This #2 Bridger was part of my arsenal 30 years ago when I was still able to trap in Washington. It got run over by a large piece of equipment on a summer coyote job. I threw it in a box with my traps and forgot about it until yesterday.

I was going through some stuff yesterday afternoon, after having watched a segment of JC Conner’s trap modification video and thought it would make a good Sunday afternoon project. It’s not factory perfect now but it will catch a coyote again I’m sure.



Got the springs and spring pin off. I ended up cutting the old base plate off to make straightening the base easier.



I got the base straight and the jaws bent out some. At this point I couldn’t bend the jaws back out without bending the base so I weld a new base plate on.



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I got the jaws out and the base pretty flat and straight. Etta came out to inspect my work.



I got the jaws bent back into some semblance of trap jaws and back together. It don’t look purty but I expect it will catch coyotes.

That sure looks a lot better than if I did it. Nice work!

Thank you sir.

Nice work! The pan tells me that is a 1990s version of the old #2 Round jaw Bridger that Terry M. made.

Nice job. I've straightened out a few traps like that and always have trouble with the levers deforming again.

It was a 90s version but a square jaw. I never had any of the round jaw versions back then.

Job well done. How did ya remove and install the jaws?

One side I was able to lever it with a screw driver. The other I used the vise jaws. Same putting the back in. Than I used a crescent wrench and a long screw driver through the hole in the wrench handle to bend them back out tight. I used a small crescent to tweak the jaw tips down just enough to get them out and again to turn them up.

You did good. Had that problem years ago also with farm equipment.

Nicely done. Just curious, seems like a lot of work instead of buying a new one for <$20?

Nice save!

I have around 250 coyote traps. This was an exercise in “can I do this”. And I like modifying and repairing traps. In fact I’m working on 10 dozen #3 double long springs with base plates, laminations, helper springs on a few that need it and making the pans so the tension is adjustable

Right on, I was just curious if it was worth the effort, but if it’s just because you can, then it is.