Bought the setters last summer because I am old and infirm. Then I left them at the dam just to find the beaver 200 yards away in a feed channel. Call it pride, will, old ugly initiative.....I can set a 330 by hand with all this mass I own AND focused effort !!!! I am young again !!!! Where is my IBUPROFIN ?
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I’m cheering for you!!!! Way to go. I compress the springs if I have a certain kind of boot on. Scary trap, that is.

Still pretty good to be able to do that. Its one of those thing that I can do it...I just dont want to because the setters are faster. Got me a pair of the self locking setters this year.

I don’t carry a tool with me on the line, and I can reset a 330 Duke without a setter. But it is hard sometimes when there’s a beaver in the trap.

Good for you ...set them as long as you can
.I use setters 50% of the time.

But it is hard sometimes when there’s a beaver in the trap. [/quote]


This is why i carry setters with me

Did it for years but I’m paying the price for doing it that way today it’s tough on the hands if you over do it. A good squeeze on a pliers can pop most of my finder joints sometimes. That pop gets your attention when they go several at once.

At a trapping rendezvous I witnessed a man, a bear of a man mind you, who may have never even seen a 330 before that day, set a 330 without setters in a 330 speed setting competition.
The 330 was a well worn but clean trap with suitable springs for its intended purpose, but not overly strong.
He looked at it for a short while, then compressed the first spring with one large hand and held it there while compressing the other spring with his other hand. He was not aware of the spring catches or their intended purpose.
He then placed the loose jaws between his knees and forced his knees together until they held the springs in compression so that he could use his giant hands to force the jaws open and set the trap. The audience in attendance was aghast with open mouths in horror during this most awkward event, worrying about the safety and wellbeing of this man. The whole thing was as sketchy looking as it gets, but he got it done. The late great Bud Jenkins who was the Master of Ceremonies of this event was watching closely and a couple of times it looked like he was about to step in and save the man, but he didn't.
The crowd went nuts! The guy just shrugged like he was embarrassed that it took him so long.
He did not have the fastest time, but if memory serves me, Bud gave him the trophy anyway, and I doubt any of the other competitors minded one bit.
That was without a doubt the craziest feats of strength I have ever witnessed.
Personally, when I forget to bring my setters and have a huge, stiff as a board beaver wedged tight in the trap, I want to cry.

Tis why they invented 3/8" rope. Never leave home without it.

that was one of the first things they showed us in trappers ed demo day how to free yourself with a pair of boot laces.

always carry a rope with a foot loop. Make sure you know how to use it.

Saw the way 330 Manic does. I can do it but it isn't quite as easy as he makes it look.

I can set brand new 330 Belisles in less than ten seconds. Not sure if the setters you guys buy are faster than that, but have never seen a reason to change what I do. Never had issues getting critters out of them either except in those rare instances when a big beaver gets suitcased. But I still get them out with not too much fuss.

I only used or seen setters once when I was trapping beaver for a coworker. He had ordered 2 330's and some setters and had them out at his property. But tno luck catching the beaver. So I tried the setters out thinking are you kidding why,. Well I soon found out why with how nice and easy they made setting those 330's an for getting beaver out of them.

Now I would never have know how nice they are had I not tried them there. I caught all his beaver for him and haven't used a setter again but if I trapped beaver and used a lot of 330s often I would not be without them. But I only have one 330 and don't use it much. I prefer foot holds and snares for beaver.

Glad to hear you still have it in you to get those monsters set by hand.

Thank, guys......I am recovered. I need to put some rope in my pocket. Best thoughts, imlvt

It's not about monster strength....it's technique.

At the speed setting at FHA all the fastest guys compress both springs at the same time and use their knee to open the jaws and set.Step on the jaws with the trap standing up and pull the bottom spring arms up until they can grab and squeeze the spring eyes in one motion-all in the technique.Need a good strong grip though.
I set all kinds of traps no problem by hand for years on the line but last few years always use setters,too hard on the old elbow joints.

How stout are the 330's they use in the competitions Boco?

For an older guy...the "cool" thing ISN'T setting a 330 with only your hands. It's getting yourself out of a 330 with ONLY YOUR ONE HAND!

Forget the rope....you'll be trembling too much from the pain. Forget stepping on the jaws or springs...you'll be in mud. Forget the scissor-type setters....you won't have but one hand available.

Buy yourself one of those caulking gun setters. You can thank me after you release yourself.

If you get both hands in the 330....well...I hope you haven’t fastened it down yet.

Swamp beat me to it. Bought an RTS setter and it is like a dream machine big body grip multi tool. Love it so much I have a spare.
Enjoyed the story about setting contest. I bet that was spooky. Had a guy noticeably older than me - and Im 53 - set a CDR by hand on one of those slick top convention tables. He watched me set one with one hand setters, asked me what kind of sissy thing is that. I just laughed and said “you aren’t setting one of these old original CDRs by hand”. Apparently he took offense to that, looked back at several of his convention cruiser buddies who were watching with smirks, and he grabbed it away from me put it on the table and proved me wrong. One edge of each hand on a spring - just pushed them down and slid his hands over to the jaws like he had done it thousands of times. The table literally sagged and made some creaky sounds as he did it. I had about enough time to almost finish saying “no, don’t do it - you’ll be sor….” And that was it - one set CDR. He stuck around a bit and made fun of me, told me he was going just go home and copy my trap holder, that it wouldn’t even take him as long as it takes me to make one, and then turned to his buddies and said “I will make you all of one too!”
Then he said he would just need one to copy, slapped down the cash, bought one and walked away. I wouldn’t know him if I saw him again. I hope all his buddies have one now.