I currently do not and am not looking to doing it as a hobby so to speak but, more for coyote control. We have noticed a huge increase from last season and a decrease in deer movement in the past few months. We are going to start hunting them in late January but, I don't think that will be enough to help with population control. I am looking for basically start to finish advise. Everything from traps to use or how to make them to well, pretty much everything. If anyone knows where I can A) find helpful information on how to trap or B) a website or forum I can go to I would greatly appreciate it.
trapperman.com <-That's a really active trapping forum. Look at buying a dvd intstructional video or paying for lessons. Nothing is free except advice and sometimes, free advice is worth what you pay. A lot of the 'pros' are not going to give out free advice anyhow... However, talk to Greg/MO, he seems to know what he's doing and I think he'll give you some tips that you can trust. You might need to take a trapper's Ed course too.
Controlling numbers is a real big problem. I'd say it's almost impossible. LOL My brother and his gang of about 5 have hunted them with dogs for the past 4 years in the same woods over and over and over. I'm not talking a huge area either. They run them on snow. Their score the past 4 years 110, 110, 111, and 117. I'm not talking about a large area either. It's a small area on the Tug Hill Plateau in upstate NY. Mostly rolling farm land. Scent controll on trapping is a must... I mean traps, clothes, boots, sets everything must be scent free. My brother does some trapping too just to do it. All the stinky crap he carries and the trouble he goes through to make his sets scent free is insane.... but a must. Talk to other successful trappers and have fun. I'd also buy me a predator call and do some gun hunting if you're really trying to make a difference.
Yea like davidmil was saying scent control is a definite when trapping. I've got 5 of them this hunting season, and my cousin shot one that had a fawns head in its mouth. We plan on trapping them and hogs this winter and through out the spring.
