#11's will hold anything. I've seen them hold big beavers, otter, even coyote. Easy to set if you just learn the right way...

thanks!

Yep I've caught beaver, otter and fox accidentally in 11s. Great little trap.

nice

I think coils are better for someone starting trapping. JMO

me lol

The main thing I have is 3 dls and I can set most of them but a few get tricky.

I use both and it doesn't matter to me what which one I set, as they both do the job. My take...

Coil Spring Trap:

- Great for when I need a trap that takes up less real-estate.

- When I need to conserve room and need to pack a lot of traps.

- Very easy to get replacement parts and to modify.

Long Spring Trap:

- When setting in marsh grass or on flotante, you can't beat a long spring.

- Muddy conditions long springs rule as they don't sink.

- For their size they have tremendous holding power, even soft spring traps will hold. If I could get an elephant to stick his toe in a #11 he would be there the next morning.

For me it comes down to "feel". I look where I want to make a set and can just feel what trap will do the job. Sometimes its a coil spring, sometimes a long spring, snare, body grip...I wouldn't pick one over the other as each have their place. Trapping down here if you limit yourself to just one type of trap you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. But like I always say, what do I know?

Usually don't have dig out a bed and cover under water. Plus a double is a bit heavier for drowning. I like my coils but just set double once in a while for the heck of it.

thanks

Hay sets this time of year 3N is my choice.

thanks

The topic is almost as much debated as the 270 vs 30-06. And the answer is both work fine.

I have equal numbers of coils and long springs for coyotes/cats. I have to use waxed sand on my higher elevation line from day one. I start in late October. The coilsprings get used more because it takes less sand to cover the trap. And in step down dirt holes I like the coil spring better because I don't need as much trap bed. I like long springs in trail sets and flat sets though I will use whatever is in the trap box for either. Although I like and use long springs I think its more out of nostalgia and familiarity than anything else. To be honest, if I had to start all over again buying coyote/cat traps, it would be a coil spring, four coiled and laminated or cast jaws. All one size and brand and have a one handed setter for those traps.

Same for beaver and otter. I have a lot of #4 DLSs and like them a lot for beaver. I can't say that I can give a sound reason why I like them better than coil springs other than I can still crack them over my knee to set or remove a catch. At 66 there may come a day when I won't be able to say that. The big coil springs are hard to manipulate with a big beaver in them and I don't have a one handed setter for them. The #3 coils that I use for beaver I can break those open with my hands but again, not sure how many years I'll be able to say that. I also still use a lot of #3 and 4 jumps single under springs but I have a Lines setter for them. Makes removal of a catch as easy as the one hand setters for coil springs. The applies to beaver and otter traps. If I was starting over buying traps, I'd go with one of the big coil springs and a one handed setter.

For coon I'm almost exclusively DPs. On the rare occasions I get next to decent coon trapping.

For the smaller critters like mink and muskrat, I really don't have a preference. I have preferences based on the set I might make. Those tight little pockets and holes seem to cry out for a #1 coil. Shallow water where trap weight is needed to ensure drowning it will be a 1 1/2 either coil or long spring or a #1 stop loss depending on the set location. Some times a coil spring fits better than a long spring. I have equal numbers of all three. For fiberglass rods and Hagz brackets just about any trap works fine. I have lots of 1 and 1 1/2 jumps and #1 long springs that work well with the Hagz system. Floats will get whatever is handy. If I was doing a lot of float trapping I would standardize on one trap and design the floats around that trap.

How's that for a long winded ambiguous answer.