Hi I’m going on my second year trapping. In my state (NJ) it’s illegal to use or even possess footholds. I’m researching what footholds to buy for when I trap out of state (PA) and they will stay at our cabin up there so that I don’t break any laws. Since I only get to go up there a few weekends a year and I honestly won’t get much use out of them I don’t want to spend a whole lot on them. Looking for maybe a dozen footholds. What size would be best for the largest variety of critters. Looking to target coyote, bobcat, fox, coon and beaver. I know that different sizes work better than others on specific species but is there one trap that can catch all of my target animals or do I have to get different size footholds. I been reading a few threads here but some of them are older and I know there are updates and improvements to traps over the years and am hoping to get y’all’s updated opinions. Thanks

#2dbls was king of versatility for a long time. Read some of Jonny Thorpes stuff he was the kind of practical trapping and #2's where his choice

Now the MB550 is arguably the best for all round land trapping ( for out of the box work)

Though some will say the Bridger #3 Canadian jawed is better

Down here though a lot more people like a MB450 for all around land work and a #11 for most water trapping up to otter ( historically)

#3 long spring would be my go to

#1 1/2 LS, from weasel to raccoon. It's a great muskrat trap.

Some #1 1/2 and some #3 Dukes. That covers a lot of trapping there. Land trapping I just assumed that you meant......jk

MB 450's :-)

3 dls.

Duke #2 coil. Not the best at all for beaver but if you target the front foot you can make them work. Also a little big for dry land coon but fine for water trapping on drowning sets.

Some #2 Duke coil springs. Great traps and they won't cost you a arm and leg. I would go with a closed jaw # 2 trap
If you target the beavers front foot you get away with a #2 coil spring.
There Is No ONE BEST trap but the #2 will work for you.

I suppose if I could only have one trap for all those critters I'd go with either a #2 or #3 round jaw. Which one I picked would depend on what I will be trapping more of. If I planned on much beaver trapping I'd do the #3, but if I planned on mostly fox it would be the #2.

Honestly, I think I'd go with the #2 and just use snares for beaver if that's legal in PA.

If you are in eastern PA with mostly fox and not yotes I would go with 1.5 coils if I was only going to buy one trap type. Good for fox, coon, mink, rat and will hold yotes. If you feel you have some yotes a few 3 3 sized traps would give you more options. Two weekends per year or so? You could go to the PA rondy in June and buy good used traps there and I am sure they will have the sizes you would want for the area you will trap.

Bryce

Speaking for myself, the Sleepy Creek 1.75 coil, closed jaw with round pan is the most versatile....It's really a #2 coil with a jaw spread identical to a Victor 3N longspring.

Much tougher than a Duke or Victor coil, and much less expensive than MB's.

Cheap enough to set on public land, and robust enough to git 'r' done....Bobcat, coyote, fox, coon, mink, etc. are all in the wheelhouse of this trap.

If you only want one trap for coyote, bobcat, fox, raccoon and beaver I would go with the Duke #3. It works well for all of them with maybe the exception of raccoon.

If beaver was not on the list I would go with 1.75 Duke.

There's a list of critters you want to trap, and there's a list of critters you'll realistically be able to catch. Based on that a #1 1/2 Duke double jaw will catch the latter wonderfully and it'll hold the others on the "wish list" most all of the time. Yu'll catch more stuff with more traps and less stuff with better traps if there are fewer of them.

number 2 duke,

Any #2 coil would work well. I would move to PA and buy a couple dozen mb 550.

Just about every brand and size has been listed. I will throw in a Duke #1 coil spring and a #4 Victor DLS. Should cover it.

Holy crap.

#3 Newhouse, will hold rats to small bears!!

Move out of New Jersey and buy a dozen of each trap on this list! Seriously though, I'd get 6 mb 450s closed jaw and 6 mb 550s.

My choice would be #2 coil springs or the MB 550 depending on your budget and maybe a few Bridger #5 coil or #4 victor dbl long spring for beaver.

NO BS extreme jrs. I know you said nothing crazy expensive but this trap will hold every animal on your list and then some.

Victor #2 Coilspring , roundjaw is a pretty darn versatile trap. It’ll hold weasel , mink, skunk, possum, muskrat, red fox , gray fox, coon, bobcat, coyote. Not my first choice for otter and beaver but rigged right and in a pinch, it’ll do.

But that’s like buying just one gun lol ?!

As an example, not singling you out washxc, this would cost $233 (Schmitts price) for $249 you could have three dozen Duke 1.5. In Pa it's foxes and coons and mink,,,, mainly. You'd catch a lot more in 3 dozen traps than just 12 traps for very close to the same amount of money.

You cant possess a foot hold in that state and you live there why?

And for the same amount of money you could have twice the amount of dukes. They are not junk anymore. 25 years ago not so good but now a basically good trap......jk

The sleepy creek #11 has its fans.

Personally, I have caught everything from weasels to otter and beaver in #2 double longsprings.

Surely you mean that you can’t possess a foothold trap in the field?
Even the most communist state around can’t outlaw having them at your home.

Thorpe is not a good reference

Dude,,,,, ya did grow up on the internet………

Well I could go full on Internet trapping education and say clint Locklear somthing something #3dbls big pan long chain fully modified but I'm trying to behave lol

Kind of what I was saying,


Both we internet or magazine
Both were ok
I like Clint, but at a campfire, not my table.
Johnny or what ever his name was,,,,,,ummmmm

And laughing,,,,,,full on internet trapping education,,,,,not you ….

We’re is Matt Jones, Zag, and the rest when ya need them

Ask Newt Sterling about that. The NJ gestapo confiscated his entire trap collection and fined him thousands of dollars.



Charlie

Lol close enough
I know Matt Jones has his own deal going on FB , his personal page is pretty cool to follow . Zags probably around trying not to have an aneurysm over people thinking the pipe dream set is all about the pipe he's a wonderful guy to chat with though learned a lot from him though pm.

Lol
Got to make money somehow when ya get old

I wonder what Mats 330s spring look like after being compressed for all these years,,,, thinking viaga might help when dipping

Mb 550 will do anything you need it to on dry land.

buy traps for the species you are targeting. saving ten bucks to get a few traps all the same size is dumb

NJSA 23:4-22.1
State law (NJSA 23:4-22.1 to 23:4-22.8, effective October 1985) prohibits steel-jawed leghold type traps (coil spring and longspring traps) to be manufactured, sold, offered for sale, possessed, imported or transported, or used in this State except for the purpose of exhibition by humane or educational institutions or organizations; or, while in the act of turning over the traps to a law enforcement agency.


Got the bleep outa NJ talk about a stupid law

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and yes I know, NJ sucks. In the future I’d like to move to America but for now, New Germany it is.

#2 long springs that will last another 100 years if taken care of Victor or BL just good quality built traps. I don’t think those blue light specials would be around in 50 years to be passed on.

From what you explained I'd just get 2 dozen Duke 2 ...just read the regs for pa before you purchase anything don't buy any trap with a jawspread over 6 1/2 inches what part of the state are you going to be trapping in?