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#25139 - 08/15/17 04:16 PM "Lost Sets"
ron finewood Offline
Member

Registered: 03/31/10
Posts: 514
Loc: palmyra, new york
In my regular trapping areas, I tend to use the same set locations year after year, if they prove to be a good spot--and I am talking mostly about Coyote trapping. So, I pretty much know exactly where my set is, no matter what type of set it is. However, I am constantly looking for new areas and sometimes get lucky and find one--which just happened this past week. I was at my North camp, doing some looking around and met a guy who gave me permission on a great Coyote habitat area. Now I have a problem. I use flat sets quite often and blend them in so I can't even see them when I leave the set location. This new area has woods and open areas that are sandy, gravelly with sparse brush and a little ground vegetation. There is a 2 track path through the area. I am afraid that I will make flat sets and not be able to find them again. Has anybody else ever "lost" a set? There are very few brushy trees to put colored flagging on---and I don't know how else to mark a set location without ruining the whole "blend it in" goal. I do make a map of set locations, when making sets, but when there is 3 acres of nothing but sand and gravel, it is very hard to even make a detailed map. Any suggestions?

Ron

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#25140 - 08/15/17 06:01 PM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
DEP Offline
Initiate Member

Registered: 07/07/13
Posts: 20
Loc: Lucasville Ohio
I have marked the trail that I run on say maybe 30 feet from my set to look for it. I have a problem on a privet gravel road that is on a farm I trap that every thing looks the same .If you have service and a cell phone there is apps you can use for gps.

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#25147 - 08/15/17 11:40 PM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
ron finewood Offline
Member

Registered: 03/31/10
Posts: 514
Loc: palmyra, new york
Thank you! I have now graduated to a smart phone, which, of course, is much smarter than I am. The problem with that is---the new area I intend to set up is so far "off the grid" that there is no cell service there. I may put a rock or a special stick, several feet away from a flat set, to guide me to it---but not arouse suspicion to a critter.

Ron

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#25152 - 08/16/17 03:55 PM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
Hal Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 07/17/00
Posts: 10227
Loc: Blue Creek, Ohio, USA
Spear a weed or a twig in next to your set. Back off a few yards, and set up another permanent marker (stick, rock, etc.)From that location, take a picture of the set with your phone. Then go remove the stick by the set. Make that second marker big enough that you can keep tack of it. If you really do lose the set. Go to the second marker, consult your photo, and find your set. No cell reception necessary for that.
_________________________
Endeavor to persevere.

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#25159 - 08/16/17 10:16 PM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
Larry Sills Offline
Initiate Member

Registered: 08/06/17
Posts: 8
Loc: Iowa -Nebraska
I still use surveyors tape. I never had an issue with thieves because the tape is usually away from the set. I simply walk from the set, mark the area with tape and return to the set. I write down the qty of steps taken in my trapping log. Then I walk in another direction and do the same thing. This time I write the steps down and go to the truck. Unlike Hal, I don't trust electronic things because I always lose them, but my trapping log always is there on my dash or in my hand.

I trap open range.

Here;s three things that will also help:

1) Learn to slow down on the line, the slower you go the more you'll learn and remember. I bet you'll also see your catches will increase 5 fold.
2) Take along some fluorescent spray paint and mark the start and the end point of your line. Once you mark reset your vehicle odometer and mark down odometer reading at each set in your trapping log.
3) Learn to take along markers. For me a marker is a stick or rock. So you dont get confused mark the markers with a line or whatever. I like x's and nothing makes X's in nature. Always take a big shovel as a marker maker, its easy to turn over dirt for markers.


Edited by Larry Sills (08/16/17 10:18 PM)

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#25166 - 08/20/17 12:47 AM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
RoadDawg Offline
Member

Registered: 03/06/13
Posts: 75
Loc: Pennsylvania
I once went to my cabin in the northern tier of Pa and over two days got a nice line set out. Dirt holes, flat sets. etc. Then one night about 3 inches of snow fell. I had made small maps of where I had set, but with the snow everything looked different. Needless to say, I spent a few days searching for sets and still couldn't find them all. I came back a couple of times of the next few weekends with a rake and metal detector and ultimately recovered all but 2 traps, one of them being a MB550!

Since then if I am setting a new area, I take my GPS and mark it and I also used some flagging in a way that lets me know where the trap is along with a good drawing.
_________________________
I am MAN/BEAR/PIG! Half Man, Half Bear, Half Pig!

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#25171 - 08/20/17 08:16 PM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
Larry Sills Offline
Initiate Member

Registered: 08/06/17
Posts: 8
Loc: Iowa -Nebraska
You know I was outside today painting my tools red again. Yep I lose something at least once a year. Last time it was my wooden sifter my Dad made for me long long ago. We'll today its red also.

I was thinking and since even red things become hard to find at times. I had thought why not put of that reflective tape on the tools, if I can't find them in daylight surely I could flood the area with my spot light and see a reflection at night. Especially on my electric drill.

So why not use it on sets your confused about set location. We all know even GPS units are only accurate to 7 feet if your really still unlike ag equipment that is good to inches. I reflect back on the few thousand rodents I have seen on the trail at night and their little eyes are just 1/4 inch in diameter. Thus a tiny amount of reflective tape on a scrub. I mean like a 1/2 by 1/2 incher would let a guy find a trap at night and still not advertise the set.

Again I have not used this idea as it just occurred to me, however I may use it this season as I will be in a new area.

Larry

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#25175 - 08/22/17 01:32 AM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
bhugo Offline
Member

Registered: 02/17/08
Posts: 75
Loc: Michigan
I mark them on my phone and can attach the photo of the set to the pin marker on my phone. Photos help a lot.

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#25176 - 08/22/17 06:43 AM Re: "Lost Sets" [Re: ron finewood]
Utk1 Offline
Member

Registered: 10/04/15
Posts: 179
Loc: S.E. Kentucky
I use my GPS to get close and then my mental senses kick in and my eyes go to where I made the st there, I find sets much harder to keep up with in water than on land. A day on the river and things start looking alike after a while. M like Larry too. I'm finding myself more and more just not seeing tools and such . Don't think its eyesight, just brain not registering it. Bright orange duct tape will be on my stuff this year.

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