Plan an Entire Trapping Season for Success

Plan an Entire Trapping Season for Success

Trapping like most other outdoor endeavors takes planning, effort, and yes money. However, it is one of the few outdoor endeavors if done correctly a person can actually absorb expenses such as fuel cost, trapping supplies, and with hard work can even leave the trapper with some spending money. In some cases if a person wants to call it a business, a trapper may also enjoy federal and some state business tax breaks. So how does an Iowa Trapper prepare for a profitable season for which we call success?

As previously mentioned approach trapping as a business. A very fun and rewarding business I might add. Lay-out of a seasonal plan will indeed make the most of your time, keep expenditures low, and maximize your efforts.

One way to this is target species per activity and best profit times for pelt harvest. Anyone can set traps and hope for the best. However, if let’s say you target species such as raccoons early, then during their layup times you target fox and coyotes. Just after the holiday season you focus your efforts on catching heavy pelted raccoons during breeding season in mid’ to late January and you combine that with targeting an Iowa Bobcat also when their pelts become prime. When Iowa Trapping season comes to an end January 31st you then focus 100% on coyotes until they start rubbing.

Let’s begin a seasonal plan that is centered on raccoons only. It is early season and your task is to harvest raccoons. A resource with a very high population statewide in Iowa. However you cannot just throw out a trap you must be knowledgeable about your target. While biologists group all raccoon in a scientific category of Procyon lotor, not all ‘coons in Iowa act the same. Let’s use the term population dynamics to describe these activities. Population dynamics for Iowa Raccoon include water populations, timber and dry land (ridgerunner) populations, and urban populations. Each area must be understood to formulate and execute a sound seasonal raccoon trapping plan.

Additionally, NAFA (North American Fur Auction) should be included in making decisions on what area to target. NAFA consultation for early season raccoons allows a trapper to decide if they want to target raccoon pelt quantity or target large raccoon pelts. This decision can be made by studying NAFA past history sales and predictions. As water areas generally have a high population of raccoons. This high quantity normally consists of water areas containing barren sows and also many juveniles. Thus pelt size is small. Open fields and old timber still contain some juveniles and sows, but for the most part this is where the big boars or “ridgerunners” reside. Making a decision to trap water for quantity or haunts of ridgerunners play heavy in your preseason preparations.

Trapping ‘coons whether for Quantity or Pelt Size has no bearing however on basic preparations. You must make a decision whether you want to dye and wax traps, buy or make snares. Raccoon trappers need to check your 11 gauge wire supply as wire is used in more ‘coon sets than any other type in Iowa. You need to assure you have at least two good pair of pliers with good wire cutter jaws. Last but not least you need something to carry all of this to a set. I prefer a 5 gallon bucket, preferably one with a #9 wire handle and not plastic.

Like martin trapping in the north, baits are essential to trapping ‘coons early in the season. This is due to the fact that blind sets are hard to make because of thick vegetation. Not to mention baits play on the ‘coons insatiable appetite and need to put on body fat for layups. Lures are needed during breeding season however not as much as during the early season.

Just a quick note on the term layup. Despite urban belief’s raccoons in Iowa do not hibernate. Instead they den during times of lowa’s low and high temperatures. The length of the layup may be just one day, one month, or more. Trappers need to be aware of this to remain successful throughout the trapping season. As when the weather warms or breeding season begins ‘coons will be on the move.

‘Coons are hungry in the early season, which leaves set selection a variable and sometimes left open to the imagination. But the use of bait is key. I like cubby sets in banks in which the bait is placed at the back and a 220 body grip is located to the front. 220 body grips and 5 gallon buckets work well on streams you can jump across. Buried bait holes in sand bars with #2 under-spring jumps do the trick when the hole is scented with fish oil or an oily fish. One often overlooked set for ‘coons is a martin set. These work well on wooded river bottoms. Simply wire a #2 6-feet off the ground on the single leaning tree with a single ground approach. Hang a wad of tin foil freshened with your favorite bait or with fish oil above it.

Note: Iowa trapping law’s prohibits the use of any body-gripping or conibear-type trap on any public road right-of-way within 5 feet of any fence. Only body grip with an outside measurement that exceeds 8 inches, are unlawful to use except when placed entirely under water. Please contact the Iowa DNR for further information

As every trapper knows, one big issue with dry land sets is possums and skunks. If either is caught the set should be abandoned. This is not a fox set or coyote set so it is recommended a new set be made ten or more yards away. If you catch a ‘coon ensure the bait in the hole or the hole is not disturbed and simply reset.

Old timber sets consist of locating an active denning tree or active pathways. Active dens are not hard to locate as most will have holes visible with light colored bark on the entrance. Yes these may contain sows and yearlings especially if water is not present within a mile or two. But for the most part the larger the hole the larger the boar that lives there. The trick to timber is do not trap to close to a den tree. Den trees come at a premium and every “coon in that area is ready to take over the abandoned real estate. Blind sets and cubby sets are the order of the day for these areas. I would use 220 body type traps as this is a denning area and you want to keep disruptions to a minimum.

Your season has been good so far, but November winds are bringing in old man winter. All raccoons have gone into layup. Is your season over? No you just have to become a weatherman and watch the weather in the west. If Central Nebraska is getting warm air and western Minnesota is also warm, the raccoon’s will become active again soon in Iowa. More then not this gives you approximately a two day window to get ready.

But ready for what you ask? Water now has six inches of ice and rivers have no food available because the eagles and crows have long since ate their share. Now is the time for land trapping only? This means blind sets and baited cubby sets. Again blind sets are my favorite this time of the year. There easy now as vegetation is not as dense. Moreover, most ‘coons in layup have moved through the snow and left sign. All coons will follow this trail when warm weather occurs. Bait sets should not be overlooked as raccoon’s are looking to replace lost fat reserves. Good bait such as canned cat food, fish, and even deer guts work well. Lures also help guide the coons to the baited location. Cubby holes or 5 gallon bucket sets are the order this time of the year as frozen ground makes buried bait holes extremely difficult to build and maintain. Good news is the fact that possums and skunks are still asleep. But keep bait well hidden from crows and birds of prey.

One other time is critical and that is January and February breeding. The thermometer may say 20 below zero but ‘coons are out. In Iowa, raccoon trapping generally ends January 31. Start driving the country roads around January 15th and look for raccoons in picked open corn fields. Anytime of the day and weather will work. If you find just one out and about the breeding season has started. During the breeding season boars and sows, are like bucks during the rut movement. Their range is wide and variable but more then not it’s within one mile of a good denning area. They are aware of pathways like fence lines, ditches, edges of waterways and end rows in corn fields. Be mindful also they like eating as much as they do breeding. Again bait sets are in order. Possible with a gland lure placed high for attraction. January ‘coons no matter the size will reward you with high pelt profits.

In closing I want to say to maximize your seasonal trapping profits learn from the grain producers. Be prepared to store your pelts. Those huge grain bins are there so farmers can wait for the best market price. You as a trapper can do the same. Small chest freezers work well for storing skinned green hides. Just remember to roll them with tails inside and noses on the outside of the roll. This prevents spoilage when defrosting. Also scrape the large fat deposits also to reduce any chance of spoilage.
The website for NAFA is http://www.nafa.ca/