Going to try a few mod's on my 2001-5 marten traps
A swivel/quick connect, new stay in place safeties and a modified trigger.








Going to set a few out as soon as the weather warms up.

Jim, those circle triggers are nice, but I really like the pitchfork style on the 2001-5. What about them don't you like ? My son said he had two marten stabbed through and through with them earlier this winter. Those safeties will be a huge improvement. Where did you get them? Just my opinion but those traps are so expensive they shouldn't need any mods!!

On one of my lines I have a good number of fisher and seem to get a lot of refusals with the bigger size males, so want to try something different with the circle triggers. Guy Sauvageau makes both the safeties and the swivel/quick connect. Just playing with the new safeties today they seem like a great new design. I personally am not a fan of the Belisle style safeties, I always have trouble getting them out of the way.
Going to give them a good testing and see what I can learn.

No other trap made has as much steel in them as the Sauvageau brand of traps. I guess it is all about what you want in a trap. For me they are what I like, I don't mind paying a little extra for the quality of them.

I made a couple different sizes for the round trigger.

I am thinking that what I think I know now, may not be what I know after field testing them.

http://pages.citenet.net/users/ctmx1010/web-content/PAGE1englishCADRE.html

I did have a few triggers that needed repair so I fixed up a dozen traps with the round triggers. I know that some animals will do all kinds of things to avoid the wire triggers so my theory is that they may go into the round trigger more willingly, plus I am hoping to avoid both weasels and squirrels with the round trigger? Time will tell.
Jim

Yea I think you will like them. I see you are making your own so you can play around with the size. The Sullivan circle trigger is identical to yours and it seems to force critters into the centre of the trap. Keep us posted on your findings.

I think "little extra" is an understatement!!
mt

Most of my marten traps are roughly 20 plus years old and have more than paid for themselves. Don't think I have ever had a bend jaw and very rare to have a broken trigger. Had to fish threw a pile to find triggers to change out and ended up changing a few good ones for the test.
If money is the issue hard to trade quality over time in the long haul.
IF weight and or trap thief is an issue that would be a consideration, but for me quality out weighs the price.

I only wish I had your luck. I've had more welds break on the Sauvegeau 2001-5 than any other trap by a long ways. Especially in the last couple years.

Have had a couple do that but could count on one hand out of roughly a hundred plus traps.

Still way further ahead them other brands that I have used, have a dozen 220 size rotating jaw traps of another brand that will not close properly been fighting with them for years, found out this year they have a recall on them, they were bend wrong right from the factory.

Bought a few dozen 160 Belisle this year they come with a one year warranty now? That set off a couple of red flags for me.

https://postimg.org/image/8clf1jxm5/

Not sure about the warranty on the Belisle traps. I've been using them to some extent since they came on the scene and haven't had a serious problem yet. Certainly haven't seen one break. Only problem that comes to mind is I've had a few 330 jaws bend a bit with beaver/ wolverine, but they are pretty easy to straighten. I would guess they are the most popular trap in NA now. Going to give the LDLs a try. Boco has sure had good luck with them. I do know the 2001-5 is more likely to cause fur damage than any trap I have used.

How long is the warranty on Sauvageau traps? I could send in at least 2-dozen broken 2001-5s!

I would think that you have done something to the Sauvageau traps that caused this issue but would rather not speculate, one man junk is another man treasure. Every time I have had a question or concern I am luck to know Guy Sauvageau.

For sure every trap maker on the planet has issues with the quality of the steel they buy, which causes headaches long after the traps are bought and used.
I don't have any issues with fur damage on marten and fisher so can not relate.

For sure Robert loves his LDL traps and I respect that. Very similar to the Victor brand of traps. They are made within 50 miles of his house. I know trappers like them because they are almost a clone of the old 120 victor traps and fit nicely into their boxes.

As for Belisle they make an OK trap but have had in the past many quality control issues, broken springs and faulty triggers being some of the most prevalent problems. I do like how Belisle has eliminated the nut on the trigger system. I give them full credit for including a swivel with each trap

In all honesty Dave we are luck to have as many choices as we do. I know for a fact that the margin on traps is very thin, if you have a trap that works for you, I for one am happy.

Yea Jim I agree, and have written articles about the excellent traps on the market today. Thats one thing I will credit the AIHST with. I don't agree with some of their methods of testing or think that all the traps they recommend are the best choice ( think wolves) but the agreement did force manufacturers to make a better trap. I just got some new prototype traps the other day to test. They are already certified, but the manufacturer made some changes that I think will be a huge improvement over the older version. I sent some to Alberta for a guy to test on fisher, and Im going to test them on marten this winter. As for my 2001-5s I just used them as I got them...no mods at all.

I agree with you that price shouldn't be an issue when buying new traps. The way I look at it is the traps are paid for with the first 1 or 2 catches then they are nothing but profit from there. An investment is the proper word. My yearly lynx snare order gets paid off with the first lynx then I have 199 free snares.

So far really liking the new style safeties, being able to lock in place them after trap is set the ability to easily slide them out of the way is a nice bonus. I think I am going to change over all my old safeties to the new style.

How easy are they to change?I would use them on LDL 330's.

It's in french but you will get the theme of it, the key is the small piece of metal to hold spring closed while you change out the old safety for the new one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tb0RSqfmmM

Looks like a quick and easy fix for my LDL safeties. I run mostly bel isle and other than the odd broken trigger and a few bent jaws I have never had a problem. I really like Belisle safeties I should mention. I don’t own any Savageu so I can’t comment.

I always found it kind of funny how everyone likes the Belisle safeties, they drive me crazy because you can not easily slide them out of the way. The concept is good the execution not so good. I grew up using Victor and BMI traps so never thought twice about the regular hook safeties. One thing is for certain with the new 3rd generation rotating jaw traps we all use now, using the safeties is a must.

I also don't care for the belisle safety hooks on marten traps for the reason you said.But on a 330 tee pee set or on superstands for beaver we used to leave a little tail of wire to hook the safeties so they wouldn't catch a jaw-The stay in place safeties of the belisle is a time saver-always an important aspect of trapping and fur handling.I would like to try the sauvageau safeties on my ldl 330's if they stay in place like your picture shows.
I don't use the jaw safety devices when setting as I have trained myself to handle all traps like a gun.(all body parts out of line with the barrel)
Only one exception is when making a tee-pee set,because you have to set the trap with the spring safetys disengaged.

Its like Ford and GMC, some guys still like Fords even when a GM is obviously superior. lol

For marten the belisle is the best trap in my experience. Sauvageau is like using a 10 gauge on a ruffled grouse. I've never had a marten tear with a belisle but have had Sauv. rip martens in deep frozen conditions.

In truth trap mods for martens are just personal preferences don't you think? Any certified trap will kill a marten dead out of the box and a marten that refuses a trap today will just go in it tomorrow. I've never seen an Einstein marten yet. Odd one steals a bait or eats a brother marten but they don't last long.