Sizing Up Trap Size

 

Too big, too small, or just right?

By Cary Rideout

Having choices in life is great. Do you want chicken or pork? And what about the all of the ice cream flavors? But, sometimes making a choice can be downright exasperating, like what is the right trap to use? Is there a perfect size trap that is the optimum tool for the species you are pursuing? Questions — as my college instructors said — always lead to more questions.

Every trap choice must perform consistently under all conditions. Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

No one seems to be ever truly satisfied with their choices, and picking the correct steel has troubled fur trappers endlessly. During my first years on the line I often visited the local fur buyer, hoping to pick up a few pointers about trap size. One fellow that I remember was the fox champion of the county and his Fargo’s cab was always stuffed with the cheery reds. He was species specific in his pursuits, with high-number results, despite working long hours at the local manufacturing plant. So, his methods were something that I was mighty curious about. Unfortunately, like many trappers back then he was tight lipped, but I asked the fur buyer if any scrap of wisdom might have slipped out as they talked. The old gentleman could only recall the trapper saying he used the same trap and only one set. Which steel trap? But the fur buyer couldn’t recall, and like most mysteries of my youth, I was no wiser.

To Have and Hopefully Hold

Any selection of steel requires a thorough understanding of what a trap is intended for. Modern iron is divided roughly between restraining or lethal. The popular foot trap is meant to restrain the target in place until you arrive. The width of the jaws should allow sufficient room for the target to step on the pan with enough height to reach up to the tough foot pad. The amount of pressure exerted is the key point of any trap, and as the target gets bigger, more clamping power is required, right? Well, sort of.

Square jaws, jaw height, and round thick or thin jaws, all need consideration before spending any cash on new traps. Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

The correct foot-pounds in a spring has perplexed countless trap designers, and even today, just how tight the trap should close is as baffling as ever. At one time, popular thinking was to have as powerful a spring action as could be forged. The trouble is that overly strong springs in any trap can be hard on the fur and difficult to set, as well. A tool needs to perform well and be operator friendly, not a wrestling match to cock.

Many times I have talked to fur trappers who adhere to the powerful spring notion, feeling a trap that’s tough to set is equally tough to get out of. Hmmm. Maybe, but these days my fingers don’t enjoy opening 40 or 50 powerfully strong traps as much as they once did. In fact, if anything, I find it more comfortable to use tools that I can handle quickly with less sweating.

Along with the spring being powerful enough, the foot-restraining trap requires enough jaw height to get up over the toes and onto the pad point. So, does this mean a high-jaw model is the answer? If it was, we’d all be setting 10-inch wolf traps. That jaw height is a tricky question and one worth studying.

In the past, the prevailing advice was to get high, tall jaws regardless of the target and “handcuff ‘em to the shoulder.” Power and height are certainly needed in modern fur trapping, but they must be in the right proportion to be truly useful. The jaws’ shape has influence on the traps we choose and are worth considering when swapping greenbacks for new iron.

Certain models have fairly square jaws, others more rounded ones, and both are fully capable of taking fur. Jaw shape — either thick or thin — can be a yardstick for what many folks consider a superior quality trap choice. But, what of the bobcat or raccoon trappers with a collection of various steel and a full fur sack at season’s end? Are they wrong for their choice of no real choice? Of course not, so we find ourselves with more questions.

Understanding the power delivery of a modern trap can be helpful with choosing the right size. As the trap pan is lowered, the spring motion varies according to type. A coil-spring trap is driven by the upward motion of the levers, as well as the motion toward each other, forcing the jaws together. The closing force can be increased with additional coils, as well. Modern coil traps are an effective steel choice, with much to recommend them.

Can science assist with making steel choices, or just add more questions? Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

A traditional longspring trap, once fired, powers straight up as the springs release, driving the jaws shut or until the stops are encountered. What’s the difference and how does it affect the power delivery? Asking science might help, but answers there come with all sorts of baffling Newton-sounding terms, not to mention the Greek symbols with more math than my aching head can stand. To be fair, any steel device can only perform if used the way it was intended. Poor, lopsided bedding in stony gravel can quickly cut the chances of even the most efficient trap succeeding.

Sizing Up the Numbers

Getting the facts straight before making a decision is crucial, so perhaps we ought to turn to the manufacturers for sound guidance. All of the trap makers, from the blacksmith’s hammer to today’s modern offerings, have at least some recommendations. Back in the great days of the fur trade, some heavy iron was carried by the beaver men. The trouble was that those traps varied as much as the men who hauled them across North America.

A well-made foothold should have a jaw stop like this model. Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

Hand-forged traps were not standard and often made as each blacksmith saw fit. But, over time the basic sizes were slowly standardized, even more so when Mr. Newhouse hit his stride. The sizes we know today came from trappers out in the rough who laid down the steel, and whose opinions and expertise still have merit today. We find that the recommended trap sizes for certain species have changed very little in the last 200 years. Sure, the metal quality and styles might be different, but a fur hunter from 1790 would recognize a 2020 beaver longspring in a moment.

So, are the manufacturer trap size charts hard and fast, or just general recommendations? Well, a good many trappers, the author included, have turned countless times to see what might work. Do we always follow them to the letter? No, of course not, but that has less to do with the suggestions and more to do with the trapping fraternities’ endless search for the right trap, the right set and the never-fail lure. Again, are we any closer to an answer, or just more confusion?

Squared Power

The modern killer traps revolutionized the trade, making it possible to lay out a whole new range of sets. With the ability to humanely harvest fur and maintain a longer check time, trappers embraced this tool. But, choosing a square trap is about the same as selecting footholds, with many brands and applications available.

Large or small, there is a trap that can do the task — but finding it will be the challenge. Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

One point that I would offer is to use the models with the bend at the corners. These improved models don’t suffer from the annoying habit that the original square model had of having the springs come over the corner. When this happens, triggers and dogs, not to mention fingers, can be caught. I’ve had this happen plenty and turned the air very blue many times!

Now as we all know, not everything fits in a square (pardon the pun) and there are trapping applications where this tool doesn’t effectively work. Can you get away with a smaller model, as in the footholds? Sort of. If the target can be consistently lined up for a behind the ears strike — use it. But, a snapped snout is always a poor performance, so be warned.

In the case of bobcats, for instance, choose the biggest style legal. Yes, smaller squares will work, but cats are so darn unpredictable that I want the maximum opening for those curious felines. Underwater square sizes can be reduced slightly to fit each situation. This is less of a concern, since underwater the strike will quickly render the target unconscious.

Midrange Options

Caught between the big trap vs. small trap argument? Maybe you ought to consider choosing something right down the middle. I’m talking about traps that can be relied on to do many duties acceptably. If you’re looking at killer traps, why not consider the all-around 8×8? It’s surprising that more trappers don’t use this versatile square steel choice. Able to take big beavers if used with a narrowed set, collect any otter that swims, plus bobcats on down to fishers effectively. Add the performance boost of extra strike bars, and it’s a real fur collector. To be honest, I have never found any problems with large beavers not correctly firing the 8×8 killer traps. With the target lined up properly, it’s a clean, lethal strike every time for this midrange choice.

The #1¾ and 8×8 killer traps fill many jobs. Fine choices all around. Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

The same goes for the #1¾ coil spring. This is another one of those tools that too many folks underestimate or just plain ignore. Sure, it is a bit light for a range coyote and plenty big medicine for a farm pond ‘rat. But if up against it, this honest tool will fill many a niche. Add a good shock spring, file a quick firing latch and rather than a solid anchor connection, attach it to a stout drag for big stuff and it will do the job.

Anyone who starts the big gun argument needs to remember the times they snagged a bobcat or coyote in a simple fox set with a #1½. These two in-betweens can be fine additions for a multispecies outfit, and with some alterations to regular setting styles, they are sound choices.

The venerable #2 double longspring can still more than adequately perform on any trapline. Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

Another possible candidate for a mid-range option might be the classic #2 double longspring. With twice the snap of a regular #1½ longspring, a sensible pan and the ability to be slipped in with minimum fuss, this iron ought to be considered. I can’t recall ever losing much with this setup over the seasons — and that includes otters and some big beavers, as well. Before the regulations changed up in this district, fishers, foxes and bobcats made the mistake of messing with a #2 longspring. It gets forgotten in this new century but a quality longspring has two very important features. First, the springs don’t suffer from freeze problems like a coil spring does in frosty conditions. And the second is the fact that those jaws are just high enough to catch most footpads. If the trapping regulations allow it, a #2 longspring can perform, produce and prove this classic design is a wise choice.

Is there any truth to the “bigger is better” notion that we all seem obsessed with these days? At one time, fox trappers up my way used large #3 longspring traps in the winter, and the prevailing advice was to ditch the small irons once the snow set in. On the other hand, I recall being told a new #1 jump (back when jump traps were still on the market) could outperform any #2 longspring. That big or small allegiance ran pretty deep when it came to trap choice years ago.

Many veteran trappers recommended big steel, believing you would experience fewer losses, while others claimed to set the smallest size trap possible so that you could set more. Actually, using the very minimum trap size is a very old idea, going back to the days when trappers had to carry everything for a campaign in on their backs. My grandfather was a lifelong fan of the smaller jump traps and claimed a 1½ jump could hold any fisher he ever encountered on the Crooked Knife Trail. But to be fair, the trapper of generations back used spring-pole or lifting sets, so that needs to be taken into account for any small recommendation on the Black Cats.

Keep It Legal

Just to add a bit of extra spice we have to touch base with the nice folks over at the legislature. We are long past the free-for-all days and our iron choices are now strictly controlled. Regardless of traditions or folklore, please follow the law right to the letter. While nothing beats resurrecting an old trap or honoring our past by setting granddad’s old iron, just be sure it meets today’s regulations. We all need to be good citizens as we pursue our passions. Not all trap regulations are bad, and the good ones need to be applauded. Changing over to a killer trap for some targets is smart — especially if the line is prone to having long check times.

Good, sound trap choices made after careful consideration always yield the best results. Photo credit Lorain Ebbett-Rideout.

If you quizzed a dozen veterans of the trapline about the proper size trap for a furbearer, I’d be surprised if you didn’t get a dozen different answers. Tradition, success and failure all have a powerful influence on what we choose for the targets we pursue. Any trap choice comes down to selecting a tool with enough power, good reliable techniques and putting an irresistible temptation in the target’s path. Do your research, and with a bit of luck, you’ll be pulling fur over the forms.

Mousing Fox Takes a Nose Dive

Related Posts

Leave a Reply