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Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr #8441049
07/22/25 10:37 PM
07/22/25 10:37 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
I am not happy with my MB 550s because the coyotes bend the dog post (not the dog, just the post) and the tension is often totally messed up, or even completely unsettable. I’m also not a fan of my 650s because you can’t lift one of the jaws.

So I want to switch over to dogless traps. I like the #2 size. I picked up a few NO BS Jrs. And they seem like they will be good. But I am open to experimenting with others.

Are the FB Alphas worth a shot? They are $60 more per dozen. Are there any advantages over the NO BS Jr.?


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441052
07/22/25 10:45 PM
07/22/25 10:45 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
B
BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
I like Alphas a lot but also got them at good prices. Don’t like current price and not sure I’ll get more because of that. No BS are only ok in my book. Have held too many things that I didn’t want held.

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441063
07/22/25 10:59 PM
07/22/25 10:59 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
trapper
SNIPERBBB  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
the alphas are a bit more stable for the more conventional style of trap bedding and a slightly bigger jawspread. especially across the frame. theyre a bit lighter too if you gotta walk a lot. cons for me are the cast jaws and the round jaws. i like square jawed trap for my bedding style over round. plus the no bs comes coated

on the 550s i dont get how the pan tension is inconsistent? only way for that to happen is something hot bent or you got crud in the night latch.

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: SNIPERBBB] #8441072
07/22/25 11:10 PM
07/22/25 11:10 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
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Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
Originally Posted by SNIPERBBB
the alphas are a bit more stable for the more conventional style of trap bedding and a slightly bigger jawspread. especially across the frame. theyre a bit lighter too if you gotta walk a lot. cons for me are the cast jaws and the round jaws. i like square jawed trap for my bedding style over round. plus the no bs comes coated

on the 550s i dont get how the pan tension is inconsistent? only way for that to happen is something hot bent or you got crud in the night latch.


Yeah, I’m not sure what to call it, but the post that holds the dog gets bent. I’ve had it happen enough times that I had to carry that tool with me. It gets bent inward so far that the pan doesn’t sit level or even rubs against the base of the trap and it can’t be set anymore. I’m not sure how else to describe it. But making those adjustments at the set is just not practical.


Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441074
07/22/25 11:11 PM
07/22/25 11:11 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
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Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
I’m surprised others do not have this issue all the time. May be it’s just the big coyotes we have in the northeast.

Also edit to say that I wasn’t really talking about tension I guess. Just pan level.

Last edited by Forest; 07/22/25 11:13 PM.

Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441091
07/22/25 11:27 PM
07/22/25 11:27 PM
Joined: Apr 2019
SD
B
Bison88 Offline
trapper
Bison88  Offline
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B

Joined: Apr 2019
SD
Never had a 550 damaged by a coyote. Tractor yes, but never a coyote!

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Bison88] #8441128
07/23/25 12:13 AM
07/23/25 12:13 AM
Joined: Nov 2017
West Central MN
20scout Offline
trapper
20scout  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2017
West Central MN
Originally Posted by Bison88
Never had a 550 damaged by a coyote. Tractor yes, but never a coyote!

X2 even caught a few wolves in my 550's with no damage.


Common sense is a not a vegetable that does well in everyone's garden.
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441243
07/23/25 07:32 AM
07/23/25 07:32 AM
Joined: Oct 2008
n.e. pa.
F
foxpee Offline
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foxpee  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2008
n.e. pa.
I have had all the traps you mentioned. The no bs are great but are much harder for me to bed in my rocky ground. The alpha’s I got rid of due to the jaw faces being too wide. I don’t know why they ever went that route. With those wide jaw faces that trap(#2alpha) isn’t any advantage over the 550 plus a lot more steel has to bust up through the ground.I would much rather the 550 jaw width (3/8) and make jaw spread to 6-6 1/2 outside. Anyway between the alpha and no bs I would choose no bs. You may want to look at the Bridger #2 dogless. It’s a fine trap also. I run mostly 550’s and never had the issue your having with them.

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441281
07/23/25 09:19 AM
07/23/25 09:19 AM
Joined: Apr 2009
South Ga - Almost Florida
Swamp Wolf Offline
trapper
Swamp Wolf  Offline
trapper

Joined: Apr 2009
South Ga - Almost Florida
Id take a look at the #3 Bridger dogless fully modified. They can be purchased with all the mods professionally done.


Thank God For Your Blessings!
Never Half-Arse Anything!

Resource Protection Service

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441288
07/23/25 09:40 AM
07/23/25 09:40 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Craigmont, Idaho
M
marty weatherup Offline
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marty weatherup  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2011
Craigmont, Idaho
I have a couple dozen No BS Jrs and Extremes in with all my other 2s and 3s. I like them. Last year was the first season using them and I think pretty highly of them.

If I was buying more coyote traps I’d go an even split between the JRs and the Extremes. They bed well in the majority of my soils and I don’t recall a single toe catch in either of them.

I haven’t tried the Alphas. I have a pretty broad cross section of traps. Everything from old Northwoods and Montgomerys to Victor and Duke round jaw and Bridger 3s both dog and dogless. Some MB 650s but no MB 550s. All laminated and four coiled. The Bridger 3s, modified, are a very close second to the No BS traps. I still like my Victor round jaws, mostly because I used them for so many years back in the 90s and caught a lot of coyotes with them. But, they seem to me to be more difficult to bed solidly than the No BS and Bridgers.

Yeah, I like the No BS traps. I even have three dozen of the Wolf Jrs. Though the wolves were conspicuously absent on my line last year until two days before I broke my ankle. Which cut my cat and wolf season in half. Oh well, next season.


Trail cameras and fresh snow have broke a lot of trapper’s hearts.
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441380
07/23/25 01:37 PM
07/23/25 01:37 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
F
Forest Offline OP
trapper
Forest  Offline OP
trapper
F

Joined: Feb 2015
New Hampshire
I like to make flat sets with a rock, and I often set near stone walls. And sometimes there are just rocks that happen to be in the area. The coyotes are banging the trap against the rock. I’m pretty sure that’s why my 550s are getting bent.

Last edited by Forest; 07/23/25 01:38 PM.

Paul Smiths Forestry ‘22
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441603
07/23/25 08:41 PM
07/23/25 08:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2017
Ks
Flint Hill fur Offline
trapper
Flint Hill fur  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2017
Ks
get ya a pair of pliers an throw in your bag. takes a few seconds to bend post back. just happens when in the rocks.

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8441815
07/24/25 09:39 AM
07/24/25 09:39 AM
Joined: Sep 2023
MO
C
Crappiekiller Offline
trapper
Crappiekiller  Offline
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C

Joined: Sep 2023
MO
I have not used the Alphas, but have used both the Extremes and Extreme jrs (wire levers). They will hold most anything. I think nly catch a fraction of the coyotes some of you catch, but have yet to lose a coyote with a NoBS.


CK
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: BigBlackBirds] #8441945
07/24/25 01:34 PM
07/24/25 01:34 PM
Joined: Mar 2015
GA
C
canebrake Offline
trapper
canebrake  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2015
GA
Originally Posted by BigBlackBirds
I like Alphas a lot but also got them at good prices. Don’t like current price and not sure I’ll get more because of that. No BS are only ok in my book. Have held too many things that I didn’t want held.

Do the Juniors hold deer too?

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8442091
07/24/25 07:00 PM
07/24/25 07:00 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
nebraska
S
scheide Offline
trapper
scheide  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Feb 2011
nebraska
I just have to say this....should have bought duke 550's......

Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: Forest] #8442560
07/25/25 02:08 PM
07/25/25 02:08 PM
Joined: Mar 2011
Oregon
S
ScottPhillips Offline
trapper
ScottPhillips  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Mar 2011
Oregon
I have used the traps mentioned, I have quite a few Alphas, they really take a pounding by big cats and canines. The only draw back is that they are expensive. I like a loose jaws when setting. As stated a modified Bridger work well, All traps mentioned are heavy especially when balled up with mud or gumbo! I still like the OLD Montgomerys fully modified with a 1/4 inch base plate and 1/4 inch laminations because they are very durable but lighter than the others. But as everyone knows hard to find anymore. Today there are so many options and good traps out there "we" really have it a lot better than 50 years ago!

A lot depends on what your check time is or how long the animal is abusing your equipment!


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Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: 20scout] #8442601
07/25/25 03:28 PM
07/25/25 03:28 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Wisconsin
8117 Steve R Offline
trapper
8117 Steve R  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2014
Wisconsin
Originally Posted by 20scout
Originally Posted by Bison88
Never had a 550 damaged by a coyote. Tractor yes, but never a coyote!

X2 even caught a few wolves in my 550's with no damage.

X3


Steve
WTA
NRA
Re: Dogless Traps, Thoughts on the Alpha and NO BS Jr [Re: scheide] #8442721
07/25/25 07:29 PM
07/25/25 07:29 PM
Joined: Feb 2018
Hi-Line Montana
Wild_Idaho Offline
trapper
Wild_Idaho  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2018
Hi-Line Montana
Originally Posted by scheide
I just have to say this....should have bought duke 550's......


I run a mix of MB550 and Duke 550. Dukes are the ones to consistently have the levers bent up. Noting a pair of pliers or a screwdriver wedged in and twisted cant fix though.


Real name Eric
The sharpest hammer in the box of crayons.

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