This winter i plan on trapping every bridge and culvert going under a hwy that i take to go back and forth to college. I'll be trapping 25-30 bridges or culverts for coon, mink and anything else i can pick up. Got any tips?

use log chains for trap chains and a 350 motor for a drag . with the way coons are priced right now your gonna loose alot of traps trapping ditches. Good luck

Run Early 3-4 AM

Get a good head lamp

use sets that don't stand out

What they said!

Pockets stand out. Smear sets don't AS MUCH



Run drowners, so the bank won't be torn up and dead give away you're there.

bingo.

NOTE- i dont target coon, nor do i no longer trap bridges for them, but i think thats great advise.

I still use pockets even in high theft areas. Stand on the bridge and pick your set location from up there. Pick a spot from the bridge where you're pocket isn't easily seen. Most thieves won't bother climbing down the banks to look for traps, they just look from the bridge and then walk down if they see something.

don't let every passer by know what you are doing. Don't park right at the bridges to check. Don't carry equipment, gear, and critters out in the open, put'em in a bag or tool box.
I had a buddy that liked to trap busy roads so that he didn't have to deal with snow/mud with his two wheel drive pickup, he wore a bright yellow hardhat and orange plastic vest and had a bridge inspector sticker on the tailgate of his truck,never had any problems,carried all his stuff in a tool bag, and put critters in black trash bags to get them to the truck.
We can no longer trap bridges,culverts,ditches in Nebraska,because of one stupid incident with a domestic,and an illegal poacher using traps,be careful of where you set and what you use.

i expect to lose a few traps, hopefully i won't lose that many though.

thats a great ideal with the vest and hardhat

Carry a clipboard too, and people will never look twice...

Pull a concrete mixer too, thats what Phil Brown does. LOL

So all those people in orange vests and hardhats that I see taking a nap in their trucks are probably just trappers hoping I'll write them off as government workers???

UHHHH, HUH.

For small culverts drowning rods work well. Not to drown ,but to put one end inside the culvert. The end inside the culvert doesnt have to staked,just let the coon get inside to keep it out of site.

you had better be ready to meet other trappers. your going to do what most do and have done for years if you get traps tripped or
sticks in the jaws move!!! take it from me!! dont know where your at in mo but cape and scotts city have some big time theifs if they figure you out they will clean you out . dont set right in or under a bridge a little walk is worth it

alot futher south than cape and scott city

Get a magnetic sign for your truck

A-L BRIDGE INSPECTION SERVICE
A-LACKS ENGINEERING AND CONSULTING
SOMEWHERE USA
Phone no. BR- 549
works for Newt

hide your traps good found that out..guy found 2 of my traps and took them

If you have the time, hit up the landowners adjacent to the bridges.

the sign for my truck idea i think is pretty good. Where could i get a magnetic sign?