Pick Joel's brain about cats&shingles....

[Corey]

Hello Friends....I've been a memeber of these online trapping forums for quite awhile, there is alot of BS on the forums, but also a ton of good information. Joel is one of the few people that when he post's I pay attention, I read and reread every one of his post's, thank you Joel for the information you have given over the years, it has helped me, and countless others i'm sure

I was just hoping to start a post about the use of shingles, or exposed traps for cats, I think it could be a valuable post to a cat trapper, and if it turns out like I think it will it should be archived.

I messed around last year for 3 weeks with exposed traps for cats during an very bad stretch of weather we had, I was amazed at how it worked for me. This year I plan on using this type of set even more, in bad weather and in good weather. Bristleback sent me up a shingle cutter (thanks bristleback your a good friend) and i've got some shingles cut ready to go.

I've heard people mention different pan cover type's...shingles, stick-on sanding disk's, just the pan, etc....

I know the best way to utilize this type of pan system is to make a walkthrough type set, and to make the pan the best and only place a cat wants to put his foot.

Anyone who has any questions, or anyone who has any experience with this type of setup I would encourage them to post here, ask questions, or elaborate on what makes this system click.

Thanks again Joel for the information that you have given up over the years, its often easy to read and use the information, and then to forget to say thankyou.

Anyway thanks everyone for the tips, and feel free to chime in with questions, and suggestions.
Corey Hain

[coyote]

I agree with much of what you've said, Corey! (I'd only differ by saying there's more than just a few folks I pay attention to, but CERTAINLY Joel is among them!)

please describe the shingle cutter...a pic would be great!

Thanks.

[Corey]

I'll try to get a pic of it this weekend at home, its just a piece of pipe the diameter of what you want the shingle to be, then bevel the edge so it will cut...wack it with the hammer and you have your pan cover.
On the ammount of people that I pay attention to, I don't want any one to take what I said out of context, i'm not very well versed in writing...and sometime's what I type doesn't come out the way I wanted it to. I will say this, this forum has about a 98% paying attention factor for me...some of the other forums have about a 40% paying attention factor...there is a bunch of great information on all the forums, sometime's a guy just has to sift through the BS to find it, if that makes any sense??

[coyote]

I knew what you meant, Corey. and I agree that THIS forum has a much higher percentage of "Listen up, Boy!"-type trappers than the other main one (I think 40 percent over there is VERY generous).

Good decription on the cutter...don't need a photo now, unless you just want to post it.

Thanks.

[Bristleback]

That shingle cutter is pattented..sp? Rare, extremely complicated to make, use, ect....just another brain fart idea.....LOL Bristleback

[Corey]

You have alot of wonderful "brain fart" idea's Bristleback, your a very innovative person whom i'm proud to call a friend.
Did you ever get my email on the Louisiana (sp) guy?? I think my email is broke, havn't seen a new email for about 24 hours now.
Come hell or high water i'm going to get a few cat traps out today or tommorow, I might be changing diapers in between sets, but i'll get a few out...LOL

[thebeav2]

Joel and I have emalied each other a few times on things pertaining cat trapping
I catch a few cats on beaver dams (hot location) but all ways had problems with trap placement. The walk through thing and the shingle on the pan system worked very well. Thanks Joel.

Gary

[Wright Brothers]

Don't trap cats but sure do like reading about it. I have done roofing, in warm weather I use a hook blade to cut, in cold I use red handled, offset, aviation snips. Can cut circles counter clockwise real easy. Yes it will dull them, I buy Wiss or Blue Point brand from Snap On and when dull he replaces them. I'll have to try that shingle pan, in the "right" location.
Edit to say that Craftsman "Sears" will also replace them if you scare the plastic handles.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

I'm actually getting away from using the shingles altogether. A friend of mine that catches about 80 cats a year told me he quit using them and just went to bare pans and didn't notice any difference in catch rate.

Texas Wolfer, Sam Donaldson made some 3.5 inch round pans for me this fall. I brazed them on the existing pans of my longspring traps.

I painted some flat brown and spray painted some and threw some sand on it then let it dry, after it was dry I dipped in hot wax to seal the sand. Looks just like a roof shingle but is permanent. My only complaint is that it has a wet look to it. I fixed that by just throwing a little dry dust on the pan. The granular texture holds it on there and makes it look dry.

The bigger coil spring traps are OK with the bigger pan but the smaller ones I still use a shingle. The fact that the coils fire under the pan is the difference between them and the longsprings.

We had snow followed by freezing rain last week and I just set back with bare pans. I have plenty of confidence in the sets.

Steve Wood and I had a long discussion about this the other day.

If you think about yourself walking through a rockpile or crossing a creek on exposed rocks how small of a rock will you use to put your foot on?

We've all used rocks the size of our fist or smaller when necessary. Why wouldn't a cat?

Heck I saw a cat track disappear that was walking right up a road in the snow in a sandy wash once.

I had to really look but he had gotten right up on a razor thin line of exposed sand that couldn't have been 1/2 inch wide and walked for 30 yards until he could jump out of the snow.

I've seen them walk on precipices that would scare me to death.

Stands to reason that a little old trap pan would be duck soup if it was someplace he wanted to go.

Anyway I've about typed enough but I caught two coyotes last week on bare pans so that goes to show that a good set will catch if constructed right.

BTW thanks for the kind words in the previous posts. That always makes a guy feel good.

Joel

[rk660]

I made some too that will just tack weld on, got a place I can get lazer cut for under a buck each. Learned about this from Joel too a 3-4 years back and use more and more every year. Blind set on trail/choke point with visual attractors and/or lure is my favorite, especially at intersection and squeaker used. I caught 3 cats off one location last year w/ blind sets only. I'll return favor to you with a snaggen rod Joel.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

I'm looking forward to catching a paddlefish Rich!!

Joel

[lynxcat]

Here are 2 pic's of my tile cutter...HEAVY piece of tool stock on top..and a VERY LARGE hammer.. ONE pic...cant pull up the other..
lynx

[rk660]

You guys need an arbor press and throw those hammers away! Makes my arm hurt just looking at that.

[lynxcat]

Now MR Kasper...just HOW do you think I got these 10" biceps....NOT with an arbor press
lynx

[musher]

Is the idea to make the pan (kill area) bigger so that the cat has a greater chance of stepping on it?

Are we talking roof tiles (asphalt shingles?). How do you fasten the shingle to the pan?

Thanks.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

That is the idea although as I said before I'm starting to even discard the idea that you need a bigger target. Cats are quite capable of balancing on things as small as a trap pan.

If you think about proportionality a trap pan would be the equivalent 2 feet in diameter for you. How many times have jumped on rocks smaller than that to cross a stream.

Tell you the truth paper clips work about the best I've found for attaching them. Just sift a little dirt or duff on top to camo the clips and you are good to go.

Joel

[rk660]

"Never do with your back what you can do easyer with your brain"

Richard Kaspar 12/12/2005

WANTED: beaver trapping partner, size 10 arms, size 14 neck and size 4 hat


;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[lynxcat]

[billcat]

You guys are all nuts. Bury your traps about three feet deep on top of good scent and make them work to get caught.

[bobwendt]

and if ever in western ks tighten down the pans to 50 lb. minimum