My duke dp traps come in tomorrow so I expect some trapped coons this weekend! I will post pics if successful.

LOL.... been there.


When skunks start showing up around my chicken coop, I break out the Red Ryder. A few stings from that little thing usually educates them to stay away. It might take a night or two to school them, but they'll usually steer clear for a long time after that. And it's a heck of a lot more fun than dealing with one of those stinkers, in a live trap. Actually, I hesitate to put out traps, if I smell skunk. If I do, I'll at least make an effort to "educate" the skunks, before leaving the traps out. YMMV.

I set them around my protein feeder chained to the T posts and just throw some corn in them. I'll catch as many coons as I set traps for until they start getting thinned out again.

Our quail population really increased after we started trapping the coons.

During the coon breeding season you can get that 10 22 and a light and wear them out. They will be everywhere.

Or you could just set a 100 dp's and effectively solve your problem in one night

The rain is messing the weekend plans up. Guess the coins will get another weekend of mischief in. My traps came in yesterday! See pic below.

Exactly what I use. You will like them.

A few pointers:

1. It might seem obvious, but 'set' your trap before pushing it into the ground (much easier).

2. Consider placing it at a slight angle (instead of straight up). It lets the Coon look right into the trap (they smell it first), but also provides a more 'inviting' angle to reach in. A 'hungry' coon will reach in no matter what you do, but a 'curious' one can be persuaded more easily if you pay attention to small details.

3. IF you have fire ants around your bait site, try to make your 'sets' late in the day. Otherwise they will find it and swarm the trap (when baited with Sardines and the like) possibly causing coons to avoid it.

4. Anchor the traps well and check them EARLY a.m., coons will start 'pulling' as soon it gets daylight and ethics demand you not leave them trapped any longer than necessary anyway.

Best of luck to you. Let us know how it works out.


Flint.

Anyone know who stocks the Dukes dog proof trap in Waco, San Saba, Lampasas, or Brady?

A few days at the lease last week and some pics proved I have work to do. Shot one but have 500 more to deal with. Going to pick me up some dukes and spend a few days thinning them. But I enjoy night shooting them as well.

The Dukes look like they will do the trick. We just need a bunch of them.

Sometimes that is the 'best' method. In fact, I just got back to the house from a little coon sniping 'expedition' this evening. The rain never let up, looked like it was going to be a pretty slow night. Sniped one coon at 95 yds. (.17 HMR), stayed on stand another hour, but nothing else showed.



Sorry for the poor pic (cell phone), just got a quick one for the "Pics or it didn't happen" folks.

I enjoy night sniping the coons as well. However, last night I put my 2 new Dukes traps to work. Was pouring rain last night, but had 2 coons this morning. Wet. ANGRY. Coons. Shot them from my tripod stand at 125 yds. Always good practice. Anyway, one of the coons managed to get BOTH of his feet into the trap. What a muddy mess trying to release the two traps to get the coons loose. I will need to hose out all of the mud. Just for info, I just used good old corn as the bait. I also used a carabiner to secure the "chain" to the T-post anchoring the feeder legs. Did that one 'biner and one trap on two separate feeder legs.

Yes, if there is a down side to the traps, it is that they fill with debris easily. Since the trigger mechanism is deep in the trap (near the bottom) you must clean them routinely.

Corn can work fine, but I think you find at some point that the coons will no longer reach into the trap for what they can already find on the ground (assuming your feeders are corn feeders). At that point...I use canned cat food (tuna/shrimp combo), never fails to entice them, but fire ants can be a problem at times.


Good job, with your trapping! Keep up the good work. Wish you much success!

Flint.

Gonna get after them in a couple days! I saw bass pro selling a single duke dp trap for $27 bucks or something

Amazon has the Dukes for < $21, with free 2 day "prime" delivery if you are a prime member. That is where I got mine.

Got a dozen for $125 off pcs outdoors website

About two weeks ago I had a pic at the feeder with four coons , one on the motor one climbing the ladder and two below eating. I've since caught four. Dukes will also catch skunks.

Just a little tip, keep running them even if you are not seeing coons on camera. I have caught of 175 coons in the last 2 years just trapping about 6-7 spots on 2000 acres. Running 2-4 traps per location. We used to get maybe 3-4 coons at a time on camera,just kept on catching them after we caught what we thought were the original ones pictured. There are more than you think out there.
I also use corn primarily, if I have some sardines in oil I put a little chunk of that in there for scent. Rarely do I do this though.
You can set them anywhere, but I have better luck 10-15 yds out from the feeder on trails. Caught 20 coons the past two weekends and one skunk.

Indeed keep running the traps. I have a feeder at my shop and we had 3-4 coons on camera at night. I caught 18 in in the first month or so. I keep them set and catch a few stragglers every couple of weeks.

I need to invest in some of those traps.

You can order direct from dukes too. They're in Mississippi.
RP outdoors and PCS as well. I now run a dozen dukes and a dozen z traps.

Which trap scores the most coons?

Z traps, z traps, z traps. Did I say z traps lol. Trap doesn't catch the coon, the trapper catches the coon. You can have the best in the world and if you don't know what your doing with them it won't matter. But I think the z traps are the best overall dog proof trap on the market.