School me on traps

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paradis1142

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I'm going to get a few traps to start playing with. I'm going to get coil spring traps but my main question is do they have to have offset jaws and rubber pads or just rubber pads. I've looked at the Dukes Bridgers and MB traps. The MB's look to be best built but the most expensive. What are y'all using? Suggestions
 
2 coils will do it, especially with a quality well made trap like the MB550. I have a bunch of 2 coil dukes and they are pretty flimsy. They work, but they always need retuning after a catch.
Bridger makes a good trap as well.

Buy fewer quality traps instead of a bunch of cheap traps. You will be much happier in the long run.
 
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IMO, the 4 coils shine with a marginal catch or a much bigger animal than intended for the size of trap. If you catch the critter solidly around the "wrist" and your trap is sturdy and well anchored, it should be waiting for you. If you get a toe catch, or off angle catch, then the extra holding power of the 4 coil helps.

I would consider getting some of those trap setters for 4 coil traps. They are going to be harder to set in December when your hands are cold and wet and a setter to give extra leverage will help.
 
I didn't know that about the rubber jaw MB50's.

I have some duke 2 coil #4's and Im not satisfied. They flex/bend just enough that they need to go to the shop after almost every catch to be tweaked back into shape. Yes, they are the cheapest/most affordable trap but half of mine are sitting on the bench needing work.
IMO, they need at a minimum base plates. center swivel would be good as well. The baseplate/frame will bend just enough(with a rowdy yote) that the dog needs adjusting and one jaw will close a little easier than the other. Might not matter but I can't help believing that that one dragging jaw will either not close all the way, close slower, or torque the trap allowing the critter to get out.

So... to summarize my long winded post, I would rather pay $22 per trap and have it ready to go out of the box not needing a bunch of modifications, than to pay $14 per trap and need to do a bunch of work to it, or spend a bunch of time modifying it.
Since half my dozen duke #4's are out of commission, I figure they really cost me double or $28 each for the cheaper traps.

I wonder if the bridger rubber jaw traps have better jaws than the MB550's ?
 
I ran MB 2 coil RJ last year and held coyotes just fine. The RJ acts as a lamination so the thicker jaws aren't needed. A downside to 4 coil is they're harder to set, and it'll be difficult to get the pan tension below 4-5 lbs or even higher. For a really high end coyote trap look at the Jake traps. They are fantastic.


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The MB's are top of the line as far as coilsprings go ( imo ) the Dukes at the bottom. I use Bridger #2's and 3's for coyotes and Bridger #1.65's for fox and bobcat, the 1.65 will hold a coyote no problem but is better suited for fox and bobcats. I do tinker with my Bridger's a liitle to get them where I want, I night latch, bubble tip the jaws, replace the chain and add a shock spring and a few more swivels per trap. I tried full metal jacket last year and don't like it at all, I went back to formula 1 this year. Here is what my traps looked like before and after dipping in full metal jacket last season BEFORE
rucwht.jpg
AFTER
zjxq3p.jpg
the after pic was the trap after being in the ground only a little over a month, the set didn't produce so I pulled it and that's what I found.
 
The first time you put FMJ on a trap you need to dip it 4-5 times minimum, letting each coat dry in between. After that a single coat will work.


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I dipped 4 times with 24 hours between dips and all my traps came out looking like that so I pulled all of them and went back to formula 1. Not saying FMJ doesn't work just doesn't do the job for me. I have thought about re-dipping a couple of my traps dipped in formula 1 in the FMJ and see what results I get.
 
Planking":2gkiifc8 said:
What are you guys using for stakes on your leg holds?
Click to expand...
That would depend on the target. For coons and such just a single 3/8 rebar about a foot and half long. For yotes, I always used the same thing except I cross stake and double swivel.
 
CATCHDAWG":36z7xtou said:
Planking":36z7xtou said:
What are you guys using for stakes on your leg holds?
Click to expand...
That would depend on the target. For coons and such just a single 3/8 rebar about a foot and half long. For yotes, I always used the same thing except I cross stake and double swivel.
Click to expand...
Cool. Im targeting yotes and using just one 24" rebar on each trap and im wondering if i need to change that or if that's going to continue to work ok. Im about to order some more traps and that's one thing i thought i might change this time, if need be.
 
True on the single rebar stake. I replace my chain on my bridgers with #3 straight link chain with a PIT shock spring and 4 MB crunch proof swivels then I connect the trap to the cable stakes with a 3/16" quick link. I only use 10-11 links of chain total in my whole setup. The short chain keeps them from gaining momentum so they can't pump the trap out of the ground or get a running start and possibly get away, also the short chain setup makes for a smaller catch circle which in turn makes it easier to reset that spot.
 
Have you tried the stake pullers to get you're stakes out with, I have one I bought from FNT and haven't had a problem getting one out yet but I also carry about 260#'s of leverage to help me with the stubborn ones.
 
For stakes I use fox hollow finned super stakes with chain. I attach 1/8" cable to the back and use that and a modified hay hook to pull the stakes when needed. I think those things would pin a grizzly down they hold so good, but I can pull them no trouble when the time comes. Lot easier than rebar for me.


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