selling furs/ running traplines.

[youngbowyer]

I have decided to start running a line next week since its my christmas break. I will be using snares and box traps. A couple of questions, what gauge wire should I use for rabbits, coons, and fox. Also, what type of bait should I put in my box traps if I want to catch rabbits. I'm guessing I should just use some guts for fox and coons or will I then catch possums and skunks?

[johnston]

If you bait rabbit boxes you will catch rats and shrews and possums and just about everything else that
 will fit in the box. Cold weather is the best attractant. I put out boxes early in October with the doors
off. Come a cold night I actually set the trap. In season of course.

I ain't know about trapping furbearers but do know that using scents, commercial or homemade, would
be easier than using guts. Somebody that actually knows will chime in.

Lane

[Outbackbob48]

If you use guts and rotted meats your going to be getting lots of possoms an such, you would better off using gland lures or food type lures or blind sets for foxes an coons. If you use snares blind sets are key, maybe a big bait such as deer carcass of dairy cow  an set the outer discreet trails coming in to the bigger bait. I don't have alot of experience with snares. Been using footholds all my life. Hope this helps you an maybe a snare man will join in.  Bob

[Justin Snyder]

The problem with running snares on big bait is it is illegal in most states and you catch a lot of domestic dogs. Where they are crossing under a fence, tree or bush is the easiest place to snare them.

I prefer commercial lures because they are tried and proven. Some people say they are to expensive, but when you spend countless hours plus gas money and everything else, they can be the best $10-$15 you spend.

[johnston]

This link might help.
pcsoutdoors.com/

Lane

[crooketarrow]

  Fly shops only buy taned rabbits. Never heard of a fur buyer buying them.
 I traped a lot as a kid to my mid teens. Furs were a good price then. Exspecailly for a kid in WV. I'd get $6.00 to $ 8.00 for rats, $30.00 to $40.00 for coons. $60.00 for reds $35.00 for grays. Let beavers alone way to hard to skin and strech. I still like the smell of drying furs.
  For a kid 100 rats 40 to 50 foxs was major money. I still have uncles to day that trap hard and only get a few dollors a rat. He still traps 100's.
  As I look back I can see the lessions I was taught. Exspecially in deer hunting.

[youngbowyer]

Well, I had a rabbit in the snare today but the rabbit broke the snare it. I saw the poor thing with the snare around its neck and I didn't have my gun or bow with me. I will buy new snare line tomorrow. Well i learned a lesson to always carry a weapon with me in the woods. I was using garden wire, any ideas what I should use?

[criveraville]

The problem with running snares on big bait is it is illegal in most states and you catch a lot of domestic dogs. Where they are crossing under a fence, tree or bush is the easiest place to snare them.

I prefer commercial lures because they are tried and proven. Some people say they are to expensive, but when you spend countless hours plus gas money and everything else, they can be the best $10-$15 you spend.

That is true for sure Justin.  Several years back on a dirt road I saw the remains of a great Pyrenees dog in a snare and I also have a deer skull with a snare that was caught on it's antler. 

Cipriano

[Kpete]

Trapping a large carcasses causes lots of problems. they are very attractive to all kinds of critters that you don't want to catch.  And I found that smaller baits, scents, attractors were more effective.  Snaring must be done using your head to prevent non-target species from getting caught-which causes PR problems for the trapper.  Cat food was always a good coon bait.  Bottles of lures stored in you house or apartment can be PR problems with you mom-they are potent.

[youngbowyer]

I now have snares along rabbit runs and I have a few squirrel ramps. Had 2 broken snares So i upgraded my wire. Will let you know If I catch anything

[criveraville]

Best of luck with the line. Post pics of your catches.  You remind me of me as a kid

Cipriano

[crooketarrow]

  Get or make you some self locking snares. For rabbits get some small dimamiter cable 5/32 or smaller. I learned long ago to set snares. And me and my friend next door did quite a few survile trips and I did a lot of traping as a kid-teen and learned to snare small animals (squrill and rabbits,muskrats) a lot while runing my trap line. You can become quite good at it. Rabbits are easy,holes runs, holes under a fence anywher that bottle necks them down, chunk up apples but on each side of the snare.

[youngbowyer]

well my snares have been up for about a week and I haven't caught anything. I think ill throw some apples around my snares and I find some good places for squirrel snares. Need the squirrel tails to exchange for fishing lures with Mepps. I'm buying 110 conibears today so hopefully those will work better. Wish me luck!
Tom.

[youngbowyer]

checked the line and all that was left of my catch was a foul smelling rabbit tail. I think a skunk got to it.

[iowabow]

My best memories of my child hood was when I trapped.  I had a swamp with 100s of ac to trap. By the time I left for the military I was running 200 traps.  That was a lot of work. I caught many mink and I used a number tacktics.  I always notched every log that crossed creeks and made a set.  I dug many holes into the bank at the water line and made a lot of drownding sets.  I baited these holes with muskrat meat.  We had lots of beaver runs that looked like ditches under the swamp water.  I placed 3 30s in there and caught many.  Once I caught one that was 55 lbs and had to get my brother to help carry it home.  Fox sets require a few tools.   You need a garden trowel to dig a hole.  A hammer to drive a stake that will be below the ground.  A pair of rubber boots and rubber gloves. You will need a flour sifter to cover the trap and the traps should be boiled and waxed.  Places some duck feathers in the hole and hit it with some lure.   You need to check that trap from a great distance with binoculars.  Trapping fox was hard for me back in the day because I smoked.  These were good times, good luck to you and have fun be safe and always set the 3 30 before you tie it to a tree.  I got my arm in one and had a hard time getting out of it.   I also fell through the ice twice in the dead of winter.  Lol good times