I just bought my first set of traps yesterday and plan on doing some trapping when season goes into effect. what do you guys usually boil em with? what kind of anchor do you use? what type of baits does everyone use for coons, yotes and bobcats? I am really going to try for bobcat first, since I've got this guy on camera a few times. http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc38/mulies/09pics493.jpg
But after trying for him I might try and get me a yote or two. Thats if I can keep the coons out of em since theres a ton of em around.
Thanks in advance cause I'm sure I'll have alot more questions to come.

we3ll first off u might want to get some coons under ur belt befor u try some thing as hard as a bobcat

It's been some years, but i used to boil my traps in Logwood powder that I would purchase from trapper supply houses. Be sure to have a light coat of rust on them so they take on the Logwood dye. I would then throw in a cake of parafin wax in the boiling water and lift the traps out so they'd have a coating of wax on them to help prevent anymore rust and helps to keep them clean.
To anchor, I used a 18" rebar with a cap welded on the top so the trap ring wouldn't come over it. The shorter the chain the better, cause the critter will jump real hard trying to get away. There are 2 and 3 prong drags that you can buy.
For bait, I used muskrat and skunk carcasses. I also bought bait from professioal trappers like Russ Carmen and Leggett's. They also can supply you with quality urine. I also used to make my own bait. I cut up groundhog or fish and put them in a Gallon jar with the lid on loose so the gases could escape. I'd put cheese cloth around the lid so the flies couldn't get in it. After about a week in the sun, I'd bury the jars until a couple of weeks before the season, and pour the contents in smaller jars for the trapping season.
If you catch coons in your sets, don't be discouraged. They will actually help your set location for coyotes and fox with all the scent they leave behind.
I recomend that you do alot of reading and talk to fellow trappers for advice. Fur-Fish-Game is an excellent magazine for trappers and predator hunters. There are several books out there that can help you. Bud Boda, Russ Carmen and Ron Legget have written some great teaching books on predator trapping.
The info I have given you is just a tiny piece of the puzzle that you'll have to put together.
The skills I picked up from trapping has really helped me with my success in hunting , over the years. Good Luck.

i trapped a yote using one of the dead deer carcasses from the previous week i just staked the carcass down and put 2 traps on the trail they used to get to it got one the very first night

Thanks Grossi...that kind of gives me a path to take for now until I can learn some "tricks of the trade" myself.

The same question has been asked a lot, use the search function for this forum and you will get more results and a lot quicker results too. I have gotten some good advice from here, but what is best is getting out there and trying it.

My one recomendation is try trapping beaver, nothing is more fun and there is no better bait than beaver meat, bar none.




good luck and share picks