Bridger 1.75s... 2 or 4 coils for coyotes???

Ok I am gonna buy a fewnmore traps. I'm sitting on a couple dozen Bridger #3s and was thinking about adding some 1.75s to the line up while they are cheap.
I can get a dozen 1.75s and some springs for a few bucks more than a half dozen of the #3s.
So first question would y'all prefer 12 #1.75s or 6 #3s?? And why?
Then should I 4 coil the #1.75s

Thanks in advance. Y'all have been very helpful thus far.
Ken Smith

Real coyote traps start at #3s. Traps are cheap compared to gas, trucks, time, etc. Trying to save a few cents on the equipment portion of your trapline is a bad idea. Took me years to figure that out...but I did. Some never do.

I can't in good conscience buy a dozen 1.75s just for fox.. I can only take 6 here a year so I will catch those in the bigger traps. And I have a host of DPs for coon so don't really need a smaller trap if it won't work for coyotes.
I hear a lot of folks swear by 1.75s as a great coyote trap. But I don't know enough to know whither thats true or not.
I've heard of some folks having issues with bent pans on #2s even.

# 3 trap or bigger for coyotes... or I stay home !!! LOL

Yeah, just like the others said, if your target is yotes, go with the half dz #3 traps. I have caught and held them in dry land coon sets with 1 3/4 two coil bridgers, but you will also miss some and have pull outs on toe catches. In my mind, its like having 6 traps in an excellent location will out produce 12 traps in mediocre locations. Both will catch you fur, but there's really no comparison. Anyway, good luck on your line this year, either way you choose to go with it.

The Bridger 1.75 jaw spread is the same as the 1.5. If your looking for a 1.75 maybe look at other brands. I realize you said they are cheap right now,but maybe consider your other options.

If you are considering the Bridger 1.75 for its cost, take a look at the Bridger 1.65. It has a little bigger jawspread than the 1.75 and will hold coyotes. It's not the ultimate coyote trap, but it is inexpensive in price, and makes a pretty good combo trap for fox, coyote, and dryland coon.

Another trap you may want to check out is the Duke #2 square jaw. You can get a dozen of them for just a few bucks more than the Bridger 1.75. The #2 square jaw has a jawspread of just under 6 inches giving you an inexpensive, yet larger trap to use on coyotes.

Like Dukes but not a big fan of the #2 sq jaw. Would rather have [and do] the #2 Bridger.

Im my area i have coyotes and fox, and in my opion if you have both stick with a #2 Bridger. The #3 catch the fox to high, i used bridger 1.75 4 coil with inside and outside lams and had a coyote pull out. A bridger #2 seems to be the ticket in MY area but may not be for yours.

I purchased 2 dozen last season and 4 coiled them all and now wish I hadn't! Made them to strong ANY #2 sized trap will hold all the yotes usa has to offer Montgomery #2 5.5" jaw spread m.b 550 the name says it all 5.5" jaw spread. The only advantage I can see with bigger traps is the weight wearing the animal out faster!Im .Im sorry but I will never believe a toe catch is caused by to small of a trap. I say buy what you can afford more traps = more sets= faster learning curve, for you and the animals, just remember that

Luvcanids what don't you like about the Duke sq jaw? Just bought some while fnt had them on sale.

I bought some Bridger 1.75's last year to run a mixed line. I left them two coiled and they held coyotes just fine and we're not hard the gray fox. I was also impressed at the quality of the trap.

Really all I'm targeting with my coil springs are coyotes and cats. So I think I'll stick with the larger traps.
I have plenty of DPs for coon, and would like to use my #3s as a leg hold on flat tails if I need to.
In Oklahoma I can't use conibears without a deperdation permit. So it will be all leg holds on beaver..
Thanks all
Ken Smith

From when I've spoke with Andy Weiser, he told me he likes them. Not that everything he says is gospel, but he knows what he's doing out there!

x2 not the best bridger I ever held 4 sure

I've held a lot of coyotes in them two coiled stock with no offsets.
The pans are a little thin but they are a very good mixed bag trap.
Jim

That's because the Bridger one and a half is actually a 1.75. compare them to most any other one and a half and you'll see what I mean.

I will first say that I think the Bridger 1.75 is strong enough to handle any yote. If I was running a fox line that had a good chance of taking yotes that is what I would use. If I thought that there was a better chance of taking more yotes then I would go with a 2 or 3.

I am kinda in the middle. Fox, yotes, coons... I went with the Bridger 2 dogless. A little big for fox, but not small for yotes. I am still new to this so the next couple years may change my mind. Tho a couple guys that I work with that trap have spoken highly of them.

My thought is if you have areas that you have a better chance of catching fox or coon but there is a chance of a yote then that is the trap that I would set. As others said, if you are setting for yotes, set a trap for yotes. If getting a dozen 1.75 will free up some of your #3 traps for yotes then I would go that route.

Let your conscious be your guide.

Jerry Jr.

I run a few different traps I've acquired over several season. Bridger #3 inside laminated I use where coyote is the only option. Other wise I run bmi k9 wolfers with offset jaws and 4 coiled with outside laminations and custom swivels. I have some dogless #2 that I run as well. But I also have a dozen or so of the bridger 1.75, half are 4 coiled half are 2 coil. All are offset and pan tension set to 2.2 pounds on the center of the pan. Running these traps I DO NOT have pull outs. Threw out the dukes because for every coyote I'd catch it seemed like I had a pull out or broken trap. Honestly, my favorite traps are the bmi, my-550, and bridger 1.75. Have not had a single pullout in any of them except for the occasional deer. Also it's a lot easier to carry a half dozen Bridget's because they weigh almost nothing compared to my mb's. Offset jaws and heavyish pan tension are a must with the Bridgers but they bed so nice and will most definitely hold a 35 pound yote over night

I dunno i had a 1.75 bridger that was 4 coiled with inside and outside laminations these were new traps and i had a coyote pull out but i am up north so our dogs our bigger. He put up one heck of a fight its still the worse catch circle i ever seen so far.

I've taken both coyotes and cats in the 1.75 bridger. I have then 1/4 laminated and 4-coil them using the small coilsprings used for no.11/2 traps.

I am ashamed that I went ahead and bought them even though an old Trapper warned me "these were not ideal for Ohio Coyotes" I used Fox hallow super stakes & caught a bunch of Grinners n Coons with them before connecting with my first Yote and she only being 35 lbs. torqued the snot out of the trap to the point I had to pull the trap out of service. They are a great trap but don't have the beef to deal with Coyotes - adding shock springs may help but I've moved on

For a couple buck more you can go with Bridger #2s and sleep a lot better. Ive held yotes by 2 toes in the 1.75s (off set too) but like I said, I've been sleeping much better since I went all #2s

If youre set on a #2 go with a bridger #2 dogless

I have stuck with the #3s.. I got a few dozen #3s now and might by another dozen before I set up in December

I use the 1.75s 2 coiled a lot of coyotes. They hold just as well as the #3s but are easier to pack around and have a smaller trap bed.

If was strictly after coyotes and bobcats I would use Jake traps. I have quite a few and home to get a bunch more. Yea there expensive but you don't have to worry about them not holding. With today's coyote prices you can pay for one by catching 1 coyote

Both held just fine I. A 1.75 Duke 2 coil with no mods other than bending jaw tips up. I hear all the time you have to have a bigger trap for coyote. I say go for it. I am just fine with what I am using. Please don't give me any guff about it. I won't give you any about your choices. Thanks,....

I use them in central Arkansas. 2 coil stock. They seem to work fine.

Anybody inside laminate these? Just to strengthen the jaws? And 4 coil... seems like a nice all around trap

I once read an article that called the 1.75 the trap they were using when guys mostly fox trapped and caught an occasional coyote. I prefer the Bridger #3 dogless but have several #2's that I set as well.

I had a dz. of the 1.75 they where ok, tried the # 2 dogless , much better trap.

If I were going to buy a 1.75 of #2 sized trap I'd get the Victors. (yes I've owned both the Victors and the Bridgers) People forget about this trap but its very effective. Word is that mega fox/coyote trapper out of Pa even runs a few, too. That in itself brought me back to buying a few again. And I didn't regret it.

I caught two yotes in bridger 1.5, 2 coil, offsets this year, both were good catches, no other pull outs. The problem I did have was that with the pans being so small coyote would step all over the trap and around the pan even with guiding, and they were constantly froze in, even bedded in peat. The weather here was kind of crazy this year and I would find myself lifting a 1/4" of ice off of them every other day and recovering them because they couldn't bust through it.
So next year I will be 4 coiling all of my bridger 1.5s and adding about 2 dozen Bridger #2 dogless 4 coil. I bought a half dozen of them and love them. The pans are huge and they should have more power to bust through the thin crusty stuff that builds up every night in our crazy weather.