I want to go trap more and all I have DP traps for coons. any suggestions on what else to trap and what traps i should get? Im in South East Nebraska. Im sorry if this question is too vauge If you need me too i can narrow my question down.

Russ there is a lot that you can get into in that neck of the woods. If you are just wanting to expand your coon line and add to that you can find a great number of coil spring and long spring traps that work for them. Commonly 1.5 sized traps in the coilsprings and #11 in the long springs are all great coon traps. These can range from $4.50 a piece (wolf creek 1.5) to $14 (mb-450).
If you are looking to get into Coyote trapping which you could have access to then you would want to look at 1.75 sized traps and up. Depending on the regs in Nebraska (which i don't know off hand) these traps may need to be offset or not nad i don't know which traps you can get into on the #3 side of things due to jaw size restrictions. Here is where you can sling a little more money around though. #2 wolf creeks can be had for $8 a piece or less depending on quantity and you can go up to $24 a piece for MB-650's and into the $30 a piece on Jake traps, Sterlings and other high end traps. All of these traps are good traps but each lends to one thing or another. The cheaper traps (Duke and Wolf Creek) sometimes are not baseplated and don't have large chain setups with multiple swivels. Basically they may not be ready to go for your system. They catch and work great though especially if trapping public land and you think theft might be an issue. The higher end traps come ready to roll out of the box and are pretty nice. Kind of like driving a Mercedes some say it is so nice you have to drive one and some think otherwise.

This is just leg holds and Just coon and Coyote. One can include Fox really in with Coyote leg holds as well really and likely cats if you have them in your area. The 1.5's you get for coon can also be great muskrat traps and mink traps depending on how you set them. Getting into Beaver starts a whole new set of traps and scenarios and no discussion over snares and body grips yet.

My suggestion for what its worth (not much by the way). Pick one direction or one thing to add to your string and roll with it. Like coon for example. There are multiple other ways you can go about trapping coon and get those traps and get into each genre that way. Trying to learn everything at once can be overwhelming for sure.

do you think that these traps will be good?

https://www.scheels.com/p/duke-coil...gid=hunting-accessories-trapping#start=8

im sorry if you guys dont allow direct links, just tell me and ill take it off.

They would work just fine but perhaps you should check out some good used traps off the trap shed. Pick up few to start so you can try them out to see what you like, then you can add to your arsenal as you see fit. I like to have a variety due to the possibility of multiple targets like 1.5 for coon but possibility of coyote would change up to 1.75 or so.

Duke makes a fine trap. Some swear by them. Duke makes traps on the lower end of the price point market per size. Every trap that duke makes catch target species animals everyday in the US. I don't know if I would order them from scheels website though. I might buy them in the store though just out of ease of being there. Let me tell you why. My opinion of course so take it for that.

There are a lot of great small family ran companies that sell traps online and in person. some are very large and some are small mom and pop companies. All of these sell those traps for the same or similar prices. The bargain comes in shipping and the big names may or may not have the edge there. But when you purchase from Schmitts or Minnesota trapline, or PCS outdoors, or Dakota line snare, or FNT post, KAATZ bros and so on and so on you are supporting trappers and their families. Same traps same dollars just different fund allocation in the end. As dealers you can get everything you need from these guys and 100 others. for the most part you get personal service and great customer care. I have personally purchased form all of the above over the years and have no bad stories. If you are just needing traps and want to stay on the cheapest side check out Wolf creek products. size by size they are the cheapest dollars spent per trap out there. Glenn witchey out of Ohio owns the company and you can talk to him on the phone if you want. It is trapping season in Ohio so he is trapping as well as selling right now but that is the great part. Good design good trap save money support a fellow trapper is the win win win in my opinion.

Here in the east where I am we have a mixed species to trap and I've grown to really like Bridger #2 dogless traps. They're made pretty well, have a heavy pan, good chain. They'll hold everything in this area.

Ill check Wolf out, although i would like to get traps out quickly so i think im going to get the scheels traps at the store and then once i know what i want, get them from wolf.

Thedude055, dont underrate your opinion. your opinion is how you do things, and what your doing works! I really appreciate it man!

I have after limited experience gone with different traps for coyotes and cats than the ones for other species. I am talking land trapping as in the deep south we rarely trap rats, weasel or mink. I am also lucky that we pretty much have no size restrictions except 10"x10" conibears for land. I use a #3 size trap when specifically targeting coyotes and cats and 1.5 or 1.75 for pretty much everything else. I have some duke 1 3/4 that I know a lot of folks use for everything just fine. I did do some modifications to them like night latching,.center swiveling. adding heavier chain and MB crunch proof swivels. I also bubble welded the jaw tips. Until you start going after coyotes most of that isn't necessary in my opinion. I would just night latch, level the pan and set a pan tension that suits you. I like it light for coon and such. I would probably choose to get a few 1 3/4 as they will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go tight now without breaking the bank. Once you decide on a direction and how big a line you want to run then put more thought into it and test different gear to see where you want to make your investment. Just like the 30-30 Duke 1 1/2's and 1 3/4's have put a lot of fur up.

Lots of good traps out there. I like full mod Montana #3 for coyotes. They don't require much setup out of the box. May have to level a couple pans, that's about it. I do run them 2 coil when new, they are really strong 4 coiled.

IDK your laws in Nebraska but snares are cheap, deadly, and dont weigh 300 pounds!

I like the bridger dogless #2s. We can't have #3s, If you can I'd recommend those too

Most trapping supply houses will have them there next day and I see your in the speedy delivery zone. If you order say before 2PM tomorrow you'll have them on Friday.

I love Minnesota Brand traps. I trap mainly coyotes and use MB 650s or MB 550s. These traps are more expensive but will last a lifetime and then some. These are #2 and #3 size traps which are good for ref fox coyotes bobcats. You want to look at your local laws to see whats legal in your state before you buy traps. Because you may need shock springs there are generally size limits etc. I would suggest some #11 long spring traps for coon they are good all around traps and you can still find Sleepy Creeks for a good price. As others have said i support local trapping suppliers and families its good to support American companies and American jobs. Best of luck to you.

I dont feel like i can use snares well. I mean how am i going to make an animal put his head through a wire loop?? I would love to use snare dont get me wrong. but making an animal walk on something is easier than making an animal stick its head through something.

Russ. One thing about snares is that when placed in blind passageways you are getting a coyote or animal in general to pass through un-pressured. A coyote for example that is working a baited set automatically runs a higher level of awareness and is very guarded. One thing i notice is that i think the ratio of blind sets and snares is a little higher in more experienced trappers and guys in the trade for 40 years than young trappers. Myself included. I will lay 20 sets out for coyotes and unless i make myself think blind set all 20 will be flat sets or dirt holes. This goes a long way to lay out my level of expertise and catch rate compared to a lot on here. I know some long time trappers that run 50-75% blind set stylke trapping and catch very well. I would possibly catch very well too if i would just listen lol. Prolly better start doing that really.

Could you explain the blind set and passageways a little more???

Sure. You can dig into the archives here as well and get to see a lot of different sets and options for them. A blind set though is a trap set in a passageway with no bait or lure just that you expect traffic. In tall grasslands you will notice that animals will walk the same path everyday. Coons are the great gunea pig for these sets by the way. They will walk a dirt trail in the grass. A blind set is a trap of any sort set in that pathway to catch any animal targeted while walking freely. So if it is a coilspring you are setting you bed the rap directly in the trail. Stepping sticks help an animal step over something and target the trap pan. Might want to archive search that. A conibear depending on laws can be set directly in the trail and as the animal walks through it gets dispatched. snares set up the same way. If you can snare on fencelines legally this is a great way to catch free travelling animals. If you see fur on the bottom wire chances are the animals are using that as a passageway and you can set a snare up around that hole. Height off the ground depends on the target animal and space available. I think all of these things are in archives pictures and what not but you can youtube videos as well to see what guys are doing visually. Once you get started there are so many things to learn it can be awe inspring

Buy the best traps you can afford. I get paid to catch coyotes and have to release fox. There's not many fox here. In my opinion, the MB 550 OS when set for coyote, will seldom catch a fox. The trap sets further back from the attractor and requires more force to trip it. It's hard to find an effective trap for all species. For other canines, I would get 450 s OS. Bridger 1.5 dogless will catch about anything. Keep the dog proofs although I'm not a duke fan. I like FB1s. You need some body grippers too. I enjoy box trapping too although they are $$×.

I guess my 550’s out of the box were set too low. I catch everything from possums to coyotes...including fox. Even caught a rabbit I released, granted he was caught by both back legs so I’m guessing he jumped right on the pan.

once i buy the traps what do i do to prepare them?