Good info, right there

I’ve always caught brown ones, never a white one even with snow on the ground

Just a few observations from central NY.Longtails are less in numbers than shortails. Longtails like rock walls, esp
In the woods, cover a lot more ground. Shortail seem to like brushy lowland in my area. Caught a few longs in 220 pole sets for fisher. Dont seem to be all white till January in my neck of the woods. Those transition l ones can be sold to a taxidermist.

1.5 longs. They act as body grips and the pan tension can be extremely light.

Find sone of these. Flip the bar down and they are set. No fumbling around with the pan. No rusty spots on the bar. I mesh the back side on my boxes. One way in one way out. Also put a screen in for a bait holder for the bait thieving mice.

Any older slopped out 1.5 longsprings work. Victor, B&L. I think the sleepy creek ones do not preform very well to begin with. $100+ dollars for a dozen isnt nessesary either as old user victors for around half the price are a far better trap and bargain.
Again the 1.5 jawspred is perfect for even short tail weasels. Throat and chest most all the time. I have not tryed #0's but do not think they would preform as well as far as dispatch goes.

Joe Pennanti, BGs have to be set in a watercourse , swamp, slough etc boundry.....not necessarily submerged. Rats are not furbearers with defined seasons and the laws that cover furbearers do not apply in the example you used. I am in Northeast PA. I have seen weasels on trail cam but haven't caught one, but I hope to this year. Built 18 boxes similar to the post above with a screen to keep mice out of the bait. I may not catch a least or longtail but I am going to enjoy myself whatever I catch. Waxed #0,1 and 1 1/2 traps for the boxes so hopefully no stained fur and rat snaps for those in watercourse.

Regarding brown versus white weasels. I used to occasionally catch a brown one late in the winter at 7000 foot elevation right near the timberline. This area is nearly at the 49th parallel, about as far north as you can get in the lower 48 States and has snow on the ground from early November until late May or June. The brown ones were always short tails, the long tails were always white.