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Over thinking pan tension ?

Posted By: kyron4

Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 04:57 AM

Every season I seem to find myself obsessing with the pan tension on my traps. Is it to much, is it not enough, will I miss a coon , will I toe catch a yote ? and so on. Is pan tension really just a way of keep no targets out of sets ? Are "floppy" pan less effective ? I try to set mine by feel and give it just enough to keep the pan from falling and end up with between 1 to 2 lbs. when measured on a tester. Any insight on the topic ? -Thanks
Posted By: Michigan Trappin

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 09:53 AM

I prefer floppy pans, but my soil is mostly clay so I need the pan to fall easy. But it does mean even when a squirrel or a rabbit or opossum go over the set. It will go off
Posted By: Newt

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 10:48 AM

3#
Posted By: jbyrd63

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 11:26 AM

Just like the old men at a nudist colony !!! LET IT FLOP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted By: Calvin

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 11:46 AM

Pan tension on land traps is an individual thing. It's just one of those things you have to find what works for you. Don't let anyone tell you what is right for you.

How many thousands and thousands of coyotes did, and does, that Vet from Indiana catch on a floppy pan? Works for him.

As far as missing coon, I was told I would miss and toe catch coon when I started using my floppy pan/oversized pinch pan traps for coon. I found the opposite happened. My catch rate went up.

Yes, you're overthinking it. But pay attention and find the sweet spot that works for you. It can take some time.

And you don't need a worthless trap tester ( dumbest thing I've ever bought). Once you find what works for you, you'll know how much it is with your thumb.
Posted By: Tactical.20

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 01:41 PM

3 lbs
Posted By: Furvor

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 06:06 PM

There is no 'one size fits all.'
Posted By: Law Dog

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 07:41 PM

I like a tight pan with short travel to it, the paw is more committed that way!
Posted By: Hal

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 07:46 PM

Here is a trapper that speaks from years and years of observation and experience.
Posted By: Catch22

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 07:58 PM

For me, I believe pan tension is mainly to exclude non-targets when discussing everything but maybe yotes, then it's personal opinion. This year trapping groundhogs I had all my traps fine tuned to the way I prefer with great success. I won't get in to all the things I do but regarding pan tension I don't like a floppy pan that you can move side to side. I drill out the pan bolt hole with a 3/16" bit and replace my pan bolt, nut and washer with #10 SS. That gets rid of a lot of false drop, and I tighten them to where the pan has no side to side play and won't quite fall freely on it's own. I caught everything from grinners to fox and had good deep catches. Been doing it this way a long time. I'm by far no authority on yotes so I won't comment on that other than to say I have mine set between 2.5 and 3.5 lbs. Hope this helps kyron4.
Posted By: Hal

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 08:02 PM

Blah, blah, blah. Here's a wanna be trapper who only wishes he could bring to the table the wisdom and experience that "Law Dog" has.
Posted By: Catch22

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 08:09 PM

[Linked Image]
Posted By: Snowpa

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Hal
Blah, blah, blah. Here's a wanna be trapper who only wishes he could bring to the table the wisdom and experience that "Law Dog" has.





I use a snug but no tension catch lots of coyotes and guess what no misses to speak of . how many tracks show almost had enough weight on the edge of that pan ? Law Dog is a pretty good trapper but there are a lot of them here, So its not all Hals way or no way, talk about a wanna be big shot!"old windy fartbag" self acclaimed
Posted By: PAskinner

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 08:58 PM

So, if a person has both coyotes and gray fox, how much tension?
Do people actually carry a tester on the line? I know my opinion, but interested in others.
Posted By: Law Dog

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/09/18 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by Hal
Blah, blah, blah. Here's a wanna be trapper who only wishes he could bring to the table the wisdom and experience that "Law Dog" has.



Do not get me involved in your BS it's all a game and I want no part of it!!!
Posted By: WHSKR

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 01:45 AM

Pan tension is pretty simple to adjust up or down. Do what works for ya and keep track of what your seeing on your catches. Are you targeting yotes or are ya targeting smaller critters. Or do you just to want catch every furbearer that steps on the trap along with the rabbits and other critters.
Personally I turn the tension up a bit if I am targeting yotes or beaver. It seems to work for me.
Posted By: bfflobo

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 02:23 AM

Most of my thoughts have already been said. BUT:
No side slop
Snug on the down side
Use more pan tension on my cat traps because they are exposed and I want to eliminate small stuff

Pan tension and Toe Catches is MOSTLY misguided information in my opinion. Most toe catches are due to traps that don't lock up. Started out as a foot catch and the foot slid out to the last bumps on the foot. Toe pads.
Posted By: Law Dog

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 03:56 AM

Here is my take on it it's a regional thing somewhat, in mild temps/weather it's not that big a deal but in extreme climate changes the tighter pan is your friend often. With freezing/thawing, drifting or heavy snow, blowing dirt the covering over the trap can change in thickness, weight and tension it will have a impact on a set.

So if you have a couple inches of wet heavy slush/melting snow on top of your trap the gap in the distance to fire the trap is increased. So a hair/light trigger will fire easier then a tighter pan getting a toe catch or a total miss even.
Posted By: tjm

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 04:36 AM

Good point, but when that trap closes over the pad standing 2-3" higher than the pan (held up there by snow and pan tension) the jaws are going to be effectively 3" smaller and as such likely won't reach above the foot anyway?
Posted By: mad_mike

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by tjm
Good point, but when that trap closes over the pad standing 2-3" higher than the pan (held up there by snow and pan tension) the jaws are going to be effectively 3" smaller and as such likely won't reach above the foot anyway?

And that right there is a big part of the reason we use 9” traps on wolves up here. Snow sucks, sometimes.
Posted By: Zim

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 05:05 AM

How much does an animal weigh and how much of that weight will he transfer to the foot you intend to catch him in? That is the question I think about. When you say 3 pounds of pan tension is that psi? How many square inches is your pan? Guys who like to catch mink will use a large pan on a trap that will almost fall under its own weight while the next guy who catches coyotes will have a trap with a pan which has an area less than the mink trapper.
I am not much of a trapper I guess but have always set a trap that fires "clean", no trigger travel and never worried about tension. Just put your thumb under the jaw and see how it feels when she goes off.
Charles Dobbins said it should feel like a trigger on a good gun, no travel and bang.

Zim.
Posted By: tjm

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 05:34 AM

Quote
but have always set a trap that fires "clean", no trigger travel and never worried about tension. Just put your thumb under the jaw and see how it feels when she goes off.

That's what works for me too. Short crisp clean trigger regardless of stiffness.
Posted By: HobbieTrapper

Re: Over thinking pan tension ? - 11/10/18 11:36 AM

A set #2 victor with a pan cover has 12 ounces of pan tension with a dead fall pan. There is no such thing as zero pan tension with a set trap.

Studies read that pan tension is for the most part an exclusionary source. The 2 trap set referenced in Dr Boddicker's study suggest catching is in the step and not the dig.

With a free fall pan there is likely wobble. That may be taken out with the "set tension" maybe not. I don't think it is a bad thing to have the pivot points on the pan "engaged" but not snug. It won't add enough tension to matter and as stated in numerous post, makes for a tighter trigger.
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