Is the conibear setters worth it?

I need a easier way to set these 330 are the setters worth the money?

I use the Freedom Brand Quick Grip setters - makes compressing the springs pretty easy whether your getting the trap ready to set or removing a catch. Definitely worth the money IMHO.

Setters are definitely worth it. If you're a bit accident prone or don't have the best grip, getting the self-locking setters or the caulking gun type setters. And have two pairs, i actually have 4 pair, in case you leave one at the last stop. Also have a good 6ft piece of rope as a backup setter.

Some guys can set em by hand, i can on my older traps. Gets a bit trickier with an animal in them. Definitely dont want to rely on hand or rope setters if you're using 330s in snapping turtle season.

Yes they are. I made my own. Not very hard to do.

yes they are.

Yes! Buy a pair and ALWAYS keep them within arms reach when setting large conibears. You will eventually need them to get yourself out of the trap.

Get the locking ones cabelas sells them.I just picked up a spare one.

Thanks, I have some Steel that's a 1" wide I will try and make it.

I've come to keeping mine in the truck. I've got the sleepy creek aluminum ones. I set by hand but it's getting to be not as easy. I think the springs are getting stronger, lol.

https://www.cooncreektrappers.com/product-p/ccconi.htm
i don't leave home without them!

Get the caulking gun type setters. You only need one hand to use them.

RTS Setters a must have.

Yes Warrior the springs on mine are getting stronger also. I have what I think are Bridgers .

I think they are worth every penny, but the Beav is right the ones he is talking about can be used with one hand .

These ^^^

This !!

Did you have 5 fingers before setting a 330 without a setter!

The rope works but I have to pull it up high. I see if the ones I'm
Putting together work or not . I need a easy way to set the safety the ripe is alot of work.

It was a cold day… ; )

Get two and thank me later LOL...

Sometime I'll make a video of me setting a brand new out-of-the-box Belisle in under 15 seconds....by hand. (I'm a 65 year old diabetic weakling). I'm thinking with correct style most of you guys can do it. It's usually even easier if you have a critter to remove, with the possible exception of when they are caught around the mid rift.

I learned to use a rope when I was a kid, and carried one for years but hardly ever used it once I got old enough to compress the springs by hand. I've got a pair of setters now, but I generally only use them to set the Sleepy Creek 4 1/2 longsprings, not the conibears they were designed for. I grab a 330 by the eyes, put the heel of each hand on an eye at chest height, squeeze them together and give the trap a little flip to swing the safety on (won't work with Belisle type safeties), flip the trap over and do the other side. I don't know what beaverpeeler's method is with a Belisle, but I can set the brands with a floppy safety in under fifteen seconds. Doesn't work quite as easily with a fifty pound beaver in the trap, but once you get one spring compressed and latched, most times if you are holding the trap up the beaver slides out by gravity as soon as you get the other spring partway compressed.

About the only 330 I can’t set by hand is a new Duke. Setters are WAY faster and safer.

X2

Self iocking for pre setting at home and caulking gun type for on line use.

Make your own caulk gun setter from used caulk guns by using them in reverse. Hammer the 90 bent side into a hook and pt a short bolt at top of handle side(to hook spring eye) and you have a cheap setter that sets BG's up to 280 with ease. Guns with hex shaft are best as they will not rotate and release open on you until wanted. Use a magnum size gun for 330's. They work for years if you can keep from losing them, lol. Even painted blaze yellow, Man things can disappear.

Setting by hand is not the best idea in the long run because it’s tough on your finger joints when you get older. if you need to set a 330 in a pinch use the available smaller beaver cuts to support the lower spring.

Peeler you are doing great at 15 seconds.
When young, very strong, and incredibly foolish, I entered the 330 setting contest. I have been practicing for awhile. I won the contest at just over 9 seconds. The prize was the 330. A better prize would be the setters.
Get the setter and keep it handy.

I second that! I have the Sleepy Creek aluminum scissor tyle for back up to my RTS setters.

Well Guss, there you have it.

I'm pretty certain I can match the 9 seconds.

How long to get out of them?


I am one who agrees with getting the setters after going 25 years without them. I have used them now for the past 25 and have no regrets.

I'd like to see a video of either one of your guys technique setting by hand.

I've never been able to figure out how to load videos on here. Some day maybe I'll figure it out.

You can't afford to not own setters

Work smarter, not harder.

By hand you with a open hand hook one side of a spring with the inside of your thumb on one hand.Then push down on the same eye on the spring with your other hand untill you can reach the other side withe your stretched out fingers and compress the spring untill you can set the safety in one quick motion.Then do the other spring the same way.

^^^ BINGO! For me setters would be a waste of space, time and money. Would never even consider getting setters. I am 65 and have been setting conibears since I was 18-19 years old. I usually run lines that are about 90% conibears, so that means I'm setting and re-setting 25-30 Belisles a day.

I seen guys at the FHA speed setting competition(timed at setting a bunch of different traps) compress both springs of the 330's at the same time,dont use the safety hooks,just spring the jaws open with a knee and hook the trigger.
Mark Downey was good at it.Probably less than 5 seconds per trap.

It's just a bit tougher to do that when the trap Is full. Work smarter.

X2!

I don't find that to be the case...with a few exceptions. The exceptions account for less than 1% of my catches so I just chalk it up to a trap that was more of a struggle to get a critter out. Still always manage it.

I love the RTS setters I have. Now still trying to come up with a good reset method for the #4 jump traps while standing in waist deep cold water. New sets I start with a jump trap preset at home and wired open.

The setters no matter the brand won’t help in all situations. An older guy that I new growing up told me he was setting two 220’s in a woven wire fence. He set both traps ,laid one down and put the other in the coon trail going through the fence. Almost finished he reached back to get rid of one piece of grass that had fallen in the middle of the hole and wham ! The first 220 made a perfect catch on his right paw and wrist. He fell back trying to pull away and put his left elbow in the 220 that was laying on the ground. The second trap caught him in such a way that his elbow was trapped in a tight bend . He said he had to walk home as he could not get his keys out of his pants pocket.

Dave at One Hand Setters makes a setter for them that works slick.

As for conibear setters, RTS are great, I use SC setters as well. Just because to can set them without setters doesn't mean you need to.

It seems that the funny stories are about other folks getting caught in large traps.
I have a friend who caught both thumbs in a 330.
He drove for help in a stick shift Jeep.

I wore a 220 magnum BMI on my left hand's fingers for about 6 river miles in my boat. Warn't much fun! Much prefer the feel of the 330!

As a young man, I wanted a #120. I took a spring from one #110 and added it to another. Attempting to set it I caught both my thumbs, luckily I was home!

BP - it hurts even thinking of a 220 magnum BMI on the fingers! I fear the 220 most. Even those little magnum 120s bite and won’t let go. Where my fingers and knuckles connect on my left hand still occasionally ache from a particularly vicious 330.

Hand setting (without setters) is great until you run a long line and your hands hurt. The two guys who do “In The Woodshed” videos (northern Wisconsin) talk about that in their videos.

After 30+ years of using the steel scissor type setters I got the Sleepy Creek aluminums. A couple years after that my partner made some locking types. Good stuff!!

I have been using the aluminum setters for setting 160's Groundhog work and 330's for many years. I bought a couple of those chain linkage setters to carry in my pocket when I walk in to beaver and otter locations. They work well once you use to them a little, pretty slick idea.

No bulk or much weight to deal with. I painted mine hot orange and pink since they can disappear easily if you drop them along the way some how.

A friend was practicing in his house practicing speed setting a 330 for an up coming Mountain man race being held at our state convention a few years back. I believe it was a Belisle as I recall. As can happen when hurrying doing anything, he got both hands caught in such a manner he could not get loose or use a phone so he says. Somehow he got in his truck to drive to a neighbor to get assistance.

Setters aren't much good if you can't use them.

At the risk of being accused of excessive braggadocio... I do run arguably long lines (25-35 traps) with mostly 330 Belisles and have done so for many many years without feeling my hands hurt (or arms). I truly believe that with proper technique most of us can do that too. I don't carry setters and never have. They would just be more clutter in an already full boat.

OK, I'll shut up now.

I retired my braggadocio a while back and wish I would have done it 45 years ago.Even some animals are smart enough to use tools.

2X

Somebody could of taken me to the cleaners on this one.I would have bet the farm that braggadocio wasn’t a real word.

You're saying I missed my opportunity?! Dang!

Those RTS setters look pretty nice, might have to try them.

If you buy the bridger self locking setters take the cushion hand grips off and glue them back on.I used flex glue-kind of like a good caulk.They are pretty clumsy and dangerous with the handle sliding all around.

I have some long aluminum scissor style ones a guy had made years ago. I think it's made of 1.5" x .5" aluminum stock. Aluminum setters are superior to the steel setters because they're lightweight.
When doing a lot of sets they're nice. Sometimes when just checking a few sets or having to walk in to a pond they are a hindrance to carry.

I wrap the rubber handles real well with electrical tape. Then paint the setters white so the next coat of fluorescent orange is bright. So far after many years works well.

I sell the ones made here to the USDA
Apparently, they think so.

I use a chunk of rope , Takes up less space and you can get you hand out if it comes to that !

I Nevah leave home without them