Are any of you guys using them, and if so, how do you like them?

I've had a few hanging in the shed for years, and never really set them. I'm going set a dozen out this year to see how I like them.

I don't really need any advice about them, I just want to talk trapping and this is what I'm thinking about at the moment.

more bulk and drowning weight with a 1 1/2 coil. if you need them set them out.

Fossil, the drowning weight is exactly why I've always stuck with the 1.5s. I'm curious to see how the #1s perform.

They perform pretty good but not as good as a 1 1/2 coil in my opinion. I had Northwoods #1 coils. They held anything that got in them but in my opinion they weren't as good as 1 1/2 coils. After a few years of experimenting with them I sold them.

…. Not that it has anything to do with your question

… but I used to catch gray fox in # 1’s back when we had alot of them

How'd they do, GreatvalueSavell? If you were setting for gray fox today, would you still set the #1s? I've got to find some sort of use for these things.

I have used the Northwoods #1 coil and have held many coon and mink with them. I used them on dry land sets and never had problems. They might be a little light for drowning but they held what got caught in them. Was one of my favorite rat traps in the hut also.

… they did alright …. Would just wire them to a sapling drag … fox was always there

…. Had one do a Barry sanders juke on me once and knocked its foot out with my whopin stick

… but other than that they were solid …. In fact it was a fairly effective method looking back lol

Tried #1 coils one year, and they were SLOOOOOWWWW you could watch them close. Arnold was so aggravated by the misses we had most of them now reside in the bottom of the west branch. We used and i now prefer 1 1/2 coils. I did use #1 or #11 longs for 20 some years till I moved to Iowa then switched to 1 1/2 coils and never looked back.

I have some. I dont remember what brand. They are not easy to set and in soft mud they sink in a lot further than a 1 1/2. I never found an advantage over 1 1/2's.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments. I appreciate it.

I find it kinda funny that you replied. When I was prepping these traps, I short latched them all based on your recommendation. Figured I'd try two things at once.

you can remove one lever and spring, and use them for rats on the huts. bridger or northwoods were hard to set because of the short levers. youll also get a lower pad catch on some mink, due to the smaller jaw spread. 1 1/2 coil takes them high. #1 coils are a specialty item to me, and they dont fit my style of water trapping. and nothing slow about the #1 northwoods or bridgers. victor, maybe, i dont remember those. hope this helps.

If you're setting for mink in tight situations, the #1 coilspring is an ideal trap on a submersion cable system. You do not need more bulk and weight to drown a mink. What you need is a one-way slide into deep enough water to fully submerge the mink and drown it.

I run 3-4 day checks on all submersion sets. If it's targeting mink, I want that mink to be able to take that light weight #1 coilspring down the cable and out of sight, thus satisfying the requirements for an up to 4 day check. I cannot guarantee that with a #1 1/2 coilspring trap.

The #1 coilspring can be placed in tighter locations therefore eliminating more chances of a 'coon stumbling into the set.

cable drowners also dont fit my style of trapping. T-bar and an extension chain does the trick for me. no 4 day checks here. if using a cable drowner, yes a lighter weight trap is a good thing.

Muskrat and fossil, thank you both for your input.

On walk line checks pretty handy in the coat pocket.

i tried them, didn't like them to small for my hands to set, i gave them to some kids,

Sleepy Creek # 1's with a mink pan on them. That pan would pretty much fill those traps up. Used 4 inch flexible drain pipe witch I cut a slit in then bent that open. Added some leaves over that set up and had a hole where ever I wanted one. Caught mink, coon, rats and even one very ticked off otter. Learned early on to stake solid. Used 1.5's a lot but those # 1's were strong and fast.

#1 coil I love them for coon. Set in a cubby . Light cover (one leaf), very fast, no slip, mid paw catch, no chewing, no broken legs from fighting trap (common with 1 1/2 and larger traps). I usually found then curled up sleeping. Especially if given enough wire to get under cover. Brands used Duke, Bridger, and Victor.
disadvantages : tough to set without gloves, cannot be buried deep.