What’s your opinion. I’m looking at duke number two for otter. They will be on drowner cables. Coon nutria mink and coyote are all in the area and will be caught incidentally. The round jaws are about three dollars cheaper per trap. Round jaws are two coiled square are four coiled

The square jaw bigger, better trap out of the box. The round jaw is smaller, has twin loop chain and is not center swiveled not something you'd want for otter. You can modify it obviously to fix it

If you are drowning them I would use whatever I pulled out of the milk crate.

I’m down to mouse traps gunny time for some more steel! Sniper I looked again your right I think the three extra dollars is worth the center Swivel machine chain and bigger jaw spread

The jaw faces on the ones I looked at were rounded smooth on the SQ and squared off on the RJ version. I've never been a fan of SJ traps going back to my youth when 1 1/2 SJ Monty and NW traps self released about 3/4 of the coons I ever had caught in them due to those smooth rounded jaws. I also don't like center swiveling on traps because it guides the animals foot to the top center of the jaws, which is the holding point on the trap and it's hard on your knee if you set traps over your knee too. Couple that with the $36/dozen difference in price and IMO it's a no brainer to choose the round jawed traps.

That’s a good point also I can get 16 rj for the price of 12 square jaw

Baseplated center swivels aren't as bad on the leg like traps that just have a j hook through the frame

x2

I like my Duke 2 round jaws for coyotes. I don’t think I’d run it stock though. Baseplate them and add better chain with 3 swivels at least. Even drowning, otters will fight a trap hard. I’ve had them tear apart Montgomery 3s on drowners.

If you are chasing otters on the crawfish ponds have you thought of snares? You can set a bunch of them fast and they work great on the crossovers. I've been setting a lot of them this year and have been impressed with the results. Once you use them cut off the reusable parts and make more. The wire from the used snare can be used to make cable anchors. I'm throwing that out there as we both trap "da ponds", just something to bounce around in your head.