Well ya didnt think I could go without saying something. Just my nature I guess. I have all sorts of cages, Yancy style, home mades, and of course alot of Schroeders. There will always be debate over what works the best, and what doesnt.
I always look at it as what will I get as a return on my investment. And how it works in my particular climate. Schroeder cages are well built and take the day in day out abuse of getting thrown in and out of a truck. Fall off four wheelers, accidently slide off slick rock rims. So, for the price and the craftsmanship involved I choose the Schroeders. I like the Yancy style cage, but in my area with deep and blowing snow, hard frost, and constant freeze thaw conditions that style doesnt work well for ME.
I guess one could say any cage that holds a cat, is a good cat cage. But there is a couple of things we deal with in CO. Cages freeze down just like traps. And we have to move them just like guys using traps do. Not saying anything about anyones cages,but..... A frameless cage froze down WILL NOT take the abuse of getting it up as a cage that has 1/4 bar frames. I will argue that forever, and will prove it to you. Trigger systems dont matter to me as long as they work, EVERYTIME. Direction of what way the pan hinges doesnt matter to me, I can make it work. Although I prefer mine now to be hinged from the back.
Swing door versus guillotine style door. Each has a use on my traplines. Swing door I use alot of when close to the roads. A door sitting horizontal is harder for the human eye to pick up versus a guillotine style door sticking straight up. But in deep snow a swing door will push snow, wheres as a guillotine style will cut through. Just food for thought.
