new to trapping-targeting raccoons - advice needed

[ncrecurve]

I posted on here previously about looking at getting into trapping with my boys but I'm in a populated area with lots of dogs and cats. I think this year we are going to try targeting some of the way to numerous raccoons with some lil griz traps to avoid getting cats and dogs. I'm trying to figure out what the minimum amount of equipment is for getting started? I'll order a half dozen lil griz, stakes and a narrow trowel but I'm not sure beyond that. Do I need springs, etc? Also, I don't imagine we will catch to many raccoons on the place we have to trap and being a newbie. What can I do with them? I would like to try tanning a few but I can't see ordering a dozen stretchers for the small number we will probably catch. Is there a simple method to tan/stretch a few hides. Is there somewhere near Raleigh/Creedmoor to sell the whole coon? Thanks for any advice.

Doug

[rye]

NCRecurve,

If you are only going to run Grizz's your equipment list seems about complete. Possibly a bottle of coon lure added as well.
As for what to do with your Catch, there was a buyer in Smithfield, but I do not believe he's buying this year. There is a Tannery in Goldboro called Lonestar that will tan your hides for you. You'd have to call them to find out what condition he'd want the pelts in. IE, skinned and rolled up and frozen or fleshed and dried.
You could also contact Prune on here and see if he is putting up fur for folks this year or not. If so, he'll put your fur up for you for a fee. Given the few animals you are talking about taking that shouldn't amount to too much money.
It might help also to post a request to ride along with someone on their line for day so yo ucan see how they do things and how to work the traps you plan to get. There is a lot to be said for observing how someone selects locations and setups in that location.

[hunter50]

I'd suggest getting some Hawbakers or Carman's # 1 coon lure. They both are sweet smelling and dogs and cats aren't usually interested. If you get some nice sized coons or some with good color, try selling them on line for taxidermist mounts, I do pretty well doing that. Take pictures before you kill them, and take measuresments from nose to base of tail,girth and weight,it helps them when they go to mount them.

[ncrecurve]

Thanks for the help and suggestion. I also got a message from a member with some good suggestions. I'm browsing around, reading some posts and trying to soak as much in as I can. If I can get the traps we will give it a shot after deer season closes out. I saw some coon in a picture that the person had stretched on boards so I'm looking into that also. I'm also looking at making or getting an animal release stick (I'm not sure what the common term is for this device) in case I get any unwanted critters in the trap.

Thanks,
Doug

[rye]

Ncrecurve,

Catch pole is a common name for it. Great idea to have one on hand. You can make one out of PVC and steel cable fairly easily and cheaply. I can't recall where I saw the directions at. I think it was Possum Skinner on T-man. I'd show you mine, but I'm out of photo range currently.

[ncrecurve]

Thanks for the help,
I found instructions for making one from pvc. A big part of life is timing and my timing has always stunk. My father-in-law who lives next to the land we were going to trap on got tired of the foxes messing up their deck furniture and hired a critter gitter company to trap the foxes that were doing it. They hauled off one of the big coons yesterday that we were going to target, two weeks before I was going to try and start trapping with my sons.

Doug

[rye]

Dont' worry Doug, coons and fox are like roaches.. if you see one, there are probably 10 more hiding in the bush behind it. You'll be amazed at the number of animals you'll find in yoru traps that you never knew were in the area.

[ncrecurve]

Rye,
Thanks for the encouragement. My traps and supplies are suppose to arrive today so we are going to give this thing a try and see how it goes. They caught one more small coon so far. I had two big ones coming to the corn piles about every other night, it's just one now so I imagine that was his buddy in the trap. At this point we we set them out when the deer season closes and see how we do. I've been looking over the regulations and it isn't clear to me if I can check my traps on Sunday morning if I set them Saturday evening? I didn't see anything that said trapping was restricted on Sunday, just hunting.

Thanks,
Doug

[rye]

You can check 7 days a week no problem. The only grey area I ever noticed was in the dispatch area. As it didn't say that you could/couldn't and only forbids hunting. The way it was explained to me by my mentor is if you are using a dispactch pistol and the warden comes upon you, it is fairly obvious you aren't "hunting" so you are safe.

Good luck with your new tools of the trade!

What did you order anyway?

[ncrecurve]

Thanks,
I'll be carrying a 22 pistol for dispatch if we get that lucky. I ordered a half dozen lil griz, 18" 3/8 T-stakes, a narrow trowel, a dexter russel skinning knife, a "cheap" fleshing knife, trap tags and some Hawbakers coon lure as hunter50 suggested. I really would like to tan a few of the hides if we get any for my boys to hang on their walls.

Thanks,
Doug

[rye]

Check out Lonestar Tannery.. He's just down the road from ya

Sounds like you got the full package and are ready to rock. good luck and ask questions if you come across any.