# first coyote sets



## pokeyjeeper

Well guys I got my first ever coyote sets out today I've never traped coyotes before only some raccoon in a water set with tinfoil on the pan and muskrats in a 110 in small streams and that was 20 years ago but I have some coyotes that I just can't seem to call in and they are becoming a problem so I got 4 traps preped and put them out swampbuck 10pt has helped me and I've read a lot I will tell you I had 1 trap today that got me twice let me tell you a duke #2 on two fingers hurts I gess when I night latched that one I got it a little too light lol I put out flat sets and dirt hole set I have two diffrent baits so I changed it up to see what he may want I will keep every one posted


----------



## hassell

Good luck on your venture, learn fast when the old fingers get nipped a few times!!


----------



## Jonbnks

Good luck, on your sets. When you do trap your first coyotes, make sure to take pictures.


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your a full BLOODED TRAPPER NOW POKEY* :biggrin: *------Good luck with your sets eh!!!--------------sb*


----------



## glenway

That makes two of us newbies, Pokey. Good luck to you.


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Good luck, and good to see your trapping again.


----------



## 220swift

Good luck to all that are getting their steel in the ground............................man I miss those days!


----------



## pokeyjeeper

I went out and checked my traps tonight no fur I leave for work at 3:30 am so I have to check when I get home the coyotes I'm after only pass through every 3-4 days so it may be afew days I will take pics when I get one thank you to all of you that replyed


----------



## jimmy shutt

hope your trap has fur waiting on you this afternoon!


----------



## pokeyjeeper

No fur today


----------



## pokeyjeeper

No fur today rained all last night and all day today and its still raining weather claims it going to clear out midday tomarrow so I think I will have fur on Friday


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Yep they'll be hungry...


----------



## glenway

Relocated mine today.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

Well I got fur kind of trap check today I found one of my traps sprung and I had a coyote for a min. but I only had him by one toe so he got out and left me his toe the trap is a old victor double long spring I had given to me and it has been used hard I though I had it working good but I may have the pan too light oh well live and learn


----------



## hassell

Tough one, I got a second knuckle of a wolverine toe in a #3 jump trap, glad I wasn't there when he got out.


----------



## azpredatorhunter

pokeyjeeper said:


> Well I got fur kind of trap check today I found one of my traps sprung and I had a coyote for a min. but I only had him by one toe so he got out and left me his toe the trap is a old victor double long spring I had given to me and it has been used hard I though I had it working good but I may have the pan too light oh well live and learn


 How long have you been trapping pokeyjeepers? I don't want to offend you by adding my two cents, I've haven't used foothold traps since the1970's, my opinion is I don't think your pan was to light, I think it moved to much and the animal pulled his foot back. I've learned when trapping certain animals, if the pan travels to much the animal can pull his foot back and fast enough to just get a toe or a bit of fur. Try adjusting the dog in or out to make the pan level and fire the trap with very little downward movement. Do you know what I mean.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

Az this is my first year traping coyotes so I will take any and all tips and will check the pan travel when i put my traps out the dirt was powder dry then we got rain for two days so I think the trap bed may not have been good and when he came into the set the trap may have rocked and he jumped but I don't know at least I know my set pulled him in to take a look I'm stoked about that no fur with todays check


----------



## azpredatorhunter

That sounds logical, if you're trap wasn't bedded good because of the rain, it could have moved. It's a good sign that you almost got one, keep at it, your doing good. Most important part is having fun, catching fur is a bonus...
Good Luck...


----------



## hassell

+7 on what az said, fur is a bonus, us trappers were all green at 1 point, heck I still remember the first squirrel I got hanging from a marten tree set.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

sorry for not keeping everyone posted on my sets its been a crazy week a moved 3 of my set last sunday and put out 3 dog pruff traps no fur in anything until wensday I had a gray fox in one of my coyote sets I didn't know I had any fox around I've never seen any tracks fox was a male 8lb 6oz I reset this set with one of the fox foot as bait as I was told by my mentor skip and this morning I had I male raccoon in this set 12lb 10oz I rebaited every set today and I hope with that and the cooler weather today I will have more fur tomorrow here is some pics of the fur so far


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Nice Gray and raccoon Pokey--Congrats on your catch-----Way to get started--Fun eh!!!*


----------



## jimmy shutt

good start pokey, keep up the pics


----------



## glenway

That's cool! Better than a possum.

Just wondering how you would release something (like a dog) that you didn't want to catch. I made a gizmo out of a forked stick and some rope.


----------



## hassell

Congrats., keep at it.


----------



## prairiewolf

Congrats on the catches !


----------



## catcapper

Good job on bring'in in the fur--- you best get to skin'in.

awprint:


----------



## pokeyjeeper

thanks every one fur was skinned and is in the freezer glen as far as letting some thing go wow I hope I don't have to I know some trappers use a catch pole but it don't look like any fun


----------



## pokeyjeeper

trap check today I got a grinner in one of my dp smaller one


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Nice Gray fox! Pokeyjeepers and the Raccoon too... The grinner will sell to, not sure how much but it's good for practicing your fur handling skills. This is for Glen to, it's a good idea to get a catch pole, it's required here in Arizona if your using foothold traps. It isn't that hard to release a dog from a foothold trap if you have a catch pole and an old blanket, put the catch pole around the dog's neck and lightly tighten it so your able to pin it's head down to the ground, you don't want to choke it, just enough so your able to control the dog's head, then put the blanket over his head so he doesn't know what is going on. Use your feet to depress the spring or springs. Most dogs will be happy to get out, and are likely to leave immediately, be careful because there are some mean dog's... A catch pole is a must to release a bobcat that's out of season, I used to have a video of a guy releasing a Mountain Lion, he called the local game warden to help him because his wife wanted nothing to do with it... it was interesting.

PS I know a guy who makes catch pole's, I own one of his, I would have to ask him about the price. I know some of them are pretty pricey. Check out F&T Fur Harvesters Trading Post...


----------



## DeereGuy

Nice job Pokey!

Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using tapatalk


----------



## 220swift

congrats on the catches pokey!


----------



## glenway

Thanks AZ. Mine's a bit hokey.


----------



## azpredatorhunter

glenway said:


> Thanks AZ. Mine's a bit hokey.


 your welcome Glen. You don't have to use a blanket, but it could come in handy with an aggressive dog or even a skunk you may want to release.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

no fur today


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*That Grinner looks to have nice fur Poke---Tan' em---grats on the catch----sb*


----------



## pokeyjeeper

thanks skip no fur today


----------



## pokeyjeeper

sorry to not keep you guys up to date work has been crazy I have not got any fur until today yesterday I moved two of my dp traps about 100 yds from where they have been for 3 weeks I had some thing getting the bait out but not spring the trap I think mice or chipmunk so I moved 2 of them a 100 yds up on a trail and I got 2 raccoon one male 11 lb 7 oz and a big female 16 lb 3 oz I gess I should have moved my traps sooner lol here is some pics of my ketch enjoy


----------



## hassell

Right on, keep up the great work.


----------



## glenway

Gettin' er done!


----------



## Larry

Pokey.., nice going. Keep on doing what your doing as it seems to work.

Guys...no need to buy a catch pole. Just get a piece of 5 foot long 3/4" metal conduit. On one end the conduit flare the ends over a little with a hammer. Thread a piece of 1/2" double braid nylon through it. On the end you flared tie a knot on the rope. Add a pipe clamp over the knoted end rope and conduit that is flared. There you now have a 5 foot long catch pole.

I wouldn't uses this on a polar bear, but it works well cats, raccoons and Medium size canines.

Remember...coyote can't fly

Larry


----------



## glenway

Thanks, Larry. I have some of that material lying around and it would be better than my wooden branch unit.


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Grats on the raccoons Pokey------sb*


----------



## pokeyjeeper

Good info larry thanks for all the replys guys no fur tonight but I had a gray fox run across the trail in front of my truck on the way back to check traps tonight so I gess I need to move some sets


----------



## 220swift

nice work on those bandits.............


----------



## jimmy shutt

congrats on your raccoons Pokey, I'm on my way to check a few traps that were set yesterday, about a 30 minute paddle up the creek.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

No fur the last two days spent an hour tonight moving the 3 dp traps I had set and put 6 more out we have our first snow storm of the year coming tomorrow night and into sat. 3-6 inches of snow I hope the raccoons don't den up but we will see going to move all my coyotes sets this weekend got some dry sand and peat moss to bed with to try and keep them going will keep you all posted


----------



## Larry

Pokey...the snow and colder weather will cause the raccoons to "lay up" for a bit but the minute you get weather into the upper 40's some will start moving again.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

no fur in the traps last night but this morning a had a big boar raccoon and he was not happy to be out in the snow at day brake we had about 2 inch`s of snow I went out deer hunting until 9:30 deer were a no show so I checked traps and I had one big mad raccoon he was 21 lb 10 oz here`s a few pics enjoy


----------



## catcapper

I'll have to agree with ya--- he does look like he is a bit P.O'ed.lol.

Fur is fur--- get to skin'in.

awprint:


----------



## hassell

Congrats. on the catch.


----------



## jimmy shutt

nice one pokey, congrats


----------



## Larry

A big congrats and job well done!

I suppose my post may be a tad late, but if you don't keep the carcass for some raccoon barbeque you may want to "filet" some meat with fat off and freeze it for yote bait.

Fresh raccoon muscle especially that with fat work's pretty decent when the nighttime temp hover around zero and/or breeding season starts in late January. Use it in bait hole set's along well traveled paths and fencelines. Add the right lure 5 feet or higher above the hole and you should get a yote. The lure brings the yote to the set, and the raccoon muscle/fat pulls them to your trap.

Its free and its usually legal to use in most states as long as it's not visible to winged predators. Yes yotes do eat raccoons!

Again congrats to you!

Remember coyotes don't fly

Larry


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Way to go Buddy nice catch---You Guys got snow* :biggrin: LOL *Still Brown up here---*


----------



## Larry

Swamp...we got 13 inches at my house in Cedar Rapids Iowa. My thermometer read 2 degrees yesterday morning. Like I always say if you want cold no need to go to Alaska...just come here!

But on Thursday they say well have thunderstorms and temps in the 50's. Can you say flooding?

Remember...coyotes can't fly

Larry


----------



## pokeyjeeper

Thanks guys no fur the last two days and skip the snow is almost gone we loaded it up in trucks and they are headed your way you yoopers have had it too easy so far its about time for 2-3 feet of snow to fall up there lol


----------



## pokeyjeeper

well I got another raccoon this morning guys the temps have been better for two days 50s in the day upper 30s at night I had an old female in the trap this morning her teeth were all warn down 16 lb 13 oz I gess she could still eat good it was raining this morning so I only got two pics enjoy


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Grats on the catch Buddy-------------cold here today rained til 4pm and now we have--2'' of white stuff so far and 20 above-tomorrow colder-----hope you get some more raccoons---------*


----------



## hassell

Way to go, congrats..


----------



## Larry

When you clear the land of raccoon in Colorado...come to my neck of the woods and have at. We have more raccoon then there are people in Asia!

WTG!

Remember...coyotes can't fly

Larry


----------



## pokeyjeeper

Thank guys no fur tonight it was 60 out this morning when I left for work at 3:30 am this morning I though I would have a truck load tonight but none lol that's trapping for ya duckmaster I live in michigan but I would love to come and trap and call in iowa I've never been west of the big mississippi river going to move all my traps tomarrow so if I don't connect tonight maybe the trap move will get me in some fur


----------



## Larry

I am blind...I saw the co. and thought it was short for Colorado. Duh on me, I knew you lived in Michigan...my mind was up my butt this AM! (typical of late) ..sorry!

I just don't call or trap that much in Iowa anymore. The dark colored almost red, Iowa coyote fur doesn't yield the prices I get from Nebraska Light colored Sandhills coyotes. raccoon prices are even worse. I bet they won't bring $5 this year.

Maybe in the future if I'll find time to invite you down. You can stay here in the house as long as you don't out snore our bulldog! ( BTW...you pull a Tony Tebbe on me and Ill track you down and put your foot into a padlocked 330 conibear at 20 below after I pee on your leg... hahahha)

Fact is Iowa coyotes aren't that tough to call like so many say. The trick is to scout the night before and learn to speak yote. To many guys get frustrated using distress and quit. Iowa yotes are never hungry, because of grain and carrion waste like roadkills and deer gut piles. Not to mention we have a ton of mice and voles. So I learned to speak yote a long time ago and nowadays they usually come if they hear me. theres one other trick...unlike distress calling, you have to work them to shot them. Many guys hear a response and don't sit at the stand long enough to coax them in. Sometimes it may take 45 mins to get a vocal coyote to come in.

raccoon calling is outright silly. Find a hole in an oak tree. Go to the opposite side and turn on the caller...they come running! In my youth when prices where high we used raccoon Puppy tapes sent to me from Dennis Kirk. We would pick them off as they bounced over the picked corn. Our best day ever was 13.5. We would of got 14 but my cousin hit one broadside with a load of steel BBB's!

Hey just so you don't think I am blowing smoke...here's a picture of maybe 10 years ago on a typical Iowa day of calling........I don't have that little Pee Shooter anymore. Back to anchoring them with a 6mm with the high western prices.

NOTE: I have been in 2 car accidents since those days, now they only let me out only on halloween night, so I don't scare the kids!









Remember...coyotes can't fly

Larry


----------



## pokeyjeeper

good info bud like you I talk coyote also I hooked up with rare earth 6 years ago and he has shown me how to speak his language that pic is sweet good job on the calling


----------



## pokeyjeeper

I know its been a long time since I updated this thread but the trap line has been slow but this morning when I checked the line I had a nice large male gray fox in one of my sets he was missing half of his tail I don't know how that happened I did not take my camera this morning so I only have two pic.s of him after I got back home enjoy


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Nice Gray Buddy-Congrats on your catch----wonder what took half of his tail :look:*


----------



## catcapper

Looks like a coyote caught up to his south end.

Ya best get to skin'in.

awprint:


----------



## hassell

Congrats. on the catch.


----------



## youngdon

Nice gray ! Congrats !


----------



## 220swift

congrats on Mr. Half Tail


----------



## jimmy shutt

sweet.....


----------



## Larry

Nicely Done!!


----------



## pokeyjeeper

thanks guys no fur this morning in my traps got to wait until me nephew get home to check the weasel boxes


----------



## Redfoot Ranch

Great job again pokey!! I hope your nephew begins to connect in them new boxes...that will certainly make a Merry Christmas he won't forget. Stay in touch and send me your email.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

ok yesterday was me 40th birthday and my wife had a surprise birthday party for me I knew nothing about it so I'm a day late posting this I GOT MY FIRST COYOTE IN A TRAP!!!!!! my brother and nephew ran the trap line last night and got the coyote out of the trap and in the craziness last night I was only able to get 3 pic.s the coyote was 22lb 6oz she was an older coyote her k9's were warn down and her molars were broken and warn down to the gums on some of them to say the least I am stoked here is the pic.s


----------



## youngdon

Congrats ! And happy birthday ! ! ????


----------



## Jonbnks

Looks like a great birthday present. Congrats on your first trapped coyote.


----------



## 220swift

Happy Birthday and congrats on your first coyote!


----------



## jimmy shutt

happy birthday pokey....you missed the excitement of seeing your first song dog in a trap. the real surprise was when they showed up with it that had to be cool!!!


----------



## hassell

Congrats on the yote, you old guys are doing good !!


----------



## Redfoot Ranch

Grats again Pokey! I change my mind on the YOY text comment now that I have seen this post in regards to her teeth and more info!! Be careful from here on out...your teeth are gonna begin her wear pattern! Happy belated birthday buddy!


----------



## prairiewolf

Congrats on the coyote and Happy Birthday !


----------



## pokeyjeeper

thanks a lot guys well todays line check gave me a grinner not a bad size one I hope this is bandit that has been digging up one of my dirt holes I've had some thing dig up the same dirt hole two night in a row it was coming over my backing on the set digging up the hole and taking the bait so I made the backing bigger with a few twigs it stopped the digging the grinner got in another set about 30 yds away so time will tell if she was the bandit digging here is a pic of the grinner merry Christmas


----------



## Redfoot Ranch

Possum stew for Christmas this year Pokey! Let me know how it tastes.... :tongue:


----------



## jimmy shutt

Jed...Jed....get ta skinning we got us a possum.....nice work hope the digging stops and you get your next song dog...


----------



## SWAMPBUCK10PT

*Happy Birthday------Merry Christmas-----and Congratulations becoming a COYOTE TRAPPER and catching one of the smartest Critter on God's Green Earth-bet the Grinner was the digger---------Way to go Buddy----* :biggrin: :biggrin:


----------



## glenway

Happy, Happy, Happy. Continued good luck to you and the young'un, Pokey.


----------



## pokeyjeeper

thanks guys no fur or digging today


----------



## Larry

Sorry for the late post. But I send you my sincere congrats on your first coyote in a trap. That is awesome that you were able to fool an old female. I wonder how many traps she has avoided in her life?

Lastly... a belated but cheerful Happy Birthday to you!

Larry


----------



## pokeyjeeper

thank you duckmaster no fur today


----------



## azpredatorhunter

Congrats... & Happy birthday!


----------

