best bait for conibear bucket traps

Kansasdoe · #1 (**permalink**) 12-04-2011, 09:47 PM

my son and hubby are trapping coons with 220 conibears set in buckets. What's the best bait to use?

timetohunt · #2 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011, 07:20 AM

Marshmellows will work as will fish. Best luck!

Kansasdoe · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011, 08:24 AM

Someone else has told us marshmallows too. Gonna gave to give it a try. They've been using canned mackerel and have had fair luck. Thanks

Kansasdoe · #4 (**permalink**) 12-11-2011, 08:26 AM

Tried the marshmallows and haven't caught a thing. set the buckets with some cheap fishy cat food and caught a grey n white cat. I don't know where he came from but that's not what I was after.
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Kansasdoe · #5 (**permalink**) 12-15-2011, 07:29 PM

Well things have picked up a little. We're catching one coon a day. I guess its better than nothing. My son sure loves to go do it even if all we catch is a opossum.

Got a new e caller coming for Christmas so hopefully we can call some out and he can try shooting some coons too.

timetohunt · #6 (**permalink**) 12-16-2011, 09:14 AM

I love trapping. This is only my second year trying my hand at it and its addicting. The one problem I have is that is conflicts with deer season. I am still deerless with only this weekend left.

I had a small trap line out for a few weeks. I'm not trying to catch a truckload, just a few of my target species so I am able to learn the proper fur trade techniques. This year I caught two muskrats, a mink, and a beaver. The beaver was quite a load and weighed in at 52 pounds. I caought them all in traps set specifically for the species caught. Weasel/Ermine are on my list for the winter.

I took a big mink that I caught last year to the taxidermist and just got it back last week. Its amazing looking!

Good luck with your outdoor pursuits!

Kansasdoe · #7 (**permalink**) 12-16-2011, 07:34 PM

What did you use to catch the beaver? We've got a problem with beaver plugging up the creek at one of our hunting spots. After deer season is done we really should try to trap them. The neighbor has to haul water to his cattle cause the creek isn't running.

timetohunt · #8 (**permalink**) 12-19-2011, 11:08 AM

I use a #330 body grip and set them in travel spots. You can set this way at location along the bank where they are leaving/entering the water or in a channel they are using. For along the bank I set the trap a few feet from the shore completely submerged. You should make a funnel with sticks to prevent the beaver from swimming around the trap. Also set a stick across the top of the trap (dont interfere with the dog) so thet the beaver will dive and swim though the trap. In a channel just set and secure the trap in the channel. Alsways tie the trap off to something to a tree or secured anchor spot.

Check you state regulations about setting on a dam and if you can remove sticks. We cant do this in NY. If legal, you can remove a section of the dam to let the water flow out and place a #330 in the whole you just created. The beavers will want to plug that up ASAP.

Good luck!!