wbg
Demoman...
Posts: 182
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Post by wbg on Apr 23, 2012 7:45:18 GMT -6
I have always bought used foot holds for Mink- rats and prefer the old style victor pinch pans but they are getting pretty hard to find. So I got a new Duke and a new Bridger to look at. Despite all the good I hear about the duke I don't really like the shape of the jaws and thought they fit rather sloppily also not crazy about the spot welding of the cross member. However the trap does lay nice and flat. At first look the Bridger leaves the duke in the dust, it's a much heaver trap and I really like the dog- pan set up, although I think the pan itself is a little small and too far from the loose jaw. The trap does not sit flat either and the springs and loose jaw stick up quite a bit. And finally, when the jaws are closed their is quite a gap between them, which does not seem readily fixable. Is anybody running a number of these Bridgers for mink and if so, how did you remedy these problems?
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Post by calvin on Apr 23, 2012 11:38:59 GMT -6
For just rats and mink, I/d get the Bridgers. The current models have issues holding coon, however...and why I sold mine off. The upgraded models will hopefully be available this year from MN trapline prods. I/m hoping anyhow. My bet is that Caven's will fix the coon holding issue.
I bought some Duke 1.5s halfheartedly a few years ago for a high theft area. They hold coon better than any 1.5 Ive ever owned. I replaced every 1.5 coil with the Duke 1.5 because of this. If your running this trap for just mink/rats its well worth the price and time to install a pinch pan on to the trap (IMO). I was skeptical of the pinch pans when it came to coon but my catch rate actually went up with the pinch pans. I had a friend trap coon with them as well and he experienced the same...not sure why.
Many trappers judge traps by their looks. I/ve been fooled too many times to let that be the judge of what gets tossed into the back of the truck.
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Post by trappincoyotes39 on Apr 23, 2012 17:56:43 GMT -6
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Post by blackhammer on Apr 23, 2012 21:09:07 GMT -6
New out of the box I thought they were an adequate coon trap.Not the coon trap the Duke is but really not as bad as I had heard.
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Post by wheelers on Apr 24, 2012 10:51:11 GMT -6
The new ones should be here by the FTA convention.
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Post by coalminer on Apr 28, 2012 9:23:57 GMT -6
Alot of people waiting to see those new Bridger 1.5 traps.
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Post by stickbowhntr on Apr 29, 2012 8:32:55 GMT -6
Alot of people waiting to see those new Bridger 1.5 traps. Are they the ones we been waiting like 2 years to see? |
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Post by trappnman on May 4, 2012 7:43:09 GMT -6
I agree with Calvin-
They hold coon better than any 1.5 Ive ever owned. I replaced every 1.5 coil with the Duke 1.5 because of this.
I've got longliners, specials, Sc, victor, and a couple of odd balls- and all those, are regulated to rat/mink traps, never for coon.
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Post by thorsmightyhammer on May 5, 2012 11:35:26 GMT -6
For water I like the 1.5 duke over all others.
I'm gonna get ten dozen more again this summer. After i outfit them with pinch pans they are ready to go for my use.
That will make 35 dozen new ones for me in the last 3 years. I think i'll have enough.....
But maybe not the last ten got powdercoated and I'll probaly sell some next year that arent powder coated and get new ones and poweder coat em.
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Post by packerfan on May 5, 2012 12:24:47 GMT -6
Duke.
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