wire vs cable for drowners

[T-Bar]

I didn't use any drowners last year, except on a few beaver sets. I plan on using alot more this year for mink, muskrat because of the chance of catching coon.

I have some cable drowners that I made, and I have plenty of wire.

Just wondering what you guys prefer and why?

Also what gauge is adequate for coon?

Thanks!!

[Bogmaster]

Cable,cable,cable.
Tom Olson

[Rob220swift]

He's right, He's right, He's right. Real simple to fabricate and they last, last, last.

[trappnman]

I concur- used cable for the first time last year- and was impressed. My thought was how multiple coon catches would affect them- if they weren't reusable, I didn't want them

They held up just fine, and look almost as good as new (no quite as shiny!)

Regarding wire- use NOTHING smaller than #11 wire. I've used 14 on hundreds of coon- but it just takes afew problems to screw up the system. With #14 wire- you have to have it strung banjo tight- and usually that means bototm stake....otherwise, the coon can get the lock kinked in the cable....and he doesn't go down the wire...worse case is wire breaks and coon/trap gone.

#11 wire will do the job- its just not very reusable.

[raya]

Hi Guys
I use cable on all my water traps it holds up real well. ive got several doz 3/32 but really like the 1/8th for coons it last alot longer than wire. If wire is all i have its 11 ga steel wire or 11 1/2 ga galvanised its some pretty tough stuff. RayA

[thebeav2]

Here's a few drowning systems I use.

thebeav.topcities.com/Drowning%20System.html

I can't remember the fellows name that showed this to me But It works.

I don't have a picture of this slide rod but I will try and explaine It.
This rod Is the same one that Is shown but It has a second washer welded to the side of the rod about 12" from the bank end. Here' s where you place your second stake. There Is no need to go out In deep water to put In a stake. Re bar Is needed since It's alot stiffer then cold roll

What happens Is the animal goes down the slide rod and can't rotate the rod back to the bank since It's staked In two places. It also makes retrivel of your catch alot easier.Just pull the second stake and rotate the rod back to the bank. In most cases you can work deep water with only knee boots.
Ya they are a bit of a pain to get to the trap site but this can be done when your doing your pre seaon work.

Beav

[mattjones298]

steve and gary and tom are right, cable is the best and the rods are great also.

but i will always coon trap with despoable stakes and desposable 14 gauge wire. 11 gauge is better but its a pain on a wire reel and hard on fingers so i dont use it.

the only thing in my boat and truck are t bar stakes a box of desposables that i just hand twist to the wire and a case of 14 gauge wire. i can do what i want where, and can run a coon 2 feet or 20 feet without looking for the right length. it`s just faster for me as i got several people after alot of the coon i am after and need them out of there fast.

i`m a cable man on beaver and otter but do use some 11 gauge wire sometimes.

matt

[Furhandler]

14 ga. wire for me for everything. Mostly because of the reel and uniformity. I go 1 or 2 wires depending on the situation. 1 for sliding, and double for whammy support on snares. Some traps get 1 strand and others get 2 depending on what I'm setting for.

I used to use 16ga., but lost a few critters and solved my problems with #14.

[trappnman]

I too have used 14 gauge many, many times for slides- but on a 3 day check- its not 100% or close to 100%.

if on a 24 hour check, where it doesn't really matter if the coon is sitting on the bank or not- then I'd continue to use 14 gauge as slides.

I continue to use 1 or 2 strands of 14 gauge for tie offs with coon.

[Wright Brothers]

TheBeav, I too saw the rod system that uses two stakes at bank end and want to try it. What kind of drowner lock works good for you and what size hole to slide over 1/2 rebar, this is rebar with ridges correct?

I have enjoyed reading your posts ever since I got online and really like your web pages. Thank you.

[thebeav2]

Thanks Polecat.
Yep the re bar with the ridges.
I don't use this system on beaver. But if I did I would use 1/2" re bar.
But I have found for everything else 3/8ths re bar works good.
I make my own drowning locks. I use 3/4"x 1/16th" flat stock.
I cut them 4" long. Mark them out so your short bend will be about 1 1/4" long. Start out with a 1/2" hole on the short bend. You want the slide to go down the rod with no hang ups. You could go to a 9/16ths hole and you would be Ok. When you make your locks mark all your bends and drill all your holes before cutting each lock to size and making the bends.
I use quick links to fasten my trap chain to the long end of the lock. So what ever you use just drill a hole that will fit your attachment system.
Good luck.

Beav

[Edge]

"I use 3/4"x 1/16th" flat stock. "

It looks much heavier in the pic.I use 10ga cuz its free.

LOVE FREEBIES!

Edge

[Clefus]

Matt ...
can you elaborate on your system a lil more...
I was getting at something close to that on my "slider" post ...
Thanks

[trappnman]

Clefus- matt is basically staking them down with wire attached to the disposible- hes checking every day and if they are alive, so what. No slides-

[Clefus]

Steve...ic...

""i can do what i want where, and can run a coon 2 feet or 20 feet without looking for the right length."".......Matt


I got the impression he was sliding them... with t-bars, disp., and wire.....

A plan will come together.... ;D

[Furhandler]

trappnman said:

I too have used 14 gauge many, many times for slides- but on a 3 day check- its not 100% or close to 100%.

if on a 24 hour check, where it doesn't really matter if the coon is sitting on the bank or not- then I'd continue to use 14 gauge as slides.

I continue to use 1 or 2 strands of 14 gauge for tie offs with coon.

ALL my animals are dead in 12 min. max on slides. Why does 2 days or 3 days make a diff.

[trappnman]

I would say for every 50 coon that go down a 14 gauge wire...1 will be big enough or unlucky enough to get the lock kinked in the cable...

allowing the coon (and/or beaver) to get the lock "locked " about 1/2 way down the wire- resulting in usually pulling the weight to shore or breaking the wire.

3 day checks are legal ONLY if the animals are dead in the trap CB's or drowning...a coon sitting on the bank for 3 days is bad business all around.

[Furhandler]

O.K. now I see why you said that. I don't trap coon, but take Beaver and Otter in #5 Bridgers. I NEVER had one pull up when sufficant weight is used. I've had 2 pull up over my lifetime and that was because there was to much side current and the animal was able to use it to his advantage and leverage himself to shore using the current.

Now with a side current I just overweight the whole deal and it's no longer a problem.