You guys see Locklear's new cage trap?

It is on his wolfer nation home page video magazine.

ML

I like the locking mechanism. Not sure about to pan though.

The lock looks fine but the pan is something I would want to see up close as well. If it works on game as well as a regular pan it would be a great idea. The door looks cocked to the side pretty hard when the trap is set but it may not be an issue. I am a perfectionist so this would bother the heck out of me.

I would worry about the teeter totter pan design. An animal has four feet. Will it trip if his hind feet are on the front when his front feet...

ML

That's exactly what I was thinking Mercer. In the video they talked of the door coming down on the cat causing it jumping into the trap. Maybe the pan is suppose to trigger before the back feet are in the trap? If so, I would not feel confident in this but I am also making judgements without ever personally laying eyes on the trap.

I had a "big" tom back out of a swing door cage (no trap name to prevent piss'in. match.lol)last year two nights in a row cause the door was hit'in him in the butt. I set one of lawing's cages out the third night---tightened the cam so the critter had to be 7/8 of the way in the cage before it tripped---and there was a big pussycat wait'in for me in the morning.

I've had more of these mountain cats go backwards from a door hit'in them in the butt and leav'in than getting a good solid gate drop.

Cats "backing out"

The only reports I have ever heard have come from Colorado and it has been 3 maybe 4 instances and a couple of them were in my traps.

With perhaps 50 or more captures on trail cam I have seen lots of different reactions but never anything close to backing out. I am sure it happens and cats are different around the country. The old saying' "cats are cats" goes only so far as my very limited experience in Colorado this past season showed me that.

In Az it looks like the bait law has been changed to allow the use of non-edible portions of game animals.

This Fall when out bird hunting simply split the chest skin of your birds with your fingers and fillet the meat off the bone leaving the rest of the carcass as a nice piece of bait for you cage traps. Put the word out to your buddies and you will have plenty of bait for the trapping season.

In Colorado I used some full chukar carcasses I traded for from a bird farm. The game warden said it was OK so long as I had a receipt.

ML

Mercer,
are you planning on trapping colorado again this fall?

how was prairie dog hunting out here?

Dan

Prairie dog shooting might be my new addiction! What a good time that is. Never did it before last year now I have been four times. Private property and public.

No idea what will happen this winter. It all depends on if the plant will give me time off without pay. I would need more than two weeks if I was to go back to CO. I had 14 days last Dec and it just wasnt enough time. You loose three days just in travel. I would sure like to go back. Very enjoyable running around out there and the challenge of new country. Quite an investment of time.

The downside is leaving shirt sleeve weather and two cats a day out here to go out there and catch two a week.

ML

Mercer,
I like the idea of your cat carpet. What is your opinion about domestic cats? Do you think it matters if that catty smell is from a domestic cat?

If that is the case, then my wifes cat pagoda is in for a carpet overhaul come November...hello instant cat carpet.

I also heard all kinds of good things at the Globe, AZ sale about your lead in scent, I hope you have some on hand come October.

mercer,
two a week? have to get you into some better country.
need to make it alittle farther east to canyon country.

my biggest problem is how many years i do continue to release females before i stretch them.

Just came through there last week. Dropped my boy off in CO Sprngs. Sold some sets to guys in Canyon City and Rye. Pueblo looks like it has some pretty rich history. Neat looking town from the highway.

With prices the way they are I released fewer females last year, just the bad suck bellies. 17 on one shared trapline and only 4-5 on my personal line. If you have enough ground take 'em and trap somewhere else the next year. If you get some moisture they will snap right back I would predict.

In the end a guy just has to do what feels right to him as only he knows the characteristics of his country. I normally argue that there can be no downside to releasing a female but would never run a guy down for taking them either.

ML

i wish i knew you were coming thru would of had you drop off about 10 sets of 4 for me. I cant seem to have enough traps. everytime i get all mine set. i get a call to trap a new ranch and check it out and wish i had more cages.
I hate pulling traps from one good stop to trap a new spot that looks better.
to many sleepless nights. december is not coming fast enough here.

Dan

Pueblo is great to live. wish we had more rain!!!!!

Doesn't sound like you need more traps it sounds like you need a partner!!!!!

Ain't that Gates and Powell country? Big place I guess. Room for the top two in the state and quite a few others.

On the way home the area that turned me on the most was around Del Norte.

Good looking stuff there. Looks like a great place to go coyote calling.

Someone asked about house cat smells- I have no idea. Never messed with that stuff. I have heard that that house cat smells work good but if you get the urine on your hands you have to cut them off it stinks so bad and don't wash away.

ML

i use litter box turds when i make tiolets. i just spray them with fresh fresh bobcat urine and mix with turds i get from my kitties.

seems to work for me. when i set out my game camera on fresh tiolets in summer/early fall.