Northwood traps ?
#6871140
05/13/20 09:50 AM
05/13/20 09:50 AM
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 481 Nebraska
BraskaYoter
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 481
Nebraska
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I picked up some traps from a auction, Sleepy Creek #3 CS, and some Northwood #3 CS. I know nothing about the Northwood traps. I think they were made in the 80s, similar to a Bridger, but thats all i can find. Lend me your brains on this, give me the good, bad, and ugly...
Failure leads to learning, learning leads to improvement.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6871184
05/13/20 10:45 AM
05/13/20 10:45 AM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610 Wyoming
thedude055
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610
Wyoming
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Northwoods are good traps. solid built. Bridgers and Wolf Creeks are built on the same or similar design. Little pan work and they should be solid like any dog on trap from the time frame. I grew up on Northwoods and still love them. Solid built as long as the springs are still good. All of the Northwoods i have still have solid springs.
Owner Wind River Trapping Supplies
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: thedude055]
#6871199
05/13/20 10:58 AM
05/13/20 10:58 AM
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 481 Nebraska
BraskaYoter
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trapper
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OP
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Nebraska
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Thanks, I picked up 14 for roughly 10$ a trap so if they connect with a couple yotes they will pay for themselves fairly quickly.
Failure leads to learning, learning leads to improvement.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6871268
05/13/20 12:13 PM
05/13/20 12:13 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,698 Nevadafornia
Lazarus
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,698
Nevadafornia
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I have a couple dozen Northwoods. They were the precursor to the Bridger line, at least in design and shape. However, the Bridgers are much sturdier and have some design changes that make them a better trap. Still, they can be made usable traps with some modifications. Here are a couple issues with the Northwoods:
1. The levers are junk. Too thin. They will contort and deform on you. You have to crank the outside edge so the loose jaw will lie down, and that will work for the first couple coyotes and then they will bend back. 2. The jaws are killers. Way too much of a cutting edge. You're either going to need to file and smooth them down, or laminate them. 3. Attachment point is wrong. They have that goofy rivet going through the frame on one end, which makes the animal's foot tend to slide down the jaws to the corner. Base plate them and put a D ring in the center where it belongs. That will also firm up that base on them. 4. The dogs are junk as well. Wayyyyyyyyy too thing. Coyotes love to chew on them. When I laminated and four coiled mine, I would bend the dog just trying to get it set.
On the good side, they have good springs. Mine were from the 80's and still have good tension on the springs.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6871917
05/13/20 11:15 PM
05/13/20 11:15 PM
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 481 Nebraska
BraskaYoter
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Nebraska
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I planned on putting base plates with D rings on and lams. I will see what shape there actually in tomorrow, then decide how much im going to put in them to make them worthwhile. Is there replacement levers that will fit them?
Failure leads to learning, learning leads to improvement.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6872123
05/14/20 09:00 AM
05/14/20 09:00 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,738 Iowa
coydog2
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trapper
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,738
Iowa
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I have some Northwoods from #1 to # 1 3/4 coils I got them in the 80's I started off with 9 doz and now from the years of lost and stolen traps I have 6 doz left about. The 1 3/4 coils have a D ring on them in the center of the trap and a shock spring , It all came from the factory like that the ones I got when I was station in the navy in Norfolk, VA I was buy them at a sporting good store I was buying my worms from for fishing. The 1 1/2 coils with the square jaws on them . it is best to put chew guards on them because of the coon like the 1 3/4 .
Life member of DAV,NTA,NRA,ITA.Also member of FTA,CBA
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6872287
05/14/20 12:21 PM
05/14/20 12:21 PM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,698 Nevadafornia
Lazarus
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,698
Nevadafornia
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I planned on putting base plates with D rings on and lams. I will see what shape there actually in tomorrow, then decide how much im going to put in them to make them worthwhile. Is there replacement levers that will fit them? You might be able to use Bridger levers but I haven't tinkered with them yet. I use them for high risk situations where theft is possible. If one gets stolen, I don't feel quite so bad . . . except that I've put a ton of work into mine to get them where I'm satisfied with them. Its a labor of love I guess. Not trying to bad mouth them or say they aren't a good trap . . . they just need some TLC to make them bullet proof. Here is kind of a before and after photo of mine. The top photo is of the traps as they were given to me by a very good friend. And I mean given . . . he actually paid the freight to send them to me. The bottom is a sample of the final product . . . other than I think I noticed there was a bit of a gap in one of the lams so I went back and re-did that one side. And then I decided to do the Canadian Modified version to see if I like that. Still kind of rough here but I wanted to see how it looked.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6872635
05/14/20 08:18 PM
05/14/20 08:18 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,579 SE Minnesota
dustytinner
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,579
SE Minnesota
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Why di they call it Canadian jaw? Is double slams required in Canada?
Life member Minnesota Trappers Association FTA,Sportsmen's Alliance
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6873073
05/15/20 10:21 AM
05/15/20 10:21 AM
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Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 481 Nebraska
BraskaYoter
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Posts: 481
Nebraska
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Got them picked up yesterday, there are 12 Northwood, one #4 dogless montgomery that’s pretty cool and one SC dogless. By looking at the dogs and chain ends i would guess these have never connected with any coons or coyotes. There are two things im not a fan of right off the bat, chain attachment point on the Northwoods and small pan size as compared to jaw spread. One of the Northwoods has a larger pan than the rest of them. Overall they are in great shape though and with few mods will be incorporated into the line this fall. I will get pics sometime soon here.
Failure leads to learning, learning leads to improvement.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6874184
05/16/20 06:12 PM
05/16/20 06:12 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,387 Firth, Nebraska
jabNE
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,387
Firth, Nebraska
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You did well Braskayoter. I've got a few northwoods in coils and longs..they work well for me. Picking up a bridger ways reminds me of northwoods. Jim
Money cannot buy you happiness, but it can buy you a trapping license and that's pretty close.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: BraskaYoter]
#6879032
05/22/20 07:39 AM
05/22/20 07:39 AM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,387 Firth, Nebraska
jabNE
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,387
Firth, Nebraska
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Those square jaw monty dogless are nice traps too. I used to run a lot of Montgomery #2 dogless for coyotes and really liked them. I don't think I have any left though, amazing how they disappear or fall victim to tractor implements and other issues around this end of the state. The Northwoods were nice traps, as noted very similar to bridgers today. The Northwoods in my opinion at the time were a far cry better than the victor coils were at that time. I had way less maintenance on my Northwoods traps than I did with the vic pro models. anyway, have fun with those and nice find. I'm probably cheesy about it but I love catching coyotes today in good old stock traps. the new models are certainly great, a lot more engineering and tweaking obviously, but something about the good old stock traps (monty, Northwoods, etc.) that keeps it fun for me. I just got some real nice vic #3 longs in this week that I can't wait to use next season. these were the good model vics (stout springs, thicker jaws and bases). Not all vic #3 longs were alike, some years the springs were not great and bases were thinner. these ones I got in look like they were hardly used at all and have very stout springs. perfect for me. Jim
Money cannot buy you happiness, but it can buy you a trapping license and that's pretty close.
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Re: Northwood traps ?
[Re: Taximan]
#6879191
05/22/20 11:01 AM
05/22/20 11:01 AM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5,445 Southern Michigan
trappergbus
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5,445
Southern Michigan
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Just a heads up,those unlammed,MB650's are hard on feet.They were offered for people who wanted to do their own lams etc.I got in a pinch once and set some and the result wasn't good.After that,I replaced the jaws with cast ones.If you can laminate that one,inside or out,it would be a good thing.I like them a lot. Spot on bud, I would suggest both Inside lams and outside for a full 9/16th jaw surface. I actually like the IL/OL better than cast. Real easy on paws, even racoon.
Common sense catches alot of fur.. Pay homage to all you harvest..
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