This is the last batch of traps I recently put together. Even with jigs, they are time consuming. I am working on making a dogless design. Any suggestions for improvements are always welcome!

I want one!! Those are really nice looking!

Dang ! I gotta get to that level one of these days ! Ever think about making beaver traps ?

If you buy a good trap you do not have to replace it.[ LASTED A LIFE TIME]. You buy cheep you will lose. Some trapper's go cheep and pay later by wolf's getting away.To small of a trap's .

Is that like the Alaskan number 9

2traps, A little history.
Basically what this trap is, is a modified number nine. Where I live we have a lot of freezing and thawing conditions and I was running #9's a lot and having serious problems with freeze up. The pan on a number 9 sets high, almost 3/4 of an inch above the level of the jaws. Due to this you have to put a lot of cover over the jaws in order to leave the set so that the covered pan is the low spot or at least level with the surrounding terrain.

In colder climates than what I have to deal with here, where trappers are making sets in colder/dryer snow, the high pan on the # 9 is not a problem at all. The traps are plenty strong to come up through a lot of snow, even if the snow is packed down. But if you get a lot of crusted, frozen snow conditions then there is a problem, and so the amount of cover you have over the jaws becomes an issue.

After a lot of frustrating experiences with frozen traps, I started looking at ways to improve on an already pretty excellent trap, and following a lot of trial and error I came up with a way to lower the pan, shorten the dog, change the jaw anchor point from a hook to a hinge pin, and several other modifications that made it a better trap for MY purposes.

After modifying all my #9's I decided to build me some more traps incorporating all the modifications I had made to my #9's. After I built a few I made a post about them on this forum. It's debatable whether that was a wise thing to do. In a short time I got a slew of PM's from people wanting me to send them my designs and seeking answers about how to build a trap. MThound was one of them. Generally, if I can help someone in any way within reason, I will do it, and I mailed out around 25 or 30 packets with design maps and trap building information to members of this forum. I didn't charge anything for that information, and even paid the shipping on the packets, and didn't mind doing it.

When I first put pictures on here of the traps, I made it clear that the stock #9 trap was the base for my inspiration in building my own trap. I didn't build them to sell, I built them for my own use. I felt like it would be wrong for me to market them commercially in competition with the Alaskan #9, from which I received the base portion of my design. I have let a couple of them go to close friends that I have a lot of respect for, but I won't build and market them commercially.

Maybe five or six out of those I sent plans to eventually built their own traps. The ones that did usually posted it on here when they got one made.

I can't find the original post I made when I first put pictures on here of the re-designed and modified traps, but in it I explained in detail the reasons behind all the changes I made in the design. It may have been lost in the last crash, or I'm just missing it. I"m not computer compatible enough to know how to post links but if you look through my post on 2/08/2012 under "building wolf traps" there is pictures and some information behind them from a later post.

I still get request from people wanting me to send them information on building wolf traps. Well folks, I am burned out on doing that. The results and experiences I've had from that has been time consuming and has left a bad taste in my mouth, and so, sorry, but I will not be mailing out any more information.

Out of respect for the new owner of the Alaskan trap company, from now on, as far as I'm concerned, if somebody wants wolf traps they can figure it out and build their own themselves, or order some #9's from AKhowler, who is on this forum.

Spek, are you insinuating that the traps posted above are of your design? I'm just asking, and have no skin in the game. Just curious as to your post.

No AV, I'm saying they are of my design. lol. Well actually of my re-design of a #9. It's not a big deal, and I didn't mind helping him build a trap for his own use, but if that
turns into a commercial operation then I guess I will have some regrets.

He did make a couple of changes, like cutting a paw print into the pan and making the spring clips different, but neither of those will alter how the trap performs in freeze/ thaw conditions.

Very interesting. On a side note, how is the bear hunting going up there this year?

Yes Spek was the one that sent me his prints on the trap design. He was very helpful and informative on the process as well. Very nice to have a guy like him willing to share his hard work with other trappers.
About the only changes I made from his plans were I built the trap about an 1" larger, and made a different style of spring lever. The only other thing I may change is to build a dogless design, but that's time permitting.

They are fun to build, but are very time consuming and I have yet had a chance to put together enough for my own needs. I've yet to catch a wolf in one of my sets, but am trying!

The trap ready:

Trap dug down and anchored to tree:

Placed inside produce bag and covering with dirt:

All set back to as natural as possible:

sure would like to see a wolf in it for you!!!

Spek- I know I thanked you before and will again now- thank you for your time. I was one of the ppl you sent your templets to and have had a lot of fun building a few traps. The Bear trap I built was base off the AK#9 and your changes, I'm currently working on another one.

FullFreezer, thanks, you were one of the first, and was upfront from the start. That 16 is impressive. Can't use them here, but I may have to build one of them for a wall hanger.

ttt!

I am no wolf trapper. I have trapped my share of coyote and fox in dirt holes.
I am wondering about the choice of trap cover here. Is this trap so powerful as to make short order of this covering in a slight freeze situation.
What haver you experienced MThound ?
My first thought when I saw this photo is wow that is a lot of trap covering. I know plastic wrap can be pretty tough. expecting the dog to come up through that wrap seems optimistic.
Just curious. As I know I would tend to cut the wrap, (which I didn't care to use) and put the edge under the jaw as to not impead its travel. I have always used trap covering to cover the pan and to keep debris from going under it. I prefer to keep the jaws out in the open.
I would love to set those #9's I have some day. Thinking a head.

This was my first attempt at trapping wolves. I'm not sure if the produce bags are a good idea or not, I was trying to protect the pan from the freezing and melting of our moderate temperatures we were experiencing. I do believe that the trap would be plenty strong enough to break through the crusted ice. Prehaps you are right that the produce bag may hinder the dogs ability to fire correctly if it is frozen down. I did have the free jaw exposed and just the loaded side covered.

I only trapped a couple of seasons as I was very busy with work and had minimal time to check a line. I did have a miss on a wolf at a pee post that first season. Looking back at my only miss, I had that trap covered with freezer paper covering the pan and loaded jaw. I had the pan tension close to 9 pounds as is required here. Not sure why I didn't have a catch, but did see wolf tracks headed to the trap. I'll post pictures of that set.

A few friends set my traps in our area but we never had any other wolves come by during the past few seasons. If I get time this winter, I may try again. Last week there was a group of 6 or 8 that come through and stayed for a couple of days. Would be nice to connect with one.

can we get some more information on the #16 power plant please ?

Ttt

Wow, this thread came back to life... nice traps you made. Catch any wolves in them yet?