During my short stint here, and in cyberspace, I have observed much ink dropped with quills pointed at and to the "best" leghold trap sizes to use in specificity for target animals - especially the larger ones in the group to include, say - raccoon, fox and coyote in particular.

As a trained observer, I have noted egos, entrenched opinions, wild guesses, and "experience" trip all over themselves to the point of a street fight, or bar brawl with the vehemence from each in the spellings - all of which is to be expected from what I can tell that happens here, often.

My point value in relation to all of this, strained and filtered, is how can anyone advance the trap size, or flavor of it (brand), as being absolute?

Trap "size" is relative in this dimension of thought as we know it. Yes, I have caught a red fox by accident in a #1 Victor longspring set for a woodchuck (not even knowing if that was a strong enough trap to hold a woodchuck, let alone a fox as a kid;) and, have even caught the biggest otter I have ever owned in a Victor #1-1/2 longspring set on a muskrat feeder.

My search at the moment has been for inquiry into a coyote trap that would fit my needs for the first time being around them this coming season, using coil springs of choice. Got that part figured out, not to include any of the ultra "mods" advanced by suggestion from here on the strength of whatever predispostions I have noted for doing that. From my extensive inventory of Victor Pro #1.75's and # 2's, along with a compliment of Bridger #2's, my "mods" will include only an extra swivel, possibly a spot weld on the jaw tips, and a Top Dog dog replacement beyond "stock" to hold the largest coyote envisioned to capture one.

With all of that in preface, is anyone aware of any real applied science that has diagnosed trap "holding" power by measuring each size trap in it's capacity of strength in say terms of "psi" or equivalent of holding power per any tap size?

Just curious if the dimension of this known has had any measure, scientifically. Does anyone know?

Jonathan

Great post TexA. Tom

Tex,

I totally agree! As a research scientist, in a former incarnation, I was only fishing for a correlation coefficient that may exist somewhere to correct my spelling out of shear curiosity.

Jonathan

Jonathan:

They don't have it listed in the newest BMP brochure, but I did find what I think you are looking for in a previous edition of the same brochure.

http://www.fishwildlife.org/pdfs/CoyoteBMP.pdf

thank you canvasback

trying to judge "holding power" solely on force exerted (psi) is just silly.

example: you have 2 traps which exert the exact same amount of force, and the same jaw spread. 1 is a low lever with regular jaws and the other is a high lever with offset jaws. think there's going to be a difference?

the force exerted is only part of the equation. over all design will also play a big part in a traps ability to "hold onto" an animal.

now that i have muddied the water a bit more, i shall take my leave.

The US BMP people hired their Canadian counterparts to perform mechanical functional tests on many traps in the late 90's. Evidently they did not find it worth the effort to try to explain what the numbers ment so the data was not included in the released BMP's.

Ditto on what crobarr stated. As an ex-science guy, let me state...there are way too many variables in this equation to form a constant that will have any significant meaning.

It's much more than psi holding etc. It is a relationship of several factors, with leverage,torque,surface area,friction and kinetic momentum of the critter pulling that all are big factors in what will hold what.

Now...with all that being stated...what it all comes down to is a solid hold. Where the animal is gripped is also very critical. if a "bump" prevents pulling out it will hold much better than a smooth area. For instance...a deer hoof/foot versus a nice foot hold on a yote.

Canvasback,

Thank you for that link. That represents real science!

Over the years of trap development, regulation and the influence of animal advocates, I figured some agency, or regulatory authority had to have measured this parameter for recorded "proof." And, they really did.

Jonathan