I'm three years ahead of you - i.e. I did get back into trapping for the exact reasons you just said.
I'll share what I did - and what I wish I had done.
1) buy good traps, or modify the ones you have.
Originally I bought Bridger #3's for yotes, and bobcats - after modifying those I found out I could have bought better traps like the MB550's. THEN I found Jack traps - which are pricey but are the top of the line and best all around trap.
2) how many traps to buy
Originally I would put one at a dirt hole or scent post set - then I found out that it works better if you put 2-3 traps at intersection points where fields meet, pond damns, ... so now I do 4 sets with 3 traps each.. The first year I bought 6 traps.. not a good idea... Now I have a dozen Jake traps, and the original 6.
3) Bait - I keep the blood shot meat from my deer each year and grind it up, then put some dubbin's bait solution on it after letting it set and taint a while... all good.
4) Dying and waxing traps ..
Many traps need to rust a bit so they take color, and to dye them you have to boil them. I used oven cleaner to remove the oil they put on the traps at the factory, then after that's cleaned off I spray them with water & vinegar and let them set out in the lawn a week so they get a nice light coating of rust.
I then boil them in logwood trap dye, and then let them dry off.
Once dry I put them in wax to coat them well - you have to leave the trap in the wax to heat up or the coat you get is too thick.
I do both of these operations in turkey fryer post.
5) Pan tension -
2.5-3 lbs of tension is what you want for yotes
6) Night latching cheaper traps - somewhat like a set trigger, it requires some file-ing on the pan catch, and dog.
7) Gloves and Scent - plus a sifter.
8) Disposable stakes - all good, I recommend wolf brand earth anchors.
I get most of my supplies from
www.fntpost.com, but there are other sites.
feel free to PM me if you have other questions, and or I'll check this thread from time to time
