My youngest boy (10 yo) is showing interest in trapping, has has always gone with me but now he is wanting to have his own traps.

What would be a decent cheap trap for a 10 year old boy to start trapping with? Thinking mostly coons and such. He has tried to set 1.5 cs and he trouble as he isn’t very big. Would a #1 long spring be a decent coon trap and would it probably be easier for him to set?

I would still get him some 1.5 coil springs. I bought my son some #1 LS, but once his muscle memory kicked in he was ready to upgrade. I got him some of those No BS 1.5 ( 2 dozen) and honestly he can trap mountain fox with them just fine.
Nothing wrong with #1s. I still use them for catching packrats, for making bait.

Get the one hand setters, don't go to smaller traps and cause frustration with misses.

The #1s are cheaper ofcourse. I sure lost a bunch when I was younger than 10. Probably a few somewhere on the Clark fork river, near Deer lodge! My boy has a better track record than me.

Mine started trapping coon in kindergarten with cages and got very good at it. Graduated to #1.5s with a pair of setters and that worked well.
Now in high school my oldest is 17 and there isn't much my oldest can't set. He can at least set everything we own that is. My twelve year old also can set coyote traps but he started with 1.5 and 1.75 coils and a pair of setters.
Snares are another option we used to teach them to trap beaver with.
Jim

X2^^^^ get hold of Dave Sheldon, he will hook you up.

And yes longs are easier to set than coils. It's more technique than strength. Once the spring is down and jaws are open you can hold longs open with one hand no problem and set with the other hand. Even big #4s break open eaily over your knee and easy to hold open once open.
I learned on longs way before I could ever set a coil.
Don't use your feet just set the trap flat on top of your knee and push down on the spring pushing is easier to mash the spring down than trying to stand on it. Practice it, practice it, practice it. That is what I did with my boys. Once they get the technique down, and overcome maybe a bit of fear of the thing going off on them, it's easy peasy.
When I was a kid I carried a c clamp for compressing springs on longs.
Jim

Jim,i carried a inch thick board and 2 pair of big ol vice grips 40 plus years ago when i started.and red squirrels and chippy's were not safe around the grandparents.

The Bridger 1.75's are fine little traps,well built and easy to set ( also nothing Minnesota has a sale going on right now) ! I hear the FB 1 dogproofs are extremely kid friendly as well

#11 longsprings

I agree with Jim, get him started setting snares also. I had both my kids out helping me now they can teach the grandkids even if I have a feeling I'll be teaching them myself to ha ha
Allan

Good advise fellas, thanks

My 3 oldest boys are 11, 9, and 6. They can all set up to a #3 2 coil. The one thing I did was really work with them on how to set the traps, starting with about a 1.5 2 coil. For them what worked best was to get their feet on the levers and step down on them and hold the jaws down, and set the trap. I'm sure dogless ones would be easier to manage and some hand setter would certainly be helpful. My boys have all had their fingers snapped a couple of time so their concentration factor when setting one is spot on, hahahahaha. I think most importantly just make it fun and they will certainly stick with it. Happy trapping

My oldest is five and wants to start setting her own this year and get some coon so I got her some of the Freedom Brand FB1 DP you just squeeze them and they are set no dog for her to mess with the plan is I'll preset the trap for her she is going to pick the spot, place the trap and bait it all I have to do is drive the stake. If it works good this year I will start moving her up to some 1.5 coils That's the plan anyways we will see how it goes tomorrow on opening day.

I also recommend one hand setters , I have some old north woods #1 with really short levers and stout springs, I got a onehand setter for them