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pan tension for red fox #6638351
10/12/19 06:32 PM
10/12/19 06:32 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 54
NY st .lawrence county
soupy1 Offline OP
trapper
soupy1  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 54
NY st .lawrence county
what do most people set their pan tension for red fox and also coyotes ??

Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638357
10/12/19 06:41 PM
10/12/19 06:41 PM
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,539
Saucier, Mississippi Harrison ...
T
turkn8rtrapper Offline
trapper
turkn8rtrapper  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,539
Saucier, Mississippi Harrison ...
Here we go can't wait to follow this one. I'm pretty new but I set pan tension pretty light on dedicated fox sets. I set tension about 4 pounds on dedicated coyote sets. Don't know if it really matters that much or either we have heavy possums.


"Skin that smokewagon and see what happens"
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638407
10/12/19 08:06 PM
10/12/19 08:06 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
Pan tension helps. You want an animal to be putting its weight on the foot when the trap pops. Takes the animal a split second to shift its weight to pull that foot back. That split second means a higher catch on the foot. I just use my thumb. Most of mine are about a pound or two. I believe its much more important to have a trap with good fast springs. That pan tension wont stay set. After a catch or three it loosens back up and instead of fooling with it I keep trapping. I make sure all my traps are popping good before season opener. Set and fire all of them Do a little tweaking, adjusting, replace tags or swivels or springs or chains or delegate one to the parts pile. When I'm trapping I don't want to mess with that stuff. Pan tension is a good thing but fast springs are a necessity.


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638432
10/12/19 09:01 PM
10/12/19 09:01 PM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 7,939
Montana
B
beartooth trapr Online content
trapper
beartooth trapr  Online Content
trapper
B

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 7,939
Montana
2 lbs.


Let me sugar coat this
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638482
10/12/19 10:27 PM
10/12/19 10:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
B
Bob Offline
trapper
Bob  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,960
Northern Nevada
No idea, whatever the stock pan tension is on my 2 coiled mb 550s is after I wax them seems to work well for both coyotes and red fox.


"I have two guns, one for each of ya."
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638493
10/12/19 10:38 PM
10/12/19 10:38 PM
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 5,851
perry co.Pa
wetdog Offline
trapper
wetdog  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 5,851
perry co.Pa
As Bob said. Pit pans don't lose pan tension.
I like 4 pounds on fox and yote traps.

Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638523
10/12/19 11:52 PM
10/12/19 11:52 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,222
MN
Y
yukonal Offline
trapper
yukonal  Offline
trapper
Y

Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,222
MN
Fox...2#

Fox and Coyote...2 to 3#.

Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638540
10/13/19 04:29 AM
10/13/19 04:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
D
danny clifton Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
danny clifton  Offline
"Grumpy Old Man"
D

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 29,750
williamsburg ks
Its not critical at all. So long as you don't have so much the trap wont pop or so little you cant put dirt on it. If your in between those two things your golden. Assuming you have good fast springs. If you don't pan tension wont help much anyway. Remember we are talking about a split second to shift weight with 4 legged animals that have reflexes faster than ours.

FAST SPRINGS are what you want


Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638558
10/13/19 06:15 AM
10/13/19 06:15 AM
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,311
Indiana
K
kyron4 Offline
trapper
kyron4  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,311
Indiana
Thousands of fox were caught in the last century with floppy pan traps , by trappers who never heard of pan tension. That being said anything around 2 lbs +/- will work fine on a multispecies line.

Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638623
10/13/19 08:32 AM
10/13/19 08:32 AM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5,445
Southern Michigan
T
trappergbus Offline
trapper
trappergbus  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5,445
Southern Michigan
Before coyotes 1# now with both 2.5#. X2 on the strong fast springs. Weigh your fox for 1 year and average it out, divide by 4 to get your true average weight per paw. Also greys are notoriously light steppers. Reds can be too. My 450s are set at 1.5. 550s at 2.5. I still get good solid pad catches with the 450s on yotes.

Last edited by trappergbus; 10/13/19 08:35 AM.

Common sense catches alot of fur..
Pay homage to all you harvest..
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638678
10/13/19 09:37 AM
10/13/19 09:37 AM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,482
PA
P
PAskinner Offline
trapper
PAskinner  Offline
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P

Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 4,482
PA
Just set them by feel. A little drag in the pan and good to go. Get rid of side by side slop if it's bad. It ain't rocket science. I can't imagine having four pounds for fox, some only weigh about 7 lbs, how they gonna set off the trap?


Right now I’m having amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: PAskinner] #6638738
10/13/19 11:10 AM
10/13/19 11:10 AM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,954
RI / MN
C
Cameron Kelsey Offline
trapper
Cameron Kelsey  Offline
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C

Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,954
RI / MN
Originally Posted by PAskinner
Just set them by feel. A little drag in the pan and good to go. Get rid of side by side slop if it's bad. It ain't rocket science. I can't imagine having four pounds for fox, some only weigh about 7 lbs, how they gonna set off the trap?


Agreed.

I have never measured pan tension on a trap. For land trapping canines and coon I typically set the pan where it no longer free-falls and needs a bit of pressure to press it down. I can tell by feel where I want it. Nothing scientific and I don't spend a great deal of time worrying about it.

One of the big issues I have with MB550s and the Duke 550s is the pan tension. I personally wish you could adjust the pan tension with a bolt. I am not a fan of bending dogs to try and tweak the tension. Stock they seem fine for coyotes and cats, but IMO have too much tension for fox.


CWO4, SC, US Navy
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638787
10/13/19 01:01 PM
10/13/19 01:01 PM
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,955
Northern Mn
rick olson Online content
trapper
rick olson  Online Content
trapper

Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6,955
Northern Mn
I run mine 3.5 to 4 lbs I do miss some fox,with the prices now i'm fine with that.Running that much pan tension I catch very few skunks 2 to 4 most years.Mainly running #3 Bridger dogless,MJ 600's with underalls to get more pan tension and some MB 550's 2 coil and some 4 coils.I think for 80% red fox trapping 2.5 lbs would be good for greys,coyotes but you will catch more skunks and possum if you have them,were lucky here no possum this far north YET....We are 65 to 70% coyote.

Last edited by rick olson; 10/13/19 02:44 PM.
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6638840
10/13/19 02:41 PM
10/13/19 02:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 148
Lancaster county PA
C
crabtrap Offline
trapper
crabtrap  Offline
trapper
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 148
Lancaster county PA
I think 4 pounds is alittle much. I just set mine by feel in the start of the season than by december there is hardly pan tention i dont really fool with em. Heck some would prob fire off in a sparrow would step on em but never notced much difference in catch/miss ratio.


Work harder millions on welfare are depending on you
Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: crabtrap] #6638959
10/13/19 06:20 PM
10/13/19 06:20 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,372
PA
Coon Duke Offline
trapper
Coon Duke  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,372
PA
I like them floppy with no side to side slop.

I think there are other way more important issues than pan tension.


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Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6639477
10/14/19 12:57 PM
10/14/19 12:57 PM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,614
Suffolk new york
M
Miley Offline
trapper
Miley  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,614
Suffolk new york
No side to side play as mentioned. As for the pan ,just enough Tension that the pan doesn’t fall of its own weight.

Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: soupy1] #6649811
10/26/19 07:56 PM
10/26/19 07:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 118
southern minn
F
foxx1 Offline
trapper
foxx1  Offline
trapper
F

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 118
southern minn
yote,fox #2

Re: pan tension for red fox [Re: Coon Duke] #6650051
10/26/19 11:59 PM
10/26/19 11:59 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 8,763
East of the Mason-Dixon Line
DelawareRob Offline
trapper
DelawareRob  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 8,763
East of the Mason-Dixon Line
Originally Posted by Coon Duke
I like them floppy with no side to side slop.

I think there are other way more important issues than pan tension.


Same here


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You don't rise to the occasion, you fall to the level of your training.

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