I purchased a couple square 4 gallon buckets from menards and i want to make some bucket sets. I have one cut but not sure what it should look like. Any pictures would help. Plus how much room do you need for them to fire? I would like to use 220s

Sent you a pm.

I hope they are blue...

I heat up old rod or a stake and lay it across the opening until it melts the slot that I want for the springs to sit in, thins gives you a slot without cutting any material away. Then burn a stake hole through the bucket for staking.

lmao!! thought I was the only one that rememberd that

They don't seem to mind the Menards green buckets.

using a Sawzall with fine tooth blade I cut the slot about 3/8" x 4-5" deep..bout an inch below center.....just enough for the springs to slide.
ya don't want them slopping around beating up the bucket
then drill the 2 holes thru the wood for the roof bolts and wing nuts....labelling to keep each roof for its bucket. wing nuts make it quick when attaching roofs, keeping buckets stackable.
YOU MUST put a roof overhanging bout 10" to keep dogs out
you are asking for trouble without a roof IMO
the rear window has 1/4" rat wire for scent flow thru, and drill a hole for the wire to suspend the bait cup, keeping their attn UP at the mother lode of bait.
drill a hole thru top and bottom for the t-stake going completely thru.....over by the edge so won't interfere with jaws closing, plus you will run the t-stake thru the chain ring under the bucket to keep it all together.
once trap is slide into slots, push springs down, which raises trap bout an inch
consider using pans on trigger wires, bent up 10-20*, then they are stepping on the trigger wires
my photo DOES NOT have the roof installed.

^^forgot to add
once set is made cover with local debris so it looks left over from a high water event.....keeps Johnny sneekum off them too.

Traprjohn, got a picture of your roof set up? Or can you explain what it's made of? Nice setup by the way!

I set my router table with a high fence and a piece of masking tape for a stop reference. Simply ran bucket to stop point, flipped 180 degrees and repeated.

Thanks for all the reply's. I made a few last night to try when our season opens.

One thing with buckets that happens sometimes is instead of sticking their head in the bucket, the coon will reach in and fire the trap. That was one reason I liked the Belise traps because they closed shut tight. I had coon caught by a paw several times waiting for me in the Belise. Other traps the coon would pull out because there was a space in jaws because they didn't close shut tight.

Blue buckets x2

old weathered plywood

you must not use Bulldogs with the extra kill bars (jaws) welded.

Guy's I have a couple more questions. I see you put mess in the back/bottom of the bucket. Is that for the to feel they can walk through or for smell? If it's for smell will it work to just drill holes in the back/bottom of the bucket?

I for one don't think the holes/wire is necessary. If you have good bait the smell is coming out of the bucket. Does a jar of lure have holes in the bottom? Open one up and set it some where, pretty soon you can smell it across the room.

No, the Belisles close tight and their springs are the strongest 160s & 220s I've ever seen.

I will not stake a bucket or box down. I stake the trap. If you hold a coon alive in a body grip trap and the box/bucket is staked with the trap, the box/bucket will be chewed up. If you stake the trap and not the box/bucket with a little luck it will get kicked out of reach of the coon. I run a fair amount of Belisles.

Here’s a new style I’m going to play with this year. The little cut out piece was for two things, one to give me a little overhang, also I I felt like animals would enter more readily if on natural ground. Time will tell