I am sorry, I know this is a topic probably asked a lot, but when i search it, I cannot find the right topic post. How in the world do you position these babies to set them by hand? Where do you position them on your knee or do you stand on the jaws and pull up on the bottom of the spring?

If I ever have to set them without a setter, I usually stand them on the ground the way you would have it set in a trail, trench, whatever, hold on the the top of the jaws, and step on the springs pushing them to the ground and putting the safty catch on when done. Then I do the same for the other spring.

Setters are the best way...I've set them by hand but one seems to find unknown strength when his buddy's leg is in a 330

Buy a setter tool it's worth it. I won't mess with them by hand. I also carry a setter tool with me whenever I use or check them from a safety aspect. Think about it, if you can't set it with 2 hands how are you going to get it off your hand with only one if it bites you?

I use setters, and carry a rope, those things are tough, especially with brand new springs.

I always use setters after joining the 330 club

i feel like i'm going to break my hands trying to do it.. The bugger is wearing me out and I've not put one safety latch on it. I had one spring compressed and couldn't get the safety on it and It decompressed again. If there was a camera video taping me, it would easily win in any Funniest home videos contest.

Carrying a setter on the line is unneeded bulk and weight, carry a chunk of rope with a loop on one end, simple, light, and something I have with me anyway.

run a rope thru both eyes of a spring then back again.
stand on rope close to spring eye. pull up on rope where
it comes out of other eye.
then go buy or make a set of setters and keep that rope
within reach at all times

Watch Rick Hemseth do it! It's set in under 5 seconds and sometimes 3 seconds. Only in contest's I have seen this done.

I can set some of the older ones by hand by standing on it and pulling up on the spring to compress it. As far as the new ones go, I guess I'm just a lil too light in the britches to set em by hand!

Okay, just finished.. Trapperman89 I just stood on them to compress them.. But man its a job for me, I'm of smaller testicular fortitude. I'm running 1/8" wire to each of my traps. Is it okay to secure these to a tree by rope?

I just stand the trap upright, bottom jaws on something firm, hold in place with a foot and push down on the spring with both hands (the eye of the spring), hold in place and flip safety into position.

...not normal practice, just when I forget my setting tongs now and again.

Okay, just finished.. Trapperman89 I just stood on them to compress them.. But man its a job for me, I'm of smaller testicular fortitude. I'm running 1/8" wire to each of my traps. Is it okay to secure these to a tree by rope?

I would not use rope. Use chain, cable or at least some heavy wire.

later Longear

Hold the trap upright with your left hand under the bottom side of the spring.Push down on the top side of the spring up by the frame untill you can grab both sides with one hand.Then flip the saftey latch over.

I have never used any type of setter, have been setting them by hand as long as I've been using them. I've got to admit though at 63 I'm thinking about getting some type of setter. Here is how I do it. Bend the spring around the frame so that the spring eyes are pointing up on a little bit of a angle. Now with the spring pointing away from you put the palm of your hand on the spring eye above the frame and just push them together. When you have them close enough together geab the spring eye opposite your strong hand with your strong hand fingers and hold the springs together and set the safety with your other hand.

I've been setting 330's by hand since I was 16, a looooong time ago. I've tried the rope and other setters and always go back to by hand. It just takes practice. Now learning to set Newhouse traps by hand, that takes some serious WORK.

Pretty much what Coongrease is trying to say, but let me go a little further: Trapsetters will just slow you down and they are down right inconvenient on the line. Technique is everything when it comes to hand setting. Strength is also part of it, but I would guess if you're between the ages of 17 to 68 you have plenty enough strength.

Position the trap between your legs. With your right hand clasp the lower spring eyehole. With your left hand push the upper spring eyehole down all the way until it is close enough to the opposing S.E.H. so that the safety dog can swing over and catch. I use the thumbpalm area of my right hand to wrap over the upper springhole for a second which frees up my left hand so that it can grab the safety dog and pull it over. Repeat other side.

The trick is to push the spring eyehole down so that you have leverage on your side. It takes me just 5 to 10 seconds for each side and the trap has released an animal and been reset in under 30 seconds.

Here's a video I made a while back showing how to set conni with a rope.
Hope this helps.

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubbthrea...html#Post881342

I have never set them with a setter or rope always with my hands, I pull them up to my chest and compress the springs, I have set hundreds and never had a issue. To be safe I would suggest a rope as quickest and safest.

Guess it helps to have pretty big hands. I just squeeze the springs one at a time with both hands and then slide my leg along the safety to make it catch.

Thanks for that awesome video demo grod!

get a rope and look up how to set a 330 with rope i use it and its awesome because you have 1 free hand so if your caugh you can get out

How would you get caught setting the springs on a 330?? Maybe smash a finger, but the trap jaws wouldnt be set...


I set all mine by hand before I load them in the snowmachine.

I use a rope 90% of the time if theres a critter in the trap. It can be hard to manuever around a frozen beaver or otter doing it by hand...

use a rope and, as an extra help, use the rope to carry your catch.

you gotta have big hands. I can get the springs started and compress them and have them set in decent time. The guy I trap with says I am retarded and playing with fire, but I learned conibear trapping from my dad and thats the way he does it, so if the old man can do it then I can too

I use rope most of the time and that works well for me...However, I did pick up one trick that works pretty good when I have forgotten, misplaced my rope, or when it is just not convenient to use a rope...Keep in mind when I am using 330s I am usually trapping beaver so beaver chewed stumps are usually around...

On a fresh beaver chewed stump, place the spring eye ring of your 330, if you can picture that...The ring goes over the point, and then you can easily push down the spring with all your weight, if needed and simply hook the safety...The spring stays nicely secured on the point of the beaver chewing without kicking out as it would if just placed on the ground...I'll use this method even when I am removing a beaver from a trap if it is convenient.

Beaverpeeler, I'd like to see a video of you guys setting with your hands. I am getting the picture with your explanation, but I would like to see it done visually.

HaHa thats funny. LOL

rasbo..you never had much of a love life anyway.

I invite anybody that has a video camera to come out on the line with me and videotape it. If you could see how fast and easy it is everybody would do it this way. I have to say that at 19 I bought my first 330 conibears and bought a trap setter to go wtih it. Then this geeky chess playing freshman that had skinny white arms (but knew how to hand set them as I have already described) laughed at me and grabbed one and set one in a few seconds. I threw away the setter after that.

I should mention that the geeky freshman was NewHouse114 on the forum here,

He never lets me forget the time he showed me up on the conibears.

Just how are you setting your traps?Nah never mind.lol

Good video.Basicly do mine the same way.

Put the 330 jaws between your legs. Put the palm of your weak hand on the upper jaw eye, grap the lower spring with your strong hand & compress.
Oh, the new Dukes have a fat section by the jaw rivit. So you have to make the springs meet there at the rivit. Because the spring eyes will not go over.

Maybe next convention I'll do the 330 setting contest. I hope they use the new Dukey's.....

do mine the same way vinke even the wire part lol

i put the bottom of the spring on my knee and push down i have the locks on the bottom so i can lock the spring but it seems to get harder every year as im getting older but what the heck

was using my hands by stepping on the jaws then pulling up the springs, then a rope for a while until i got the setters. everyones got their own method of setting them... i just like the setters just its quicker.

If you have youth on your side, note the previous suggestions, and diddle until you catch on to it.

However, if you are anticipating setting a bunch of those stout springs by hand, there are options that are more prudent. If you want to bypass the training challenges to accomplish that, there are alternatives. Unless you want to prove that you are a bullheaded tough dude by trade.

There are methods and techniques available to keep your cold tired wrists, hands and fingers out of being trapped between those heavy jaws while setting by "hand."

To avoid the frustration of that in the fumble while in training, and to conserve your energy to be the most efficient on your line as possible, take a detour to consider the options afforded in this post/thread that I drafted for a reason a couple of years ago:

Conibear/Body Grip Trap Setting Methods

Jonathan

I use a rope, you guys are nuts. I've done it, and almost done it. It really sucks once you figure out that the safety is almost on but you just know you can't seal the deal. Rope is quick enough for me, just don't loop it wrong on some brands or it'll slip through the gap in the eye. Loop it the other way or weld the loop closed.

Going this week for an MRI. Will probably be my third rotator cuff surgery. I'm 63. I have set 330's by hand, but the rope is much easier. I've used a setter too. Had to paint my setter with day glow orange so I could find it when I had to walk back to the trap where I last used it.

Caught my dog by the neck in a 220 bucket set once. Glad I had the setter with me. She came out alright. Saved my marriage.

put one side on solid object compress and put the saftey latch on they are not hard to set

Translation...work smarter...not harder!

i do not own a rope or setter. all i do is rest a jaw against me and pull on a spring them just close um together and hold the spring loops together with one hand while securing the safety latch. have yet to see on i cant set.

Well in that case Beef, I like to close them with my teeth. But only if I am holding both a cigarette and a can beaver whoop asss!

big twinhd--LOL Ha Ha Ha

lol was that the first and only one you set? jk

Setting a 330 by hand is mostly technique as mentioned.

Works best to put the spring eye against a solid object like a stump, bumper or the rack of the ATV. Push down and try and compress the spring with your weight.

One hand inside squeezing the spring eye's together and one hand out side working the spring. Once compressed flip the safety over and engage with the outside hand.

To be honest I find a new Duke 160 as hard or harder to set then any 330 made.

Learn to set by hand and you will never have to worry about forgetting your setter in the truck.

I set all coni's by hand, Ijust picked up a few Belisle 110's that are harder to set than a 280 or 330. If you can get the 330 off the ground on a log and put one foot inside to hold it steady its pretty easy to get your weight to compress the springs and lock the safety. Im only 135 lbs. but after you set one they are pretty easy. just dont get you jewels in them if you set on your leg. I was watching my buddy do it and he was quick enough to get them out of the way but when he had both thumbs in there it was pretty funny.