# bedding traps



## lssuwaterwolf (Dec 29, 2007)

i just started trapping heavily this year and i had some problems with raccoons pulling out of my traps. i would dig my hole, place the trap down so that it would not shift, and then sift a light layer of dirt over the entire trap, including under the trap pan. im wondering if i should use a trappers cap so that dirt does not get under the pan. i cant think of any other explanation for not getting a good foot catch


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

It's possible your pan tension is to light. If it is you can tighten the bolt and nut on the pan just enough so that the pan can hold its own weight. Also, what size traps are you using and are you trapping water or dry land?


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## coyote_buster (Mar 11, 2007)

put a cotton ball under the pan


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## lssuwaterwolf (Dec 29, 2007)

i am using 1.5 coilsprings and trapping on land. i was wondering if number 11 long springs might be better


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

IMO the 1.5 coil is a great **** trap. **** have alot of power and are hard to hold on dry land. I use 1.5's for dry land ***** with a shock spring and a minimum of two swivels. I also replace the factory springs with #2 springs. Using this set up I lose very few *****. I dont use pan covers and I dont put anything under the pan. My traps are night latched and are not set on a hair trigger but close to it. My traps also have laminated jaws. I would say that light to no pan tension is the main reason you are losing *****.


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## keystone (Nov 6, 2007)

Try bending the dog a little bit. when the trap is set the bend should be in a u shape, obviously not as drastic as a u shape, that's just an example of the direction of the bend. you want the pan to move as freely as possible when the trap isn't set, but you want to tighten the screw enough so that the pan doesn't wobble. From there you should be able to adjust the pan tension from the bend in the dog like a described.


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## lssuwaterwolf (Dec 29, 2007)

thankyou very much for the advice. i tightened my pans and well see how that does. also, how do you attach new swivels to your trap chains?


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## coyote_buster (Mar 11, 2007)

The shock springs are a good addition to the trap because they can't jerk on it as hard.


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## lssuwaterwolf (Dec 29, 2007)

the shock springs sound like a good idea. where do you attach additional swivels on your trap chains? is the staking end ok, or should you cut the factory chain and put a swivel in the middle?


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

I like to have a swivel at the base plate, one in the middle of the chain, and another one at the end of the chain.


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