160s and bottom edge sets.

[thebeav2]

Bk and I have talked a fair amount about BE sets I have no experience with them but I would like give It a shot this winter.
I don't own many 110s In fact i just did search and only found 5. so I have lots of 160s.
So I'm looking for help on how I should use these traps In BEs

Trigger position trap position, stabilizers Etc Etc.

Gary

[CoonDuke]

I don't have any experience with the bottom edge, but taking one spring off to make them into 150s would make them pretty managable.

I don't want to go off topic, but in my opinion a 6X6 coni would work better than a 110 in 80% of the rat runs and dens I come across.

[bnolan]

I'm to pro on the BE but I agree with CoonDuke, take one spring off. Maybe the Sullivan circle triggers would help, just a thought.

CHT

[thebeav2]

Your right coonduke that's why I think the 160 would work for the bottom edge.
I have my own Ideas on the spring thing but will sit on It until we get more feed back.

Gary

[CoonDuke]

If someone handed me a 160 and told me to make a bottom edge, I would probably bend both of the springs up, run a long stick through the spring eyes, and jam the stick horizontally into the bank.

[NattyBumpo]

I would use 220s and make the same sets with the trigger on the bottom shaped like a V.

Why not catch the mink and also any otter that comes up the creek hunting the bottom edge.

[markymark]

Why bother with Sillivans trigger when you can make you own. Go to the hardware store and get a box of the wire hangers for insulation. Form it so it fits the trigger, then drop it about an inch and a half then form the circle. You be leaving way to much of the trap open with the Sullivan circle trigger. Same with the 110 size they are just to tight up to the frame of the trap.

[foxtrapperwoman]

LOL natty, how about 280's, I can get rats in them and if a mink can be caught suitcased in a 330, well... LOL

My biggest problem is finding a spot to use for this for any size trap, and those dang muskrats were being so smart! Maybe I can figure it out this season, but then I might make the rats go extinct!

But if I can set for otters too as a BE, that would be nice. I would like to get my 5. 50.00 each or 150.00 each, doesn't matter to me, otters are just too fun to pass up.

[thebeav2]

We can only get one otter here in WI that is If we draw a tag.

I'm not sure If you need to add anything to the triggers but will keep It In mind.

[jimdrummond]

I use the BE set quite abit on my line. Its a great set that gets even better after things start freezing. The colder the better, this will make the mink spend more time in the water , right wher you want them. You will catch lots of rats in this set, any little bump or stone under water will have mink and rats hugging close as they swim around it. Try this set, the first time you try it, your going to feel that theres no way your going to catch anything on the bottom of a creek next to the bank, you will be surprised.
I have a couple Bottom edge mink set books in stock if someone would like one. I use lathing strips thru the springs of 110s and160s and make sure you wire your traps ABOVE the water, helps you find them if theres a flood. This is a great set for beaver and otter also

[thebeav2]

Jim how do you position your 160s and how do you stabilize them?

Gary

[robertw]

For me the trap ALWAYS goes in upside down with the trigger wires sticking up.

When rat trapping I always use lathe to stake and stabilize the trap with.

Bottom edge sets here in my part of the midwest ONLY work after freeze up, with open water we have to much leaf debris in the water plugging the traps.

[jimdrummond]

If you can get a stake in the creek bottom, put on spring against the bank and stake the trap thru the outer spring, or you can push a stake thru both springs straight into the bank, I've tried putting a stake thru both springs and into the bottom of the creek but sometimes the trap will be unstable doing it that way

[bblwi]

Beav,
I have done a few with 160s.
I use the same wood trap holders with the spikes in them that I use for coon 160s. I put a t stake through the chain ring and jam it in the bank. I use mostly my 160 BMI mags for this as they have the real long trigger arms and go to about 1.5 inches from the bottom of the trap. I set them top up. I don't bother to take off one spring. I just leave the safety hook on one and it works good. This is for rats and mink now, not larger stuff.

Bryce

[BK]

All I can offer here Beav. is fooled with 160's and 220's a little,.........if you set any number of them you are gonna be tough on otter, and you best have your trap hooked down to hold them.

A trap with two springs is gonna go off harder,........and there are no tracks to tell you if you missed one.

[thebeav2]

In my own mind I don't believe the two spring-ed 160 is a issue.
Last year I caught 4 weasels In dry land 160 trail sets so I'm not to worried about the trap not going off under water. Same goes for rat runs and 160s and even 220s. The 220 Is one of my favorite traps In those large rat runs. I have caught 100s of rats In both 160s and 220s under water. And any beaver trapper can tell you about the Incidental rats we take In our 330s.

Do you bottom edge users have more success catching mink and rats In streams with or with out a constant flow? What I'm trying to say Is will a mink or rat use the bottom more In the current or In non current situations?

I'm assuming that ones catch would Increase once the stream Iced over.

[trappnman]

here is something to ponder- those that use a lot of BE sets, state that almost 100%- the caught mink were moving upstream.

[thebeav2]

I would assume that would be true since a animal swimming up stream into the current would have more body control. And any prey species would be holding Into the current (head up stream) so the mink would be approaching from the rear.
I would also assume that a very heavy current would be counter productive since mink are In my opinion weak swimmers.

Gary

[NattyBumpo]

Mink and otter are similar in the way they hunt creeks. Beav is right every fish in a creek is facing upstream waiting for their next meal to come down in the current. So when hunting fish, otter and mink will be moving underwater upstream against the current, attacking fish from behind. Easy pickins.

But when just swimming upstream, they will take the path of least resistance, staying out of the strongest current.

When swimming downstream they like to go with the current this is how they cover so much ground so fast.

[BK]

Like the moth to the flame,.........now we have opened
" Pandora's Box".
I've caught "some" mink in what I thought was a lot of current, but it's not what I look for in a "real good" set.

Perhaps if there might be a rule of thumb it could be the amount of current fish care to fight, or mink care to fight for that matter.

For sure you will have more sprung traps if the current is real strong.