I would like to start trapping red fox that hang out around our place. I know next to nothing about trapping and am looking for a good book or dvd that can help me get started. I don't even know what size traps or kind to buy. Does anyone have any advice as to how to get started? I am located near Boise ID and I can't seem to find any trappers around to teach me! Thanks!

Go to this site, good bunch of guyshttp://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/1/page/1

Too bad my dad is not around anymore as he was a real pro in trapping foxes. If you have the time, go to Ebay and look for Fur-Fish-Game, a magazine at its zenith in the 1940-50 era. Numerous old articles that teach basics. Foxes are not as smart as they are credited, but nearly so.
Good luck and you will have fun.

Stephen

Just to get you started while you are looking here are a few pointers.

1. You need 1.5 size coilspring traps. You can use size 2 coils if you are going to be trapping where there are coyotes.

2. You will need stakes. Usually 18 inches works good. 3/8 rebar with a washer welded to the top works fine.

3. You will need some good lure. You can buy it, or you can make it

4. A very basic set for fox is the dirthole set. you dig a hole about 3-4 inches wide at a 45 degree angle and about 10 inches deep. you put your lure down the hole. You dig out a spot for the trap in front of the hole so that when you place the trap to top of the trap is level with the ground. you cover the trap with dirt, making sure to use something that will compress underneath the pan so that dirt can't get under the pan. the stake goes underneath the trap. when the fox comes along he will smell the bait down the hole and if its attractive enough he will investigate the hole. if he mills around long enough in front of the hole he will step on the trap pan and be caught.

I have quite a few older fur fish and game magazines here that I would sell for $1.00 apiece. Lots of article on trapping.

FFG is certainly a must read for trappers. If you are looking for a book or video, Tom Miranda's stuff is pretty good. Amazingly, he began his career with trapping books and videos.
22mag did a great summary. Most of the books have that same info, they put a couple color glossy pictures around it, and a cover over it and sell it for twenty bucks.
good luck
Bfly

Havent trapped since I was a kid. trapped many red and grey foxes. Best set was the dirt hole set. Dig a hole not too deep like a dog would . Prepare some scrap meat (road kill or ground hog really anything) stuff it in big jars and bury inthe ground as it will get ripe) stick small pieces (one will do) as they smell it for miles in the winter . Inthe hole sprinkle some dirt over it (wear gloves Leather not new) as they can smellyou also use a ground cloth not new (left out in the weather for a while) set trap in the loose dirt stake it under trap and cover with dry dirt. Sometimes in freezing weather put wax paper over pan. Hope this helps you out I used num 2 double springs However the coil springs are good Subscribe to fur fish magazine

forgot to say set trap about a foot in front of the hole in the dirt . sometimes two traps afoot and a half a little to the side work. The big thing is dont use your bare hands foxes can smell trouble . make sure the gloves dont have any foreign smells like gas or oil best buy new ones and leave them out in the weather for a couple of weeks . Also red fox urine which you can buy can help a few drops around the hole works great.Foxes are smart sometimes they spring your traps on purpose, get metal steaks or cut rebar abput a foot and a half drill hole on top and secure good with wire good luck trapping is fun

I would advise against useing a bait thats fowl smelling like rotten meat. You will draw alot of non target animals like skunks and possoms.

I use a mouse in my dirt hole sets.

If your gonna be a good trapper then your gonna have to learn about setting your traps in the right location. Remember a fox has great eye sight. They will see that dirt hole if it's in the right location. When they meander over there to your set and smell that mouse, it's just another day in the neighbor hood for them. They recognize the mouse smell, makes them less suspicious.

Also setting your trap/traps a foot away from your dirt hole is wrong. It's to far away.

I agree with 22WRF, in his trap selection.

Here is another link for you below.

http://www.trapperman.com/trapperman/dirthole_set.html

Good luck

Maybe this will help aswell.

http://www.idahotrappers.org/

well the other advice might have worked fine for that gentleman however I caught over a hundred foxes that way . I found out that if you set the trap to close to the bait they would get sprung. I also did catch some possums here and there but foxes like rotten meat and will actually roll on dead animals . It will draw them for miles on a cold winter night. I got started by reading the likes of O l Butcher and such in Fur Fish and Game years ago . Everyone developes there own way so there is no steadfast rule

Also there is trap preparation . I used to boil new traps in walnut hulls to darken them and get the newness off then put parafin (a thin layeron top) to prevent rust I would do this after a catch also to get the scent off. They sell commercial die for this purpose but walnut hulls work fine . Hey again this worked for me others will do things different. Remember foxes are smart and again location is important just like the other gentleman said

Philbilly

Setting traps a foot away from the entrance of a dirt hole set will result in alot of hind leg catches. True a catch is a catch, BUT...a front leg catch is better. The animal will be less likely to lunge from the jaws.

The animal will struggle more when caught by a hind leg.

I also use walnut hulls. That was good advice that you gave.

Maxbear Hey I wasnt tryin to put you down just sayin the way I did it . And it was quite a few years ago however I do remember settin too close to the bait and gettin my traps sprung. These foxes were smart and as I recall it took a while before I got my first one. I cant recall many catches on the hind legs though. Hey us toepinchers need to stick together. Do you trap many coyotes? Heck they werent in Kentucky when I used to trap many moons ago. Still have my longspring traps , am going to buy some land and would love to do it again Have a good one ok

Philbilly no harm done. Forget about it.

quote:

Originally posted by stephenwhite:
I would like to start trapping red fox that hang out around our place. I know next to nothing about trapping and am looking for a good book or dvd that can help me get started. I don't even know what size traps or kind to buy. Does anyone have any advice as to how to get started? I am located near Boise ID and I can't seem to find any trappers around to teach me! Thanks!

stephenwhite, the best thing I can tell you is to make a trip to the library. Check some book's out on trapping, and also get some book's that will tell you more about your target animal which is fox. Learn all you can about a fox's feeding habits, and what there main food sources happen to be. If you should happen to see a fox in the field, then watch it. LEARN TO THINK LIKE A FOX........then you will be succesful.

If you are gonna be a trapper then learn to do it the best way you can. Check your traps daily and make sure you abide by the local game laws.

I have never bought a trapping DVD, but I am aware of a couple of guys who have them available. There names are Tom Miranda, who used to be a pro trapper back in the day. Also Bob Gilsvick a writer for Fur Fish and
Game Magazine. If you get your hands on a copy of FFG magazine you will probley find some advertizing for these guys. IF not just Google their names including the words- Fox Trapping, and you should come up with something.


Any other Question? Feel free to ask!!

One thing I would respectfully disagree with is that skunks are undesireable to catch. You might not get much money for them, and you may not even want to skin them, but they are like gold for winter trapping.

I have had foxes and coyotes dig through as much as 2 feet of snow to get to a buried skunk in the middle of the winter.

What I like to do is keep the skunks and bury them in deep snow in the winter. Foxes and coyotes will start trails to these buried skunks. then I just make a wide circel around the buried skunk placing traps underneath the fox and coyote tracks. When the foxes and coyotes come back they will most of the time use their same trail if the snow is deep. and they will step in the trap and be caught (or you can hang a noose or two if you prefer that method).