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I was thinking about setting my 330 beaver traps at home and securing the jaws with a strong zip tie to save time on the line. What do you think? Good idea or not. All replies appreciated!

I have done that.

My safety hooks have never failed.

People have done that since cable ties were invented but WHY use them in that manner? If you use them to get your 330 in position at the set already set, you have to cut them. (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) are you doing with cable ties once you cut them is what matters! With all the cut wires on beaver dam cross-overs, I’d bet you let them drop in the water. Out if sight-out of mind! The only good thing about littering with cable ties is that the next trapper that comes along won’t get his waders punctured!!!

Spend a little $$ and buy a good safety gripper!

cant get much faster than springs already in set postion i think cutting zip ties your looking to get caught

Same

yep, just asking for a problem messing with zip ties

I would think clipping the zip tie and packing it in a pocket so you don't litter would take longer than setting the trap with the safety hooks already on.

Well therein lies the problem! “Packing it in a pocket” is the crutch of the problem! If trappers can’t take care of their wire at a set, I really don’t believe they’d be concerned about clipping & dropping a cable tie!!!

Lots of full time trappers leave springs loaded all the time.

Thanks for the reply.
You would lose the bet about me dropping the ties in the water. I don’t litter! Actually I pick up any litter I find in the woods

Good man!

Safety dogs are all I ever use. All my 330's spend the season that way and then I spring them after season is over.

Kudos to you JimF! I have worked too many dams in probably more frequented locations than you would come across in the UP and I can’t hardly grab a beaver stick to anchor my cable without it having frigin wire sticking off it!!! Even got a couple of spots of AquaSeal on my waders where they found me before I found them!!

I set my springs at home and before I get into the water I set the trap and put on the safety grip. I don’t see the big deal with time.

Safety hooks.....

Belisles......

Well, I trapped areas in Alaska that required a skiff ride in the ocean to get to, and that water in winter was often not nice. I might have 6 or 8 #330s bouncing around in the bow, almost always pre-set. I use Belisle traps, so the safeties were really not a concern, however I frequently put the traps in a backpack upon reaching shore, then overland. I only own one coni safety, so at times a simple zip-tie was re-assuring.
As for littler, since Seldom assumes almost all of us are litterbugs, I will console him in assuring I packed out all my zip-ties, even in wilderness he will never see.

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Thanks Alaska Viking!!!!

Not with 330s, but a buddy of mine who carpet bombs the place when he targets something was using zip ties on his hundreds of 1.5s when going for rats. But he’s been in this game for 50years and still puts most youngsters to shame with his efficiency. A guy who rents a plane to scout means business……lol
Johnny is a good trapper to keep an eye on too. If he’s targeting a certain species, it’s financially best to do the same. He’s got a crystal ball that can see into the future fur markets…… and he’s hitting rats hard this spring…….lol

This'd be a good thread to post Nesmucks wire on the BG safety post.

Also know a guy that zips his coils open.
Works for him.
If they are too much work for you just don't do it lol.

I have made my own cheap "safeties" out of 20 penny nails. Just make sure they are long enough to accomodate the widths of the gap when the jaws are open then the trap is "set." Bend the nail's ends in towards each other at a slightly tighter than 90 degree angle so they dont slip off the jaws when being bumped around. More efficient or faster for setting? I don't know, but I have done this more for when trying to tune traps or work on adjusting trigger travel on one that is needing repairs.

All my 330s are Belisles. So, I leave the safety hooks in place before I would go trapping because of how strong those Belisle springs are. I have a safety setter which is the last thing I take off the trap. They aren't that expensive. Just buy one instead of messing with all that other stuff.