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3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat #6510815
04/05/19 06:02 PM
04/05/19 06:02 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 61
Idaho
B
brymoore Offline OP
trapper
brymoore  Offline OP
trapper
B

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 61
Idaho
With Sleepy Creek shutting its doors, I’m buying either size 3 or 4 long springs. I’m planning on installing expand a pans which only come in size 3 but will fit in size 4.

My original plan was to buy all 4s. I’m starting to wonder if trap size matters if I’m using the same size expand a pan.

What are your thoughts? Buy all 4s, 3s or mixed.

*Note - I already bought some used 3s but want more traps.

Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6511033
04/05/19 10:34 PM
04/05/19 10:34 PM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,492
Garden,Michigan
B
Buck (Zandra) Offline
trapper
Buck (Zandra)  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,492
Garden,Michigan
Well,if it were me I'd buy all 3's


Buck(formely known as Zandra)
Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6511037
04/05/19 10:35 PM
04/05/19 10:35 PM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,100
Southern Nevada
C
cat_trapper_nv Offline
"Cat Master"
cat_trapper_nv  Offline
"Cat Master"
C

Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,100
Southern Nevada
We have a bunch of #3s and decided to try some #4s so we could put on even bigger pans. Glad we only got a few because we weren’t huge fans. The added length of the base plate caused them to bend when setting over your knee. Didn’t see any real advantage over the #3s. The added jaw spread didn’t make much difference. The #3 is more then enough trap for a bobcat.


If traps work like the Antis say......I would have no fingers.


Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6511038
04/05/19 10:36 PM
04/05/19 10:36 PM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,100
Southern Nevada
C
cat_trapper_nv Offline
"Cat Master"
cat_trapper_nv  Offline
"Cat Master"
C

Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,100
Southern Nevada
And if you are using the same size pan then there is definitely no advantage especially if you are using exposed traps.


If traps work like the Antis say......I would have no fingers.


Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6511046
04/05/19 10:40 PM
04/05/19 10:40 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,817
central arkansas
T
the Blak Spot Online content
trapper
the Blak Spot  Online Content
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,817
central arkansas
Take a look at the bridger #4 longspring. Excellent trap!
Third one down

image.png

the just shall live by faith

member FTA, ATA, EAFT
1776 - the year we told a tyrant we weren't to be under a dictator
Caveat ater macula
Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6511078
04/05/19 11:19 PM
04/05/19 11:19 PM
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,685
mt
M
MT bowhunter Online content
trapper
MT bowhunter  Online Content
trapper
M

Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,685
mt
3's will get you a pad catch. 4's will be above the pad. There is a lot less foot damage with the 3's. I don't do the expanded pan thing so I cant speak to a comparison with them.


I can't believe that cop put me in the back seat when I clearly called shotgun.
Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6513234
04/08/19 05:58 PM
04/08/19 05:58 PM
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,976
North Central Idaho
Jumperzee Offline
trapper
Jumperzee  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,976
North Central Idaho
Brymoore - mixed bag is fine. With respect to what others have said above, either is a fine trap for cats. I run both (Victors) with the 3" PIT pans and a shingle glued on and they both work great. It's all about blocking though and getting the cat to step where you want it to.

I have a handful of #3SC's and don't care for them, (too much trap for my preference and the frame steel is soft). The #3 SC and the #4 Vic are comparable in size. I'd look at the Bridger if going new and baseplate them, otherwise good stout users are pretty easy to come by with #3's being more common.

Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6513672
04/09/19 09:27 AM
04/09/19 09:27 AM
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 691
Saltlake city utah
S
Steelflight Offline
trapper
Steelflight  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 691
Saltlake city utah
Not to change the subjecy. But a question. Why can't you use a #2 LS?


You may think before you act. The question is did you listen to your own council?
Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: Steelflight] #6515208
04/10/19 11:45 PM
04/10/19 11:45 PM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,100
Southern Nevada
C
cat_trapper_nv Offline
"Cat Master"
cat_trapper_nv  Offline
"Cat Master"
C

Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,100
Southern Nevada
I’ve always wondered the same thing. Then I realized that there isn’t many. Some people have told me they are too weak but I’ve never actually tried one. I might have to get a could to test out. But one season as a joke my buddy and I added #3 chain to a baseplated #11 as a joke and caught a bobcat. It wasn’t a big cat, but it held.


If traps work like the Antis say......I would have no fingers.


Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6541871
05/21/19 11:10 PM
05/21/19 11:10 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 187
Bison, South Dakota
D
Dustin_Drews Offline
trapper
Dustin_Drews  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 187
Bison, South Dakota
Bridger #4 longspring offsets get my vote. I owned 10 dozen #3 sleepy creeks at one time.
God Bless
Dustin


You got one shot at life, where are your sites aimed today?
Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6541908
05/22/19 12:36 AM
05/22/19 12:36 AM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 5,073
montana
R
red mt Offline
trapper
red mt  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 5,073
montana
Either one will work just fine.
If you deal with a lot of snow in open type sets jaw spread helps some.


Kenneth schoening
Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6542094
05/22/19 11:37 AM
05/22/19 11:37 AM
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 356
Interior Alaska
R
Rusty Newhouse Offline
trapper
Rusty Newhouse  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 356
Interior Alaska

I don't trap Bobcats but I trap Lynx.
I own both Sleepy Creek and Bridgers.
I'd get the Bridgers .

Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6542342
05/22/19 08:22 PM
05/22/19 08:22 PM
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 247
Nova Scotia, Canada
scotiantrapper Offline
trapper
scotiantrapper  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 247
Nova Scotia, Canada
I’m going against the group and I’d pick the sleepy creeks. I bought a dozen and a half bridger 4’s on sale from a supplier, and let me tell you they were junk. The amount of work I had to put in to get them in working order was absurd and royally (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) me off consider all I run for footholds are Bridgers. The jaws were so rough the springs wouldn’t actually go up when the trap was fired. So I’d watch out on the bridgers

Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6543841
05/25/19 03:20 PM
05/25/19 03:20 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 61
Idaho
B
brymoore Offline OP
trapper
brymoore  Offline OP
trapper
B

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 61
Idaho
I bought three dozen SC3LS a month ago.

Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6543915
05/25/19 06:35 PM
05/25/19 06:35 PM
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 356
Interior Alaska
R
Rusty Newhouse Offline
trapper
Rusty Newhouse  Offline
trapper
R

Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 356
Interior Alaska
I hope they work for you.
I bought mine about ten years ago.
After I used them for a few years I noticed the pan posts were bending, as in spreading apart.
I didn't loose any jaws but came close.
The no. 4's were worse than the no. 3's for this.
They may have remedied the flaw since then.

Re: 3ls vs 4ls for Bobcat [Re: brymoore] #6544304
05/26/19 12:29 PM
05/26/19 12:29 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 4,657
Mountain View, AR
S
ShaneT Offline
trapper
ShaneT  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 4,657
Mountain View, AR
Put me in the Bridger#4 camp. I have caught a few cats and coyotes in them and more than a few otter in them.

When I bought them I night latched the pans, leveled the pans, added a mid chain swivel, and then dyed and waxed them. They have performed flawlessly in the several years of use I have put on them and besides
re-treating them as needed I havehad to do very little adjustments and no repairs.

Last edited by ShaneT; 05/26/19 12:32 PM.

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