[mhodnettjr]

I had a coyote pull out of a #2 victor coilspring last night. Now im not sure about victor traps, these are the only ones that i have. the #2 seems like a pretty strong trap. so i dont think it was a trap problem, but rather a trapper problem. I have 2 swivels on the set up and only about 9 inches of chain. i think that on this particular set up...and in the winter especially i need to add one more swivel mid way in the chain. it seems that after the coyote was there for a while he packed the snow around the bottom swivel so much that it was made in-operable. the other thing that tells me that there was some swivel failure is the way that the trap was sitting there. the jaws were not closed tightly together, but bound up like something twisted out.

I know that no one likes to admit that they have made some mistakes. but I thought i would share my experience so that it might help someone else. so far i have learned a few big lessons this winter.

1. You CAN catch coyotes in the winter and with snow on the ground.

2. Make sure that your swivels are working, and i would say in addition to the swivels at the top and bottom of the chain...put one more
midway. ( i heard Mallard suggest this the other day)

3. this applies to all year...make sure to use proper staking methods. i know there are several, but a single rerod stake even if its quite long will not hold every coyote.

for every yote that has made me look silly in my first year of trapping, they have also taught me a lesson that i will share...and use myself to become a better trapper.

TRAPPER mike

 

[buckshot-0]

I Had A Yote Pull Out Of Victor #2 Also.there Was A Big Fight Ring Where He Was Laid Up For A While. My Traps Wre The Square Jaw And I Don't Think They Have Enough Leverage On The Jaws To Hold All That Well. I Picked Up Some Bridger #3's And Now I Haven' Seen So Much As A Track.

 

[mhodnettjr]

although i think that the #3 are much better for winter time trapping, there is no reason that a properly set up #2 wont do the job. there are guys that catch them on 1.5 traps. i do however think that if i did have one of my #3 traps out there that it would have been a different story.


mike

 

[David G Duncan]

Trapper Mike,

I have used Victor #2 (square jawed) coilspring traps for years to trap fox. But because of their jaw design, for some reason they do not work that well on a big coyote. Therefore, I don't intentionally set them for coyote any more, even thou I have several dozen, with good strong springs. My Victor #3 coilsprings, with rounded jaws are the only trap I set in the winter time to target coyote up here in snow country.

Thanks for sharing your lessons learned with us, it will definitely help all of us review our methods for trapping coyotes.

Continued Good Luck on your trapline!

 

[uptracker]

So do you guys think that round jaws are better for all-around coyote and fox trapping?

 

[frostbite]

Round jaw traps hold alot better because the spring levers ride up higher on the trap jaws, which alows for stronger holding power. Personally I do not like sguare jaw traps at all on coyote for that reason. Nothing more discouraging than working your tail off, connecting and not having the critter.

Most of my traps are Montgomery 1.5 round jaws. The are base plated with two swivels and double stake anchors and they hold coyotes. These are not the perfect coyote trap because of the relatively small kill area. I do have some Brigers, Dukes and Vicktors from1.65 up to #3'sBut I sure like useing the Monties. I also learned to double stake all my traps after a diapointing loss earlier this year.

 

[David G Duncan]

It is good to hear that more trappers are converting to a double stake system for anchoring their traps.

Losing an aminal and trap staked with only a single stake is a tough lesson to learn, but it definitely brings home the fact that we absolutely must use double stakes or a cable anchor to eliminate this serious problem.

Please continue to communicate the importance of properly anchoring our land traps!

 

[wild bill]

well thanks to joe r i started using cable stakes and so far i love them. for the canines i just use a longer cable with the lighter soil i have.

 

[uptracker]

Does Bridger even make a #2 round jaw?