Dog Placement

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EO caller
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Dog Placement

Post by EO caller »

First of all thanks for allowing me into this part of the forum C.H . The info is awsome and I've spent the last two nights reading. As far as my trapping expierence go's is this. My dad was trapping alot in the 80'S when fur was high. We dont have the best numbers but he managed to take around 70 - 80 coyotes during prime fur months and as many cats as the law would allow. I was just a little turd and wasn't really interested but I did go all the time which we both complained about(Mom made him take me :lol: ).I did learn alot about finding sign and picking good location. Now that I'm older and have been calling for a few years and have had some success, even put together a little video, for some reason I got the trapping bug. Mostly for Bobcats. I thought when I first started calling that would just call in my limit (5 in Oregon for the Eastern Lynx Cats) but I just could never make it happen. Dad told me to just start trapping them since he had all the equipment that I was welcome to use. We sat down and made an order of lure's and some other mics. stuff from O'Gorman (Dad was a student) and he gave me a lesson. I caught three my first season and was hooked. Even made a little money. I tried to catch cats on a buddy of mines place and all I caught was coyotes, he said his pheasant number boomed after I took five yotes the first year.(I doubt that has much to do with it.) I was pissed cause they weren't my target but i've since become his predator control guy. Taken 15 since and the whole place is only about 1000 acres . I've been drilling them this summer with snares. Now he said he saw a big bobcat down the road from his house and I'm licking my chops. The neighbor down the road who has his bird hunting leased now wants me to start in on his place cause his bird numbers suck. Probly getting in over my head but we'll see. He has more ground and lots more kitty's.
Sorry I'm rambling so here is my question. I was taught that when bedding a trap to put the dog toward the backing(12 oclock). I have read lately that you somtimes put it at 9 or 3 or 10 or 2. Just wondering whats the rule and the exceptions. I also have hell keeping my traps from freezing. Does the liquid anti freeze work? Packing in dry dirt sucks. I have to walk alot to get to the spots.
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lyonch
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by lyonch »

Great post and good question!! I personally do not have enough experience to say one way or the other, but when i place a trap in its bed, i place the dog of the trap at the 2 o'clock position. I guess the only reason i do this, is because i read somewhere (on the internet of course) that through a long study of coyotes approaching sets, they usually would have stepped on the pan with there right foot first. Is this true? I really dont know, but for some reason it has really stuck in my head. Since the dead spot on the trap is the dog, i figure thats where i would place it. You might ask well then why not 10 o'clock, and my reason behind that is i offset 2"-3" to the right as well. I am looking forward to what the way more experienced guys say, and welcome to Top Dog section of the forum :D
Chris Lyon


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Prairie Ghost
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by Prairie Ghost »

I go from what O'gorman theories are based on. A dirthole set 3 or 9 o;clock whatever your preference. On a flat set 12 or 6 which is for coyotes rolling and catching them by the elbow. He go's over it pretty good it one of his "Challenging Canine" videos. I'm by no means a "trapping" expert but craig has a lot of miles and time catching critters so with the reasons he states i go with it.
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Coyotehunter
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by Coyotehunter »

I don't offset my traps. look at tracks in the snow, coyotes walk with one foot in front of the other. a small amount of blocking goes along ways. I have heard that most canines are right foot dominate. I catch most my the right foot.
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DustyC
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by DustyC »

Not much of a pro but I use the 9 or 3 method and 12 on flat sets. I have heard of ssome guys setting the dog at 2 or 11 on some bobcat sets with stepping guides.
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Tactical.20
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by Tactical.20 »

Straight out, and the dog goes at 3 o'clock on dirt holes, out and back nearly a foot and 12 o'clock on flat or territorial sets.
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LeviM
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by LeviM »

Its intresting how everyone does it different. I am as GREEN as it gets when coming to K-9 Trapping. For my dirt holes holes, Flat Sets, and Urine Posts. I was offsetting everything 9-3", placing the dog at the 2-o clock postion, trying to get the K-9s to 45 degree in and 45 degree out. Whats the advantage of placing the dog at the 9 o clock or 3 o clock postion?
Levi McNally
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Coyotehunter
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by Coyotehunter »

probably none. expecially if you are using some kind of guide. you just want the dog out of the way as he comes into the set. there is a prominent trapper out east that on his dirt hole sets he will put the dog at the 6 oclock position so the coyote will not munch the dog once trapped. the fear of course is the coyote firing the trap while his foot is on the dog and the jaw then throwing his foot clear of the trap. On dirt hole sets I have talked with guys that will set the pan as far back as 16".........the thing to remember as you become more advanced you will not want to force anything, try to read the ground and put that trap in as natural of a location as possible and not get to caught up on exactly how many inches this way or that way you are. On problem coyotes in an area that I am not going to get a second chance at a specific coyote, I will run a 2 trap set up on a drag. with about 6' max between traps this gives me a ton of options. It does not matter where you put the trap if you know where his foot is going to be. If you have a good lure they will stay on location longer and stomp around. the whole placement thing is just one of those subjects that less interesting or i should say less of a concern if you have good lure and/or lure, bait placement. To keep that animal there at the set as long as possible. paceing, digging, trying to get the bait out, high on a bush and he wants to roll on it, in several locations around your set..........it just takes some imagination to keep your sets interesting or else if they are all the same that coyote will check out one of your sets and move pretty quickly past the rest on your line if he did not get caught and his curiosity was satisfied.
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Prairie Ghost
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Re: Dog Placement

Post by Prairie Ghost »

can't be said any better than that coyotehunter i agree 100%
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