Target animal: Red fox and raccoon.
Lure: Cavens Moonshine and Minnesota Red
Trap: Victor #2
Obviously the start of our trip began with setting traps. My first set was a trail set back away from, but not to far from a beaver dam. I figured this set a good location for almost any animal as most animals will use a dam to cross a river or creek.
The area was littered with coon tracks, a couple sets of which I figured for a big boar. The location felt right. So I decided to try something new for my trapping style. I off-set the trap slightly to the right of the trail and placing a small guide stick to the left. The placement of the Caven's Moonshine was slightly ahead and to the right of the actual trap setting from the direction I anticipated the coon would be traveling. This setup was meant to push the coon toward the trap and stop him with curiosity right where the trap was set.
With my second set I wasn't so daring, as red fox tend to be smart and skeptical. However I did try my hand at a hay bail set. Stacking 5 bails is found in the woods to build your topical box structure. I built it just outside a small funnel that felt right for reds. Placing lure in the structure.
The next morning we returned to find both of the mentioned sets had hooked up. The first with a pretty decent specimen of a coon and the second with a very nice red.
I'm not usually the type of person to set traps in random fashion or go against the grain of what's worked for me for years but these slight variations helped catch target animals. Now I'm not sure what the tactical advantage of my first set may be, if any at all, but with a little investigation who knows. It may produce when direct action does not.
No matter the amount of years you've been hunting, fishing, or trapping, I encourage you to try something new. Who knows your idea could be the next big innovation to our industry.
Lure: Cavens Moonshine and Minnesota Red
Trap: Victor #2
Obviously the start of our trip began with setting traps. My first set was a trail set back away from, but not to far from a beaver dam. I figured this set a good location for almost any animal as most animals will use a dam to cross a river or creek.
The area was littered with coon tracks, a couple sets of which I figured for a big boar. The location felt right. So I decided to try something new for my trapping style. I off-set the trap slightly to the right of the trail and placing a small guide stick to the left. The placement of the Caven's Moonshine was slightly ahead and to the right of the actual trap setting from the direction I anticipated the coon would be traveling. This setup was meant to push the coon toward the trap and stop him with curiosity right where the trap was set.
With my second set I wasn't so daring, as red fox tend to be smart and skeptical. However I did try my hand at a hay bail set. Stacking 5 bails is found in the woods to build your topical box structure. I built it just outside a small funnel that felt right for reds. Placing lure in the structure.
The next morning we returned to find both of the mentioned sets had hooked up. The first with a pretty decent specimen of a coon and the second with a very nice red.
I'm not usually the type of person to set traps in random fashion or go against the grain of what's worked for me for years but these slight variations helped catch target animals. Now I'm not sure what the tactical advantage of my first set may be, if any at all, but with a little investigation who knows. It may produce when direct action does not.
No matter the amount of years you've been hunting, fishing, or trapping, I encourage you to try something new. Who knows your idea could be the next big innovation to our industry.
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