Conibears on Running Poles

There are a number of writings on how to set a conibear on a running pole and I have great respect for most of these authors, however I have disagreement on attaching the trap to the pole.
I prefer using the three finishing nails to attach the upper jaw to the pole. Where I differ is that I set the trap so that the dog is on the uphill jaw with the trigger on the down hill jaw. The reasons are
that I worry that the trigger when fired may jam into the pole and prevent a capture and that the dog could possibly cause pelt damage if I set the way many advocate. My thinking is that by setting with the trigger on the downhill jaw the trigger will fold harmlessly pointing uphill and the dog will not come in contact with the animal, as it will be on the jaw moving uphill away from the animal. I prefer not to bend up my trigger wires. Is my thinking flawed?

I learned this way.

But, I think you make a valid point about keeping the dog away from the pelt. Where the trigger will lay more flat on the fisher. My only worry is the fisher won’t be far enough into the trap before it fires. I look forward to hearing more about this from others.

I was taught by a few guys that the dog will often gouge out a patch of fur in the middle of the back, so put it on the bottom as much as possible.

I even modify H-stands to do it with 330's in deep water.

Use double headed nails to hold trap up above the log providing 1/2 inch or so room for dog clearance.

Thank you gentlemen for your responses.In bctomcats photo it appears to be much like I set, only upside down. It looks to me that when the trap is fired the dog would hit the log harmlessly and the triggers would fold uphill under the animal?
In Delaware Rob's photo it seems to me the dog would strike the animal on the back, possibly causing pelt damage..I would question what the trap does to the flower bucket on the tree. Does it damage it?
Besides running poles I also am going to a lot of wire cages set on perfectly perpendicular trees.
I like to sleep nights and don't want to kill someone's dog.
I have never bent my triggers, always use them straight, have never had a problem with fisher far enough into the trap.
Thank you for the replys.

It doesn’t damage the can/bucket because the jaw is secured and fired toward the animal not toward the can/bucket. I do see what you mean about the dog possibly damaging the pelt on the back and neck.

I alway bend my triggers back....more inviting...for fisher and coon...but I use these in my home made wire cages....I’ll have to make a thread later..on my cages

I absolutely refuse to use body grips and this is one of the reasons. BUT......... I think BCtomcat can provide you with an alternative method that will address your concerns.
Replace your trigger wires with pans.

He can give you good advice

Yes a pan trigger trap is probably the best situation for providing a more inviting approach; no cold metal wires in their face to deter them from entering the set. Also the trap should be place 4-5 inches in front of the bait for best results. In this situation the fisher fires the trap with its chin while stable at the trap working the bait, not jumping over or travelling through to get to the bait, and you get an efficient quick dispatch virtually every time.



In order to function properly a pan trigger must angle up about 20 degrees over the back-trap jaw with the trigger dog pointing to the approaching animal. The trigger should also be set up so it takes a bit of pressure to fire, no trigger waxing.

How well do the pans work with marten as the primary target with the possibility of fisher as well ?

Excellent. I have been using pans on 120 traps for many years placed within 4-5" of the bait, for mink, marten and fisher, and get a consistent humane catch virtually every time. The reason being that they are stable at the bait and standing on the pan or bumping it with their chest while working the bait, not moving through the trap to get to the bait. On mink and marten you will get a neck/thorax catch whereas the fisher will be a neck catch as shown in the previous post.

BC’s methods work wonderfully. All of my 120’s are now set up with pans.

My 5 x 5 's should work then with pans put on them for Adirondack marten & fisher .

I might experiment with the double headed nail set up , i like the idea of the jaw not being against the log .

I also use wood pans, (3/8" plywood) in boxes.

I'm not sold on 5x5's being large enough for fisher. I do like the jaws raised above the pole. Here in the Adirondacks we often get an ice storm, I usually place two small sticks under the lower jaw to prevent it from freezing down. Lots of good info here. Thank you.

I killed hundreds of groundhogs & coons in these 5 x 5's, they have 160 springs .

I may buy some 160's just to use up there though.

Many others have this opinion also, but I have never seen where a fisher that has climbed a pole to the set has refused to enter. As previously stated the pan trigger setup provides an open entry space without any trigger wires in their face that may deter them from entering thru the trap. If you feel uncomfortable with 120 magnum size trap then use a larger trap but WITH A PAN.

This one is by far my biggest.....he got that big knobby head in a 160... bent wire triggahs....

I have had fisher refuse to climb the pole, but once they commit I have never had one (that I am aware of) scared away by the trigger wires. I do think the pans seem like a good idea. It is my impression that you can catch more fisher on the ground than on the poles. I like the poles because they are quick to make and they avoid dogs. I hate lugging boxes around, Most of my trapping is under wilderness conditions, but I just get nervous about someone walking with a loose dog.

Next question, Do you camouflage your traps or just leave them bare? I usually leave mine bare and I don't cover my bait. I want the birds to work the bait and I usually bend the springs straight up with a stick run through the eyes for the birds to perch on rather than on the triggers. Also, I have never have had a bird of prey in a trap, I have tried using evergreen branches, but snow has made a mess frequently of the set. I used to pour rotted down fish on the pole, but bears gave me much trouble and I gave up that practice. In addition to the skunk attractor I also use another scent that I don't know of any other trapper using.

After I caught a crow....along time ago...I started weaving pine and hemlock bows on top of my wire cages. Those pine bows also keep the snow off the bait....so the fisher can see it coming up the pole. Paul Grimshaw had a good fisher lure...a couple drops at the base of the pole,was all yah needed.

Paul used to mention using Bounty towels. Does anyone know how he used them? Does anyone make his lures anymore?