Sometime I'll make a video of me setting a brand new out-of-the-box Belisle in under 15 seconds....by hand. (I'm a 65 year old diabetic weakling). I'm thinking with correct style most of you guys can do it. It's usually even easier if you have a critter to remove, with the possible exception of when they are caught around the mid rift.

I learned to use a rope when I was a kid, and carried one for years but hardly ever used it once I got old enough to compress the springs by hand. I've got a pair of setters now, but I generally only use them to set the Sleepy Creek 4 1/2 longsprings, not the conibears they were designed for. I grab a 330 by the eyes, put the heel of each hand on an eye at chest height, squeeze them together and give the trap a little flip to swing the safety on (won't work with Belisle type safeties), flip the trap over and do the other side. I don't know what beaverpeeler's method is with a Belisle, but I can set the brands with a floppy safety in under fifteen seconds. Doesn't work quite as easily with a fifty pound beaver in the trap, but once you get one spring compressed and latched, most times if you are holding the trap up the beaver slides out by gravity as soon as you get the other spring partway compressed.

About the only 330 I can’t set by hand is a new Duke. Setters are WAY faster and safer.

X2

Self iocking for pre setting at home and caulking gun type for on line use.

Make your own caulk gun setter from used caulk guns by using them in reverse. Hammer the 90 bent side into a hook and pt a short bolt at top of handle side(to hook spring eye) and you have a cheap setter that sets BG's up to 280 with ease. Guns with hex shaft are best as they will not rotate and release open on you until wanted. Use a magnum size gun for 330's. They work for years if you can keep from losing them, lol. Even painted blaze yellow, Man things can disappear.

Setting by hand is not the best idea in the long run because it’s tough on your finger joints when you get older. if you need to set a 330 in a pinch use the available smaller beaver cuts to support the lower spring.

Peeler you are doing great at 15 seconds.
When young, very strong, and incredibly foolish, I entered the 330 setting contest. I have been practicing for awhile. I won the contest at just over 9 seconds. The prize was the 330. A better prize would be the setters.
Get the setter and keep it handy.

I second that! I have the Sleepy Creek aluminum scissor tyle for back up to my RTS setters.

Well Guss, there you have it.

I'm pretty certain I can match the 9 seconds.

How long to get out of them?


I am one who agrees with getting the setters after going 25 years without them. I have used them now for the past 25 and have no regrets.

I'd like to see a video of either one of your guys technique setting by hand.

I've never been able to figure out how to load videos on here. Some day maybe I'll figure it out.

You can't afford to not own setters

Work smarter, not harder.

By hand you with a open hand hook one side of a spring with the inside of your thumb on one hand.Then push down on the same eye on the spring with your other hand untill you can reach the other side withe your stretched out fingers and compress the spring untill you can set the safety in one quick motion.Then do the other spring the same way.

^^^ BINGO! For me setters would be a waste of space, time and money. Would never even consider getting setters. I am 65 and have been setting conibears since I was 18-19 years old. I usually run lines that are about 90% conibears, so that means I'm setting and re-setting 25-30 Belisles a day.

I seen guys at the FHA speed setting competition(timed at setting a bunch of different traps) compress both springs of the 330's at the same time,dont use the safety hooks,just spring the jaws open with a knee and hook the trigger.
Mark Downey was good at it.Probably less than 5 seconds per trap.

It's just a bit tougher to do that when the trap Is full. Work smarter.