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Post by bnolan on Jan 21, 2005 20:03:01 GMT -6
Well since I got some great input on footholds for muskrats, now I need your opinions for beaver. I got some #4 Sleepy Creek long springs that I think are a great trap. But now I want a few larger coil springs to use. The MB 750, CDR, or the Bridger #5? I heard that the MB 750's are dangerous to set, the CDR's hard to set when out in deeper water and that you need the setters which often seem to fall in the water and get lost , and for what I hear, these are the reasons alot of guys go with the Bridgers. Any sugggestions?
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Post by Edge on Jan 21, 2005 21:32:55 GMT -6
CDR's.
drill a hole in the setters and wear them around your neck.
BUT,since they have a PIT pan,you can preset them and toss em in you rbag(leave the pan high),when you get a beaver,just swap the full trap with the empty one and keep going.This is why I use quick links on my CDR's.
When you do need to set one in the bog,put one of the setters between your thighs,and pull on the other setter,set and go.
Edge
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Post by coonwhacker on Jan 21, 2005 22:12:22 GMT -6
I owned an MB750 once. sold it becaus they are not legal here in PA. Never tried a CDR but I live those #4 sleepy creek coilsprings. I have caught most of my beaver on them.
mike
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Post by Edge on Jan 22, 2005 10:45:17 GMT -6
CHT,
In the event that you *do* buy some CDRS,when setting the pit pan,hold the chain under the trap.
NOT THE SPRING WIRE!!!
Holding the lever on a 1.75 is no biggy when it goes off;the same is not true with the CDR.Its hurts real bad for a very long time and you cant get it off by yourself.
I have caught thousands of bevaer in the #4 vic,real good trap,but if you dont have jaw restrictions,you are handicapping yourself with that lkittle jawspread.
Edge
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Post by trappnman on Jan 22, 2005 10:48:05 GMT -6
I don't trap a lot of beaver- but Buzz sent me a bunch of #4 double longsprings- and I have to say I cannot see much wrong with them. Misses are usually my fault, not the beavers.
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Post by Edge on Jan 22, 2005 11:48:50 GMT -6
**Misses are usually my fault, not the beavers. **
If you were to run beaver up here,in the spring,and often in the fall,you would be fighting daily water level changes of a foot-plus...........making a front foot set a back foot set;it is there a #4 jaw will kill you.I have caught a chitload of beaver in #2 DLS,but it aint a beaver trap. Rapidly changing water and condition levels,while not *my* fault,cannot be attributed to the beaver,either,but I feel reasonably confident that the beaver will not try harder to GET caught,so I gotta try harder to CATCH him;thus,the need for the massive jawed,toe grabbin CDR..........never an empty sprung trap.Well,not YET anyway.
FWIW,I take a LOT of my sujmmer foothold beaver in #3 yotre traps.......they need washin anyway..........
Edge
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Post by trappnman on Jan 22, 2005 11:50:49 GMT -6
what a crazy land you live in... here water levels are pretty constant...just another perk of living in God's country....
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Post by Edge on Jan 22, 2005 11:55:13 GMT -6
**what a crazy land you live in... **
Yeah......but after June,it will only be a part time home as I will be homesteading a nice big chunk of the high desert.............and I have heard there are MANY coyotes........and no frost.....only a couple snakes........and I dont own any flip-flops anyway.......
Edge
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Post by 25-06shooter on Jan 22, 2005 13:08:22 GMT -6
I love the Bridger #5 coil. Most of my beaver traps are Duke #3's. For a front foot catch they are fine and I have held them by the back foot, but not enough to matter. One of these days I will be replacing them. For me, the MB750 is too hard to set to be worth it. I don't have any experience with the CDR. If I had my choice between the MB and the Bridger I would definately go with the Bridger coil. I can set them anywhere with no setters.....and I don't have to have extra traps to trade them out Nate
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Post by yota on Jan 22, 2005 14:21:19 GMT -6
Fur trapping and ADC trapping are two different worlds...........I would probally have not got rid of my #4's if I hadnt got into adc work.........I love them traps , and w/ a front foot set..........they work great.
I tried the mb 750's and did not like the way the levers bent when ya set hard and fast from the very edge of the lever. I went to CDR's.........havent looked back since.
I do not own a pair of setters for them as I have lost two pair and have learned how to be w/ out.
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Post by Edge on Jan 22, 2005 15:21:32 GMT -6
**and have learned how to be w/ out.**
Share,Buzzy.......how do you set them without the setters??
I have tried several times,but once all the "slack" is out and you engage all 4 coils,they dont move much for me.
Edge
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Post by yota on Jan 22, 2005 15:33:42 GMT -6
It takes three hands..........lol !
One being a knee, and a hard surface....depres the springs w/ your two hands and use one of your knees to open the jaws and apply pressure so you can let go of f the springs and finish settin the trap.
You have to have a hard surface to do this but hey, ya gotta have taht w/ the setters also........
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Post by Edge on Jan 22, 2005 15:39:36 GMT -6
Yeah,I sorta meant standing up..........with just your hands.Good trick to know tho.
You can use the setters standing up by putting one of them between your thigh and just cranking the other one over;Carl showed me that at the FTA show.
BUT,if the setter was to SLIP....you best hope the trap flips "away" instead of "to".
One thing I will add on the CDR's is that under NO circumstances are they a kids trap;no way.I have some number 4 DLS set up with center locators that the kids use,with one hand on each spring while beddingthe trap,the worst they can get is a wet face.
Edge
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Post by yota on Jan 22, 2005 16:08:13 GMT -6
No offense Edge........setting a CDR standing up is a dumb proposition .........you will get hurt eventually!!
As you said, these are not toy traps , if anything gets in them , they will NOT pull out !!
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Post by Edge on Jan 22, 2005 18:47:09 GMT -6
Yep,it is dumb,thats why I preset mine and leave the pan up........I was thinkin like in an emergency.......
Edge
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Post by musher on Jan 23, 2005 5:50:35 GMT -6
You guys set your traps lying down?!!!! Just kidding. You do have to pay attention when you're playing with them. As long as I have my feet I figure I'll be able to get out. They are especially fun to set when you're on one of those skinny, muddy dams with water on both sides. The trap presses into the mud as you're setting and the beaver sticks poke your butt and waders. I love those CDR's. Like Edge, I've never had an empty sprung trap. This year I had a weld come undone on one. I wired the pan system to the frame, set, and got a beaver on the next check. I dislike the #4 victor immensely. I'd be embarrased to say what my % of misses was with them. Of course it was probably trapper incompetence causing the misses but I don't care whose fault it is - I want a beaver in every trap set on the first check. With regards to front foot vs. back foot I prefer back foot. Did anyone ever notice if their incidental otter catch went up when they targeted back foot for beaver? Around here incidental otter are a very good thing!$$
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Post by trappnman on Jan 23, 2005 6:41:48 GMT -6
I dislike the #4 victor immensely. I'd be embarrased to say what my % of misses was with them. Of course it was probably trapper incompetence causing the misses
Operator error
I'm not going to say for a minute that they are the best- but they ARE a good tool.
I don't have a lot of beaver her- only got 9 this season- 1 in a 330- the rest in #4. Had 1 snapped trap.
Had that beaver the next day.
I can live with those %. Remember I WAS using $3 dls- Buzz felt sorry for me and gave me the #4s.
You guys act like beaver are smart or somethin'-
make a castor mound, make a ridge, set the trap, skin your beaver...geeezzzz
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Post by Clefus on Jan 23, 2005 21:59:59 GMT -6
I didnt really think that the MB750's were that bad to set off the knee..?? I havent tried any CDR's yet.... The MB's I use Ive modified to 6.5" for PA. I got a bunch on a super deal and made em work for PA They have that great jaw width like the old dbl undersprings...
Hey Phil B.....Have ya tried that MB you bought at VTA last year??... just curious....
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Post by thefoxtrapper on Jan 24, 2005 9:51:01 GMT -6
I have quite a few beaver legholds, around 2 dozen total, some #4 dbls, a few #5 dbls, and some #14 jumps, everyone knows the #14s have teeth, all the others I use on beaver have nail spikes welded under the jaws, when they lock on the beavers foot, they drive in all the way and dont let go, all my traps have PIT pan systems on them, so I re-set them all before leaving my barn, speeds the process up, if teeth were illegal here, then I would go CDR or #5s all the way, wouldnt even mess with the little stuff, but that is just my style....Winston
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Post by Edge on Jan 24, 2005 17:04:51 GMT -6
**I didnt really think that the MB750's were that bad to set off the knee..??**
Me Kneether.Sorry.
Off the knee the MB,Bridger #3,#5CS 4 coiled,Bridger#5LS,Duke #5 LS...they are all pretty easy,but that CDR is a different sort of deal........
My complaint with the 750 is the mechanism itself;no friend of mud,muck,etc.*That* is why I dont like it.
On the other side,my uncle RAVES about the 750.......never had a miss...blah,blah,blah......but he is old and getting a bit dotty.
No,seriously,he is great;just funnin!
Edge
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