interested in trapping

[deaner]

this is a broad question, but i would like to start trapping ( coyotes - bobcats mainly )  and have no idea where to begin as far as figuring out what gear i need or how to use it.  ive been reading trapper heavy magazines like ffg and backwoodsman, but none of that seems like it will help a complete beginner like myself.  im in the unfortunate position of not knowing a single person who has ever done any trapping so i guess what i need is advice on books that will help me get started from my current full blown ignorant position.  any suggestions?

[dayn]

You want the good news or the bad news 1st?

I'm serious...

[Machias]

Great book is S. Stanley Hawbaker's Trapping North American Furbearers.  It gives alot of great set locations, scents, trap care etc...  Problem is you can't use any of the methods in the book as trapping with bodygripping traps, ie legholds, snares and conibears has been outlawed in WA.  But it's still a good book and can help even with box traps.  You're not going to catch any coyotes in a box trap.  Yes a few have been caught in one, but you have as good a chance of winning the state lottery.  Bobcats on the other hand are suckers for cubby sets and box traps are excellent cubby set traps.

[onetrapper]

Come to the WSTA fur sale in Feb

[deaner]

Come to the WSTA fur sale in Feb

                specifically when and where?

[onetrapper]

March 16th 2013  Borst Park Centralia opens at 9 am..www.watrappers.com   
Join us,
Darryl

[Humptulips]

Take a look at this site: http://www.cagetrapping.com/
Mercer has some very good videos on youtube you can link to through his site.
Do a search on youtube for more cage trapping videos and you will find plenty.

[deaner]

Great book is S. Stanley Hawbaker's Trapping North American Furbearers.  It gives alot of great set locations, scents, trap care etc...  Problem is you can't use any of the methods in the book as trapping with bodygripping traps, ie legholds, snares and conibears has been outlawed in WA.  But it's still a good book and can help even with box traps.  You're not going to catch any coyotes in a box trap.  Yes a few have been caught in one, but you have as good a chance of winning the state lottery.  Bobcats on the other hand are suckers for cubby sets and box traps are excellent cubby set traps.

                  okay so what im hearing is that there is no effective way to trap coyotes that is legal in washington?

[Humptulips]

That is pretty much true. Damage control with a special permit you can trap coyotes with padded jaw traps and that works but that is not fur trapping. Pelts are unsaleable with the special permits.

[deaner]

i dont see how people are supposed to keep coyote populations in check if the only means to do so is calling and shooting.  no way can that get enough to show a significant decrease in coyote densities.  so we basically have our hands tied behind our backs and can do nothing to help fawn survival numbers.  anybody optimistic about the trapping regulations being changed to allow the leg hold traps ?  my interest in coyote trapping isnt so much making money as it is helping out the deer.  hate hearing coyotes howling every night and finding little fawn hooves and skulls laying around.

[dayn]

I knocked the sheet out of them when snares were legal, didnt make much money, I was always in favor of a bounty on them and nutrias, aint gonna happen in this state.

[TheNoob]

I do know one guy that has had pretty good luck with cage traps but I need to get some traps that are big enough and try on the westside. I will ask him if he dont mind if I let people know how he does it. Think he got 5 or 6 last year and only did it for a few weeks. He did alot of testing

[deaner]

well if he has a working technique id love to give it a try after getting trapping license.  if i do get started on this ill be trapping in 121

[TheNoob]

If he does not mind then I will post for everybody. He is over by the Moses Lake area. We need to get rid of these damn Yotes. I have been told that they have killed off the Fox population over here as well.

[deaner]

yeah from what i understand if there are a lot of coyotes around foxes will move out or be killed.  only fox ive ever seen in washington was in a suburb in south king county where there were very few yotes.  other than that only seen them in alaska