Any coyote trappers here, What gun, what bag for your junk?

[nekshot]

If this is at wrong place please move it to appropriate place. My only 22 handgun is a full size 357 frame and with 6 inch barrel its heavy. Thinking of a quality exmilitary shovel instead of my 16oz straight claw hammer.(works great in rocky soil though) And wondering if some old used military back back would be better than my 5gal bucket? As you can tell I am not an accomplished trapper with my accessories but I try.My age and medical issues really slow me down but maybe I could use one of my daughters buck goats and a pack on him. He could wizz on my trap for good cover scent, heck I would smell funky also after working with him!

[KCSO]

I carried a Ruger Bearcat and carried my working tools in a pack basket. This included a weathered tarp that had been soaked in pine needles and the basket itself never sat on the bare ground around the trap site. My pan covers were boiled and only handled with my trapping gloves. I preferred a #4 long spring trap and if the ground was the least bit sandy I used 2 1/2 foot double stakes and a swivel link in the extra long trap chain.

The pack basket had the advantage of carry on the back when walking into a set back in the boonies. In the truck my rifle was a Remington 222 with 52 grain HP loads to minimise shoot through. Wear rubber boots or covers and use them only for trapping to minimise any scent transfer.

We got to learn for the Old Sheriff who was a govt. trapper in the 1940's and he was a real pro. My buddy was better than I am and ran 30 miles of sets a winter.

[mulespurs]

The most important thing that you need to do is make sure that the trap is bedded solidly, so that nothing will move except the pan when you apply a coyotes weight on the trap. That's what I learned from fox trapping 20 years ago.

Good luck.

[samari46]

About the only ex military shovels I can think of that still may be available would be one of the West German ones with both the pointed shovel and a small pick with about the same type of locking ring as the U.S. models. Also one of the WWII shovels. The I.S. WWII ones are more or less collectors items. All have the short wooden handles. The viet nam era aluminum ones are all aluminum
though. Check with sportsmans guide first, them maybe surplus dealers. Frank