Rat Stakes..

[maule]

Getting ready for spring rats here. Would like to stock up on stakes. Too many beaver here so willows not an option.

Planning to boat it down river and want compact, lightweight and at least 8' long stakes.

Would like some ideas. Found a plastic tree support that has a metal core but is lightweight that I like but too expensive and not available locally.

Need to be able to carry at least a hundred at one time in a canoe with the same # of traps.

Steven, what is it that you are using that I could see in the picture on your sled?

Thanks,,

[trappnman]

most guys around here, are getting them either from here, or from a guys that buy them there for resale.

I beleive you can buy custom sizes, but could be wrong on that

www.geotekinc.com/Products/Sunguard.php

click on the price link on right hand side of page- $1.79 for 3/8" in 5' lengths

the wire clips shown are what many are going to to fasten traps to the poles

a note about willow- we always cut them in mid summer, when dried out no appeal to beaver

[bblwi]

You can get 3/4 inch thick by 7ft bamboo for about $70 per hundred and they do hold coons and even otter. Shipping adds to the cost. If you want 8 foot minimum then an 1 thick is the minimum size for that length and that gets you over $1.00 each maybe $1.25 each plus shipping. I have 200 of the 3/4 inch by 7 foot and duct tape a 21 inch plastic orange surveyor type flag on top so I get an 8.5 foot stake for about 80 cents. I also have 400 1/2 inch by 7 foot for marking and staking rat sets only. They are very light but much weaker than the 3/4 inch. a hundred 3/4 inch by 7 with 100 traps would fit in a canoe and the 100 stakes probably would weigh 40-50 lbs. and not take on water or swell either and are strong and flexible. If you want stronger for width buy 1st cut bamboo and not later cuts. There are less sliver type chutes at the nodes and they are stronger and more flexible and thus don't break very easily. I order mine from large wholesale nursery companies like A. M. Leohnard etc.

Bryce

[maule]

thanks!

[motrapperjohn]

[foxman]

Carlis you ever catch a beaver by incident in one of those setups? If so how did it hold up? Around here we dont have marshes and it never fails to accidently catch a beaver while muskrat trapping.

[motrapperjohn]

You bet, caught several while up north. As long as the water is deep enough he will drown as all he can do is tread water. Can make larger clips for beaver traps also.

[stickbowhntr]

hey Carlis that pic looks like my set-up...works good and THANKS BUDDY !

[thorsmightyhammer]

Maule, htey are 4 foot fiberglass rods.

I've pretty much retired them for winter work and went to a six footer.

[BadDog]

OK, I'm sold, I got some from Carlis in the fall but haven't used them yet. But I do have a couple questions on it... when you are using two traps, can a guy just extend his chains and slide both chains onto the poles above the trap clips instead of under the clips secured with a bait clip? I've thought of extending with a bigger chain that the end link can slide over the top of the pole.

How often, on a two trap pole is one rat in two traps or second trap knocked off by first rat?

And lets open a can of worms??? 1 1/2 Dukes a good bet or are the Bridgers or Victors any better?

[trappnman]

just fyi on my experience- I've used fiberglass poles for about 20 years now as anchor stakes for rat/mink sets.

during that time, I've caught quite a few incidental coon and beaver on the rigs, and can say they do not contain them 100%, so if in an area with coon and beaver and if you use enough of them, you will have some pulled. In that 5% range. Breakage is not a problem.

duke 1.5 is in my mind, a better overall water trap than any other 1.5.

[motrapperjohn]

I just use the dukes as it dont hurt as much as if you loose a 1 1/2 pinch pan. Make sure you back off the pan bolt and file the burr off the dog. If yuo have a good bottom mud not gravel you wont have problems with then pulling out, gravel thats another story.
I like my chain under the trap clips with a bait clip UPSIDE DOWN. Here is why, shorter chain less weight, with the bait clip upside down it acts as a drowner lock, when the rat dives off the clip when caught they instinkavly go straight to the bottom, one loop around the pole and he cant come back up. With the chain above the clip you must allow for the weight of the trap to do the drowning and he will often get back to the top a get in the other trap, or several times I have had then wedge their bodys between the legs of the clips. This would happen often with my traps with the longer chains

[trappnman]

wouldn't you lose coon/beaver with chain on top? since the poles really flex.

[thorsmightyhammer]

Marty, take a long hard look at the new bridger 1.5

I've been a long fan of the 1.5 duke with pinch pans for rats and as much as it pains me to say it I think the 1.5 bridger may be a better trap for rats.

Bigger jaw spread and a heavier trap to put the down faster.

Come with a factory pinch pan but I'd like the pan to be bigger.


I'm gonna buy 15 dozen of them this summer.

I think I can get into them for 10 15 dollars a dozen more than the duke.

[motrapperjohn]

Yes you will loose some with the chain on top, PSB1101 lost a couple.

[Jason Dufresne]

I had my share of doubles, but also my share of one rat in both traps, or one knocked off and empty. Going to run one per stake from now on. I sandwiched mine between the bait holder and trap holder, I like the idea of running them down the rod better...

I used the double posted Sterling pan, with a flat "bump" dog bent down at an angle so it would fire easily, welded a 16d nail through the posts so it would be a free fall flopper style pan, even went so far as to use 4 coil springs only to make setting easier on the hands. Nothing gets out of the Duke Dbl Jaw...

Love this set up...

[thorsmightyhammer]

Jason, how much are the 4 coilspring add ons.

It pains me even more to say this but I put #1 springs on a dozen of my dukes this winter and I may have to go that route too.

Dont anybody tell the beav.

Keep in mind guys all I am ever gonna seriously trap in my 1.5 coils is rats. Well at least in the next 20 years.

[maule]

Ok, thanks for the sound advice guys.

I decided to go the bamboo route this round and ordered 200 of the 7'x 3/4" stakes.

Realized the fiberglass will last longer, more compact, probably drive into the bottom better. Cost was the deciding factor.

With limited populations of rats here and not knowing what the rat trapping future holds decided that I will try the bamboo.

Will give an update after trying the stakes.

Maule

[BadDog]

So I never ran baited sets in my life before on rats aside from a few apples on a couple connibear triggers once, (effect = waterhead rats, never thot such was possible!) I see Carlis is suggesting potatoes???

Apples best bait or are carrots and potatoes just as good?

[motrapperjohn]

Potatos, not me! I likie apples and add lure at times. Parsnips keep their color better under water for under ice trapping. Caught a few rat s with bait on the trigger. Had some guys using potatos and turnips next to me this year, he wasnt having much luck.