How's gopher trapping going?

[Scott W.]

We are dryer than normal for this early in the season, and I'm having one heck of a time with loooong plugs and too many front foot catches in the Gophinators as well as fired traps that I'm sure is just from them being able to trip them from 4"-6" from the pan. I've tried plugging the holes with grass, and without.

Also, any tips on how to lighten the trigger throw on my older Quick Sets in additions to mineral/vegatable oil?

Also bought a dozen Cinch traps to try this year and am not very pleased with them, but I think I was expecting miracles too.

Already catching more grey backs than normal for this time of the year. (in my limited experience)

One of my farmers said it looked like a back hoe was in the hay field. For now just call me Digger.

[trappnman]

love that you call them graybacks for young ones, we do the same.

started noticing graybacks 3-4 weeks ago, by far the earliest I've seen them appear.

its been an odd year. Had a very early start, earliest ever, but the hay grew so quickly the window was short. Had my first chopper cut almost am onth ago, so 2nd cutting will be any day.

The guys that bales started 2 weeks ago, and we have a lot of farms with hay on the ground, or just off.

but as you say, the ground is hard to work in. Its gone from hard, to powder and is far more work- plus, with the hot weather, they just aren't digging much- one needs to wait 4-6 days after hay is off, to have enpough digging to make it worthwhile. and then little stinkin' mounds.....and then its getting too long before one can start.

wil lbe a busy week this week, at least its cooler out.

On the Quick sets, you might need to loosen the nut holding the springs- sometimes that gets too tight, and makes them hard firing. We also spray the trigger, spring connection w/WD-40 every 4 weeks or so.

You can set them slightly hair trigger, and on the stout ones, I do just that.

I don't like the cinch trap either, but know a few guys that do very well with them, and would use no other.

Went back a little to Death clutches- found out that IF the hole is the exact same size as the trap, they are very high %- give them a little slop in the hole, and their effectiveness for me goes way, way down. I also trim the trigger back some, as tight holes can keep the trigger from releasing completely.

also its very important on QS, to make sure the springs can travel open freely- all my anchor arms are bent down 2-3 inches, getting the lever up off the ground.

it amazes me that gophers can plug QS w/o firing them- how is beyond me except for to otight a trigger. I've tried duct tape over the trigger plate, and tried a wire across (aka like 110 for mink) but neither makes one iota of difference

[Scott W.]

I've tried the wire on the QS too. No noticable difference.

What I wish for is a trap with an extra set of jaws about 2 inches further down the hole from the original jaws. It's hard when you catch a grey back by the hind foot or leg and a big old boar by the cheek skin or a front foot in one of Albano's Gophinators. I'm pretty certain many of the fired traps miss because the gopher is pushing so much dirt in front itself that he is nowhere near the jaws. I may try welding some extensions on my QS's to use in certain situations.

Do you think the WD-40 leaves any objectionable odor?

[blackhammer]

I sprayed wd40 on gopher traps many times in my life.Even dipped then in used oil as a kid.I firmly believe it has never costed me a gopher.I'm not a big gopher trapper but have caught a thousand or so a few years.

[trappnman]

there is a new trap made a few miles from my house, that uses 2 jaws, but takes a setter to set, and has a rube goldburg type trigger/adjustment. had a chance ot try some but declined- I don't want to have to use a setter for gopher traps.

I've often dipped gopher traps in oil as well, and as blackhammer says, not only not a problem, but I always see a bump in% for a fw days after doing so. whether this is from the reduced "tension" or the cummlative smell of many gophers that is now 'gone", don't know.

set up a couple of farms yesterday- gophers are slow digging- and the new mounds are look about the same as the old mounds.

but it WAS a beauty of a day!