if your trapping on a logging road i find a nice blue spruce or something of the sort the is very bushing and drag it accross the road and cut out 2 openings only requires a little cutting just to make the hole slightly noticeable and i hang a snare in it so the when the wolf gets to the tree he goes through the openign and gets caught works awesome but make sure you got a deer stop on there as you will probably get anything that is walking that road.

Anone ever tried the Sleepycreek #4 1/2 or #5 Wolf yet???

I was looking at the Sleepy Creek traps today, they look well made and heavy enough to do the job. My wolf trapping this winter is more or less a graduate school for them my only hope is they'll get senile before I do.

Nothing like Wolf trapping to get the boys going. We're putting on a wolf trapping school on Feb 17th which should be a blast.

Personally I use footholds and snares both. #9's & MB750's, snares are 3/32" or 1/8 cable. I also cut a length of #9 wire and crimp my snare loop directly to the cable. Some of my #9 wire is 5' long which enables me to anchor way back and still get a snare where I want it. I use 1/8 thompson locks on both size cable but use a gun checkering file on the locks shoulder. Lock grabs hold better and won't back off. My snares are set high as i want them to catch the wolf right under his chin and lock down quickly. Bait piles catch a lot more then uneducated wolves if done right. I use a lot of snares at a bait site and place some quite aways away. You can take a significant portion of the pack if you have enough snares out. I like blind sets for footholds and use deep snow to my advantage. Wolves can't resist a fresh trail in deep snow. Also use hair from my malamutes balled up and buried with a set in front. Look forward to others comments.

IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Bushman22/filedlock.jpg[/IMG]

I have had problems with my boots slipping off the levers of my #9s so last year I started modifying all my #9s by welding a small peice of steel angle to the ends of the levers and used a small grinder to make serations in the part that is sticking up. My boots stay on the levers much better now. (I know, I have sinned by saying that #9s aren't perfect!) As usual my photography leaves much to be desired.

Bushman says, "I use 1/8 thompson locks on both size cable but use a gun checkering file on the locks shoulder. Lock grabs hold better and won't back off."


The picture showed looks like you are using cam locks? If you are using the thompson locks, how are you modifying them?

Bearbait,

You should try some of the setters for the #9. They are nice. My partner had a [I'madork] of a time setting them with his feet, so he looked at the photo Dean Jr. had posted on the "other" forum and made a set. Gator might have a picture handy. I won't be able to get you a picture until next Monday when I get back off the line. I lost one of the setters, but can set easily by hand now even with one.

Northway, you are right about the setters if you are talking about the all metal ones. the first ones had wooden handles with a piece of metal on one end with a slot in them. they worked good but are no where as safe as the all metal ones.

Now to see if I have figured out how to post here.

God Bless America
Trapper

This is the only pic I have of the setters I use, I'll have to dig them out and take one of just the setters. I actually didn't use them this year, I just set them by hand on a small piece of plywood. VERY carefully I might add! I also have a set of the wooden ones that Trapper refered to, I'll find those and take a pic as well.

Just looks like something else to lose out on the line. I carry a small piece of 3/4" plywood and step on the springs, works so far. I guess if my belly gets to big to bend over I better get rid of the machines and start walking.

I might not have to worry about wolves much longer, government is out on my line right now in choppers gunning down wolves. Supposed to be helping out the caribou.

TrapperJoe - Sorry fingers going fasted then brain , meant cam-locks

Gator Jr, that is them. they work really good for use old folks.

Thanks

God Bless America
Trapper

Gator, Thanks for the picture. I sure like the trap setters. Trapper, they just make setting them safer. I know I've been out setting them with my boots when it was cold and the fingers weren't working that great and then a boot slips......... almost got caught a # of times! I am sure that would leave a mark!

Better clarify something here. I go in under the lose jaw on a #9 to set pan, I like my fingers too much. Can't do that with an MB750 though.

The late Jimmy Walters had a #9 go off accidentally while he was adjusting the pan one time. It caught his thumb with the part just OUT OF the offset section.

Took a chunk right out of his thumb!

Be careful!

Pete

That is one of the reasons I dislike the MB750. You can't reach under the jaws to set making it a trap I don't like to set because of that. I spend a lot of time checking and setting traps in the dark, and I do not like not being able to reach under the jaws to set the MB's

You can go under the jaw of an MB750 to pull the pan down into position. I do it all the time. Just hold it by the center link and put your finger up under the jaw. You can put your finger up under the jaw to push the pan up as well. I know I set the things several hundred times a season. I know you have to push the dog lever down with your thumb kinda inside the jaws but if you push the pan up theres no way it can go off. Several hundred times a season for quit a few years and Ive never had one go off.

I almost had one get me this weekend, i was resetting at a lynx cubby and it wouldn't bed firm, so I pushed down on it rather hard, and wham.... I pushed down on the levers to hard and the pan fell down. I kind of had to take a moment there.

Let me finish this...."I kind of had to take a moment there and clean my shorts out"

I know it's not the same, but I had a 120 go off while I was setting it.....thank God the safeties where still on!

I know. I had a CDR go off in my hands a while back. I just about left a yellow slick in the water,LOL

I just have a [I'madork] of a time with the clean gloves on, etc. setting the MB's as safely as other traps. They are my last wolf trap I set. I set all my #9's, 114's, 4 1/2's, 14's, 48's before the MB's. I am going to bring some out with me this weekend and set. I don't think I have given them enough of a try to see how they work. I never liked how much tension the pan has on them either. JMO. I guess when something doesn't work as well for me as other things, I tend to push it to the side.