looking to pick up a new hobby this season and trapping is it. Anything that involves some hard work is that much more rewarding when youre successful. My brother and cousin are big trappers but i figure more opinions never hurt anyone

ill be targeting coyote, bobcat, skunk, coons, fox (red and grey) and maybe some muskrat/beavers

my questions are...
1. what a good trap manufacturer?
.....i hear bridged, duke and sleepy creek a lot. But i also hear duke arent the best

2. offset or regular jaws?

3. whats a good lure company?
....hear a ton about hawbaker...open to other smaller companies, sometimes they are best

4. what size traps to get? Is there a universal size for the land critters i listed?
...i was looking at #1.5 for fox, coon and skunk, then some #3 for bobcat and yotes. I have heard some #2 can be used for all of them though


here is my number if anyone wants to help me out as i get into this new venture. Im sure ill have plenty of questions and its always good to be able to send out some texts/calls

570 460 9757
-scott

Bridger #2 regular jaw will do it all for you. Hawbaker lures aren't what they once were, I'd look at MN Brand by Tim Caven. That will get you started, but technique and location will get you fur.

A second on MN brand by the Caven's at MTP, and for ordering from them in general...

I also like Blackie's Blend, Dan Kroll's stuff, and Dobbin's lures..

text sent...

some good info so far!

Off topic, but join your state trapping assn. The rendevous is a cheap place to buy supplies and save shipping charges.

Coyote and bobcat #2 Bridgers. Everything else except beaver 1 1/2. For lures MB brand is good. Carmens is also good.

For beaver 330 bodygrippers.

Check your laws to make sure you are legal.

I use 1.75 Vics for bobs, fox - of course I catch coons and grinners. Down south here I use Wayne Derrick's lures, he's out of New Mex.

coons cant beat the dps , or 1 1/2 dokes or sleepy creek , fox I like my 1 1/2 duke or bridger , cat yote #2 bridger 4 coil or a #3duke or sleepycreek or bridger,
Far as lures I like caven's and bait the same

Good starter lure is Caven's Just Mice & a little urine or lure marking a dirt hole set. I know guys that love it & guys that hate it but I can't count the number of foxes, coyotes, bobcats, 'coons, possums, skunks...... I've caught with this set-up. I use a lot of different sets & traps & snares but this has been a moneymaker for me for years.

Best advice I can give you is to have fun, be patient & pay attention. You'll learn something new every time you go out.

Head over to trapperman.com they have more info than you could possibly ever read in a year that talks all about this stuff.

See you're from Pa. Highly suggest you join the PTA, in the 570 area you might be in dist 9 same as me. You'll get the monthly trapper magazine and regular postcards about local events like fur sales, mini convention, and meetings. There is also the annual PTA state convention. That's a good place to start, also the HPA forum has a trapping forum and it is quite active, don't know if you're already on there.

For land animals I use traps up to 1 3/4 size, mostly MB450 and MB550's. But they are expensive traps. I use both offset and regular jaws. Lures? who knows, they all work for some of the animals and none work for all the animals, you'll need a variety.

http://www.patrappers.com/

The link below is a wealth of information about trap sizes based on collected data, an excellent place to start, use the menu list on the right side of the page. If you closely analyze the data in the BMP's you will find that the 1 3/4 size trap shows up as one of the recommended traps for every Pa land species.

US Fish and Wildlife Best Management Practices BMP