The choker loop is not my favorite trap, but I do have a few. They are kind of a pain to set and can get bent easy. Has anybody made some kind of homemade tool for making the 2 slots in the yard for setting them?

I think you can buy them on line, I made one and give it away.

I'll have to look online.

Why'd you give it away?

I set an OOS trap last night and used 1 of those welded tree planting tools for making my 2 slots. It worked slick. I may just use that tool for the choker loop traps.

Do you mean a 'NASH' trap ?
Not a common tool, but I have some and use some.
I catch moles in them.
You have to pre-cut the groove where the loops are placed, otherwise the trap will fire too slow !

As far as the OOS trap, I make the best tool for setting OOS traps, bar none.
I've made experts out of people that had never set a mole trap.
Anyone that has ever used one will tell you that !
The guy who made the original, (who wasn't a mole trapper) tried to sell the design to the Woodstream Corp. , who makes OOS traps
If any of you are on face book, you can check out Angela Hawkins' page and see her catches of 50-60 plus moles per check using the tool.
Another trapper who had never caught a mole, but is considered the best in her area by many lawn specialty companies !

LTG

Yes, the Nash.

The tree planting tool is working great, but the Nash traps of mine aren't my favorite--'although they do work. 1 of the biggest issues I see with these choker loop traps is they become much less functional after rain kind of fills in the slots a bit. Also, the Nash traps aren't as durable as the OOS.

They are harder to set, too. The dog always seems to be a tad too short. I find that ya kinda want to step on each side of the trap, but if ya don't do it carefuly I've bent the trap (and 1 time even tumbled over in a rather ungraceful move and jammed my thumb on the ground as I caught my fall).

I have never seen one!

They seemed popular for a couple years maybe a decade ago. They do work, but so-so. I think they're still on the market.