A couple of questions for you seasoned trappers.

[Oldcountryboy]

1. I have found a source to buy traps and if I buy $100. worth the shipping is free. I mostly want to trap the racoons and possums out as they are doing the most damage to my summer garden but I also have muskrats, minks, skunks, and coyotes in abundance. I can only use steel traps legally, no connibears or snares. What size and how many of each trap should I start out with? Also I can only have up to 20 traps out at one time. Or so the regulations state this. 20 traps limit, no snare or body grip.

Why am I worried about the legality of trapping methods when my next question is a illegal method also!

2. I want to build some wooden box traps to catch a few rabbits in. What dimensions should I make them? 8" X 8" X 2'? Or bigger?

[DavidUnderwood]

I make rabbit boxes from 1X6 (3/4 X 5 1/2).
Leaving an inside dimension of 4 X 5 1/2.
I like 30 inches long, with the trigger 1/3
way forwards of back of the box.

For coons, I like 1 1/2 coil spring traps.
A dozen is a good start, especially if you
have no experience. Should be able to
get Dukes for around $60 a dozen. Other
brands cost more.

[fishhead]

The 1 1/2 coils will hold everything but the coyotes.

[DavidUnderwood]

I've caught a few coyotes and oodles
of bobcats in 1 1/2. If I was buying traps
for either specie I'd go #2. (or bigger)
1 1/2 is a versatile size, good for mink,
muskrat, coon and fox.

[Haggis]

I prefer snares, then conibear traps (X traps, then leghold traps as ultimate last resort. Once upon a time thought the #1 1/2 coil spring was the end all be all, and maybe in some ares it still is, but I now prefer a #2 coil spring as a great all purpose trap.

Old #2 coils can be used for muskrats, where there is water enough to drown the rat; the #2 being heavier than some other more muskratty traps put them down a wee bit quicker, certainly the #2 has a larger "kill area".

"Coons can be a problem to hold in any leghold trap; they don't seem to too much mind cutting foot, but #2's can be rigged to drown them as well, with a slide wire.

Mink have litte feet, and may not pass a trap more than once every couple of weeks; that is if the guy down the creek a way doesn't get him. A body can pop rivet a tin can lid to a #2 trap pan and increase the "kill area" of the trap, then set them to drown the mink.

Foxes and Coyote don't too much mind a #2 coil trap, and again, for the fox and the coyote there is the extra size of the pan and jaw opening; add lots of swivels.

Some trappers even take beaver, front foot catch only on a drowning wire, in #2 coils.

Again, I prefer snares, followed closely by X traps, then leghold traps as the very last resort.

[Oldcountryboy]

Thanks everyone. I would like to use snares and body traps, but our law just doesn't go for it. Don't know why? Don't want to hurt all the house cats running around in the woods I guess.

But I might go ahead and try a few since I'm gonna be setting some in my own back yard. Other then that then I guess I will order mostly #2 coil springs and maybe a few #1 1/2's.

[DavidUnderwood]

I've caught more than a few beaver by
front foot in a 1 1/2. In NC snares are
only legal for beaver, so not on dry land.

With no cuts