Trapping thread

[Maugwa]

Thread for the people who trap predators.
Didn’t think one was on here so I made this one so people can show what they have caught and give ideas.
It’ll be my first time trapping.I have a red fox in the area that I desperately need to get rid of and I’m hoping I’ll trap it.I know how uncommon it is but I’ve been researching and have found it’s possible.I personally want to shoot it,HOWEVER,the family wants to relocate it, but I’m afraid it’ll just travel back to its original territory.We planned on taking it about an hour maybe hour and a half away more so to the city.I honestly don’t care what happens to it, as long as it’s outta of our area and gone.Any tips on trapping and relocation of animals?

Even if I don’t catch the fox I still am interested to see what I catch.

This is the second thread as I placed the other one in the wrong section and would like this thread to become something, and it’ll probably be more noticed in this area!

I used to do a lot of trapping. When I was a teenager and halfway into my 20s, back in the 1970s to the mid 80s, prime winter Rocky Mountain coons were $40 - $50 each, Red Fox was about the same, but Coyotes were $80 - $100 each. We didn't have to go through all the skinning, scraping, stretching, and washing back then. You could just throw them in the back of a pickup, and sell the frozen carcasses to various fur buyers, who would be parked in certain places at certain times throughout the week. Most Wyoming and Montana small towns had several buyers a week if you knew when and where to catch them. Kids like me who got pretty good at it, could almost always pick up a grand a week, or more, until it got warm enough for the fur to begin pulling.

We trapped what we could, but also used every other means we could to get even more. Even though coyotes were top dollar, we still made more on the coons. It was easier to get more. Foxes were a nice bonus if you came across one, but there weren't as many. Bobcats were real nice, up to $350 each, but they are extremely smart, hard to trap, and hard to hunt. 2 or 3 a season still made a nice chunk of change to a teen though - $350 would probably compare to $1000 now.

So what were the best ways to get them many ask. Well we trapped as stated above, but spotlighting got us the most coons. We sat our traps out a short walk off of backroads, but spotlighted the drive between areas where the traps were. We also used hounds at night to tree them. For coyotes, we set traps too, and wouldn't fail to shoot one if it turned up in a spotlight, but we got most in the daylight with speed. Speed is Greyhounds and Wolfhounds, dirt bikes and snowmobiles with scabbards, or a combination of the above. If the country was too rough, we called them too. If it was smooth enough, like a wheatfield, we'd just chase them with a pickup.

A lot of people ask what guns worked best. The right answer is a combination. The passenger needs to have 3 in reach at least, a 12ga with one ought for things that pop up close, or for when a chase is closing in. A small caliber .22Mag or .223 with a pretty quick action, pump, lever, or auto. for 100 yards and under, spot light range, or knocking a coon out of a tree (.22lr). And something flat and fast, .243, 250 Savage, .270, etc., something that will reach out to 600 - 800 yards. The driver just needs a reacher outer too, but if he has a second, then a quick repeater with some range, a mini 14, or AR in .223. A good dog in the back, my best was a Pit/Chessie, who if he knows his business will have the first coon or coyote faster than you can get out of the truck. A dog like this in your yard, that is trained to protect chickens, beats all the fences, traps, and firearms combined, hands down. The dog I have now is a 100lb Red Boned Coon Hound. I don't think he's ever seen a coyote or fox, but he trees coons, squirrels, possums, and housecats that get too close to his chicken friends. Friends who'll roost on him when he naps. The only official hunting he has ever done, is he has been on two Mountain Lion hunts as part of a pack, and helped my Son-in-law tree his Pope and Young (archery record) lion.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I used to do a lot of trapping. When I was a teenager and halfway into my 20s, back in the 1970s to the mid 80s, prime winter Rocky Mountain coons were $40 - $50 each, Red Fox was about the same, but Coyotes were $80 - $100 each. We didn't have to go through all the skinning, scraping, stretching, and washing back then. You could just throw them in the back of a pickup, and sell the frozen carcasses to various fur buyers, who would be parked in certain places at certain times throughout the week. Most Wyoming and Montana small towns had several buyers a week if you knew when and where to catch them. Kids like me who got pretty good at it, could almost always pick up a grand a week, or more, until it got warm enough for the fur to begin pulling.

We trapped what we could, but also used every other means we could to get even more. Even though coyotes were top dollar, we still made more on the coons. It was easier to get more. Foxes were a nice bonus if you came across one, but there weren't as many. Bobcats were real nice, up to $350 each, but they are extremely smart, hard to trap, and hard to hunt. 2 or 3 a season still made a nice chunk of change to a teen though - $350 would probably compare to $1000 now.

So what were the best ways to get them many ask. Well we trapped as stated above, but spotlighting got us the most coons. We sat our traps out a short walk off of backroads, but spotlighted the drive between areas where the traps were. We also used hounds at night to tree them. For coyotes, we set traps too, and wouldn't fail to shoot one if it turned up in a spotlight, but we got most in the daylight with speed. Speed is Greyhounds and Wolfhounds, dirt bikes and snowmobiles with scabbards, or a combination of the above. If the country was too rough, we called them too. If it was smooth enough, like a wheatfield, we'd just chase them with a pickup.

A lot of people ask what guns worked best. The right answer is a combination. The passenger needs to have 3 in reach at least, a 12ga with one ought for things that pop up close, or for when a chase is closing in. A small caliber .22Mag or .223 with a pretty quick action, pump, lever, or auto. for 100 yards and under, spot light range, or knocking a coon out of a tree (.22lr). And something flat and fast, .243, 250 Savage, .270, etc., something that will reach out to 600 - 800 yards. The driver just needs a reacher outer too, but if he has a second, then a quick repeater with some range, a mini 14, or AR in .223. A good dog in the back, my best was a Pit/Chessie, who if he knows his business will have the first coon or coyote faster than you can get out of the truck. A dog like this in your yard, that is trained to protect chickens, beats all the fences, traps, and firearms combined, hands down. The dog I have now is a 100lb Red Boned Coon Hound. I don't think he's ever seen a coyote or fox, but he trees coons, squirrels, possums, and housecats that get too close to his chicken friends. Friends who'll roost on him when he naps. The only official hunting he has ever done, is he has been on two Mountain Lion hunts as part of a pack, and helped my Son-in-law tree his Pope and Young (archery record) lion.

Let’s be real clear on the spot lighting and shooting from vehicles thing

I understand that you were talking about a different time, firstly...

But let’s remind folks to always check the local regulations... and understand that in many (most ? ) areas, shooting from a roadway is a violation of law....

And then let’s mention too that shooting from a vehicle onto a property that might have people or property that could be at danger can be irresponsible and dangerous, if not deadly...

We’ve had cattle killed and crippled by folks spotlighting and shooting from vehicles, I’ve had knuckleheads shoot toward me when I was in a tree stand near a country road, and I recall a somewhat recent story of a young man being killed when some looser shot from a road into his decoy set while he was goose hunting...

Let’s be clear when we talk about the good old days that we’re not recommending folks go do something irresponsible

 

[Chiriflor]

I have trapped predators in a catch and release trap, then released them in the National Forest, far from any private land or campsites. Of course, I live out in the country, and within half an hour of the National Forest and wilderness areas. You may also want to call a wildlife rescue organization and they will give you tips on what to do with it. Last time, when I caught a lynx in my trap, I called Fish and Game and they told me it was my choice what to do with it because it had killed my livestock and was on my property. Once I had the go ahead, I released it as well in the National Forest. I'm not sure of the legality of this, but it was such a beautiful animal I couldn't see shooting it, even if it killed my duck.

Like I said in the other spot, when it comes to relocating animals, you gotta make sure you're not releasing it on someone elses property. It's better to shoot it and help decrease the pest population rather than it still roaming free, mating and adding more pests to the world.

 

[Roo5]

Were dispatching it, I will not get in trouble over this

 

[Roo5]

I didn’t plan on releasing the animal on anyone’s property, but thanks for the info

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

I would just shoot the fox, they're quite bountiful.

 

[Roo5]

I have lost and have had injured birds over this thing.I have pretty much been accustomed to free ranging only supervised and bought birds that could MAYBE outrun or be too heavy to wrangle for the fox, use to keep multiple breeds like bantams now I’m too afraid to.
Fence will be a future option but for now all funds are going to fixing our house and building new coop.

We thought about staking out, but first we’ll see how well this works.

Around the corner was a fox and pups located so yeah, however that was about a year ago.

Hi there.

Relocating is illegal in most locations... and per your families concern, often an inhumane choice.

Shooting is considered a humane method to dispatch.

Yes, it's possible to catch a fox according to the folks I used to buy eggs from, who were expecting a raccoon one morning. Sorry, no further information other than a standard live catch cage likely baited with a carcass.

Have you lost animals to this pesky fox? Do you know if it's just one or a whole family? I sense your desperation and maybe hurt.

Consider adding an electric wire or two instead of trapping. It's usually an affordable option (maybe cheaper than gas to relocate them). Set at nose height and bait it. Very effective. Watch them tuck tail and run... or do they high tail it out of their?? probably depends on the animal. Most won't try it twice.

Best wishes whatever you need to do.

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Let us know when you get the dumb fox! Hey, maybe you could have it mounted in your house!

 

[Duck_life]

I have trapped predators in a catch and release trap, then released them in the National Forest, far from any private land or campsites. Of course, I live out in the country, and within half an hour of the National Forest and wilderness areas. You may also want to call a wildlife rescue organization and they will give you tips on what to do with it. Last time, when I caught a lynx in my trap, I called Fish and Game and they told me it was my choice what to do with it because it had killed my livestock and was on my property. Once I had the go ahead, I released it as well in the National Forest. I'm not sure of the legality of this, but it was such a beautiful animal I couldn't see shooting it, even if it killed my duck.

Where are you? i'd love to no areas where lynx live.. we have bears, bob cats, some say that this isn't true but their are mountain lions here in PA there are prints the size (bobcats and mountain lions have much different sizes) we have so many rodents like giant rats, fishers, coyotes we have, we have grey and red foxes, we have bears, raccoons, a bunch of predators, but havent ran into any issues even after forgetting to lock my ducks in a couple times.. i got pretty lucky. even considering we have a red fox living in the corn field up in our woods!

 

[RhodeIslandRed5]

Good grief, I couldn't live anywhere that had bears! I'd be too afraid to go outside unless I had a big gun.