AboutMongo Expertise I can answer most basic questions concerning predator trapping and some water trapping. Questions about lures, baits, sets, traps, trap treatment, modification, sizes, equipment, usage, etc. I have been certified by the Okla. Dept. of Wildlife Conservation, First Okla. Trapper`s Assoc., and the Okla. State Univ. Extension Service as a trapping instructor, and in years past have given classes to people wishing to learn the sport...I also have a number of years experience in predator calling and can provide some basic answers to these questions as well.
Experience
Past/Present clients As far as teaching what I know to others. I take this to be what you mean here... I have helped my son, and son in law, as well as a number of others in this area, to get started in trapping and predator calling... I have had personal instruction from professional government ADC specialists, and I have 30 years experience running my own traplines, and over a half century of experience in the outdoors...... I have a friend who is a troop leader with the Boy Scouts. In the past I have done several demonstrations on trapping and predator calling for the boys, and on a number of occasions have helped the troop to set up and run a trapline during the winter, with proceeds going to the troop.
Question When using a scent post, do you expect the animal to walk all the way around it or just down wind?
Answer Good Morning Park,
When I make a scent post set...(and it could be almost anything...a stick, a small chunk of wood, a tuft of grass standing by itself, a couple of cow chips I have stacked together, etc.) I make it right beside the trail the animal(s) are using...usually within a foot of the edge of the trail. I use a gland lure, and sometimes urine on my "post" putting them on the trail side of the post... I don't expect them to "walk around" the post. I expect them to walk up to it...and so I set the trap in front of the post, between the post and the trail....... While I prefer this set to be on the upwind side of the trail, I am not real concerned with putting it on the downwind side if things look better there. As close as it is to the trail, they will still smell it.
However, in the case of setting around a large bait or carcass dump, I will first look around the area and find something that seems to "stand out", but within maybe 20 or 25 feet of the bait or dump...and I will use it as my post/attractor, putting gland lure on it, and my trap on the side that the large bait or carcass dump is on. I also put my gland lure on that same side... If the ground is mostly very low grass or pretty much just dirt, I will also take my trowel, and a few inches on each side of my buried trap I will make "scratch marks"... You have seen a dog go up and urinate on something, then afterward it scratches, before going on. I am attempting to imitate that. I also may sprinkle a little urine in these scratches.
