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#15938 - 10/20/09 01:19 AM trap spacing
trapper from pa Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/06/06
Posts: 15
Loc: PA
Just wanted a quick survey of how many raccoon traps everyone would recommend per mile of river to be most effective? I don't want overkill, but don't want to take forever either. thanks.

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#15939 - 10/20/09 12:57 PM Re: trap spacing
Hal Offline
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
There is no answer to your question. Trap density should be based on population density. If you have a lot of coons, set a lot of traps. Experimentation will be your best bet.

Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#15940 - 10/20/09 04:58 PM Re: trap spacing
skipper Offline
Member

Registered: 06/28/05
Posts: 676
Loc: .Manheim Pennslvania
I always woundered about trap spacing on an Auto trap line as compared to a walk in line. (This is for canines.) Some people contend two miles between stops. So the coyotes don't lose interest in a lure they keep bumping into.( of coarse it should only take one bump). but if they don't get caught. On a walk in line I set canine traps in groups of 2&3 every 2 or 3 hundred yards with other set mixed in . is this to many.

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#15941 - 10/20/09 06:29 PM Re: trap spacing
PeaRidgeTrapper Offline
Member

Registered: 09/11/08
Posts: 132
Loc: Missouri
I have to agree with Hal about setting based on density. I would also like to add that when I do use several traps along a stretch of water that I find myself ganging up on certain locations that are abundant of sign. Good crossing locations on both sides of the stream diserve several traps on each bank, a small drainage ditch which dumps into the main stream will more than likely have good sign and are good examples. Another thing that determines how many traps you set is also based on the amount of time, energy, and fuel expensises you have. What I am saying is that you can catch a lot of animals one day at a time with one trap if you have that kind of resources to do so.

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#15942 - 10/22/09 12:44 AM Re: trap spacing
trapper from pa Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/06/06
Posts: 15
Loc: PA
Let me rephrase my question.I am trapping a large river that is on the way to work (25 miles worth) for the fist time, I do not know densities of animals in any one area. My question may be better ask as how far do "average" raccoons travel in search for food during the night? Or how far from their den area might you expect them to travel. Also do you believe raccoons den in the same general area each day.

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#15943 - 10/22/09 01:25 PM Re: trap spacing
Hal Offline
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
You are asking for the impossible. There is no way, I, you, or anyone else can tell where the coons are along that 25 mile stretch, or how many there are.

You can't just stop on your way to work setting traps willy nilly. You'll have to scout your trapline and decided where you are going to put your traps. There's no magic in this, you have to put your traps where the coons are. You can't expect coons to simply travel to your sets. You can't tell where the coons are or how many there are until you go look.

You should spend a couple of weekends scouting your line.

Good luck.

Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#15944 - 10/23/09 11:28 AM Re: trap spacing
redsnow Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 06/11/06
Posts: 3001
Loc: WV
(This thread brings up a topic, I've been thinking about for a while, "scouting the water line". We've got a lot of new/young trappers on the forum, with a bunch of good pictures and easy to understand commentary we should be able to teach & learn a few things. If you're out scouting, take your camera, should make an interesting thread. smile )

The reason we can't answer your question, there are so many variables that we don't know. You'll need to figure out how much time you have, how much of the river do you have easy access too, etc. It still comes down to scouting and reading sign. Some areas you might need lots of traps, other areas, you'll probably want to drive past. A couple things I'd look for are corn fields, and fruit trees. smile

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#15945 - 10/24/09 12:35 PM Re: trap spacing
trapper from pa Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 10/06/06
Posts: 15
Loc: PA
Thanks for the advice. My next question is how do I know how many animals are in the area by looking at the sign? I walked a 2 mile section of the river and can find tracks and scat almost the entire distance. I dont know if a single raccoon is going on a 2 mile trek or if I crossed multiple animals.

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#15946 - 10/24/09 01:13 PM Re: trap spacing
Hal Offline
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
Now we're getting somewhere... and now I'll throw another curve in the game.

Coons make a lot of sign. Also, coons will hit a food resource and stay with it until it's entirely gone. I note this because you might find trails and tracks to beat the band, set your traps, and only catch a couple of coons. That's because the coons have changed their food resource about the same time you were setting traps. If you set traps on heavy sign, that's a good bet. But if your bet doesn't pay off in a few days, it's time to look again, and move the traps.

If I were you I would use two factors in selecting locations. 1.) abundance of sign. 2.) proximity to your travel route. If you have to get to work you won't be able to spend much time walking around.

If you find heavy sign, don't be afraid to set 4, 5 or 6 traps in a space of 30 or 40 feet. If you catch a bunch of coons, then move the traps. Or conversely, if you catch very few, move the traps because the coons themselves have moved.

Hal
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#15947 - 10/25/09 11:54 AM Re: trap spacing
redsnow Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 06/11/06
Posts: 3001
Loc: WV
Explaining how to "read" sign through a keyboard, would be extremely difficult. Being able to track & read sign comes mostly from experience.

One thing that will help determine the population, next time you're scouting, break your coon tracks down into 2 or 3 size groups. Once you know coon tracks it's fairly easy to tell the difference between a "small" an "average" or a "jumbo" track. Again, identifing "fresh" tracks comes from experience. Nice crisp tracks, sharp edges, being able to see toenail marks in the track, etc. are all good indicators of a fresh track.

Same with the scat piles, tear them apart, see what it's been eating.

You've still got 23 miles of creek to scout, I'd park my vehicle someplace and have someone take me up the river 4 or 5 miles and drop me off. You'll learn more on the walk back to your truck than we can tell you in a week, with our computers. smile

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