# USMCSniper's first trapping lesson



## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

I had the pleasure of spending some quality time with a fine young man, who has served our country well.

I thought all of you might appreciate a report on our outing yesterday, which far exceeded even my expectations, in terms of the variety of furbearers that we encountered.

Here is the report:

As I indicated in the earlier thread, Justin is a fine young man and with some more experience will be a fine trapper.

We really did luck out by having a little dusting of snow that provided an open book for what the critters had been doing the night before.

The state land that he is trapping has numerous feed plots of rye. He had been deer hunting this area for sometime and had seen plenty of coyote sign.

We immediately saw a single coyote track going down the two track as we drove to the area he wanted to trap. We parked next to a feed plot and discovered some coyote tracks crossing the two track. I had him back track the coyotes, which had left a faint trail in the very little snow. It was clear that three coyotes had been hunting the edge of the cedar swamp and then had converged at the same point to cross the two track as they headed west in single file.

We then went over his existing supply of trapping equipment and I gave him the traps and equipment I had brought for him. 

Since he wanted to learn to catch coyotes, as well as water trap, I decided that this location was an excellent spot to put in a couple sets. He indicated that he would be checking them first thing every morning, so setting near the two track would not be a problem.

We followed, off to one side, the single file coyote tracks to the west that lead into the fairly open field. I told him that it was possible that we could put in a blind set of these coyotes, if we found a good pinch point where this faint trail lead.

Sure enough about 50 yards off the two track we found a good spot to slip in a # 3 coil spring below an existing coyote print at a nice pinch point. Normally I would have used a drag, but since he was going to be checking these traps early, so I double staked it. Using an ample amount of Buckwheat Hulls to prevent a freeze in, I touched off the set by using my scissors to cut of some grass for a light covering over the Buckwheat Hulls.

A little ways further up the trail a perfect location for a dirt hole set presented itself. A bare sandy spot backed by a very slight mound was in short order sporting a medium sized dirt hole baited with some ground up mouse, along with a little red fox gland lure and a couple small squirts of fox urine to either side of the hole. Again, the Buckwheat Hulls were used and a little covering of sifted sand completed the camouflage of the # 3 Victor Coil spring.

With his coyote traps set and committed to memory, so he could find them under a couple feet of snow, we headed to the creek.

Justin had us park some distance from the creek near an almost dry flooding. He indicated that it was difficult to turn the truck around if we drove all the way to the creek.

So while Justin got his waders on, I started toward the creek in my hip boots. Didn't get more than 50 yards from the trucks before I came upon a pair of good sized raccoon tracks come up the two track. Once Justin was ready with his bucket of traps and wire we headed out into the flooding in the general direction I thought the raccoons were heading.

In short order we had found an ideal location for a conibear pocket set for these raccoon using a 160.

By exploring a little further we found a nice spring feeder stream coming from under an old rotten stump. Close examination reveal a very faint print of a mink in the soft black muck. With a little shovel work we had a nice pocket set constructed, which provided a good solid shelve to position one of the 1.5 coil springs he had just received.

As we prepared to leave this mink set I notice some partial tracks in some snow on the top of a 50 foot long log that lay in the marsh, with its butt positioned just over the pocket set we had just constructed. It was the tracks of a large Bobcat that had walked the entire length of this log and then jumped over the small feed creek. Wow, what a great location to catch a Bobcat, if only we still had our Bobcat trapping season!

With these two sets in place we head toward the creek and didn't get too far before we were walking along side the prints of a very large ermine that had recently traveled up and down this two track. So, we looked around a little for an ermine set. Low and behold we found a perfect ready made ermine box set. A discarded wood roof of something measuring about 2' by 2' was laying near the edge of the two track. At one corner was a small opening, which was fitted with a # 1 long-spring trap. Now all Justin need is to add some muskrat to bait this set.

Finally, at the creek, with some close observation we found some small amounts of fresh muskrat cuttings. So a bottom edge 110 conibear set was located and made, along with a 110 conibear set in pinch point on a side channel of this creek.

What Justin had thought was coyote scat, ended up being the droppings of an otter. So his 330 conibear was positioned under some existing logs, where it is likely that an otter will pass under on a future trip up this small stream.

So Justin got 8 sets in that could possibly produce coyote, raccoon, mink, muskrat and otter. Not a bad first trapline for a young trapper. Now the patience and daily checking part of trapping must come into play.

Good Luck to Justin!


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

That's great of you to help out Dave. I look forward to the reports from Justin on how his line produces. Sounds like he has ample evidence of a great variety of critters.

Good Luck Justin.


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## Northcountry (Feb 4, 2004)

Sounds like a game-rich area and opportunistic trapping at its finest!  

To me, finding sign like that is almost as much fun as catching the animals that made it.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

Great spot... Hope you told him to bring his camera when he checks the sets, Dave!!

Looking foward to hearing some success stories!!

-Bob


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## alexsalmon (Feb 16, 2006)

Dave, your a great man for all the things you do for our sport. 

And, USMCSniper I wanna see pics of that otter!


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

It's only a matter of time now, I'm here waiting for pics too.

Best of luck


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## target-panic (Jan 9, 2006)

Thanks for the story Dave. You are a huge asset to all of us greenhorns.


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## Rumajz (Dec 29, 2005)

This world would be a much better place if everyone was as unselfish and helpful as you Dave a many others on this site. I feel privilaged kinda (internet) know you.

Roman

Can't wait for those pictures.


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## Yoopertrapper (Jan 24, 2006)

Great detailed breakdown of the sets you guys made!
Good Luck to both of you!
Can't wait for some pics.


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## USMCSniper (Dec 21, 2006)

At 0730 I left for the line, I arrived at 0800, and checked the Coyote sets first, keeping a good distance, but there was no sign of tracks near either set. Then I moved on to the 160 nuthin, then the mink set under the stump, nuthin. So I trekked down to the stream and checked the otter set, nuthin, then to the first rat set nuthin, then the last set and low and behold there it was....MY FIRST RAT The bottom edge set got him going downstream. I retrieved him and replaced the trap exactly where it was and took a seat on the bank to take it all in. At this point I realized I had left the camera on the kitchen counter this morning in all of my haste to get out of the house. After checking the line and saying thanks to the lord for the catch I returned to the truck and went to Critters Anonymous taxidermy to see my friend Chad who showed me how to case the little bugger out. He told me you guys would laugh at him cause it took him about 10 minutes to case it. He said it was habit being so precise but that I wouldn't need to be to case them in the future. So I cased it fleshed it and it is on the stretcher provided by Dave, thank you Dave... I then proceeded to show it to my father who decided he wants to get back into trapping with me and learn how to do it again. He hasn't gone since before he was married 35 years ago...Good thing I'm already married!!! I have pictures that I took once I cased him but I can't figure out how to post them on here it says I am not allowed to post attachments. Any Help with that?? Dave, BIG thanks for all of your help it was amazing out there this morning, god was playing with me...I checked all of the traps and nothing until the very last trap, talk about suspense. So now I am going to use the rat to bait the ermine set and the mink pocket set. I will get the pictures up as soon as I can. Thanks everyone for all the help. I am going to keep this going on here as a kind of online diary for everyone, thanks again...

Justin


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## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

congrats on the first catch.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

You can use it as bait for canines too.

Congrats


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## Northcountry (Feb 4, 2004)

Congratulations, Justin!!!!  

I think we all can relate to the "last trap" surprise, or other unexpected success. Thats one of the really cool things about trapping! 

Today, when I was checking some muskrat sets by boat...I motored down the line to take an inventory of catches and sets that needed maintenance. On the return trip, I sloughed and grunted through knee-deep muck to get to a set that was fired but empty...or so I thought. But as I pulled on the chain, a silt-covered blob turned into a nice muskrat! Those are the kind of little surprises that make trapping a blast!

I'll see you Saturday and drop of your new traps and gear. If you use the new traps to duplicate Daves sets in similar locations...you'll have a great time and plenty of success.


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## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

sounds like mr. duncan is the one who is haveing the fun.


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## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

Justin,

Sure glad you had some success!!

I would recommend that you leave the coyotes set as is for at least a week. It could take that long before the coyote decide to make another circuit through this part of their hunting territory.

Besure to remove the entrails from that muskrat before you use it for bait. You should be able to cut it up into quarters and have enough for 4 different sets. Take a piece of muskrat and wrap it up in some dry grass and then stick it back in the pocket sets.

You probably should also places some muskrat in the back of the pocket set for the raccoon, which is guarded by the 160 conibear.

Like Bill indicated you should be exploring the area down stream some distance and making some more 110 conibear bottom edge sets for muskrats. Also you can make some pocket sets with the 1.5 coilsprings for mink and muskrat, being sure to wire the traps to something solid. Muskrat meat also makes good muskrat bait, surprisingly.

Looking forward to your future reports! It is great that you got your Dad interested in getting back into trapping, it a lot more enjoyable if you have someone to share your adventures with out on the trapline.


gilgetter,

You are absolutely correct, I am getting a lot of enjoyment out of Justin's trapline. I hope all of you are also enjoying his adventure.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

Congrats on your first catch.


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## dsmithgall (Oct 10, 2006)

congrats on your first catch, I just had mine a few weeks ago...Good luck the rest of the week, let us know how you do.


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## Liv4Trappin (Feb 22, 2006)

Congrats Justin!!
Good luck with the rest of your trapline.
Sounds like alot of activity in your neck of the woods.

Great story Dave!Really great of you to help a new trapper so much.
He should really have the hang of it now with your personal instruction.


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## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

yes sir. the best thing since paper money.just happy the young man is getting such a great start.


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## frostbite (Dec 22, 2004)

Way to go Justin. I know how it feels to get up and start checking. The great thing is, that feeling lasts and lasts, check after check. I'm really excited for you and proud to have Dave as a fellow trapper. He has given you the fast track to success.


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## alexsalmon (Feb 16, 2006)

Congrats Justin!

I am sure you and your dad will have a BLAST trapping together!

Good Luck!


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## mhodnettjr (Jan 30, 2005)

congrats on your first catch justin. Dave is a great asset to trappers that are new and accomplished. He sees the woods in greater detail than most people ever will. I wish you the best on your line!

mike


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## USMCSniper (Dec 21, 2006)

No critters today but still very successful... I again checked the yote first, there were tracks all along the two track but nothing in the sets, I don't think it will be too long though, I believe all told I counted about 15 different yote tracks. I am not quite ready to set more yote traps though I want to work on the other sets and study the yotes till I have a better feel for them. So from there we checked the Mink set and nothing but I believe there were mink tracks in the mud again. This time though I put a rat quarter in the back of the pocket. Maybe that will bring him in tonight. Next was the **** 160, no sign but I also placed a rat quarter behind the 160. Next to the ermine, we again saw two sets of ermine tracks on the edge of the two track but it passed the box by, I put a bunch of seed and a small chunk of rat in the back of the box, we'll see. As we were checking that we followed the tracks down to the water and there was another roof to an old duck blind so I set another ermine set same as the one Dave and I set. From there to the creek and backwater, we checked the otter set and two rat sets nothing. But as we were checking, my dad spotted a very defined pocket that still had some grass roots and a small cattail piece in it so I dug it out a little and set a #1 coil spring in front of the pocket about half in and out of the pocket. As I was in the water setting that trap my dad spotted two otter swimming in the pond about 50 yards away. We worked our way around the pond closer to them and they didn't have a care, they kept swimming in circles in the water then they would go up near the shore of a small island/sandbar. On our way around the pond we spotted a hole with a runway going into it under a old stump in about 2 feet of moving water. This is when I realized my gloves weren't long enough, and as I was trying to set a 110 over the entrance, I tripped over the wire and plopped into the water COLD!!!!:yikes: I managed to get that one set and from there spotted another great pocket right near some really green grass with a nice shiney bottom going into it I think it is an active feeder, the pocket ended up being a "den" that went about 10-12 inches into the bank so another 110 was set over the entrance to it. After that we watched the otter some more, as we were watching we spotted more coyote tracks and there were a few of them together they all walked along the bank to where some logs are across the stream dumping out of the pond. Then they all crossed on the logs across the stream. I will keep an eye on that area to for other possible yote sets. We then walked back to the truck and started to leave and we found a nice 18 inch culvert under a dirt road on the same creek I think I will set a 110 at each end of that culvert tomorrow morning, we also got a tip the other day from a Conservation Officer that there is an area upstream on the main river that has some beaver and he didn't think anyone is trapping them. So I think I will try to check that out tomorrow. I will keep you all informed.

Justin
P.S. 12 traps set so far for, 2 yote, 1 mink, 2 ermine, 1 ****, 1 otter, 5 muskrat


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## Liv4Trappin (Feb 22, 2006)

Good luck tomorrow man!!
Post some pics when you connect.


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Where the yotes crossed that log, you need some sets.

Good luck and don't forget the camera (like I did)


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## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

Sounds like you and your Dad had an awesome outing today!

For sure you will have some action tomorrow. Especially with your new muskrat sets!

With low price on Otter, you might want to pull that otter set and move the 330 to the area with beaver. Just a suggestion.

Continued Good Luck on your Trapline!


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## USMCSniper (Dec 21, 2006)

I just had it on the stretcher like this to show the pelt









Just had 2 nicks in the hide, not bad for my first time


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## alexsalmon (Feb 16, 2006)

Not bad at all for your first! Just a couple more days and it should be dry!


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## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

Justin,

Great job on the muskrat! It is a medium muskrat, so there should be some large and extra large in this stretch of creek, waiting to be caught. 

Now you have the photo inserting down, let's see some trapline photos  .

Sure hope you connect with one of those coyotes soon.

But be patience, it could take a week or so before the sets we put in pay off. Patience will pay you big rewards.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

Great job!! Nice one!!


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## USMCSniper (Dec 21, 2006)

NC stopped in at 8:30 this morning and delivered the box of goodies, as a wise man once said I'M HAPPIER THAN A TORNADO IN A TRAILER PARK:lol: 
NC, Gilgetter, Orion, and Mallard thanks again and Gil, I love the basket 
I also added 3 330 and 5 1 1/2 CS and 3 #2 CS, thanks to my neighbor Chad. NC and I had a good conversation this morning for about an hour before he had to go, and then I had to check the line. I arrived at the line about 10:00 no yotes but still seeing lots of sign, I then checked the **** set and something had been digging around the log trying to get the rat but it was still there and the trap had not been sprung. Then I checked the mink set with no luck, but the water had gone down so my trap was exposed, the pocket was made deeper to cover the trap. Next we checked the new ermine set and found the only catch of the day a world class field mouse:idea: so I now have fresh mouse bait for my ermine. Next was the other ermine set with no luck. On to the rat sets and no luck on either of them or the otter set, but there were more yote tracks at the crossing by the log and otter droppings on the bank right by my otter trap, it looks like he went around it. I took the pictures below









My ermine set under an old outhouse roof baited with seed and a small chunk of muskrat.









This is my **** pocket underneath a log, made it alittle muddier this morning. also is baited with a rat quarter and some orange peels..thats a 160 under the log.









this run is a perfect size for my 110, the other branch of this stream has the bottom edge set in it.


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## alexsalmon (Feb 16, 2006)

Very nice! Not long and you will get that darn otter!


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## trapwise (Dec 22, 2006)

justin put you a dirt hole at each end of that log that the yotes are crossing, with a little luck you might ger a double,good luck, sounds like you are in trappers heaven.


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## Rumajz (Dec 29, 2005)

Those sets look really great. I wish I had a couple of "university profesors of trapping" (NC and Dave) close by like you do. Nothing better than a great teacher willing to teach.

I can't wait for those catch pictures. Looks like it is just a matter of time, sooner or later.

Roman


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## Liv4Trappin (Feb 22, 2006)

Great job on the pics!
Keep em coming.


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## USMCSniper (Dec 21, 2006)

I pulled two traps that I had set because I did not like the looks of the area, but I did put six more out. My mouse that was caught yesterday is gone but nothing in the trap, he obviously found another way to get to it. Nothing in any of the traps I have set already. The six new traps are upstream about half a mile from the other ones, by my tree stand. The first new one I put out was a 1-1/2 CS in a pocket that a rat had made recently. It had new clippings around it and some exposed roots. Next I walked upstream about 100 yards and found a nice size Den. It looks like an old beaver den on the bank it is about 4 feet high, and about 10 ft in diameter. There was a nice size hole in the front at water level so I decided to set a 220 in the opening. As I was wrestling with the 220 trying to set it without a setter, a critter resembling a large mink or something showed his face out of the hole briefly, then made his way out the backside through the water through the marsh and quickly disappeared. I am not sure what it was. Any thoughts on that from any of you?? It caught me off guard and kind of shocked me I wasn't expecting to see anything pop out of there. I set the 220 over the hole in the water but I did not have another to set on the other side. so only one entrance is covered. I walked further down the bank and found what looked like a rat trail coming out of the water there is a bunch of long grass arching over a well defined trail on the bank so I put a 110 right where the water meets the shore and covered it with grass. I continued down the bank and saw some tracks I don't recognize, they are almost prefectly round about 1 to 1-1/2 inches diameter and had five skinny toes and one pad, I looked in a book I have an it kind of looks like possum or maybe skunk? I did see a skunk earlier. then I continued down the bank where I found a blown down tree and it looks like a beaver made a den around it a long time ago, anyway there were three trails into this "den" but one looked the most active so I set a 110 over its opening. I will take pictures in a little bit, I am going back out to check. Anyone know what might be making the trails into there? The openings are about 8 inches diameter. The other two sets were 110 conibear in the same pond I originally set around there were hole going into the bank that were completely under water but had fresh grass and cattail sticking out of them. So I figured something must be eating in there. If anyone can tell me what I'm looking at I'd appreciate it. I know I am seeing sign, I just don't know what it is sign of!!


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## fbuckner (Apr 7, 2006)

I like your enthusiasm. Just like me I cant wait to get up and run the line in the morning. I and my mentor and partner have had an ok season. I am alittle frustrated with the rats around here they are giving me fits but i keep asking questions and keep on keeping on. Keep up the good work and good luck to you. I would like to talk to you about this sniper thing. I set up a .223 for popping coyote and I think what you know could help alot of predator hunters. especially the concealment options.


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## USMCSniper (Dec 21, 2006)

Buck, I would be more than happy to talk to anyone about long distance shooting, concealment, field craft or anything else I can help with. .223 is perfect for yote, as far as I am concerned. PM me if you have any questions.


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## Northcountry (Feb 4, 2004)

Justin,

I took a "before and after" pic of a 110 muskrat set today....and figured you might like to see it.

I dont claim that this was a real high-percentage set or location...but the shoreline I have to work with is pretty low and straight. I just looked for a protruding feature with a vertical sidewall...and made a mini bottom edge set.  

Before....









After...


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## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

NC,

Great bottom edge set!!!

Justin,

You might very well have come face to face with an otter. 

Those 220's set in a tight pinch point for otter can definitely do the job!

Learning to identify all the amimal sign is a skill that you will develop in a hurry by spending everyday on the trapline!

The mouse could have easily been stolen by a shrew, so don't get discouraged about not catching an ermine. In time you will connect.

Sounds like you will have some more muskrat for bait come morning.

Have a Safe and Happy New Year's Eve, trapperman!!!!


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