Thanks for allowing me to join this group.Ive been trying Zaggers pipe set and having pretty good luck.Im using steel screen and am cutting it to fit inside the jaws of 550 s.The last couple weeks Ive had 3 different occasions where the screen was tipped up and hanging uncovered as if maybe he had stepped on the edge of the pan cover and not square on the pan and just tipped the screen up without firing the trap.Anyone had this happen? How is everyone doing the covers.From what I understand the screen is supposed to increase the kill area of the pan but with it just floating inside the jaws like mine are I cant see that being possible.Any suggestions? Thanks

PM Mark ,,, is my suggestion.
I cut my screen as where the jaws of the trap hold down the screen.
But i use a different trap.

Cut 5x5 you should be able to tuck the corners under the jaws on a 550. Huge difference than floating. Even a chipmunk can bugger up a floating pan cover.

I use a 5x5 screen on my 550s. I also run K9 Extreme Jrs and they also take a 5x5 screen. When using a steel wire screen you want the corners under the jaws. When done properly the screen is locked in tightly and there is no way a critter is going to get it out with getting caught. If setting a true pipe dream you almost have to have the screen locked in or it will flip up if an animal hits the screen but not the pan. With the jaws holding the cover down if anything puts weight on the screen the trap is going off. Hope this makes sense.

Makes perfect sense.That is exactly whats happening to mine.Do you cut a notch where the dog goes to the pan to keep that little dimple in the pan from making it bubble up right there?

On the 550 screens I do cut a square out to go around the pan and dog. Have used those same screens on my extreme Jrs with no ill effects. I get my screen by the roll from Marty at Keg Creek Lures. Good stiff screen.

Try hardware cloth.

Thank you very much Anthony.Thats the info I been searching for.I got a roll of screen from Ogormans. Thanks again you have been very helpful.

I run bridger dogless 2's, duke RJ 2' and a few 550's. I'm using black fiberglass window screen that I'm cutting to where it fits just inside the jaws but I'm putting it under the pan not on top. I was having trouble with coons messing with the screen when it was on top. When I put it under the pan they usually ended up caught.
With the big ol jake trap I like Marks set up with the wire screen a coyote can be inside the jaws but on the edge of the pan and still trip it and be caught. With my smaller traps I want them stepping as close to center as possible I was afraid if I increased the kill area with wire screen I might have coyote tripping the trap while the were partially on the jaw
And with the screen under it still supports the grass fine it will sag a little during is rain but it never bothered me it still worked fine
J

With a dog on trap I just create a small hole so the screen goes over the dog notch. I place the screen then set the trap the dog goes over the screen the tail ends go under the dogged jaw and the other tag ends go under the loose jaw. With this system the screen Is locked Into place and won't move.

Beav I don't know if you're a know it all but you do know how to put a screen on a trap.Lol I just tried it and that works like a champ.Screen laying flat as a board too.No way to move without tearing the screen. You running for anything you got my vote. LOL

I thought everyone did It that way. LOL

I have read these topics off and on for years regarding screen. The trap pan is designed to be in the center of the trap for a reason. Making the pan larger for trail set work for cats etc.is an advantage. When using stall sets such as dirt holes etc. I wont use a screen. Too many issues in my experience as is described. I don't want an enlarged pan area. I want the trap to fire when the animal is better positioned with its foot before firing the trap.

On # 3 sized traps and bigger I can see using screen. On smaller traps no so much.

I can see using screen when your using grass clipping for blending. If It rains the rain will pass through the screen and not wash away your clippings. Of coarse you need a void under the trap to drain away that moisture.

But of coarse If your getting a frog choker It won't matter.

I don’t use a screen for a “bigger pan” I use it to keep from having to reset. We can’t get a little rain, we get a lot of rain in a short amount of time, 1.5” in 45 minutes! Regular bedded traps get buried, but the screen set traps remain functioning. I just dig a deep hole for the screen traps.

Don’t want to sound stupid in asking, so can you just post a pic. My mind just doesn’t comprehend the explanation.

Sorry I don't do pictures.


Just punch a hole where the pan notch would be. That way the pan notch sticks out above the screen and the dog when inserted lays on top of the screen holding It down.

With cheap screen you can just drag the screen over the pan notch and It will tear through the screen.

Gotcha, my head wrapped around that, lol!!

There's a knack to using steel screen on ANY trap.....and IMO, it's worth the aggravation.

On the Pipe Set, I probably get as many questions about steel screen usage as I do all the other parts of the set.....

I like the steel screen for ONE main reason: Its stiff enough to hold up my cover. Some guys say: Fiber glass holds up my light grass covering just as well. Does it? What about after some rain, or an inch or two of snow? With the steel, its right where I left it.

All screen types allow moisture to pass through, so I cannot highlight that attribute as solely owned by steel.........

On my traps, I don't view steel screen as a way to increase the trap's kill area. The pan on my Jakes is already big and there's no value in doing so. Other traps would benefit from a larger kill area that steel screen may provide.......

My traps are Jakes, which honestly is a DREAM trap to run screens on:

* Pan sits low, well below jaw levels.
* Jaw posts are riveted, and those rivets provide ideal place to tuck two sides of the screen
* Loose jaw allows for easy placement, but even BETTER, because the loose jaw rests on the cross piece, the screen also sits at this meeting point, so you won't be pushing the extra screen down into the trap bed and BANG!!!! trap goes off due to too light pan tension.

There's more, but I know everyone WON'T be running Jakes this year, so you will have to play with it to get the knack out of the way. BUT, that said, YOU NEVER WANT THE STEEL SCREEN (or any screen for that matter) on the top/outside of the jaws of you trap. Inside only and tucked under the jaws.

When I ran traps with dogs, I did like The Beav:

Slide screen into trap with jaws closed before setting. Sorta lining it up with your eyes.

Push down levers, open jaws, and if screen is in right place, flip dog over jaw and push firmly down into screen while pulling the pan UP into set position. You will HEAR the screen tear where the dog and pan meet. With trap in safe position, I'd then move the pan up and down make sure no screen fibers pinched in between this connection.

I've cut "V"s out, popped holes, or just cut ONE slice with scissors in that same spot. All will allow you to connect the dog and pan.

The "pop thru" method DOES have a benefit of locking the screen in place and therefore NOT having it slide around on the pan or in the jaws. You may or may NOT want that, but it does prove beneficial if you DO want to increase the "kill area" on your trap

Zagman

Set them with your feet, push levers down, place screen, then push jaws down trapping screen between jaws and levers.