Anyone have any experience with the Expand a Pan manufactured trigger pan on 120s for marten and fisher in a box? Bought a few to try next year. A few pics here for comparison with the standard Belisle trigger.

https://www.expandapantraps.com/products/bg-110-bg-155

I have no experience with the metal Expand a Pan trigger but have had considerable successful experience with 3/8 " plywood and corrugated plastic pans.
When using pan triggers place the trap close to the bait so the animal is stable at the bait and not jumping over or stepping on the pan to get to the bait. Do not place the trap springs against the spring slot ends as when the trap is sprung, with the spring against the slot end, it will jump out over the animal and not always get the best humane catch. The solution is to set your trap spring an inch to 1 1/2 inch before the end of the slot, which greatly reduces the propelling of the trap by the spring. When the trap is fired the springs will still hit the end of the slots, without losing significant striking power or jumping over the animal, yet with enough force to help propel the trap and animal out of the box especially with an inclined box facing downward.

I recess the pan trigger trap into the box so the trap is about 4-5" in front of bait at the back of the box. In this situation the animal is stable at the bait, not moving thru or jumping over the pan going to the bait. A mink or marten will be standing on the pan with their front feet, or bumping it with their head/neck, and fisher will bump it with their chin/chest, while working the bait. This results in a quick humane dispatch virtually every time.

When placed in the box the trap dog should point to the box entrance and the pan over the back jaw towards the bait. The pan should angle upwards about 20 degrees or so towards the back of the box over the back-trap jaw. If set level the pan may hang up on the box floor and not fire. Also, after placing the trap into position, always bend the springs downward and this raises the trigger dog a fraction of an inch above the box base.

The fact that I use a pan trigger on my traps may be the reason I have never detected a fisher refusal as there are no cold metal wires in their face to deter them from entering the set. As well the trap is recessed deep into the box just in front of the bait. In this situation the fisher fires the trap with its chin while stable at the trap working the bait.

I have used Chip Davis' Expand a pan on 120 Belisle and other 120 155 size traps but not for marten/fisher...very well made products.

years ago on the Wilderness forum one of the young trappers used them and out-preformed his neighbour 4 to 1 in catch for the year. He cught nearly 50 weasels as extras as well

Great info bctomcat! I’d never thought of the concept of the trap jumping if placed on the back wall of the spring slot . Makes sense to me.

Awesome North of 50, I think I missed a bunch of weasels this year with standard triggers. That would certainly be a bonus.

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthr...rs-manitoba-trapline-journal#Post2786351
I think this is the thread.
plastic hollow core is all you need ( ie election signs)

I’ll check that out. Thanks for the info!

Yes, corrugated plastic like I showed in my first picture. Just push the trigger wires thru the slots.