would you use rubber jawed traps?

Yes and I have used them with success. They just need more maintenance than regular or laminated jaws. The rubber pads need replacement occasionally.

Only if forced to by law, like in TN.



..like every time a coon chews them to pieces!

Laminations are just as foot friendly IME.

Wide smooth jaw surfaces for me with ample power so the paw won't move.. No pads needed.

Tennessee no longer requires padded jaw traps.

Hey Terry, are you still going to use them or not?

I use them for shallow water mink and muskrat trapping.

So do they perform better when wet?

I'm asking because in my area some of the best canine trapping is also where the game commission stocks pheasants. I have a lot of hardwoods and brush up against fields that create perfect habitat for predators. Some of these fields are planted by the state game commission and some are also stocked with pheasants and if trapped I have to share the land with the bird hunters using dogs. I really don't want to catch their dogs but that is always a possibility. When I talk to them and tell them I have a few traps in the area they appreciate the warning/info but they get that look on their face like...oh great, now I have to be worried about my dog getting caught in a trap! While I'm doing everything legal and most of the time I am also using an offset trap in that situation I feel that maybe I should do more if for nothing but good relations with them. If I used a rubber jawed trap at least I would be doing everything I could to protect non target catches like hunters dogs.

There are many other areas I would like to set also but I know that it would create tension with the uninformed public, as far as traps go. I believe if I told them I was using a rubber jawed trap that they would realize that I'm doing everything that I can to protect non targets. I realize that laminated or wide jaw faces probably do as much in that regard as rubber jaws but I don't think the average person walking their dog knows that. So that is why I posed the question about rubber jawed/soft catch traps.

Get yourself some Jake Traps.

I had some Jakes. They seemed a bit overkill to me and they were right on the fringe of being legal in Pa. which has a 6.5" outside jaw spread limit. The rubber on the jaw actually put them a bit over that. Very expensive also. lol.

Yes I’m still using rubber jaw traps.. I see no reason to stop. Never had any problems..other having to change pads , but not often.
I use J C Conner pads on all my traps.

Obviously you have no trouble with them coming up out of the trap bed and catching animals. Do you four coil all of them or do you have some two coiled. Some manufacturers do not offer four coiling on their soft catch/rubber jawed traps so an after market four coil kit would have to be added if that is the way to go.

All four coiled... I use peat moss and calcium chloride. Very few days here are dry during season. Freeze and thaw is normal here.

Sounds good Terry, thanks.

You’re welcome