Frozen Traps

Last Friday night was a good night for trapping foxes. There were fox prints by four of my sets, one set of foot prints right on the top of my trap at a dirt hole set. Unfortunately I caught no fox, why? Because my trap was frozen into the ground. Two of the fox prints had been by some of my cable restraints (which thankfully do not freeze up!) But I did not get anything in those either. Judging from the prints the fox had started to go on the trail the cable restraint was on, but went the other direction instead. Then in the other cable restraint set I think the fox went through a small gap I had left next to the cable restraint instead of through the cable restraint (I fixed the gap after seeing that.)

Well, I am pretty sure I have my traps set in good locations so all I can do is keep checking my traps, and wait for the next night when the fox come out. Maybe I'll get one then!

A Grey Fox with a Cable Restraint

I have caught another fox, this time with a cable restraint. While it was still alive as it should be with cable restraints. The fox had tangled some grass in the swivel of the cable restraint so it had the cable all twisted up - almost choking it. If I ever make my own cable restraints I will have to put two swivels in them to keep this from happening.

Looking at the cable restraints and seeing what they do, and seeing what steel traps do to animals when they get caught; I think I would rather my dog to get caught in a properly set cable restraint opposed to a steel trap. I hope that game laws in PA are passed to expand the use of cable restraints for other animals (currently they can only be used for fox and coyotes) and for more of the trapping season (currently cable restraint season start the 1st of January).

Finally A Fox

After many days of walking my trap line (1.14 miles + every day) I have finally caught a fox. I caught him in the same hay set I mentioned in one of my earlier posts. The set has been there since before deer season, untouched except for once a couple weeks ago when I found it set off, but with no animal.

Since January 1st has come and gone and cable restraints have come in season, I have set three of my seven cable restraints. While we still had snow on the ground I found a spot by a small creek where canine tracks abounded, so I have set the restraints along the trails that the canines seemed to be using.

Almost a fox

Last Sunday when I visited one of my dirt hole trap sets I found the trap set off. The pieces of wood I had used as a backing were all chewed up, and there was K9 manure right by the set, but no animal in the trap. Judging from the evidence I had a fox caught in the trap for quite a few hours, if only I had checked the trap at 6 AM instead of 2 PM.

Yesterday when I checked this trap I saw tracks in the snow that I believe to be fox going to the back of the trap set; then around to the front -- missing the trap pan by about two inches. After seeing the tracks I moved one of my other traps ( I had caught two possums and one rabbit in this trap, not exactly what I was trying to catch) to the back of the set. I have heard that trap wise animals will come over the top of the set so hopefully I will get another chance at the that fox I caught.