Shock springs are NOT for everyone or every situation. How many on here have run = Shock springs where a trapper is —- allowed long check times???? With a 30 inch chain and shock spring and multiple swivels. The coyotes can lay down and get comfortable. How many have = rolled up on multiple coyotes laying down and asleep ???

Agree with others, one more thing to hassle with. Frozen ground is hard enough to work in without having to bury a shock spring as well.

Main thing for me ?? Is the coyotes be in the trap when I get their!! Take. For example. Montana. Nevada. And Wyoming. 3 to 5 day check times. IF you catch = a breed female OR a big male OR one of those = bad trap fighters. Without shock spring they want be their in 3 days. That is NOT exceptable in sheep country

I've never ran shock springs. But I can say I live in a three day check state, and there is a huge difference in traps on foot damage. Some traps I can have coyotes in for three days and never leave a mark, others not so much. And, if the trap is the wrong size, designed for a different animal they can be pretty hard on feet.

Bearcat2, can you elaborate on your observations on what you’ve seen as being the best and worst on those long checks?

Great point. Most of us have never had the opportunity to run springs in all possible scenarios so our knowledge is limited.

Thanks Warrior. I am lucky. Get to trap lots of places. In West Texas now. But all I seam to be able to catch today is hogs ! LoL!

Bout 80 lbs is my guess. LPC 3 & 1/2 and 8 ft chain and drag. BUT still went 1/4 mile ! Bobbed and weved threw the brush for a minute

Targeted or incidental?

I'd imagine they could haul a load deep into the brush. They're built like tanks.

EVERYTHING is on the hit list here! If it ant cows or game the owners want = It has to go! LoL!

Badger Are not wanted for sure with horses and cows !!

Grey fox. Eat the quail.

Lots of big game here.

^^*** was told that was a = Big One ?

Yes that is a fine pronghorn !

I have seen = Elk. Mule Deer. Pronghorn. Whitetail and Audad so far.

I guess we are done talking shock springs

Sorry. Got carried away. I need to start a new thread. BUT every thing I caught was on = Shock Springs ! LoL’

I'm no expert, so I can just say some of what I've observed. The absolute worst traps on coyote feet that I've seen are not designed for coyotes, those are modified TS85s. They don't damage their intended targets feet, but are terrible on any incidental coyotes. From what I have observed, cast jaws or wide laminated jaws with rounded edges and narrow offsets seem to produce the least damage. You want some offset, if you don't have enough offset to allow decent blood flow the foot will go numb and they may chew on it, also in the colder areas it will freeze if you don't have enough blood flow. Too much offset and the coyote can slide their foot around a little, which will cause damage. This is where the argument between center swiveled and side swiveled emerges, because if the chain is attached to the side of the trap the coyote will pull its foot up tight to the opposite edge of the jaws and not move it any more, whereas a center swiveled trap he can slide it back and forth causing more damage, but a properly offset trap or close jawed, where his foot never slides at all and the center swivel will cause less damage with the straight pull than the side swiveled trap. A big heavy trap can cause more damage with them fighting it, but from my observations some big heavy traps do, and other even bigger, heavier traps do not. If you are trapping where you are targeting or may catch multiple species it is going to be tough to pick the right trap. A couple swivels close to the trap help a lot, swivels on down a long chain don't seem to do a lot, in my experience.