Trapping question

[13pointjomc]

I set 6 traps out today,my question is,if i catch a possum i always get my choke stick,drag him about 100 yards away and shoot him,and reset my trap.will fox,coyotes,coon,and bobcat smell the possum scent on the trap and dig it up?do i just reset the trap or replace the trap with a clean trap?thanks

[iSnipe]

If you reset the same trap you just caught the 'possum with, you should be ok. The reason is because that whole little area where he was trapped is saturated with his scent. The only way it wouldn't work out is if the trap had some blood on it. So if you do have a trap you are going to reuse, it helps to give it a dust bath to remove any excess grime, blood and/or scent. By dust bath I mean give it a good scrubbing using the dirt.

Good luck,

iSnipe

[mackesr]

For what its worth, if you are catching possums in your dirt hole sets, you can avoid them many times by not using any kind of bait in the hole. I have not been able to trap for a few years because of my job, but when I did I used to only use lure or scent at my dirt hole sets and that way I avoided possums and skunks that way. Bud-

[haystack]

I'm not sure why, but it seems every time a possum is caught in my canine traps, the set goes dead. Move the set just a little and back in business. Now when I catch a canine, skunk, cats (including feral cats) and other critters, the set becomes a canine hot spot. I usually reset the same trap and make multiple catches, even after the animal is dispatched right in the set.

I also agree that the use of certain baits and lures will attract non-target critters. Set location can also reduce non-target catches. Out away from cover and red fox urine as the only attractor has reduced my non-target catch. There are some commercial lures that aren't as attractive to possums and such also.

Whenever I find a good location, I always make 2 sets fairly close together. That way (hopefully) if a possum finds the set first, there's still one open for the canine, and many times two canines are caught...on the same night.

[mackesr]

I agree with haystack in that if I catch a possum in a canine set I almost never catch a canine after that. I dont catch many skunks, but I did catch one in a fox set that had never caught a fox but was in such a great location that I kept it set for several weeks. It was a dirt hole set at a junction of two fire trails and I ended up catching a skunk in it. I dispatched the skunk and reset the same trap (Whew!) and the next evening I had one of the biggest red foxes I have ever caught. I know that most red foxes I catch smell a lot like a skunk, so I am guessing they must eat them regularly. Just curious if you all have experienced the same. (sorry if I am off thread here).

[ilyotehunter]

i kill it in the trap. i have more luck with the set after the fresh dirt dug from them and blood. only time i change a trap from a set is if it isnt functioning right or i am moving it.