If you didn’t have budget, what would you buy?

If you had a budget, what would you buy?

Only talking a dozen or two to be used on drowning rods mostly but possible drowning cable or long cable.

Not doing ADC work, just trying to learn and have fun.

NO BS 8.5

TS 8.5

If you don't know, buy one of each of the beaver specific footholds, and pick the one you like the most and works in your area.

MB 750
TS 85
CDR
No BS Beaver Extreme
Bridger #5 LS

Use the biggest jaw spread your state allows.

Cheap or expensive

I agree and would add the Bridger #5 dogless. I bought a half dozen to try out this season. Liking them pretty good. My usual favorite is CDR’s.

Mike, with shipping the way it is and volume discounts I don’t want to buy singles. I struggle with the MB650 trigger system, don’t know why but probably lack of familiarity. Don’t want that while I’m chest deep.

Big fan of the No BS, but jaw spread is 7.5” when the TS 85 and Duke 850 is 8.5”.

Not a long spring guy, yet but maybe a convert.

CDR, not familiar but will research.

Cfowler, are the #5 you are referring to long spring or coils?

LS stands for long spring, Bridger also makes a #5 coilspring, both dog on and dogless. Personally I like #4 longsprings, but if you wanted the bigger jawspread you can go with the Bridger #5, I bought one at a convention last summer but haven't used it. Was actually looking at it possibly for wolves, but it would take some modifying, but is pretty much beaver ready. I to don't care for the MB 650/750 trigger system, and really wouldn't care for it standing in deep water. Big advantage of longsprings like the Bridger 5 is you can set them over your leg while standing out there in the water without any setters to drop.

Coil spring.

My go too's have always been MB750's and CDR's.. Both are very strong, stronger than mos(or any, especially the CDR))t and lock up like their welded.....The newer MB 750's have 4 -#2 music wire springs now and are a lot stronger than they use to be....
That said after years of using the 7 1/2" beaver traps of all brands Ive come to the conclusion they all catch just as well if I do my part and put the trap where it belongs... The bridger #5 is the cheapest and Ive caught beaver just as well in it as I have in CDR's... Don't fall into the brand hype too much.. Yes some are made better for sure but it still comes down to you doing your part...
Though to answer the question, no budget then CDR's and MB 750's or a Bridger #5 with a PIT pan for about the same price.... On a budget #4 Dukes and then the cheapest of the big traps the Bridger #5, which is a dandy trap...

Bridger #3 worked for us this year so far, largest jaw spread trap we have right now. We need a few bigger ones.

I like breecher #3 too. although sometimes the traps are empty.

Doesn't get better than CDRs and Bridger #5 LS, IMO. I have a few Bridger #5 coils too.

Any of you long-spring guys using the old B&L 44’s? If you can find them, those are some stout traps.

I really prefer the Bridger #5 coil-spring in dogless. Tried both models. They’re the only dog-less traps I own. I was looking for a trap, that I liked, and that I could afford, if it walked off.

Money no object, no preference for dog or dogless, CDR.

I like the no loose jaw on the MB750, but most of mine are caught in 330s

Never understood the fascination of the no loose jaw thing.

CDR

Duke #4 with PIT pan.

MB750's. I've tried most beaver traps. Nothing beats 750's for me

If legal sounds like you want the ts85. I'm a mb750 guy but they have a down fall or 2. BUT you are on the right track buying beaver SPECIFIC traps. And they're all really close in price.

I used to have TS 85's. I currently have Bridger #5 coils and No BS Beaver Extremes- The No-BS are by far my favorite!

Actually, me neither….lol. That’s just one of its features. I guess you just orient the loose jaw on the other traps appropriately.

Thank you for all of the reply’s. This gives a very good idea of which direction I’m headed.

Much appreciated

I guess its just one of those things about a specific trap everyone likes... I does make it easy to bed and beds solid as a rock but I don't see it as a major selling point, personally but it sure ain't a bad thing either .. To me the selling points of the 750 is that its very heavy duty, very strong, locks up like its welded..Big jaw spread but compact at the same time.
Some guys love dogless beaver traps, that's never really meant anything to me.. Some folks love PITpans, some love long-springs. Some hate the swivel location on the ts85.. I personally like an end mounted swivel and did a lot of my own traps like that because I set my traps over my knee and a center swivel digs in...
Just a lot of personal preference... Most of them are very good traps and hold beaver just fine if you put it in the right spot..
Another thing, I personally like a smaller pan on my beaver traps like the CDR PIT pan or MB750 has but that's just me..

This ^^^^^^^

I bought some bridger#3s this fall and iam extremely pleased with them.catching by the front or back foot and holding them alive.

I never worried about the loose jaw. Fixed jaw caused more problem for me betting and setting traps. Loose jaw has a lot more uses. Never iwned 750s, used a few from a friend because it was his property and was teacging him how to trap beaver. Sold all my 650s. 759s were slightly easier to set than the 650s.

Just more user friendly traps out there that hold as well or better than 750s.

Never heard this before. Can you name one and tell me why it's more user friendly?

Pretty much every beaver sized foothold outside the bridger #5 coilspring.

For availability...the MB750 is my favorite. Very, very few fired 750s without a beaver in em. Pan is right size.

CDRs are good...right size pans, but availability of the better older stock traps is a negative.

Bridger 5 coilsprings' pans are a bit too big for my liking. Strong springs. Dogless may be better.

NoBS Beaver Extremes are good, with great lockup. Pans are a bit big.

Duke 5 longsprings are OK, with PIT pans, but this size longspring traps for beaver are big and bulky.

TS85s are OK. Pan size is OK as jawspread is larger at 8.5".

These are the beaver traps I have and use.

Yea I agree on the pans. I've never liked a big pan on a beaver trap personally. It not a deal breaker but I don't prefer it either.. My one dig at a stock #5 Bridger is the pan.. Though if you put a PIT pan on it like the CDR has it makes it a whole different trap. It does add expense though...
Now it does not really matter I guess as long as the beaver is there in the morning but over the years Ive noticed that my catches with traps that have smaller pans and a few pounds of pan tension(bedded well) are almost always a real deep catch with almost no snapped traps. Like so few its almost surprising ... That's just me anyway...

How are they more user friendly and how to they hold better than the MB750's?

all of t hem are easier to set, except the bridger 5 coilspring.

You said they hold better too. I can set a mb750 over my knee (though I choose to use setters) much easier than a #5 DLS or a CDR or any of the traps with Newhouse style frames like a 4 1/2 SC . Let’s see the pictures of the tail caught beaver in a stock TS85.

Bridger #5

I am a 750 guy, I have confidence in them. I have never used a Dbl longspring for beaver, but if I had the chance to try them I would

I do not care for 750’s…or any other trap of that style. I don’t like that both jaws are held down and there is no loose jaw. This forces you to work inside the jaws when setting it. I also cannot set them by hand and need to use the setting tool.

I like #5 DLS like the Duke. I can set it by hand without any extra tools. It comes base plated, center swiveled, and PIT pan. You can preset it before getting in the water by flipping the loose jaw under the pan so it cannot fire. When it’s time to set it, the loose jaw allows you to engage the pan while working from under the jaws without any fear of getting pinched.

I used #5 Dukes for several seasons and still like them. Ill tell you what made me like them more. I took that crimp on center swivel off and attached my chain at the end of the baseplate so that cneter swivel would not dig in my leg when setting them over my knee

I'm getting tired of empty traps, hope this helps!

can still get belly fires with a small pan. Pan size isnt the issue.

No bs 2 coil is my favorite. Easy on the hands when your setting a boat load and hold plenty good. I don't like the mb750s because I think the levers lock up to hard I have to stand on the levers to get beaver out. Easy fix if you carry setters. I always loose them.

Not if set deep for back foot, which is all I do for nuisance work. Pan size is an issue when targeting back feet, and that looks like a good setup to me. It may not eliminate misses and toe catches completely but it will lessen them.

If you don't mind the extra expense a PIT pan of a #5 Bridger is great.. I prefer small pans..I usually do set for front feet but still catch about 35% back feet doing that... I pretty much eliminated my belly snaps by stomping a deep trap bed with a ridge of mud in front of the trap. They breast out on that ridge and then walk into the trap.. I cant take credit for, Paul told me about like 16-17 years ago.. It works real well. That and a few pounds pan tension, my snap traps and toe catches went down to almost nothing..

Low end $195/doz for Bridger #3 reg jaw dogless 4 coil
Best value $269/doz Bridger #5 reg jaw (with a dog)
Favorite would be 4.5 Sleepy Creek long but it is a beast to set so it is slow. Bridger 5 longs with PIT pans is more efficient amd satisfies ly Mtn Man feeling with longs

Easiest to run TS 85. My kid was 12 setting those.

Obviously I prefer to run a variety as I enjoy the variation the most. Call up MN trapline and ask them to compile a Beaver Trap Foothold Sampler like they used to have. Ask for a good deal.

TS85 for me but their all good traps find what works best for you

I think I’m leaning towards a dozen of the NBS Ex beaver, regular jaws no laminate. Only thing not decided on s 2 coil or 4. I plan on trying the TS85 also and maybe a couple Duke 850.

I absolutely love my NO BS Beaver Extreme regular jaw. I learned from an old timer to keep an 8x8 piece of plywood with me to reset traps in the mud. I've read either way for pros and cons for 2 vs 4 coil...I don't know how, but I've got a mix of them. Other than a little more ooomf to set, I've never encountered a tripped NO BS Beaver Extreme without a beaver in it in a 2 vs 4... .

I would buy the four coiled, if you don’t like them you can always remove them.

If no budget I would probably go with the NO BS Beaver Extremes

If on a budget you can do pretty well with used #4 LS and if you want to step them up add a baseplate and a PIT pan

Any trap recommended for beaver with close to a 6 inch jaw spread works well. You don’t need a gargantuan jaw spread to catch beaver it is more about trap placement. Personally I favor American made round or semi circular jawed traps. Most guys I know that are serious foot hold beaver trappers are using traps that don’t require setters, it just simply saves time. ADC and wildlife control trapping is a different matter.

For the guys that have trouble with the 750 locking on the foot to tight. Waxing the trap eliminates that.

I was wondering if that would make the trap slide down the leg more.

Take a small butane torch and burn the wax off the jaw faces and the dog notch.

Been waxing by beaver footholds for years.....and the wax does help to unlock.

Good call Swamp Wolf