Footholds
Prepared by Tyler Bogardus
Click to view original poster
Safety Concerns
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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
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Gloves, boots, and eye protection are recommended when trap handling
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Appropriate trap setters and trap safeties when handling live traps
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Proper live-catch handling and removal tools when approaching or resetting triggered traps with a live-catch
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Minimum of 5-mil nitrile gloves to eliminate risk of exposure when handling predator carcasses
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PPE and safety tools
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Carry Smart phone/device with best cell phone provider coverage
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Keep Fingers out off firing range when the trap is set and safeties are off
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Click to See Full Sized Images
Coil Spring Foothold Trap
How to set Foothold Trap with setter
Click to See Full Sized Images
Night Latch example
Trap dip on Long Spring Trap
Properly modified and adjusted trap, notice pan is level
Modification and Maintenance
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Cleaning
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Boil traps in baking soda and water to remove grease/oil from manufacturer
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Can soak traps in a vinegar/water mixture to remove rust
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Perform night latch and dog modification and adjust pan height and tension
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Ideal tension for cats is .5-1lbs, use tester
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Preserving (Trap Dips) Allows trap to function properly, reduces odor and helps with rust resistance
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Full Metal Jacket
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Dakota Line Trap and Snare dip
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Formula One
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Speed Dip
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Logwood Dye
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Types/Equiptment
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Coil Springs: Faster than long spring traps, can be bedded on land easier, readily available
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Padded: Made with rubber pads on the jaws. Potentially more safe to non- target animals *Preferred type Size 1.5-3, 2 or 4 coil
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Offset: Made with a slight gap between jaws when closed, can reduce injuries and stabilize foot in the trap
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Laminate: Steel rods are added to the jaws to increase the surface area to more broadly distribute the pressure and reduce injuries.
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Long Springs: Less expensive and generally used for under water sets
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Equipment
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Pliers
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Hammer
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Digging tools (Small shovel or trowel)
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Dirt sifter
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Pan covers or underalls
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Gloves
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Bait/Lures
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Stakes, cable, chain, disposable earth anchors
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Firearm to euthanize captured animals
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Click to See Full Sized Images
Foothold Pan cover (left) underall (right)
Padded Jaws
Laminated Jaws
Offset Jaws
How to Set
Click to See Full Sized Images
Possible trap locations based on evaluation of location
Properly bedding and covering with digging tool and dirt sifter
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Choose Location
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Runways, fence lines, trails
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Think about wind direction
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Secure trap
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Disposable anchor, re-bar, tree locks
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Set and bed the trap
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Use digging tools to create a shallow bed
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Place trap in bed and make sure it is firm and not tippy
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Cover pan, sift, blend
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Place pan cover or underall so dirt does not get under pan
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Select substrate to cover trap that is free of vegetation or large rocks or clumps of dirt
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Add lure or attractant
Types of Sets
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Dirthole
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The hole attracts attention and funnels animal towards trap
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Trap pan should be about 4-6 inches from hole and slightly offset
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Flat
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Use above ground object to attract attention and provide backing
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Cubby
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Generally used in water but can be used on land
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Made of rocks, logs, or dug into the dirt
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Bait and lure place in back of cubby
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Scent Post
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Use a small post or stick
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Add urine or lure to the stick
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Blind/Trail
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Set on trail where animals are traveling
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Use stepping sticks to funnel animal
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Bucket
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Set on top of a drum or bucket
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Can be used to avoid some non-targets
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Adds visual attractiveness
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Click to See Full Sized Images
Flat Set
Bucket Set (Trap was set on top)
Scent Post (Trap has yet to be covered)
Dirthole Set
Cubby Set (Trap has yet to be covered)
Click to See Full Sized Images
55 gallon drum cut and converted for trapping
Trapping tools and flat set being made
Purchasing
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Traps/accessories Vendors and Suppliers:
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Various online trap suppliers
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Miscellaneous Details
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Traps do take time to install, think about how many traps are necessary at one location
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Too many traps may waste time
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Use objects and wind to direct the animal towards the trap
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Make sure traps are bedded and anchored correctly
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Pan tension helps to catch target animal! Also may be used to avoid some non-targets
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Night latch or similar can standardize traps and increase effectiveness
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Avoid putting human scent all over trap location
Click to See Full Sized Images
Dirthole set (Trap has yet to be covered)