My $.02 on duke traps

[RiverRat]

I been noticing alot of duke bashing, why I dont know, I posted this on another site but thought Yall should see it as well.
I own close to 20 dz different sizes an kinds of duke traps, most brands I do own are other kinds thats how the cards fell but when I buy new stuff it is manily dukes. Yes they dont take a dye very good the first yr but if there are used much at all they will dye great the 2nd the pan bolts do suck but it dont take much to replace them. Yes some of the chain set ups are not the best but either are alot of the other brands, Your buying a trap not the chain. I do not believe that you can buy for any price a finer 1.5 or 1.75. I believe the new bodygrippers now have 4 way triggers. Their old style in my opinion wasnt the best but unlike some companys Duke trap company is one company that is willing to listen to its customers and now they do have a great line up. Although I havent used it their new #5 dbl is a fine lookin peice of steel, i just perfer the coils in larger traps.

[CoonDuke]

I pretty much agree with everything you said.

[Craig Todaro]

[bobwendt]

the only dukes I have examined were their padded trap line. they were garbage and essentially would need re-building from the chain on up to be even remotely servicable. I had several dozen of the #3 and #1 - 1/2 given to me free in an attemp to have me "push" them in my videos and dvd`s. I sent them back and said I coyuldn`t do so and sleep at night. the duke body grippers and steel jawed traps I have no knowledge of but hard to imagine they could be much better than the ones I do have knowledge of. one thing dukes are is cheap. make a good wallmart item. from china too so would fit right in with the rest of the wallmart line. bmy take is the small savings on dukes is false economy and one of the most expensive mistakes a trapper could make as the lost fur and opportunitys add up down the road. the trap is our most basic tool and it should be the best quality item we own if we are serious , with-in reason. the pricey 30 dollar traps wouldn`t make sense in hio theft areas either, butr there are good middle of the road cost wise traps available, for very little extra money but a whole lot more medicine.

[ColdSteel]

Iam not a duke basher I have never used any of there legholds only the conibears had a bad deal as far as weakness in springs and breaking at the rivets.The last time I got some 330's there was a 30 dollar differnce in a dozen BMI and a dozen Dukes.Are the BMI's worth $2.50 cents a trap more than the Dukes plus BMI being a bigger trap I think so but thats just my opinion

[mike692]

Let's see, moderately priced foreign or overpriced American.....not a tough decision for me.
I've used both Duke 1.5's and Victor 1.5's and I'll take the Dukes every time. I sold ALL of my Victors years ago in favor of Dukes. Both 1.5's and 1.75's.
They both need work. New chains are automatic, and all the regular stuff that a new trap needs. The question is do I want to do that to a 55 a dozen trap or an 80 a dozen trap, when the 55 a dozen trap is just as good if not better?
By the way, Dukes are made in Korea, not China.

[dj88ryr]

If I had to buy new coil springs or long springs they would be Duke. They are more than good enough to use, and in my opinion way way better than say an overpriced Victor.
We are in a global economy whether some of you dinosaurs want to be or not. I would bet you guys that bad mouth Wal-Mart and other big box stores, that over 1/2 of the items in your house are made some where else, or that some other country is responsible, American made is going the way of the Dodo thanks to labor unions.

[trappnman]

bar none- the Duke 1.5 is the best all around water trap I've found. Excellent for rats and mink, that goes without saying- but by far the best 1.5 for Coon as far as sheer holding ability. I don't even set a victor for coon anymore- why use an inferior trap?

Not used all the 1.75s out there- but the Duke 1.75 is very strong, long lasting springs, and I caught well over 1000 coyotes in them, and never had a trap break.

I like and use their 330s ands 110s- have a few #5s I like, and use a couple of doz #0 that, in a way, I help design and tested as a gopher, weasel trap.

If you are trapping coon- I repeat, you simply cannot get a better trap for the purpose than a Duke 1.5.

[mike692]

And DJ, you forgot to mention that a very large portion of American fur is bought by Asian countries. ;D

If you are trapping coon- I repeat, you simply cannot get a better trap for the purpose than a Duke 1.5.

No doubt about it. Anyone who says otherwise, is in denial, or hasn't used them. ;D

[trappnman]

I always like how someone won't use foreign made Dukes- THEY use Bridgers....

[17HMR]

I think that the duke 1 1/2s are the best 1 1/2s out there at any price, I have had no trouble with them includeing chains up to this point, strong springs and has held a lot of 25 lb + coon with just toes. I have vics that the springs went south after just a couple of years and more empty traps than I could stand.

[SteveCraig]

But..........
Will they pass the coon BMP ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[dj88ryr]

stevecraig said:

But..........
Will they pass the coon BMP ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Oh man....you are an instigator... ;D ;D ;D

[walkercoonhunter(Aaron L.)]

well i guess i must like the dukes also because i just bought 8 dzn 1.75's and another dzn #4's....but my other post on the 330's wasnt a bashing thread just a thread to find out a answer on why they went to the different size of conibear...i like duke traps and dont think you can find a better trap for the money....i own probually total of 14-15 dzn duke traps now so i guess you could say im a duke fan...

[17HMR]

I have never had a trap co listen to the end users the way duke does, their equipment will just get better each year, where it takes 20 years for vics to have a change for a flaw in their trap.

[raya]

Well said Riverat
lot a folks like diff brands duke's affordable and yaa they take a while to rust up( couldnt have anything to do with the quality a metal there maid from) and yaa the old models left alot to be desired sometimes but like RR said they llisten to folks and make a better product. Prob should a just stuck to the well said RR LOL RayA

once modifyed ya cant tell them apart anyway LOL

[Maineman]

I own somewhere around 15 dozen duke 1.5"s...My 2 cents has Duke traps right at the top of my list for fox, coons, rats and smaller type furbearers...With that said, I do modify EVERY (Duke) trap that I own and have no complaints about catching or holding game...If I was to complain about the 1.5 it would be on the lower quality chain, but for the smaller stuff it's fine...

What I can not speak to is how the larger type traps hold up on larger game...Most of my #2's and larger are Bridger's, with a couple dozen Montana's thrown in...What I do see is this...Most of the big game trappers DO NOT use Dukes...

That tells me something...

[trappnman]

1) read eleswhere where some...dufus...takes exception to the fact the Duke 1.75 is as strong a 1.75 as there is. To come up with his comment, only says something about HIS experience or lack thereof

2) that old thing about the pan getting caught in the levers- please.

3) the fact that "big game trappers" don't use Dukes...well, can't say if thats true- but if it is true, its because most "big game trappers" don't TRY Dukes. (I strongly suspect as many coyotes are caught in Dukes, nationwide, as any brand of trap).

Is it my favorite coyote trap? No- but I'd take a Duke 1.75 over a Bridger #2. And a Montana #3 over both.

4) bottom line- Dukes a good affordable trap- and certainly leads the market in 1.5 and 1.75 buying.

5) No, they did not pass the setup bmps- did any?
4) Is it the best trap out there? No- but its a darn sight better than the other mass produced traps out there.

[BrandonH]

"What I can not speak to is how the larger type traps hold up on larger game...Most of my #2's and larger are Bridger's, with a couple dozen Montana's thrown in...What I do see is this...Most of the big game trappers DO NOT use Dukes...

That tells me something... "
I think a lot of this is do to the fact that Duke never had a comparable product to a Bridger #3 (which is the workhorse of nearly all "big game" trappers). Duke's new #4 looks to be the answer. I have not tested the trap yet, but I like the looks of it. This is just another example of Bill and TA listening to trapper feedback and creating a better product. I am anxious to try this trap out.

[fishadict]

I was previously a fan of the 1.75. I tried the 1.5 this year on Steve's advice. I replaced the pan bolt and the J hook at the trap frame. They performed perfectly for me this year. I'll have more before next fall. And, when talking with Bill this last summer, he asked me to call him and give him my thoughts. You don't hear that very often any more.

fa