I am hoping for some outside ideas.. my 12yr old son is starting trapping and he’s extremely scared of the trap and wants a trappers cap for Duke 450 & 550… I was thinking of making one but not sure what to use or how to go about it! Any ideas or suggestions is greatly appreciated!

If you can find any containers or lids that are square ish that's the right size that's the easiest way to go.ot of guys used spray can caps for vic 1 5s with a slot cut into them for the dog.

I took a piece of wood and cut it the same shape as the pan and then fastened thin metal around the edge. Metal from a soda can would probably work if you don’t have anything else. Theres probably some ideas on YouTube too.

I've seen soup cans with a handle used, heated and shaped plastic bottles and some homemade cut tin trappers caps. Might be best to contact Bill Duke first to see what he knows about them.

if your looking for cheap lots of tupperware(plastic containers)sizes and a piece of dowel screwed on most dollar stores sell a variety of sizes or like what was said above a soup can but your sizes maybe limited to small and large

They made this fork like thing that slid over the jaws and under the pan. No way the trap could go off until you pulled out the device.

I think Beav is referring to the Mitling trap setter. They might stil be around. Given the choice, I think a modified soup can with a dowel handle would give him the most confidence.

Those have a loose jaw, correct? Just cut you a piece of wood the right thickness to slide under the pan when it is level, but thick enough the pan can't drop enough to go off. Lift up the loose jaw, slide that piece of wood under there and after the trap is bedded solid, but before you cover/blend it lift the loose jaw up and slide that piece of wood out.

Of course I'm a tough love jerk, I'd tell him to be careful, he gets pinched a couple times and he'll learn. I've never been caught in a 330, I respect those things, but I've been caught in most other models of traps that I own at some time or other, apparently I don't respect them enough. Most of them don't hurt much, there are only three that I remember hurting very bad, a Bridger 120 across both thumbs (those little buggers are strong, and they hurt!), a 4 coiled TS 85 got me on the side of the jaws where the lever was, took me about 5 minutes to get out of that one, couldn't get either setters or my foot on the lever because my hand was in the way) and the last one never actually caught me, I was working on an Alaska 9 that a moose had bent in the shop and snapping it while holding on to the baseplate from underneath to see if I had it working smooth. About the third time I did that, I had my middle finger curled over the baseplate where the lever touched when it was closed. mashed my finger between the lever and the baseplate, split my nail and I had to walk across the shop to get the setters and get myself loose. Left a blood trail from shop to the house and ended up loosing my nail on that one. But them 450/550s should just teach him a little respect without doing much damage if they pinch him.

Sterling fur still sells them.

I should probably not worry so much and let him get pinched if it happens but I don’t want to scare him from the sport lol

I made the out of metal canned mushroom cans when I started. Cut a slot for trigger. Screw a dowel to the can. Theses worked great for 1.5 coil springs. Over the decades, I decided I didn’t need them anymore.

Use a whisk broom to expose pan so he can avoid it?

Not how I do it but should build his confidence

Would be easier than hunting the right size and shape object to build a cap

Does anyone really pack dirt inside the jaws anymore? I used to when I first started as I got the Dirt Sets and Techniques book by Charlie and that was one of the things he mentioned in the book.

Nowadays with big pans or pan covers , not much need to pack inside the jaws anymore unless you don't use them.

i would have him use sifted peat moss that would be a whole lot easier