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.?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Id take a look at the #3 Bridger dogless fully modified. They can be purchased with all the mods professionally done.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Do the Juniors hold deer too?

I just have to say this....should have bought duke 550's......

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!

X3

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.