330"s If I had to do it over again

[thebeav2]

I was doing the trigger thing before Dobbins , It's not anything new.
I replaced most of my stock triggers with the type you can put some tension on. This In It's self will cut down on snapped 330s.
Granted a magnum type trap will close tighter but will that cut down on snapped traps?
I still feel strongly about trapper error.
debris build up on non tensioned type triggers will get you a bunch of snapped traps. Once the trap snaps most If not all the debris Is gone so It's hard to tell what actually happened.
I still feel that If a otter or a beaver commits to any type 330 and springs the trap it's going to be there and a magnum type trap over a conventional trap won't make that much of a difference.

[ColdSteel]

The trigger system was new to me.I can't argue with you on the tension style triggers I only have a dozen.To each his own but I still feel like if I brush my set in and a beaver or otter comes through I will see some disturbance.You putting all that tension on the triggers and having all those live otter its a miracle you never lost one because just about all my friends have had a few otter pull out over the years.Have you every had a otter by the hips or tail sure you have if some were live and you can't see a tail or hip caught otter pulling out of a regular 330 as strong as they are and especially if they get on land I sure can

[shagnasty]

i have very few fired traps, i use stock duke/bridger 330s, no trigger adjustments, etc. i use super strong traps, when they get weak i lose them. i think a lot of hip caught otter are actually caught mid section but in real weak traps and they pull down until it locks on their hips. i get very few poor catches now that i use all strong traps. i have never had a severe problem with trigger travel. beav is right about trapper error. if the animal enters the trap, it will be there. i really dont buy into animals getting out of 330s unless by a wild chance the tail or foot is hooked and it gets out that way, no body caught animal is getting out. trappers are quick to blame everything but their own methods.

[rk660]

I know the old square jawed victor 330's will lose quite a few beaver when they start to get weak. Ive watched 3 beaver in my life wiggle right out of them. Lots of them had about a 2-3" gap when sprung shut. I got rid of all that weak springed stuff years ago. I dont see on new bridgers w/ strong springs that a guy will many, except an odd hind foot or other funky catch here and there.

[ColdSteel]

Rick I agree with the weak trap was the cause of a lot of problems.Talk about gap look at a sleepy creek 330.I have been setting 330's for over 30 years and I can honestly say I lost 6 animals in 330's ,3 I know were otter but considering how much trapping I done and how many I cocked that isn't bad I lived and learned using weak traps.Also 2 of my friends who put up good numbers have lost animals also so it can happen.As for snapped traps I still blame muskrats for the majority of it.Shag you trapped with me one question when you and were up the river blocking creeks and catching good numbers of fur(the year we got plucked) how many snapped traps do you remember us having?Also remember how many muskrats we caught in 330's that week 0 so I rest my case on that issue rats do and will throw 330's after all some even get caught and a complete closure trap may or may not add to the pile but I will try a dozen just to see which I already know it helps just by talking to some other experienced trappers

[robertw]

ColdSteel,
It is pretty amazing seeing those rats and mink caught by the tail in those Belisles!

I think when you skin a few of those tail caught rats and mink you will find that more than a few of them were actually killed by the 330s jaws striking the skull of the animal a glancing blow.

BTW, I have even caught and held a cotton mouth in one of these Belisles (set in shallow water with the trigger on the bottom) about 12" from the end of his tail! Don't think he wasn't striking at everything that moved!

[ColdSteel]

Do you feel the complete closure trap will put more fur in the floor.Right now so far seems I am the only one on this forum having muskrats firing 330's

[robertw]

No, your not the only one having rats firing your 330s.

Yes these traps will put more fur in your truck, but....Some of these traps will also give you a little more damage than you have experiencing as well.

[BrandonH]

I have seen some minor damage w/ the Belisle's, but have not seen where it has been downgraded at auction or furbuyer. The Robert W's cottonmouth deal is disturbing for this northern boy who traps down in the deep South!
BH

[ColdSteel]

A reminder Brandon cottonmouths are very aggresive this time of year.As with any trap I will try a dozen and see how I like them

[thebeav2]

I have also caught rats In 330s and I'm sure that some of my traps were set off by rats. If rat is hit just right It will be In a regular 330. I think most rats get through without getting hit and that goes for the magnums or the regular 330s. I have caught more rats In my undersized Dukes. Not a true 10x10 with the smaller jaw spread the rat has less chance of getting through before a jaw closes on It. I don't think It has nothing to with how tight the jaws close. I have to think back on all the weasels I have caught In my 160 Dukes that are set for coon In trails When something hits a small fragile animal It will kill It no matter how much space Is between the jaws when closed. I wore a 330 regular jaw type 330 on my thumb and It sure the heck left a mark.

I use to own 10 or so doz belise 160s. I can't explain this but I had more live body caught coon In those traps then i did In any other trap. And the results of leg caught coon were very disturbing.

[ColdSteel]

Beav says"I still feel strongly about trapper error"Now with this post you say you feel like you had traps fired by rats or was those fired traps trapper error ;D.The main reason I don't feel like I have a problem with my setting style is I mostly get these fired traps on creek runs that produce ratsand as I stated if the set is undisturbed I lean toward a muskrat just like my above example having 3 traps on a stream first 2 fired and 3rd one has a rat swimming from upstream I don't think those 2 fired traps were trapper error I am gonna blame the muskrat rather than put it on myself .D.Now will the complete closure kill the rats that are missing the traps and firing them ?I will have to form that opinion this season

[thebeav2]

Everybody out there gets sloppy at times and It will at times cause snapped traps It happens LOL I think most rats are out of the kill zone by time the trap closes.
I also think that some beaver will try no matter how much guiding you use climb or try and swim over that 330.
Debris and heavy current and poor triggers will get you snapped traps. Also in the south you have to deal with lots of turtles, I've caught quite a few but how many get through with out getting caught?

How tight the jaws close will not correct these problems. Sure It might catch more turtles and rats but your still going to have snapped traps.
Belisle 330s= $239.00 a doz and that doesn't Include shipping. Victors are even more expensive.

My good old Dukes only cost me $160.00 a doz And when i bought from the dealer at our convention they were even cheaper then advertised price.
I'm cheap I really don't care how tight the jaws close.

[ColdSteel]

F& T trading Post have 330 dukes fo 139 a dozen.You may be right on the complete closure trap.I just went by what 2 other trappers told me.I am hard heades so I will see for myself ;D

[CoonDuke]

Duke makes a 330 magnum.

www.duketraps.com/4body/0431profile700.jpg

[shagnasty]

i catch rats in 330s, and i have snapped traps like everyone else, what i meant was it is not enough of a problem for me to re-tool with traps that have no gap in closure. i have no way of knowing how many get through the trap without firing it.

[thebeav2]

That's what I said lol

[thorsmightyhammer]

No you are not the only one Tony.

I catch 50 60 rats a year in beaver traps. Probably should be a 100.

The Belisles are good trap but give severe leather burns to most beaver and actually plucks or rubs a tremendous amount of fur from beaver.

Why I dont own belisles any more.

The fur damage in the spring was unacceptable.

[ColdSteel]

Steven thnaks for the info and I have read enough of your post on here so I trust your judgement guess I will just make do .I only have problems in certain areas and was gonna try a few but if you are seeing damage I'll just stay with what I got

[thorsmightyhammer]

Tony fur damage in the spring is a problem with any conibear. Just seemed to be more so with the belisle's and other magnum style trap.

I have belisle 220 and 160's. I dont know if they are worth the extra or not.

The last fisher I caught last year was a 14-15 pound male that was hit right behind the head on the neck. He put up one he@@ of a fight. I was hoping maybe belisle's would cure that problem albeit fisher are tough.


Surely the will put more fur in the box ala foot and tail catches.

But for me personally I'd as soon as those get away because I aint checking my traps mostly for 72 hours and I dont want to deal with the hassle's of a live animal.

Whats helped me to catch more rats is to make sure the trigger has little travel and I usually bend the trigger out so to "lead" the trap so to say.

I also find less troubles with my bridger 330's. They have a nine inch spread vs ten.