches in front of the pipe to force the coon to the deeper water at the end of pipe and away from bank. He will have to raise up to see in the pipe which puts his back foot in the trap. The trap is attached to a drowner wire.

The final pic is everything set up and a view of the set from a distance, as a passing coon would see it.  Add a little bait and lure to the hole and you're set to catch those coons at the water's edge.

Tee Time for Coons

by Bill Abrams in New York

I wanted to share a trick I picked up last year that has been putting a lot of coons and some fox on stretchers for me ever since I started using it.  One day I was fishing for salmon to make coon bait in a small stream at a local golf course. I was walking the creek and spotted a large coon working the bank ahead on a sandbar.  He was digging and sniffing around when a golfball landed right next to him!  He ran over and picked it up and tried to eat it!  He bit it several times and played with it until the owner came to find it, but it gave me an idea.
Golf balls look like turtle eggs and everyone knows that coons love them!  So I decided to try them in my arsenal for trapping season. I dig a dirthole in a gravel bar along a river, creek or pond (where turtles like to bury their eggs) and place a couple of balls in the dirthole. I experimented and found that lure helped but I caught a lot of coons without it as well.  So after using them for a year I decided to share this with you guys and hope you can use it.  Golf balls have great eye appeal at a set and it WORKS!  I have also used ping-pong balls with even better success.  You can inject them with lure and give them even more appeal.  Good luck!

PVC Set for Coons

by Tony Hursman of Alabama

The 3/4 PVC set will take coon, mink and muskrats. It just depends on what bait you use. This set is for water mainly but I have used it on dry ground with decent results. The first pic is a location pic. There is a log cross over with mink and coon droppings along its length, so we know that they are using it to cross the deep end of the creek to the shallow side. There is tons of sign including otter on the banks on both ends of the tree.  (All pics can be enlarged by clicking them.)

The next pic shows the tools for the job. I chose the Sleepy Creek number 1 coil trap with double jaws for this set up, and use a 3/4 piece of PVC at the water line.

The next picture show the placement of the pipe. Where the shallow water meets the deeper water the pipe is inserted in the bottom mud at a 45 degree angle with about 4 to 5 inches of the pipe sticking out of the water.

The next step is to place the sleepy creek trap on a drowner and set under the tip of the angled PVC pipe. The drowner will be set in the deep water. Then the pipe is baited with your favorite lure or bait for mink, coon, or muskrat. When he approaches the pipe to get at the bait the trap will be waiting for him. I have taken alot of coon on this set up, a few rats and a decent number of mink. If ya look close you can see the trap below the pipe in the pic.

The next pic shows where you can set up multiple pipe sets along this shallow bank. I always put in at least 2 and sometimes 3 or more depending on sign. Anchor traps for an otter catch because you may catch one and they will pull a shallow set drowner out of the stream for you in a hurry. Its always safer to plan on the biggest critter you may take at each location and set accordingly.

This is a coon catching set up. Be sure and give it a shot because its quick and easy. You can make a lot of these sets in short order. I wish you all the luck with this set up.

Dukes and Coons: A Bread and Butter Combination

by CJ Williams

Duke traps are one of the least expensive traps on the market today, and very few people would say that they are the best.  Sure, there are better quality traps at higher prices, but in my view the Duke 1.5 coilspring is a solid trap at a reasonable price that can be used with great effectiveness on the average raccoon trapline.  If you can afford more traps you can set more steel, run a longer line, and gang-set your hot-spots.  Dukes may be inexpensive but they are not "cheap."  I have never had a problem with them, after a few simple modifications, and I doubt there's any raccoon who cares whether he's caught in a Victor, Bridger or a Duke.  If they get the job done and done well, and they cost a little less, it stands to reason that the 'coon trapper should give the Duke 1.5 coilspring a fair chance to prove its worth.  I have a few dozen Duke 1.5's that I have run hard for the past 4 or 5 years and they keep getting the job done.

You will read many opinions on what trap modifications are necessary.  Some spend hours modifying and tuning a single trap; others use them right out of the box.  I'm somewhere in between.  When it comes to raccoon trapping I don't really see the need to do any more modifications than the few I'll illustrate here.

Here's a Duke 1.5 coilspring right out of the box:

The first thing I do is shorten the chain and add a mid-chain swivel.  I leave two full links on each side of the mid-chain swivel but I would even go down to one link on each side.  The short chain gives the 'coon less leverage to pull, and the swivel obviously gives greater freedom of movement and less chance of a pull-out or a damaged foot.  Here's the trap with the short chain and added swivel:

 Next, I use a small file to square off the corners of the pan latch and the end of the dog.  As you can see from the picture below, these areas are somewhat rounded on a stock Duke trap.  You want the contact surfaces (circled in red) to be crisp 90 degree angles.

Some people like to night-latch all of their traps.  I do this sometimes, too, but I have honestly found it not to be necessary on all of my 'coon traps.  I usually just make sure these edges are nice and square so the trap will fire cleanly.

Next, I set the trap and observe whether the pan is level with the jaws.  Leveling the pan is quite easy; all you do is bend the portion of the frame that holds the dog (circled below) toward the pan to make the pan go down, and away from the pan to make the pan go up when the trap is set.

The goal is to get the pan to sit level with the trap jaws when the trap is set.

After I do these simple modifications, I degrease the traps in a dishwasher then dye them using commercial logwood dye.  I do not wax my 'coon traps.  It's not a bad idea, but I have not found that step to be necessary.

There are higher quality, more expensive traps to choose, and many more modifications can be done.  However, the good 'ole Duke 1.5 with just these few simple modifications has never let me down on my modest 'coon line from year to year.

Just a handful of 'coons from last season: