# 1 1/2 a little small???



## achunter

duke 1 1/2 seem a little small for **** and fox is this trud there only 4 3/4 inches inside...is thet big enough for a big **** or would i be better off getiing a 1.75 duke?


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## price403

I've caught both in 1 1/2s and 1 3/4s. either one will work just as well as the other for holding them. The bigger catch area of the 1 3/4 Dukes will help some. Especially when you are just starting out. Hope this helps...


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## smitty223

Personally, I don't like Dukes :eyeroll: , but any good 1.5/1.75 would hold any **** or fox.


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## KYUSS

A good size **** can make quick work of those Duke's. Springs are not strong enough to hold a big ****. **** in Nodak can get pretty big and I want a strong enough trap to hold them. This is for dryland trapping. Duke's on drowning rigs are just fine.


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## achunter

smitty why dont u like duke traps? any particular reason??


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## KYUSS

achunter said:


> smitty why dont u like duke traps? any particular reason??


Well I'm not smitty but I'll put my two cents in anyways. I dont like them because the steel that they are made of is a softer steel. If you have a strong animal like a big **** or coyote the posts and other parts can get bent pretty easy. Also, the pan sits a little to high on the older Dukes. Not sure about the new ones.

However, I feel the 1 1/2 is the perfect size for **** and fox.  All my 1 1/2's have #2 springs installed and base plate swivels.


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## wyogoose

I agree with smitty. Dukes suck!!


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## smitty223

wyogoose said:


> I agree with smitty. Dukes suck!!


WAIT!!! ....I never said that................& "I never had _ _ _ with that woman" :lol:


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## achunter

what kind of traps do u all recommend


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## KYUSS

For the money I like Bridgers. Their 1.65 with #2 springs installed is a great trap.


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## wyogoose

Bridgers for sure. The old montgomery or newhouse traps are great steel too.


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## cya_coyote

hey guys... i use mostly duke traps... you get what you can afford. some of us that dont' have a lot of extra money, and those just starting out have to use something. i will have to say all are on drowning rigs, and i have held beaver in them... 5 this year, in fact. just have to learn how to get the slide wires to work quickly. no snags around and start them as far down the slide as possible... help them make that first step.

as far as 220 and 330, duke is the way to go. the jaws can be put in a vice and turned so they close tighter... magnum power at less $$

my .02, i am sure opinions will vary, but haven't lost on to pull out for the last 8 years, so i must be doing something right... and the three pullouts the year i lost some were ALL from victors...

:sniper:


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## wyogoose

Couldn't agree more coyote. I personally dont like dukes but for kids and first-timers they are a great way to get started. Anything to get more people into the great sport we all love. P.S. good idea on the conibears!!


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## achunter

i have a choice between dukes, victors, or bridgers what should i buy im tryin to trap **** fox and a little coyote and i only have the money to but 1 size of trap and i dont wanna buy all different sizes so what is the best brand and size for all of em combined thanks


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## smitty223

I use a few 1.5 Dukes, but they're about the only ones. Personally I like the Bridgers also. Some guys love Dukes, & if they work for them & they're happy, then I think that's great.....they can have all they want, they just aren't for me.

You'll need more than 1 size trap for the critters you mentioned. A good 1.5 would work on **** & fox, but I use nothing smaller than a #2 for coyote. Victor makes a 1.75 Professional 4X4 that's a nice trap.

Some of the traps I use for ****, rats, mink are, the 1.5 Dukes, #11 SleepyCreek Double Jaw (GREAT trap!), #11 Bridger, #1 Sleep Creek Double Jaw. I had a mink in a Duke 110 this past season, and I had to dispatch it because the 110 couldn't.

The larger traps will hold a ****, but holding isn't the problem. After caught they'll chew their foot at times. The smaller traps help prevent this because there's less room under the jaws.

achunter- "Why don't I like Dukes?" Because I'd bought 6-#11 Dukes to "play with", the first one I set, the jaw flew out of it & nearly hit me in the face  . I went ahead & modified one, after getting it done, I reset it, and the springs are WAY too powerful for the cheap (thin) trap frames. I could watch the frame bend right before my eyes :roll: . My "gripe" was Duke produced a piece of junk, they knew it, but put them out on the shelf to sell to suckers (like me) who'd buy 'em. That was enough to sour me towards Duke. They also come with extremely sharp edges (burrs from stamping) that will cut you like a razor. There was a FULL gauge thickness difference between the Duke & Bridger #11's.

Bottom line= Buy the best traps you can afford, and more traps for the $$ isn't always a better deal. I'd take 1 good trap over 6 pieces of junk anyday. You'll have less headaches & put more fur in the shed.

Here's a pic of some 1.5 Dukes I modified, they're center-swiveled, jaws laminated, swivels added, tuned (pan-slop eliminated), jaws & pan leveled, nitelatched as well as deburred (sharp edges removed).




























Here's my favorite coyote trap, #3 modified Bridger










I also bubble-weld the jaw tips on all my K9 traps.









#2 modified Bridger


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## KYUSS

I agree 100% with what smitty said. Achunter if you can only buy one size trap for the animals you mentioned than you might want to look at the 1.65 bridgers. I have had great success using this trap for fox and **** and it has proven itself with the "occasional" coyote. All my 1.65's have #2 springs installed. For the small investment of buying #2 springs you will be payed back many times over in the amount of fur you will catch. If you want to get into more coyotes than the #3 Bridger with modifacations is the way to go.

Buy quality traps. You will have them for a long time.


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