No complaints about 550's for cats and yotes from me

40lb coyotes and 30lb bobcats all deep foot catches in 550’s for me. Use bridger 3’s also but mainly when the snow sets in. [u][/u] [i][/i]

I've noticed before where the trap was on the animal's foot differently than it should have been. Like it latched on backwards from the way I had it facing when I made the set. I figured the animal either worked the set from behind, or more than likely worked it from the side with the trap grabbing the side of his foot.

A solid 85% of my trap inventory consist of MB550's and #3 Bridgers, some 4, some 2 coiled and most of my Bridgers are modified. I target cats almost exclusively now since the yotey market crashed, but personally I have no complaints about the performance of either on cats or yotes. If I'd note one single observation, it's only that the MB's are more accommodating to incidental fox in my cat sets. I've never observed any notable damage on either cats or coyotes from either trap. For cat setting with exposed trap sets I like having both available as it seems sometimes one fits a location without excessive modification better than the other.

If an animal workers the set from every possible angler, there is no trap placement that will be perfect. Some sets just cause more foot traffic than others. Pretty much why dirt holes have so much more success than flat sets generally is that the animals are all over the place working them. Some sets you can force placement.

If an animal workers the set from every possible angle, there is no trap placement that will be perfect. Some sets just cause more foot traffic than others. Pretty much why dirt holes have so much more success than flat sets generally is that the animals are all over the place working them. Some sets you can force placement.

That’s a true statement. It’s also a true statement that if you run short chains and have a trap fire on the sides of the foot you can get a pullout . Ed Medvets told me that the original porpoise of shock springs was to prevent pullouts by creating a time lag if you will between the trap firing and coming to the end of the chain. I’m sure I can’t explain it as well as Ed , but the jist is this. If you run less than 24” of chain and a trap fires on the sides of the foot ( according to slow motion photos) a critter can pull out before the trap locks up on the foot. A long chain “24 inches or more “ or a shock spring gives that trap a split second longer to rotate and lock up . I myself agree that dirt holes especially double dirt hole creat a lot of foot movement and therefore more angles that a foot will contact the pan. I compensate with a heavy pan , 4#’s or more on my mb 650’s .

Wait what? So when the trap fires it doesn’t lock up? I’m missing something in the above comment.

I probably run less than 12” of chain normally, probably less than 10” and I don’t have pullouts. My theory is a running start gives them momentum to pull out. I’ve only used drags for less than one year and already had two pullouts. Now both times were after torrential downpours so not sure if trap was maybe slow to fire being soaked in or not. But I don’t have that issue when anchored.

Theres a bit of time lag before the foot conforms to the trap to create that bit of swelling under the jaws so the animal cant pull out,

Bigger traps aren’t always better.

Start working hard ground conditions and you’ll come to appreciate a smaller trap.

Not to mention all the dry bedding material you save not having to bury the big iron.

One was grass in the pinch point of the jaws at a hay set. I filed the trap to where it is gapped for the most part on the sides. Another had a small stick that prevented lockup. Probably had a rabbit pull out of one, which is good that it did, but dictated too light of pan tension. They were used traps and the springs are worn. I have since 4 coiled them.
I'm just saying the larger trap has a higher catch rate imo. Last year I had 4 #4 and the rest #2. total of 27 traps by years end, and the #4's caught half my take. I would love to add some mb550's to my line. Eventually I will.

I do run a short chain. Good point about that. Thanks for all the valuable info everyone shares. It is appreciated.

Wanna Be I don’t run long chains accept on my long springs and then I run about 32” of chain including a shock spring. And I run the shock spring thinking of reducing shoulder strain and slower stop on a single stake. A lot of my #4’s still have the original floppy pans and I mostly get good hookups. I originally ran long chains to get away from double staking. Ed is the one that told me about the lockup and the shock springs original intent. It all had to do with BMP’s and .......... from back in the day .

Are y’all 24hr check or longer?

24 hours for us .

Land sets with footholds are every Calendar day here. That’s technically different than every 24 hours.
Jim

96 hrs here. Though I'm way to eager to wait that long.

I agree the 550 is alot easier to bed then the bridget3

I will add this. There are tools for every occasion. I have a variety of traps, not just one or two models. I do like 3s in more open bean or corn fields picked around here. I like the twos for grassy meadows, pastures, etc. just my preferences .
Was tuning traps yesterday morning, adding berk cable anchors, checking tags, getting ready for boiling and waxing.

Top left is #2 Bridger dogless, top right is #2 dog on fully modified, middle left is MB 550, middle right is Montana #2,
And bottom is a Bridger #3 dogless. I have other traps too like Bridger #3 dog on, and some others.
I don’t run very many four coiled traps. Seem to work just fine without them.
Go with what you have confidence in and the situation calls for. Tuning them properly is key. One isnt necessarily better than another. I like #2 bridgers but don’t always use them everywhere.

I run the Duke 650’s have one dozen 550’s and two of the 450’s I’m trying this year. I never liked the square jaw traps felt they are slower by design than a more rounded jaw trap. I had some Montana #3’s but had a lot of toe catches on cats, looking thru John’s catalog seen several cats toe caught in it. Sold them. Watched a YouTube video of some guy Waddell maybe? He said same thing square jaws slower than round. The 650’s-550’s and 450’s seem more rounded to me not as much as my victors though.

wws

You know that Montana #2 is a really nice coyote trap. Mine I added pit pans and stainless rod dogs. The rounded edge on the round jaws is nice. These really remind me a lot of the old Monty #2 round jaws.
I’ve had really good experiences with this trap. Sort of hard to find some but worth it if you do run across any. They set well and super flat profile when set.
This is one trap I only set in my more private ground areas to minimize theft possibility.
Jim