I took a few pictures this morning of the various sets I am using on my water trap line specifically for rats and coon.
PVC set- This set is primarily for coon. The purpose of the pvc pipe is for visual appeal and also holds the bait or lure you are using to attract the coon. To use this, all you need is a short piece of pvc pipe, a trap, and some bait or lure. Typically, I put the pipe a short distance into the water and leaving enough distance from the bank to set the trap. In the first pic, the trap is in the horseshoe indentation near the bank.
Walk Thru set- The second pic is of what I call a walk thru set. You can’t see it from the picture, but there is a sandbar that forms a triangle in this spot. The narrowest point of the triangle meets with the water and runs along a short bank of grass and dirt. This area is loaded with coon tracks. What I will do here is to take some sticks and push them into the mud about 10″ or so from the bank and out toward the water. Then, I put a #1.5 coil trap in between the sticks and the bank. The sticks are there to funnel or guide the coon over the trap. In order to get the coon to follow the path I want, I squirt some fish oil up on the bank and make a trail to the trap. This set will take coon, rats, and mink. I took 2 sets of doubles with this set this year already.
Pocket Set- This is another set I use for coon, but regularly take rats as well.The third pic gives an idea on what a finished set looks like. I set this up in an area that shows signs of coon activity. I take a small trowel and dig a hole in the bank and make a hole or “pocket”. Once I have my hole dug, I then take some water and splash it on the sides of the hole and slick them up. This adds eye appeal for any passing animal and encourages them to check the hole out. Then I place a #1.5 coil in front of the hole. Once again, fish oil is squirted inside the hole and also squirt a trail from the dryland down to the hole.
Bank run set -The fourth pic is your typical rat bank run set using a #110 body grip trap. Rats make runs and tunnels that lead under water and underground to dig roots from various types of vegetation. You can find these runs in a couple ways. The first is to look for “milky” trails, the second is by walking along the shorelines or near the huts until you feel the run with your foot. Once you find them setting them is quick and easy. Take a wood lathe and stick it right up next to one side of the run. Then take your #110 and put the spring over the lathe and slide the trap down into the run. When the rat swims in the run, it will swim right through the trap and get caught.
Blind set- The fifth pic is a blind set. This set requires no bait or lure. This pic is primarily used for rats in this situation. I am again using a #110 body grip for this application. In this area, therats have made little passages through the grass that is hanging over into the water. Behind the grass is an undercut bank with several shelves where they get out of the water to rest and feed. I take the body grip and set it half way out of the water. When they try to swim in or out of that passage, they will go right through the trap.
I hope this gives an idea on some of the sets for coon and rats.
