No Profanity *** No Flaming *** No Advertising *** No Anti Trappers ***NO POLITICS
No Non-Target Catches *** No Links to Anti-trapping Sites *** No Avoiding Profanity Filter


Home~Trap Talk~ADC Forum~Trap Shed~Wilderness Trapping~International Trappers~Fur Handling

Auction Forum~Trapper Tips~Links~Gallery~Basic Sets~Convention Calendar~Chat~ Trap Collecting Forum

Trapper's Humor~Strictly Trapping~Fur Buyers Directory~Mugshots~Fur Sale Directory~Wildcrafting~The Pen and Quill

Trapper's Tales~Words From The Past~Legends~Archives~Kids Forum~Lure Formulators Forum~ Fermenter's Forum


~~~ Dobbins' Products Catalog ~~~


Minnesota Trapline Products
Please support our sponsor for the Trappers Talk Page - Minnesota Trapline Products


Print Thread
Hop To
Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139650
01/16/21 11:50 AM
01/16/21 11:50 AM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 548
Bismarck Arkansas
A
Arkansas87 Offline
trapper
Arkansas87  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 548
Bismarck Arkansas
Just remember in arkansas we can only use a trap with 6 inch jaw spread or smaller on dry land. And any trap over 5 inches has to be offset or have rubber jaws.I use bridger #2 that I modify and mb 550's if that helps you with anything.they both have there pros and cons.Lot of other good traps out there tho.

Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139669
01/16/21 12:11 PM
01/16/21 12:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,324
AK
F
FairbanksLS Offline
trapper
FairbanksLS  Offline
trapper
F

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,324
AK
More traps in the ground equals more catches. 2 dozen lower priced traps will catch more fur than a dozen higher priced traps. It doesn't take long to tune a couple of dozen traps and how to do that is readily available on this forum.


formerly posting as white dog
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139697
01/16/21 12:51 PM
01/16/21 12:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 548
Bismarck Arkansas
A
Arkansas87 Offline
trapper
Arkansas87  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 548
Bismarck Arkansas
Also we have our fur sale coming up next month in malvern.there will be vendors there selling traps and supplies and you can usually get pritty good prices and don't haveto pay shipping.also you will be able to hold traps in your hand and compare side by side on quality and what you may prefer. I will be there and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: ] #7139707
01/16/21 12:58 PM
01/16/21 12:58 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,913
Idaho Falls, ID
G
Grandpa Trapper Offline
trapper
Grandpa Trapper  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,913
Idaho Falls, ID
Originally Posted by Mark June
Good steel lasts. Cheap steel does not. How long do you plan to trap is your question that may help you at this point. I have MB550's I bought 11 or twelve years ago that are 100% good to go. Were they "cheap" or "expensive?"

I'd say, "well worth the price."

Quality lasts.


X2 Excellent quality and not overly priced. I always have good paw catches with the MB 550.

Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139711
01/16/21 01:02 PM
01/16/21 01:02 PM
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,834
Michigan
M
Michigander Offline
trapper
Michigander  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,834
Michigan
More cheap traps will out catch fewer expensive traps every time. There is a limit to how cheap of a trap though. No weak spring rusted out flea market finds. New or lightly used Duke traps will be cheap and good enough to pile up the fur. Over time as your budget allows you can replace your stockpile with better quality.


Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139740
01/16/21 01:33 PM
01/16/21 01:33 PM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 318
MN
Q
Quartermastersir Offline
trapper
Quartermastersir  Offline
trapper
Q

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 318
MN
don't go "cheap" as in crap, but try different price points, once you find what you like to work with, standardize to that. If you like brand X then go to that almost exclusively, it will make things quicker and easier for you if every trap you set is the same. If your planting traps in the dirt its easier to get consistent in digging your trap bed, spacing, etc if all traps are the same. You're not digging a base for some round jaw patterns and then some square jaw patterns.
Join the state and nationals orgs and you'll be tuned into their conventions which are a great place for accumulating new or used hardware and more importantly knowledge.
GOOD LUCK.

Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: dunit] #7139758
01/16/21 01:49 PM
01/16/21 01:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
I can buy a Doz New Duke #2 for less then a $100.00. And It's a well built trap and It has some super strong springs. What traps do you think I'm buying.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: The Beav] #7139768
01/16/21 02:04 PM
01/16/21 02:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
Bruce T Offline
trapper
Bruce T  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
Originally Posted by The Beav
I can buy a Doz New Duke #2 for less then a $100.00. And It's a well built trap and It has some super strong springs. What traps do you think I'm buying.

Duke grin


Nevada bound
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139777
01/16/21 02:12 PM
01/16/21 02:12 PM
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
bhugo Offline
trapper
bhugo  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
Only made in USA traps for me. Mb or no bs come perfectly ready.


Member MTPCA, FTA and NTA
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139778
01/16/21 02:13 PM
01/16/21 02:13 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,666
Wisconsin
G
Green Bay Offline
trapper
Green Bay  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,666
Wisconsin
I would also echo what others are saying but add that I have found buying new is best for me.

I started out with used traps - a whole bunch of styles and brands. Ended up fixing / replacing parts. Each one had to be set differently etc.

For me, new traps allowed me to standardize which allowed me to keep my sets uniform which saved a lot of time. (On the other hand, I guess I did learn a ton by fixing traps that other people "modified" ). grin


Author of The Lure Hunter: A Guide to Finding Fishing Lures
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139780
01/16/21 02:15 PM
01/16/21 02:15 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
G
Getting There Offline
trapper
Getting There  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,236
West Michigan
Ask the guy that got the new Out-of-Site mole traps. You can buy a hack saw blade Harbor Fright or Low's and see how long they last.
JMO


To Old
U.S. Army 60-63 SGT.
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139783
01/16/21 02:17 PM
01/16/21 02:17 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,194
Maine, Aroostook
Posco Offline
trapper
Posco  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,194
Maine, Aroostook
I have all the traps I need other than filling holes brought on by attrition...stolen. I like the MB 550, it works for just about every critter I trap. It has caught everything from bear to bunny.

Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139786
01/16/21 02:19 PM
01/16/21 02:19 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
Bruce T Offline
trapper
Bruce T  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
Quantity of quality wink


Nevada bound
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139790
01/16/21 02:23 PM
01/16/21 02:23 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
I started with a handful of duke #2s. Over the years I’ve added some high quality traps a few at a time, now I have piles and piles of mb550s and highly modified Bridger #3s. Cheap traps will get you started, but they won’t last. They’ll get bent up and you can only bend them back so many times. These days it’s quality only for me. I’ve got modified double longsprings that are 40+ years old and still coyote catching machines. No way in heck a duke is gonna last 40 years with all its original parts. Or even any original parts.


"I have two guns, one for each of ya."
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139794
01/16/21 02:26 PM
01/16/21 02:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
Bruce T Offline
trapper
Bruce T  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 41,592
Northern Maine
I have had duke traps that lasted for years muskrat,mink,beaver,otter,marten,and fisher trapping.


Nevada bound
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7139796
01/16/21 02:27 PM
01/16/21 02:27 PM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,404
Northeast Oklahoma
M
Mike in A-town Offline
trapper
Mike in A-town  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 10,404
Northeast Oklahoma
It really boils down to what your laws allow and deciding what your time is worth...

In general, more traps set equals more fur caught. However...

A less expensive trap will likely require a little more investment on the front end to get it where you want it. But it may require some extra time during season too... A thin flimsy dog that requires straightening after every catch can be a killer if you're rushing a small line before work or checking 300 on a long line.

Inversely, more expensive traps, well... they cost more. So you're probably able to get fewer of them with the finances you have. But if they're "good to go right out of the box" you can spend more time catching fur which (in theory and during a good market) might mean more profit... Extra profit can be used to buy more of the quality traps.

Your target animal might make a difference too... Coyotes are notoriously tough on gear. A trap that has to be taken back to the shed for repair isn't catching coyotes.

What will your regs allow?

What is your target?

How much time can you allot for your line and meet your legal check requirements? (If you have check requirements)

Are you in area where theft may be a big concern?

There are so many variables that a guy could write a book on which trap to choose.

Mike


One man with a gun may control 100 others who have none.

Vladimir Lenin
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: Arkansas87] #7140705
01/17/21 07:56 AM
01/17/21 07:56 AM
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 309
AR
B
bigfoottrapper Offline OP
trapper
bigfoottrapper  Offline OP
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 309
AR
Originally Posted by Arkansas87
Just remember in arkansas we can only use a trap with 6 inch jaw spread or smaller on dry land. And any trap over 5 inches has to be offset or have rubber jaws.I use bridger #2 that I modify and mb 550's if that helps you with anything.they both have there pros and cons.Lot of other good traps out there tho.

yes that does help, how do you modify the bridgers?

Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7140714
01/17/21 08:03 AM
01/17/21 08:03 AM

M
Mark June
Unregistered
Mark June
Unregistered
M



Some people like to work on traps.
Some people prefer to work in the field.

Traps that need tending because they are lesser quality = more time at the bench = less time in the field.
Time is money as they say.

Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: FairbanksLS] #7140719
01/17/21 08:11 AM
01/17/21 08:11 AM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 28,715
Eastern Shore of Maryland
HobbieTrapper Offline
"Chippendale Trapper"
HobbieTrapper  Offline
"Chippendale Trapper"

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 28,715
Eastern Shore of Maryland
Originally Posted by white dog
More traps in the ground equals more catches. 2 dozen lower priced traps will catch more fur than a dozen higher priced traps. It doesn't take long to tune a couple of dozen traps and how to do that is readily available on this forum.


Not to mention the tuning can be done while watching a favorite dvd or television show.

I’m still using Duke 1.5s that I purchased almost 30 years ago. Take care of your gear regardless of what you paid for it.


-Goofy-
Re: TRAPS quality vs. quantity [Re: bigfoottrapper] #7140750
01/17/21 08:57 AM
01/17/21 08:57 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,661
Minnesota
I like my MB's
Thank You


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread