Coon trapping deer feeders

Most of what I catch are coon at deer feeders but I always make a catch and then don’t make a catch again for about two weeks no trails to the feeders so I set right under them. Any advice?

There has to be dirt road, field edge, creek, etc nearby those feeders?
Set up any of those

Yup, trap the routes coming in to the feeder. Sometimes its just a matter of animals travelling.

Could I use drags under those feeders or would that still scare them

Back off a bit so the others continue going to the feeder.
That way you can continue catching them as they travel to the restaurant.

Dont like to set at feeders for that reason unless its closely mown for 30+ yards around it. If I do, set heavy so you can at least catch most of the group the first time.

I just pound the stakes into the ground by the trail, Ill double up one on each side of the trail. I havent got a good double yet but it was consistent!

I have better luck keeping catches consistent at deer feeders using DP's, baited with something very NOT corn (fruits, sweets, etc.) and backed off 5-10 feet from the middle of the feeder. I have found when I use coni's at deer feeders they ghost the area real fast.

I set 2-4 DP’s around each feeder. One with peanuts, one with corn, one with grape flavored cat food, and one with a combo of all three. All my landowners have cameras on them and pretty much show me how many are coming in. I keep those there the entire time on the property and generally catch them all. Why do I think I catch them all? Because the landowners are quick to send me pics if one shows up after I leave, lol. Generally it’s about 3 weeks after I’ve left. My landowners are all great guys and understand other critters will move in.

On those stubborn coons/possums I use a trick I read about on here. Dig/drill a hole and place your DP down in the hole. They may avoid a DP just staked in the deck, but they’ll dang sure reach in a hole to get that food. ***If using a hole, make dang sure that there’s enough room for the DP to fire, lol.*** learned that the hard way. Had the hole too small and the DP would fire but not fire enough to catch critter.

I have my luck with DPs in trails and buckets at feeders. Why would a coon work to get bait out of a tube when he can just walk around under feeder and get fill. I use big visual bait large handfuls of corn in buckets at feeders. You have to compete with the corn on the ground. When a coon goes to the bucket and gets killed right away it doesn’t seem to spook the others as bad, plus the next coon goes and gets a free meal in bucket after his brother paved the way. It creates a pre bait effect

And suddenly "Like taking candy from a baby", comes to mind. . .

How would u set this up? Asking for a friend....lol.

This feeder is one of about 15 on this property.

Will be trapping this property in mid-January....pay job. Coon may not be there like this in January. I told landowner to keep the feeders full to hopefully keep em bunched up like this.

Bet you got trails leading to that one, lol. DP’s around feeder and down the trails or along what I’d bet is a creek behind that feeder. Betting you get at least 8 that first night.

That pic was in August. There may be more using those feeders in January. I'd say those coon are habituated to those deer pellets.

Got a place like that, of course definitely not that many coons, lol. Grape flavored cat food gives them that dessert taste afterwards, lol. I think most he’s had on camera was 2 at one time. They are catchable with a little time.

This property is a new client on the Oconee River in middle Ga. Never been trapped b4. They want me to do a 14 day predator job there.

Yeah, you got some coons then, lol. Bet every feeder is about like that. When I first started trapping mine still weren’t that bad, lol. I still have to weed out the possums to get to the coons sometimes. We’ve actually gone in and set nothing but DP’s a few days prior to setting any footholds just to keep them out of them. Sucks having a camera on a couple sets and possums/coons in them when a coyote or cat strolls by!

A trail camera survey at the feeders will tell you what's coming there and when. Different coons come and go all night. Turn feeders off and set heavy and well-spaced along the trails and around the feeders. On trap check day, look into the treetops around the feeder as many times they will climb close by to sleep it off. Piles of poop at the base of the tree is a good hint which trees are favored.

I thought I had a few coons

Had a game camera catch about 12 in one pic
I thinned them out after that

I tried to catch them on trails away from the feeder

Ron Jones says boar coon come thru about once every 9-17 days. Sows with little ones about once in 7-10 days. So, if you don’t catch them all the first go round, you’ll have to wait a week to 2 weeks before the action picks up again.

I’d set the incoming trails with blind set #11s, DPs with coyote bait, snares and body grippers. Nothing calls a critter like one already caught in something.