pan tension

[trappnman]

I'm a low pan tension guy. In past years, I wanted to take all the coon, fox I could, and as such, ran a fairly low tension-

how low is tuff to say- from past testing I'm going to say my average tension is 2lbs

How stiff can I go, to take coyotes, and perhaps a fox if it happens- but to avoid skunks, possums and most coon, misc misfires?

I know I get traps snapped by smaller critters, but it was a price I was willing to pay for the mixed bag of incidentals

this year though. I'ts going to be coyotes or nothing- and yes, I want the pups cause they have the best fur

Montana traps for the most part.

Any advice? and how does the increase pan tension react to dirt covering?

[braveheart]

I am the minimum of 4 pounds with stiff wire screen.I see rabbits and small grinners on my trap pattern.The rabbits and birds do some dusting on it.I don't get any small fox or pup coyotes tracks just catches.I am all Vic. Montgomery 4's.

[skidway]

Same as the above with all Montanas

[trappnman]

so at 4lbs, you are still getting small coyotes.......

skunks as well?

[braveheart]

Just the bigger skunks and catch all the fox and coyote.Most of the fox are double legged.The off set jaw the smaller skunk get out.

[redsnow]

I understand what you're getting at, but there are 2 different ways of looking at things.

It's been a while since I've weighed a fox, but figure a big red will go, maybe 15 pounds. Split that weight up by 4 feet, and figure it's only got one front foot on the ground. About the same with coon.

But the other way that I look at things, even if coons are worthless, pelt wise. I trap private land, and I won't say that I feel obligated, but you can't stockpile coon! Just say that I normally catch 10 coon from one farm, I can't skip trapping that farm one year and catch 20 coons the next year. Or skip it 2 years and catch 30, the next season. It don't work that way.

First thing you know, mother nature will step in, and cull the numbers, maybe kill them all. Just my opinion, it's best to keep the numbers in check. If I catch it, even if it's a little dink, I'm going to remove it. Honestly, my landowners would get really PO'd if they found out otherwise.

[trappnman]

I understand what you are saying-

but coon numbers here are more like in the 60s than in the 80s and 90s- coon mighty rare. I have farms where consistently during late 80s and 90s, I'd take 20-30 coon in a few weeks. and caught zero there this year, last year, few the year before. and this is over my entire line for the most part- very little pockets here and there and that's just means a few good litters.

So controlling population is moot. I've set very few land sets for coon last 4-5 years not so much because of value (I target them hard most years in water) but because coyote numbers was my goal.

and secondly for me, as the years go by, my new farms are almost entirely coon free- its coyote country

so my reasoning is this- if I am not going to be able to sell most coon, and if I start later to eliminate my early fur to increase my average (this year its going to be how to get most $$$ on coyotes rather than thinking numbers first and that I know is starting later) I don't want any coon, or skunks or possum. If I have to give up my few red fox, so be it. (I got a handful last year and all 1 fox on a farm).

If I knew I could head count my coon green at even 8-10 dollars, I'd trap coon

but knowing my best is going to be $5-6 with all the "junk" thrown out-

[braveheart]

Around here the coon get distemper and get wiped out quite a bit.Then Spring comes the die again then by Fall it looks like nothing happened.I always try to show my face at all my coon area's got a big 4 dollar av. on my coon the best ones.I would rather not catch a fox not many around.I am hoping this is the bottom of the bucket year.

[trappnman]

distemper came through 4 years ago, and the population has never recovered. a double whammy 2 years ago was having 13" of snow in may, with ice covered ground before the snow for most of the spring

so for me, letting coon recover a bit isn't the worst thing.

[redsnow]

It's a fine line! My opinion, with 4# tension, you're going to catch most coon. Should miss the little possums and little skunks. All of the mink.

But the pan tension on a trap isn't like a good rifle trigger. Set it today and it might be 4#, work it back and forth 2 or 3 times, it might be 2.5#, get a little grit or frozen gunk in the workins, who knows what the tension would be?

I don't think there is an easy fix.

[trappnman]

yeah, I know- so many variables go into it- then with screens and/or bigger pans, the difference side to side is significant.

I guess where I am at, is the tension I've been using- and like you say if I had an average of 2-2.5 lbs, a few catches and its less- is catching everything- and that was my goal- but now, its not

[redsnow]

You know those little "ignition wrenches", that come with every set of Sear's tools? I've got 2 of them on a quick link, one for my Victor and B&L traps, one for my Montgomery's, my fox traps. One of them fits my SC's too. They are little cheap tools, if it's not the right size, it only takes a minute with a file to make it work.

With a flat screwdriver and the little wrenches, if I have a trap that, well the pan tension is almost zero. I'll tighten it up a little bit. I know other guys that have nut drivers, and sockets. But the little wrenches will fit in your shirt pocket.

Last evening while I had a little time, I weighed some common items. State certified scales, everything in plastic bottles:

20 oz bottle of pop, 1.44#
Quart of Gatorade, 2.25#
1.25 liter of pop, 3.0#
64 oz orange juice, 4.5#
2 liter pop, 4.7#

I've never really checked any of my traps in the field, but a week into season, it's good to have tools handy, just to keep the dirt out of your face.

[trappnman]

good tip- I got a few of those laying around


I've got one of those testing tools Sullivan came out with, and its "fairly" accurate I think

time to do a little experimentation out in the field with various dirt coverings

[redsnow]

I'm not sure how Hal calibrates his trap tester? I'd say each one is pretty consistent.

Talking about your dirt covering, and it's weight. I guess if a feller would want, you could spread out a paper towel over the trap, sift it over, and then take it someplace and weigh it. I'd guess even with something like sand, just the dirt inside the trap jaws would be less than a half pound. Even with a screen cover it's not going to weigh much.

One way a man could know for sure, the minimum pan tension, is to fill a pop bottle with something like .50 caliber muzzle loader balls. Just put how many pounds in the bottle, that you want. If it'll set on the pan, without firing, you'd know that's the minimum.

Either way, with just a pan bolt for tension, it's going to be impossible to get a batch of traps exactly the same. But you should be able to get them very close.

A half pound one way or the other, wouldn't make much difference.

[RdFx]

Steve and redsnow your discussion brings to mind to what i use to set my traps and keep one at home in trap shed and one in trapping vehicle during trapping season. I filled a 20z bottle with lead pieces till it was three pounds..... this works great and have been using it for at least 20 years.... time flies lol.... that was when i was 50 yrs old....