Post by anewme on Jan 23, 2009 17:25:42 GMT -6
www.survival-center.com/buckshot/onetrap.htm
Only One Trap
Asking a trapper what is the one trap he would take into a survival camp is kind of like asking a gun nut what is the only gun to take. I thought long and hard on the subject before coming to the conclusion that for someone who didn't know a lot about trapping that the conibear trap is the best. Beginners have the best success with this trap and I have some small ones I have used for over 20 years and their still catching animals. First off, I will explain what the trap does and the different sizes and their use.
The conibear was developed by a Canadian fur trapper Frank Conibear. He wanted a trap that would kill the animal so that he could run more traps with only checking each set every 2 or 3 days. With a leghold trap you should check every day to be humane to the caught animals. Well, his trap took off and is now a household name in the trapper world. There are currently 6 different sizes ranging to cover all the popular fur animals but for this article we will stick with the 3 basic ones to avoid confusion.
The first trap is a #110 conibear, this trap is 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 " with a single spring. This trap is very popular among muskrat trappers because they're easy to use and reliable quick kills. This trap can also be used for mink, rabbit, squirrel, and some of the bigger weasel. The traps are relatively inexpensive ranging from $50 a dozen new to $30 a dozen used.
The second trap is a #220 conibear, this trap is 7 by 7" with double springs and requires a setting tool to compress the springs. This trap is popular among the raccoon trappers. Care must be used with this trap because if a dog or house-cat sticks his head in there, they will die quickly just like a raccoon. Some states have regulated this trap. If set on land they have to be in dog proof boxes or at least 4 feet off the ground. This trap has been used to catch raccoons, otters, muskrats, minks, squirrels, rabbits, and ground hogs (woodchucks). They run about $90 a dozen new and around $75 used. Four #220 will keep you in coons for a long time.
The third trap is a #330 conibear, this trap is 10 x 10" square with double springs, this is the most powerful and is NO kids toy. The same setting tool that can be used for the #220 will work for the #330. THE SAME CARE MUST BE USED WITH THIS TRAP BECAUSE NO DOG WILL LIVE THROUGH AN ENCOUNTER IN THIS TRAP! What a wonderful beaver trap. I have trapped 100's of beaver with this trap. The trap was designed for beaver but can also be used for otters, raccoons, and snapping turtles. They run around $200 a dozen new and used are about $150 a dozen. I've had some for over 10 years and their still catching beaver every year.
"What the heck is he talking about, I thought this article was suppose to be about one trap not three." Well, just like the one perfect gun, it all depends on where you are in the country. What animal has the highest population in your area? A great survival set-up would be 6-#110 for the smaller animals, 4-#220 for medium size animals and 2-#330 for beaver size animals. This batch of only 12 traps should keep you in meat and fur just about anywhere in America.
The one trap I personally would have is the #330 because of the amount of beaver in my area. For other parts of the country I would take the #220 because of the high raccoons, ground hogs, possums, and muskrats. With the #110 traps so cheap, every one should have a couple at their camp. This is really hard trying to predict what your area has the most of. You are the best judge of that. What is the top road kill animals in your area? This is a good reliable indicator of the animal population in any given area. Just use you head. If you see 2 beaver lodges and 4 dams there are can be from 4 to 12 beaver but after you trap them out then what's left to trap? You see, it all depends on your area. I am trying to provide you, a beginner with the tools that beginners have their most success with.
Preparing New Traps
If you go out and buy new traps, don't go out and set them for animals, you have to first prepare the traps. If you use new traps they are all bright and shiny, you will have limited success because the trap doesn't look natural. A quick and easy way to prepare the traps is to boil them in water to remove the factory grease for about 5 minutes, pour the water off and stick them outside under some leaves or mowed grass. Leave the traps there for a week or so until a light coating of rust appears. Then bring the traps in, use a wire brush to take off the rust, lightly, just to take off the bigger spots. ( A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE RUSTING PART BECAUSE IT GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN OF METAL PROTECTION.) The reason you let them rust is to prepare the metal for excepting dye, paint, or quick dip. This is a quick way to preserve the traps after the rusting, you can spray paint the trap flat black. The reason for the rust is after you catch an animal the paint or dye can wear off. You don't want a shiny metal piece to scare other animals away from the trap. The rust looks more of a natural brown and the traps will keep catching animals. Make sure after painting that you hang the traps in a tree for a couple of weeks to get rid of the paint smell.
This is just some of the basic's to start. Next article we will look at the # 110 conibear trap and how to catch muskrats, rabbits, and squirrels. Until then, reply with what you would like to see. Good luck and take care.
Note: Buckshot recevied a question about baiting traps. here is his answer:
The conibears are design to use in trail sets, den entrance sets, and baited sets. The bait all depends on what you are trapping. #110 in a box set baited with garden veggie's, will take rabbits. Squirrels really like corn on the cob, or peanut butter. A #220 in a bucket baited with fish heads will take raccoons, possums, skunks and, once in a while, a dumb fox, or coyote. The #330 under the ice can have aspen branches wired to the trigger. Aspen branches placed beyond the trap usually works the best in open water
Only One Trap
Asking a trapper what is the one trap he would take into a survival camp is kind of like asking a gun nut what is the only gun to take. I thought long and hard on the subject before coming to the conclusion that for someone who didn't know a lot about trapping that the conibear trap is the best. Beginners have the best success with this trap and I have some small ones I have used for over 20 years and their still catching animals. First off, I will explain what the trap does and the different sizes and their use.
The conibear was developed by a Canadian fur trapper Frank Conibear. He wanted a trap that would kill the animal so that he could run more traps with only checking each set every 2 or 3 days. With a leghold trap you should check every day to be humane to the caught animals. Well, his trap took off and is now a household name in the trapper world. There are currently 6 different sizes ranging to cover all the popular fur animals but for this article we will stick with the 3 basic ones to avoid confusion.
The first trap is a #110 conibear, this trap is 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 " with a single spring. This trap is very popular among muskrat trappers because they're easy to use and reliable quick kills. This trap can also be used for mink, rabbit, squirrel, and some of the bigger weasel. The traps are relatively inexpensive ranging from $50 a dozen new to $30 a dozen used.
The second trap is a #220 conibear, this trap is 7 by 7" with double springs and requires a setting tool to compress the springs. This trap is popular among the raccoon trappers. Care must be used with this trap because if a dog or house-cat sticks his head in there, they will die quickly just like a raccoon. Some states have regulated this trap. If set on land they have to be in dog proof boxes or at least 4 feet off the ground. This trap has been used to catch raccoons, otters, muskrats, minks, squirrels, rabbits, and ground hogs (woodchucks). They run about $90 a dozen new and around $75 used. Four #220 will keep you in coons for a long time.
The third trap is a #330 conibear, this trap is 10 x 10" square with double springs, this is the most powerful and is NO kids toy. The same setting tool that can be used for the #220 will work for the #330. THE SAME CARE MUST BE USED WITH THIS TRAP BECAUSE NO DOG WILL LIVE THROUGH AN ENCOUNTER IN THIS TRAP! What a wonderful beaver trap. I have trapped 100's of beaver with this trap. The trap was designed for beaver but can also be used for otters, raccoons, and snapping turtles. They run around $200 a dozen new and used are about $150 a dozen. I've had some for over 10 years and their still catching beaver every year.
"What the heck is he talking about, I thought this article was suppose to be about one trap not three." Well, just like the one perfect gun, it all depends on where you are in the country. What animal has the highest population in your area? A great survival set-up would be 6-#110 for the smaller animals, 4-#220 for medium size animals and 2-#330 for beaver size animals. This batch of only 12 traps should keep you in meat and fur just about anywhere in America.
The one trap I personally would have is the #330 because of the amount of beaver in my area. For other parts of the country I would take the #220 because of the high raccoons, ground hogs, possums, and muskrats. With the #110 traps so cheap, every one should have a couple at their camp. This is really hard trying to predict what your area has the most of. You are the best judge of that. What is the top road kill animals in your area? This is a good reliable indicator of the animal population in any given area. Just use you head. If you see 2 beaver lodges and 4 dams there are can be from 4 to 12 beaver but after you trap them out then what's left to trap? You see, it all depends on your area. I am trying to provide you, a beginner with the tools that beginners have their most success with.
Preparing New Traps
If you go out and buy new traps, don't go out and set them for animals, you have to first prepare the traps. If you use new traps they are all bright and shiny, you will have limited success because the trap doesn't look natural. A quick and easy way to prepare the traps is to boil them in water to remove the factory grease for about 5 minutes, pour the water off and stick them outside under some leaves or mowed grass. Leave the traps there for a week or so until a light coating of rust appears. Then bring the traps in, use a wire brush to take off the rust, lightly, just to take off the bigger spots. ( A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE RUSTING PART BECAUSE IT GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN OF METAL PROTECTION.) The reason you let them rust is to prepare the metal for excepting dye, paint, or quick dip. This is a quick way to preserve the traps after the rusting, you can spray paint the trap flat black. The reason for the rust is after you catch an animal the paint or dye can wear off. You don't want a shiny metal piece to scare other animals away from the trap. The rust looks more of a natural brown and the traps will keep catching animals. Make sure after painting that you hang the traps in a tree for a couple of weeks to get rid of the paint smell.
This is just some of the basic's to start. Next article we will look at the # 110 conibear trap and how to catch muskrats, rabbits, and squirrels. Until then, reply with what you would like to see. Good luck and take care.
Note: Buckshot recevied a question about baiting traps. here is his answer:
The conibears are design to use in trail sets, den entrance sets, and baited sets. The bait all depends on what you are trapping. #110 in a box set baited with garden veggie's, will take rabbits. Squirrels really like corn on the cob, or peanut butter. A #220 in a bucket baited with fish heads will take raccoons, possums, skunks and, once in a while, a dumb fox, or coyote. The #330 under the ice can have aspen branches wired to the trigger. Aspen branches placed beyond the trap usually works the best in open water