coon not running

[rakenslayer14]

is it just me or coon just not running i have close to 350 traps out and only had 30 coon 5 rats 4 skunks and 3 possum.... what is the deal?

[riverbandit]

2 words. FLY BAIT.

[bootleggerben]

I had a pathetic opener, but I figured it was mostly my fault.

[chadt]

Same with me not getting the coon like I had last year this time.

[bootleggerben]

Nov 5, 2012 20:03:48 GMT -6 riverbandit said:

2 words. FLY BAIT.

That wouldn't surprise me one bit. I've heard of lots of folks poisoning this year.

[rakenslayer14]

i agree its just been a messed up first couple days.... i ran dogs too and dang was it tough hopefully it warms up a lil

[Deleted]

Nov 5, 2012 20:03:48 GMT -6 riverbandit said:

2 words. FLY BAIT.

I saw a Fly bait station in my new neighbors barn from the tractor. He has even told me he does it. Trails that are usually good for 20+ coon are not even there this year. There is even standing corn on the other side of the road. It's ridiculous.

[bradphillips]

Hunted a pile of ground opening night in a really good area. Three coon in the truck.

[afoxj]

fly bait definitely reduced numbers here. then we have more trappers then ive ever seen before.......results are reduced catches....when a few sell their will be less people chasing coon, the gas price will take its toll, the rural buyers just arent paying that much on first week coon.

[blackhammer]

Don't upset the farmers boys. Let them decimate your coon population. lol There not making any money anyhow. Nothing wrong with breaking the law. Sharing your corn with wildlife has always been a part of the deal. Not in todays land clearing, ditch draining world.

[brandtfleener]

I'm glad to hear that other people are having problems also. I thought it was just me. I wish we weren't having problems, and i'm not glad to hear about the fly bait.

[tristank4]

the coon are runnin like the general lee's runnin from the popo

[4fur]

Every year we blame fly bait or distemper when coon don't run for half a week, then everyone who tries, catches a thousand when the season is over. Relax, don't get discouraged and the coon will start hitting good sets ahead of this big front...if you haven't given up.

Granted, Iowa is a big state. But my thermometer has read 46 and 42 at 4 a.m. the last two mornings. It's just too warm, IMO. Coon are rapidly furring up and these temperatures are slowing their movement and appetite. Another observation I will make is I have noticed that some of my girls' rabbits will go off feed in a period ahead of a weather change. Then, they will just be ravished and almost come through the wire when they see the feed bucket! Only the lactating does and young have been eating well right now. I don't know for a fact, but I suspect coon's may be acting similar to the rabbits right now.

I don't mean to discount the localized effects of fly bait, distemper, spot lighting, etc., but I believe there might be more to the slow checks many, including myself are experiencing. I advise everyone to keep the faith in the locations you're on and in the baits and methods you are using. And preen those empty sets tomorrow so they are ready when the coon are ready.

We were talking a little bit on a different thread about coon working DPs (taking the cup or golf ball off) but not hitting the trap. This has been pretty typical of my line the last two days...







By the way, the trap in back with the top of the styrofoam cup torn off is a push/pull trigger.

[rakenslayer14]

another bad day for me possums and couple coons 5% catch rate.....

[bradphillips]

Nov 6, 2012 18:51:32 GMT -6 rakenslayer14 said:

another bad day for me possums and couple coons 5% catch rate.....

Patience grass hopper, patience. I haven't even really started yet.

[rakenslayer14]

my patience is running out lol im tired of looking at empty traps on good sets frustration is setting in....thank you mr miaggi that might be spelled wrong lol

[bradphillips]

Just keep them traps ready for this weekend and the cool down/ storms. Then you can down size or what ever after that.

[rakenslayer14]

agree i just wish it would warm up a lil so i can pick up some numbers.. im trapping up north for the week and next week going back down home southern iowa has anyone been having luck down south?

[rusty]

not much better down here around 10% is all

[hugerod]

Funny how farmers get the blame for fly bait stations, maybe some are, but honestly, the ones I know about are town folk moved out to an acreage, and don't want to share THEIR sweetcorn with anyone, or anything.
Sign is there, but it's looking older everyday. We may need a little nasty weather to get things moving.

[cody13]

It seems to widespread to be fly bait. I've never heard anything about farmers using it around here.

[bd64]

So what do the moon phase people think? Did election results impact raccoon movement ?

[4fur]

For what it's worth, the rabbits were glad to see me this morning. ;D Not famished but their appetites had really increased. Maybe a coincidence but so did my catch. Stopped to get these in a cool shed and I already have as many as I caught yesterday. And I have another 100 miles to check...









Question for you guys with low %ages, are you slow on the trash, too?

[bd64]

I am except for mice. I've caught more mice this year than all others combined. Still using the same bait and homemade DPs at the same locations that normally produce coon.

[arcman]

Nov 7, 2012 7:53:01 GMT -6 bd64 said:

So what do the moon phase people think? Did election results impact raccoon movement ?

They were on the move last night. I caught 3 boar coon today. I think you're right. I think they were just waiting for election results.

[bucks]

get away from the water, and set dirtholes. Coon are in the fields. set 1/2 of thetraps I set last year, and caught just as amny probaly more. 80% of the coon have came to dirt holes or blind sets. Creeks are really disapointing on coon, baited cubby's in groves have resulted in nothing except mice. Just my opinion, good luck.

[4fur]

Nov 7, 2012 18:53:00 GMT -6 bucks said:

get away from the water, and set dirtholes. Coon are in the fields.

My friend just suggested today that the coon were probably in the fields, bucks. Makes sence. Harvest loss was very high due to wind blown-down corn. Many farmers going to no-till in fear of another drought. We have had just enough rain here in the last three weeks to get some springs running and to give a coon a drink from some puddles in fields. But that will change if the lows in the 20's forecast holds true for next Sunday on. Right now, fields are really not a good option for me since I run almost100% ROW and from the road to start my season. I bank my permission off road ground as long as possible. Thanks for the input, Bucks.

[hugerod]

Non-targets way higher % of take compared to any other season for me, especially skunks. I have now caught more skunks in a few days than all the other 35 years of trapping combined. Got sprayed 3 times, once square in the face at close range.
Water sign is really looking old, my dry sets away from creeks my best producers. Coon for me have been running much larger than normal, with 6 out of 10 being extra large, compared to a normal year of maybe 1 out of 10.

[rakenslayer14]

yep another day of catching 5 cats no where near houses and 3 skunks are water sets just aren't producing like they should..... runs that are just beaten down mud paths nothing i just dont get it? my buddy has got more coon with dogs than i have trapping a 90 mile trap line

[riverbandit]

When farmers tell me they have killed over 100 coon during the summer, no one can convince me it isn't having an effect on the pop.

Heck my best night of 93 coon, the over night low was 56 degrees. When the pop is high the temps don't mean diddly squat.

Coon HAVE to eat no matter the temps. In order to eat they must move. When its warm they don't need to eat as much, or move as much, but they still move.