new trapper with questions.

Getting into trapping. I bought a bunch of traps at a sale, mostly smaller victor long springs and some conibears. I have about 20 single long springs with a 5 inch jaw spread, they have a v on the pan so I think they are victors? Im thinking they are too small for coyotes? I also got some victor #2 double coil springs 5.5 inch jaw spread, I found the info on the pan. Will these work for coyotes?
I bought some dogproof coon traps too. Maybe im jumping into it too fast for coyotes? I have a 7 year old son that is excited to go with. Its hard to take him hunting, he cant figure out why we don't just walk into the woods and shoot a deer in 5 min! Any help would be great. I live in southern pa, have two 100 acre farms that im allowed to hunt plus some smaller patches near towns.

Single longs aren't coyote traps. Adding a spring might help but I'd just save those for muskrat traps. They are Victor's assuming someone didn't trade pans off a Blake or brand trap.

As for the 5.5s as long as they aren't the square jaw versions, they work fine for coyote traps.

welcome to the sport!

best advice is join PTA and find a mentor.

I think you'll find coyotes will destroy those # 2 Victors (square jaw?). they make a MUCH better mink trap than a coyote trap.

coyotes will test your equipment. they are long winded, lots of endurance, fight the trap for awhile. the fact your not sure your traps will hold a coyote is all the evidence you need that more trap would be better. picture of those #2 coil springs would be nice. by you a half dozen of these. they will hold any coyote that steps on them.

https://no-bslures.wixsite.com/nobslures/no-bs-k-o-k-9-x-treme-trap

Trapping is an expensive hobby. Make sure you have enough money to buy everything you will need. If that means buying a less expensive trap to start then do it. The K-9 extreme may be a great trap but if you can't afford them there are several good traps that will do the job without breaking the bank. I started out with all Duke #2 s and now I have updated to MB 550s and I love them. The Duke's held coyote the same way though, they were there in the morning whether in a Duke or my. My point is remember you need good lures, tools, trap anchors and almost as important a couple good books.

Really depends on the style of the #2s. I have caught and held lots of coyotes on mb 550s, which have a 5.5 inch jaw spread, but they are built very stout.

You will never learn to trap coyotes if you don’t start trying, so go get after it. If you have a little money and would like to trap coyotes I would buy a half dozen good coyote traps. There are many good ones on the market, I myself prefer Bridger #3 fully modified but unmodified will also work just fine for now. They run $80 for six on MTP for unmodified versions. 4 coiling is nice but not necessary.

Learn all you can from here but really the coyotes will be your best teachers. Learn from the ones you miss ( and you will miss, but don’t get discouraged) the first one is the hardest usually. It took me two years to catch my first one, the next year I caught twelve.

Make sure it’s something you want to do, cause once you get one you won’t want to stop lol

Welcome, be warned trapping is very addictive.

https://www.fntpost.com/Products/Duke+Coil+Spring+Traps/+2+Duke+Coil+Spring+Trap+(4+Coiled)


https://www.fntpost.com/Products/Bridger+Coil+Spring+Traps/+2+Bridger+Dogless+Coil+Spring+Trap+(Offset+Jaws)

https://www.fntpost.com/Products/MB+Coil+Spring+Traps/MB-550-CL+Coil+Spring+Trap+(Double+Coiled+Cast+Closed+Jaws)

The NO BS traps are a great trap, but are expensive. If I were to make a recommendation on coyote traps for a beginner the 3 above would be it. The Duke traps linked I would also recommend removing the 2 extra springs and make them 2 coiled instead of 4.

The MB is a little pricier than the other 2 but require less adjustment out of the box.

Not sure why the links are not hyper links just copy and paste them I guess.

Welcome aboard. Good luck this season. Coyote will beat the (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) out of a set. Use shock springs and swivels with good anchors. I like Bridgers for yotes and Victor double springers for fox.

Yep, that was my advice too. You can have 3 Duke #2s in the ground or 1 extreme and for a beginner more steel in the ground is best.

Welcome, grab your favorite drink and a seat.
You and your boy will have a blast. Don't give up don't get discouraged and most importantly have fun. Also, read the archives there is a whole treasure chest of info in those threads that will take years off the learning curve.

Welcome. I’d encourage you this first year to read the archives, and watch YouTube on dirt hole, trail, and flat sets. Use the traps you bought and get after the coons, skunks and Opossums. Get a handle on trapping the smaller furbearers, and then go after the coyotes. Get in touch with your state association and ask a lot of questions. Good luck and have fun with your son. If you’re not sure about something or think it’s a dumb question PM one of us and ask a question. I hope you have a great season.

I use No. 2 Square jaws for coyotes, but I added the second set of coils. Now, there are two types of square jaws. I don't know if they have real name, but I call them Outside In and Inside Out. In the photo below The top jaw … the Outside In I don't like them and don't use them. I bought a bunch of used ones a few years back, removed the jaws and put new … Inside Out jaws on them. The top jaw is a # 2 and the bottom one is a #1.5. (I didn't have a #2 Inside out jaw in the house), but the example would be the same. I have had large coon rip the jaws out of an Outside In jaws. On all of the traps I use for coyotes I double with an extra set of springs.

Garry-

Welcome! Think the guys covered most of the important advice already! If you haven’t already been introduced to all of the online trapping store fronts, do some surfing. There is a lot. Everything from guys that sell lure to companies that sell everything. I usually buy through f and t or mtp, great service. Lots of good stuff here on the trap shed too...I have made many a deal and trade through this site.
The mention of a good book brings my first books to mind. A member on here was kind enough to give me some Charles Dobbins books and they have helped me immensely. Also, I might get flack for mentioning this lol, Hal Sullivan has some pretty good reads .

Don't know what kind of numbers you have in your area for Muskrat, but you should consider running a small rat line with those longsprings. It would be a great way to introduce your son to trapping, and provide a lot of action to keep a 7 year old entertained.

welcome is there any water on land you can trap ,if there is use the long spring to catch mink muskrats an coon ,target these animals ,first then get some number 3or 4 for coyotes ,

When you are reading on trapperman.com there is a strictly trapping forum here and the archives are a wealth of info also .
In my opinion the the most important thing to learn first is tuning your traps . You can't catch anything in a trap that doesn't work right . All the traps you listed are notorious for needing tuned . Pan level , pan tension ,and pan travel is the place to start . All you need to get started tuning is pliers ,a flat file ,a hammer , and scew drivers. A vice and vice grips are nice to have but not absolutely necessary.
Next check your chains and swivels sometimes rivets open up during rough handling and the chains will jut fall off . it dosnt happen very often but often enough every trap should be examined before season . Then study anchoring techniques .

If your in south eastern Pa. , get after Fox.

THanks for the replies. There is a lot on info here. I might miss trapping season because im still reading everything!

if your trying to spend time with your kid and get him interested I wouldnt start out with coyotes. coyotes are hard to catch, expecially for beginners. Ive been doing it 7 years and still learning. Coon would be a great place to start, same with muskrats if you have both.
with Coyote trapping you can do a lot of traps checks before you ever catch one. coon and muskrats trapping even a beginner can catch one or more most days. I take my young kids on those type trap lines to keep them interested. last thing i want to do is get them discouraged by checking coyote traps for days and never getting a catch.

if you have a good rat population id start with them. gear is cheaper, they are easy to catch, easy to skin and put up(if thats your plan) and you can get decent numbers. also for their size the selling price is prolly better than the other critters

Raccoon is what you have the most of, well and opossums lol.
If you can get to Butler Co and bring your gear I'll go through it with you.

You need a plan for after the catch.
Skin, flesh and stretch or,
sell whole or just skinned.

I can help there too if close enough.

WELCOME you can use victor 1.75 for coyote but doubble stake,now i use victor#3 good all around trap off set jaws,make sure you doubble stake,good luck.

Here’s what helped me shorten my learning curve by decades. Join your state trapping assn, Google it. Then contact officers off their site and ask for a mentor to ride along with. This gets you in the info loop of FREE trappers ed classes and meets and fur sales/pick ups, and conventions. Then attend ALL YOU CAN, this shows folks you are serious and will be a good student. It sure helped open many doors for me and it could for you as well. ALSO, get several different trapping supply catalogs, like MTP, Sterling Fur, FandT, PCS, Schmitt enterprises, Southeastern outdoor supplies, rpoutdoors, etc etc, THEN circle gear you need, and give the catalogs to loved ones to buy your Birthday and Christmas and July 4 and Anniversary gifts. Explain to them, you want their money to go towards what you will use and need, as opposed to another sweater hanging in your closet. WORKS GREAT in our family.
PLUS, join the huntingpa forum too to ask for a mentor.

As already stated, start out chasing coons and muskrats. Don't get discouraged if at first you don't succeed. Just keep after it and you'll catch on.