Ive only been trapping for a couple years but mostly for coon. I just got some real nice land that has alot of field surrounded by woods. The way the field lays is its kinds high in the middle and then slopes down on both sides to the woods, kinda like a rainbow. around the edges near the woods it is rolling with alot of dips in it. To the experienced fox trapper where would be the best places to set this, high or low? Thanks, Walt

Don't know what the land is like. Best try would be were the field ,woods and a road meet.Foxs like roads and edges!

set where there are droppins and tracks. LOCATION IS KEY

i found a small hill in a 40 acre hay field, set it, and caught 10 fox out of my 11 fox year, same set, same trap, and 4 yotes...

edges buddy edges or intersections

What kind of a "field" is it - agricultural crop land, or a natural, undisturbed setting?

If it is in a hay or stubble field (corn or soybean)....or even if not combined yet, set both the highest ground and at the lower areas on the field edges where the woods or a lane might intersect - all natural travel ways. Sign may not always be that evident, but if you know that you have fox in that territory set the corners/edges and the high ground.

Your effort will improve with practice, trial and error, and cultivating a keen sense of observation, learning how to find, interpret and translate the sign in any given habitat.

The examples below are prime red fox habitat where I trap with edges, lanes, high spots and wooded points into fields.

Jonathan

Soybean Field - Not Picked; Set At Tree Line And Crop Corners



Corn Field



Open Hay Field - Wooded Point



Old Hay Field Edge - Red And Grey Fox Habitat



Manure Pile In Hay Stubble



Wooded Point In Disked Corn Stubble



High Point Between Hay Stubble, Lane And Worked Field



Wooded Island In Disked Field



Corn Stubble And Wooded Point

Thanks!!! Its all hay field around here.

Find your intersecting crops or roads...crop changes are travelways for K9's...Any intersecting terrains are usually hotspots as well.

If there are any wooded islands in the feilds these are usually great places. Critters love em

This is another example of a main attractant in my red fox trapping territory - a brush pile "island" in the middle of an old hay field. It will have equal if not more appeal after it is burned.

Jonathan

Jonathan's picture of that brushpile is equally attractive to all other predators as well. Brushpiles usually mean food to predators whether it be in the form of rodents, rabbits, ect...

Hi guys.
I'm new to trapping. This is my first post to this message board. I actually got on here to ask a question specifically about this topic and rooted around to see if it had been previously discussed before posting a message.
I have been reading a number of books on trapping leading up to this first trapping season. None have been very good at covering the subject of where to place a set on a property. Is there a book that you can think of that covers this pretty good? Or, has all the locations been discussed here? (field edges, road/field intersections, islands/brush piles in middle of field)
Thanks
be careful out there.

Nick, I commend you for taking the time to check the website for your answer before asking questions. As far as books, you might start a new post and see what everyone's favorites are, be sure to be specific on what target species you want to learn about as there as lots of books out there.

I guess I did hijack the original post.
sorry about that.
take care everybody.

Nick, Not to worry about jumping in with your raised hand. It fit this theme perfectly. I cannot help you out with the "book" part. I have been trapping red fox for well over 50 years without reading a book or buying any DVD's. But, I learned about this stuff by reading sign and studying locations as a self taught student. And, I continue to learn more each day that I waddle around scouting.

Jonathan

ok i will make a location post...again
look for it it will be called red fox locations explained.

Here are a few more examples of classic red fox attractions in farmland travel way habitats and corridors. All of these that I have pictured are equally productive for coyotes.

Snowmobile Trail Through Woodlot Connecting Crop Fields



Apple Orchard Adjacent to Thicket With "Point" At End Into Hay Field



Hayfield With Wooded Point



Corn Field And Hedgerow Intersection



Corn Field And Ditch Edge - Set Both Sides Of Ditch



Soybean Crop Field With Wooded Edge And Point At End Of Field



While these examples are in my area, they may give you a feel for the availability of similar types of terrain and habitat to look for in your area.

Jonathan

In working through message boards, I am always hesitant to drag a thread slightly off topic, but this deals very specifically with the photos above.
I am sorry for an extremely "rookie" question, but this is something that hits me when I look at some of these pictures....

It is still relatively early in the season. There is still fairly heavy ground vegetation just about everywhere (as shown in Jonathans pictures above).

When you dig your bed to place the trap, you remove a 6-8 inch area of sod; place the trap; and sift fresh dirt over trap. When a dirt hole is complete, it doesn't look like an animal came in there and dug a hole for food. From and animals perspective, it looks like someone/something came in there and removed a hunk of sod and did "something" to the dirt. It would raise red flags, i think. Being a human, trying to think like the animal....it doesn't look natural.

Again, sorry for the rookie question, but I just want to throw it out of comment and see where it went.

good question nick ive always wondered the same thing. and another question is about the pictures. i have a few spots to set just like some of the pictures where the woods makes a point out into the field. my wooded point is narrow and is the ntersection of crop changes. would i set right on the tip of it or off to the direction of the prevailing wing a couple feet?
thanks and great post

Thanks for posting those. Good pictures help everyone regardless of experience level!