Whats your thoughts on big pans on traps for cats? Drew a cat tag. Thinking about trying some this season.
Also trying some exposed traps ? Thanks in advance…Jeff

I use k9 extreme with expand-a-pan pans on them. And I leave them exposed. That works for me.

MB 550 with a Mike Kelly (aka Wildrivertraps.com) pan is money.

We catch a lot of bobcats with those same traps and WR trap pan covers ^^^.

I like 3n dbl long springs with a PIT pan on them not too large you risk toe catches but large enough if they step just about anywhere in the jaw they’re gonna get caught.

I put 5 dz WR pans on 550s this year to try. I Always miss a few each year with the 550s , even with good blocking. I hope it cuts the misses down.

I would have no use for a larger pan if I wasn't setting the cat traps exposed. If all you have are coil springs you can buy or make expanded pans that'll look like Freddy Keuegar has had at them but the ol DLS traps really shine for this type of set up.

What brand and size is that trap? I am new to cat trapping and I really like the Double long spring traps. I’d like to get some set up to run some exposed sets

Thank you

Thank you very much. I will be getting some of these set up

We used pan covers like Leftlane for years, the WR trap pan covers are much better but not as cheap.
No issue with toe catches on them either.

I'm also a member of the expanded pan & exposed trap club, especially on my MB's. For my DLS and Bridgers I use slip over pan covers, which essentially expand the pans. Pics were for photo op, and not an actual set.

I also have some MB 550's with Mike Kelly's pans installed. I like them for exposed cat sets. But I have had problems with them not firing several times when I have used them in covered sets. I now use them only in exposed sets.

Why not just use soup can lids glued to the pan. Spray adhesive and some sand would look, (to me), pretty similar.
Am I missing something?

A soup can lid will work but are not durable - easily bent up and chewed up. I welded round electric receptacle covers on my 3 and 4 double longsprings pans to enlarge them. After dipping the traps in paint cut with acetone, I pour a little sand on these expanded pans (when the paint is still wet) so they look like a round piece of sandstone.

So, do you take the pan off when you want to treat/wax the trap? I know some cat guys in the SW don’t wax their traps.