Your first traps were efficient and bedded to perfection I’m sure. The other 99.9% of us wouldn’t advise a beginner to start out by adding something else under a trap. Never said they were impossible or didn’t serve a purpose or couldn’t be bedded. You go ahead and help him out. I’ll stay quiet!
Welcome Guest!
Shock springs yes or no?
- Thread starter Mike81
- Start date
furtaker
Senior Member
And if you'll actually read my posts instead of jumping to conclusions, you'll see that I said that they certainly aren't necessary, but I use them and like them...
mossyoakpro
Senior Member
I don't use them...but I am pondering it with the drags, but I do't know if I need one with the length of chain I run on them. On my staked traps I use a short chain and a mid swivel that really helps with any tangling...I trap where there is a lot of grass on the roads and they can get tangled up pretty bad with without the mid swivel...out of 3 swivels, 1 of them always seems to work even with grass wrapped up in the chain.
Best of luck and keep those questions coming!!!
Best of luck and keep those questions coming!!!
gawildlife
Banned
JMO, but all the trappers with any experience under their belt agree on one main item, swiveling. You can't have to much swiveling but you can definitely have not enough.
gawildlife
Banned
A good all in one spring and swivel is the pawsitrip spring/swivel. Probably the only spring option I haven't used but I have used the non swivel version.
If I ever get round to setting up another batch of traps and willing to go all out ($) those will be on the chestnut ring.
If I ever get round to setting up another batch of traps and willing to go all out ($) those will be on the chestnut ring.
mossyoakpro
Senior Member
I learned the hard way about that when I first started trapping...swivels are cheap insurance!!
CritterCatcher
Senior Member
I wish I could like this more than once. This is good advice.
CritterCatcher
Senior Member
I used to question why so many swivels were needed. The first time you get two swivels all tangled up to where they are bound up, (can you say raccoon?) you'll be glad you put at least three in that chain.
buckpasser
Senior Member
Grassy sod gets to be a dang mess with a coon or possum doesn’t it!
CritterCatcher
Senior Member
It does indeed.
gawildlife
Banned
You could put a set on a clean concrete slab and a dang raccoon will find a way to foul it up. LOL
Once had a tech learn the hard way about coons. He set a caged coon in the back of the truck and closed the topper. When he got to the house he discovered that Mr coon had been able to reach the techs coveralls and proceeded to pull them through a 1×1 mesh into the cage with him.
Once had a tech learn the hard way about coons. He set a caged coon in the back of the truck and closed the topper. When he got to the house he discovered that Mr coon had been able to reach the techs coveralls and proceeded to pull them through a 1×1 mesh into the cage with him.
mossyoakpro
Senior Member
Seen that happen with a coyote...had a tarp over a pen once and the coyote worked through the night to pull the entire tarp into the pen and shred it. I also had one eat a rubber truck bed mat I had down in the floor of the pen to keep the feet good....I now have a wooden floor in my pen so at least I can repair it when they eat it. Never figured a critter could pass a rubber mat through but I seen it with my own 2 eyes! They have stomachs of steel!!
gawildlife
Banned
Never caged a coyote but I doubt I would put anything past them. They're definitely survivors.
mossyoakpro
Senior Member
I live market them to the fox pen guys....I park my pen under a barn now after the tarp incident. I don't really like to handle them but the live market helps pay for my obsession somewhat.
gawildlife
Banned
I looked into that and have taken tips from it on my gear but because I'm dependant on my phone ringing to get the jobs and not longlining or trapping large tracts I never accumulate enough to make it worth the effort of keeping them alive.
I wish I could be a one species, either coyote or beaver, trapper but I take what comes in.
I wish I could be a one species, either coyote or beaver, trapper but I take what comes in.
mossyoakpro
Senior Member
Yeah, it's really not worth it unless you have 3 or more to deliver....I put mine in a covered dog box in my truck and transfer them to a pen that is mounted on a trailer when I get home. I can stuff 4 in my box to make it an easier trip rather than drag my trailer down the road to the buyer....you get some funny looks going down the road with live coyotes that are visible. LOL
gawildlife
Banned
Try dead ones piled up on a hitch hauler on the downtown connector. Not that I would know. LOL
furtaker
Senior Member
Another good tip that I've learned is to trim your spring pins if they are extra long or if you are using a 2 coil trap. A chain link can get caught in it and render the swivels useless. I've had this happen a couple of times and the results are not good.
An extra swivel in the middle of the chain might help with this too.
An extra swivel in the middle of the chain might help with this too.
