lures

[recondo]

hey guys, new to this forum. I'm a transplant from the south up here. Decided to start trapping again. For me, using a cage trap is a whole different experience. Question I have is how do you use lures with cage traps(bobcat,coyote). I live on and have access to land that has not been trapped in probably decades. Seen lots of sign. Any help greatly appreciated.

[fatslinger]

Welcome to WA and this site! Cage trapping is interesting (and sometimes exhausting). I personally have never used lures a lot even when we could use real traps. For predators (bobcat,mink) I wire a chunk of beaver meat to the back of the cage. For otter and  beaver sets, an underwater, double door, swim-through trap seems to work the best. Don't count on catching coyotes in a cage.
I have heard that if you use gland lures for cats, make sure you put it in the back of the cage. If you get it on the front of the cage, the cats rub on it and spring the trap without going in.
I'm sure you will get a lot of advice from the more experienced trappers here. Have a great season and keep us posted.

[recondo]

thanks for the tips. Was out yesterday doing some scouting in an area I intend to trap, came across fresh set of cougar tracks. Hope that won't be a problem.

[Humptulips]

I don't consider myself to be an expert on lures but I'll throw my 2 cents in. There a lot of different lures out there and I would think they all would be usable in cage trapping. For the most part they all should go in the cage. What your favorite lure usage is will vary so I think you will need to experiment a little,
I know beaver lure works for beaver in a cage. Why not any kid of scent you would normally use being useful in a cage.

I have heard the back and forth arguments about the use of a LDC lure outside the trap. Some say there should be nothing outside the trap to distract the animal. Some say to use it above the trap to draw the animal in near the trap. I think I would fall more into the first school of thought. Merits to each argument and each trapper will have to decide for themselves.

Personally I use mostly blind sets for water animals and did before cages also. Cats, coons, skunks I use bait.
Hope some others chime in.

[KFhunter]

you can prop a fairly thick stick in the back of the cage with gland lure on it, add some feathers and bait and a few feathers in front of the cage and a couple hanging from nearby trees.

I wouldn't use lure unless the cage is boxed in on top and three sides, or the cat could just rub the sides or back of the cage.

[Machias]

Lots of cats are caught in dirt hole sets, and the lure is placed down in the hole.  For cages I like to make a small hole under the trap.  That way they do not get anything on their fur, lure wise.  But they still have a hunk of beaver meat and usually some sort of visual attractant inside.  I like flagging outside of my cat set.  I want them to come up to the flagging and then see my set.

[Humptulips]

Lots of cats are caught in dirt hole sets, and the lure is placed down in the hole.  For cages I like to make a small hole under the trap.  That way they do not get anything on their fur, lure wise.  But they still have a hunk of beaver meat and usually some sort of visual attractant inside.  I like flagging outside of my cat set.  I want them to come up to the flagging and then see my set.

I do not like the dirt hole under the trap. I know some pretty good trappers advocate it but I have had problems with animals digging under the trap so I finally quit using it.

[Machias]

That's because your not holding your mouth right when you dig the dirthole.    So far that hasn't happened to me.