Jaw size?

[rustyg]

When people talk coyote and cat traps #3's are probably the most mentioned size used. If you compare a #2 to a #3 bridger there is only a half inch difference in jaw spread. What advantage could that extra half inch give?

[trappincoyotes39]

Not just .5" but the entire area inside the jaws on the 3 is bigger as well.


With cats and being able to guide them more maybe not be as big a deal at times. But for a coyote/cat trap combo I will take the 3 every time.

[RiverRat]

And then you hear of guys running #5 bridgers with enlarged pans for cats . . .

[sRc]

And 750's

[garman]

or CDR's then posting on a website of 15 lb tx cats with a CDR on there leg,

[trappincoyotes39]

no need for such traps to catch cats!!!!!

[thebeav2]

Unless your Inept at what your doing.

[garman]

Apr 8, 2011 6:54:18 GMT -6 @thebeav2 said:

Unless your Inept at what your doing.

;D

[trappnman]

back to the question-

and I'm NOT a cat trapper in any way-

but I always thought, based on reading forums, that it was hard to control a cats feet, and that a larger jaw spread was better?

and that you wanted a bigger trap if cats was your main concern-

is that wrong? would a good 1.75 be a good cat trap insofar as jaw spread?

and guiding- I know (again "know" from reading) that you can guide cats far more with tight or restrictive guides than yo uever could with coyotes. is that why a smaller trap works fine?

[trappincoyotes39]

Tman I still like a larger trap for cats larger meaning different thing to different people, 2's and 3's are great cat traps. Yes you can guide them alot but do so using their body, feet and noses. They can handle confinement far greater than most coyotes but then again who hasn;t caught some coyotes in heavy guided cat sets?

Efficantcy will be better with a larger trap overall, and snow plays into it as well. But to go from a 5.5-6.5 jaw spread to these large traps like 750's and bridger 5's I see no gain from such. Make the pan the best place to put their paw and most will do so.

[RiverRat]

I am no cat trapper but I can relate to using # 3s for beaver vs # 5s for weight reasons alone. I cant imagine packin many up a mountain, its bad enough in a boat.

[JWarren]

Apr 8, 2011 8:11:39 GMT -6 trappnman said:

is that wrong? would a good 1.75 be a good cat trap insofar as jaw spread?

?

yes

[bob brennan]

call me stupid but could some one tell me what is wrong with useing the large trap such as cdr and the like if offset and laminated I dont believe there would be any more damage than a power house like the mb 650 and why do people use number 3s instead of number 1s? the answer is because the size of the trap increases the number of catches! thus number 5s make it easier than number 3s

[trappincoyotes39]

Sawyer you match the trap to the species. If you think a cdr or bridger 5 is an ideal cat trap so be it knock your self out using them if legal. The question is: Does it show a differance in efficantcy and catch ratio over other traps. I would have to disagree.

[rustyg]

If your wanting a coyote to hit the center of the pan wouldn't a smaller size trap keep the paw from going between the pan and jaws and wouldn't a smaller dirt pattern help guide the foot to the pan?Coyotes paws are not real big compared to the jaw spread of a #3.

[rln]

#5 size traps are for Beaver, Mountain Lions : not for coyote and bobcat, plain irresponsible to even advocate using a #5 for other than beaver or mountain lions.

[trappnman]

where is the line? compare a coyotes foot size, leg width, etc to a #4-

[bob brennan]

39 I dont use them but as you said the question was about efficientcy and catch ratio and that is simple a larger trap covers more square inches thus less chance of a miss. rnations who says a large trap such as a 7.5 inch jaw spread is only for beaver and mountain lion thats just opinion it will only catch the animal one half to three quarters of an inch higher than a number three, do you use them on the front feet of beaver if you do look at the size of their feet also does anyone here have any exsperiance useing any of these traps? I have seen cats caught in them and there was NO visible damage so if you have no exsperience with useing them mabey your opinion is just that!

[trappincoyotes39]

sawyer if you want to believe that then do it! You have more jaw less pan and more chance of the foot not being centered, I like a trap that matches the species and the pan is centered between the jaws.

Sawyer if you think a cdr or 750 is going to not have damage to a cat well then I don;t know what to tell you. Also most of those large traps have a different offset targeted for larger species, but again use what you think you need to.

Overkill is what it is and that is my opinion!!!!!!

[bob brennan]

when guys use those larger traps they use over sized pans and in your opinion 39 why would there be more damage? and the offset is about the same size