Softcatch replacement pads

[ColdSteel]

I am hearing some stuff about the new softcatch as well as replacement pads being to hard is there any truth to this.I am just getting ready to order 4 dozen and I have heard several peopel say the wide cast jaws on the MB550 are just as foot friendly as the softcatch.They sure would be a heck of a lot less maintenance plus thye are a well built trap.I understand it was tested in georgia for live marketing and did great .Anyone else know anything about the 550?

[bobwendt]

any steel trap won`t make it on live market, and I`ve tried them all, or similar enough to see the strip of skin rot off 3-5 days after capture. I just received 100 new softacatch pads and re-did my #3 victors. the pads were the same as always, unless there is a new pad and I got old stock or somerthing. it never ceases to amaze me guys that accept 20-50% unsalable, or catch small numbers, too small to be serious judges , pontificate on the live market. or guys that sell out the back of the truck daily and have no clue what the foot looks like a week later. I`d be curious to know who the tester was. if it is who I think it is, Isaw a pic of his cage system, he might could have held 4 head maybe. cold, who is telling you this stuff and what are his ( their) credentials in the live biz?

[Bob Jameson]

I agree with BW. Steel will not compete with a soft catch system. Laminated or not. I have used them all over the years.If unloading daily and releasing into a pen system the pen owner will eventually get on to that deal pretty quick. Too many dog caught animals and gimpy ones in his pen. Many pen owners are going to snared only animals due to those trying to pawn off laminated trap caught animals.

[ColdSteel]

Thanks for the info men my only problems is my greys and reds still outnumber my yotes. I have some 11/2 and gonna get some 3's and try to guess where my biggest threat of coyotes are on my line.The 11/2 soft catch is a good live market fox trap but not for yotes I did manage to hold a few coyotes in the 11/2 but I am not gonna lie I did have 3 pullouts and several snapped traps .

[bobwendt]

it`s like anything else, a few spoil it for all by peddling daily , steel caught animals before pressure necrosis shows.

[bobwendt]

you`ll be amazed how good the #3s treat you if you #1 keep them very weak, even burn the springs if you need to, and #2, time in the trap is very critical. time in the trap may be more important than all other factors added togather.

[rk660]

Ever see that thick black electrical tape for wrapping large dia electric wire? its kinda tacky and sticks to itself, almost melts together. wonder if jaws on wide laminated trap could be wrapped up with that for added cushion? Its half tough stuff, probibly last a couple catches and re-wrap in field. That or use for wrapping half damaged soft catch pad that is getting loose. Just an idea for you live catchers.

[bobwendt]

a fellow here in indiana uses that, I don`t think exclusivly, but similar to as you described. brian mullins. I`ve seen his coyotes, excellent feet.

[rk660]

I bought some coyote pee from Brian, excellent stuff too, as he was trained by the master I do believe.

[bobwendt]

we`ve a few good trappers and really nice guys to boot here in indiana. brian is one of them. he`s an electrician supreme too. did a bunch of work for me on my front end loader and tree spade when I was having electrical and valve body problems. it was all greek to me but he had it figured out in no time. he runs kinda low profile and under the radar in trapping circles, but he knows his stuff for sure. he raises sheep, so you know he likes coyotes......

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

I want to get a dozen rubber jawed traps.

My use is purely political as I have places where I might catch a hunting dog.

They would be released by the hunter quickly.

My thought is that if they saw the rubber jaws they wouldn't get as emotional about the experience.

Now the question is how long will it take for a cat foot to swell up because of the tourniquet effect?

And who makes a softcatch other than victor? Anything in a #2 size coil?

Joel

[Bob Jameson]

My suggestion would be to get a dozen of #2 Bridger offsets and buy the add on soft grip kits from Karlis Stevens from Sudden Valley trap supplies out of Missouri. They are very good kits and the rubbers are supple as they need to be and work good on cats and coyotes. I have them on my #2 and #3 bridgers. We have lots of dogs in the areas I work and they have helped me get by without loosing any ground literally.

[bobwendt]

there is no more tournicuet effect with rubber than steel. once blood supply is squeezed off, it`s off. and it is squeezed the same from 2 sides as with more sides. kind of like being 1/2 pregnant. it`s all time in the trap ,and spring power. you 4 coil a rubber and it`s as bad or worse than steel in a very short time, hrs, or less even . joel, victor makes a 1 and 1/2 softy also but it would be just too small for cats.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

Bob J. how hard are the kits to install? I like Bridger #2's.

Bob W. I've only caught a coyote or two in soft catch traps in the wash below my old house. I'd have the coyote, or dog, out pretty quickly.

I've had guys tell me the softies make a swollen foot but if not what the hey I'll just not worry about it.

I rarely see much swelling in my cats but I run a wide offset maybe 1/4 inch or so with lams usually.

I don't see much swelling or damage on the regular jaws w/o lams unless it is a machine edge jaw. The 3n's and Monty round jaws treat them pretty good with stock jaws.

Joel

[bobwendt]

the swelling is in direct proportion to time in trap. killed at the site, often a foot looks fine. put that animal in a cage to skin later or collect pee,sell alive, whatever, and as stef would say- "ho man"- what an education a guy gets real fast on feet and traps/time etc.

[mostinterestingmanintheworld]

My thoughts on the swelling were that same dogowner saw a cat with a swelled up foot it may negate the good will I was trying to create by using one in the first place.

Joel

[Bob Jameson]

Joel, the kits arent too bad to install. The first couple take a bit of figuring out how to hold and line up the steel straps that hold the pads. But once that is done it goes quite smoothely.I used a pair of small vice grips that worked well for me. I have several dozen now and I really like them because I prefer the jaw configuration of the bridger personally for cats and coyotes. Changing pads are easy. I run a hot ice pick throught the rubbers once they are aligned with the retaining steel straps then rebolt. I havent had to change any pads yet as they seem to be guarded better then the victor system. But in time you will need some maintenance, thats just the way it is.

[Billy Y]

FWIW, the MB650 has a rubber jaw version. Never used them though so don't know how they perform.

[ricardo]

I think a good trap would be a offset softcatch with maybe a 3/16 offset I know victor is making one but it just looks like the jaws are bent outward in the middle ,some of mine do that anyways after they take a little beating by a coyote, what do yall think about this?

[trappnman]

you can use softcatches all you want- but please don't continue to say how damaged dogs are in reg jawed traps, because that simply isn't true.

72 hiur checks, freezing weather- sure.

but on 24 hour and no nfrezzing weather- all of my collared colytes were posted upon death- nonew had any sign of foot damage...

morei mportantly, I've trapped some farmers dog 3-4 times over the years- and NEVER have I seen any outward sign, neve past day one have I ever seen even a limp- indeed, most times, the farmer doesn't have a clue the dog was caught.

and I see these same dogs weeks, months, years after.

now- if its some microspcopic injury- then so what? they do the same in everyday life- as do we all.

I won't debate live catch, but I sure will debate the thoguht that reg jawed traps damage dogs on a 24 hour check in any numbers at all.

ps- all but ONE of our otter had zero damage w/xrays, actual vet exam. that one was hind foot caught, and bit her foot.