Need help for next year

[nategood21]

I want to get an early start on my trap making for next year. The traps i used last year didn't catch a thing (most likely my fault) so i want to get traps made up so i can get off to a good start next season. The traps i made have a single door and are 36" long 14" tall. Planning on making them longer and a little taller next year and a little narrower. I'm thinking about making them with a double door. The problem I'm having is with the trigger, how to get both doors to shut at the same time and with as little pressure as possible. My earlier design was sensitive enough to be set off by bluejays and magpies. I'm mainly looking for ideas for the door release mechanism and trigger ideas. pics would be awesome as well as descriptions.

I'm going for bobcats or similar things and sizes.

[3nails]

Consider buying one from one of the reputable bobcat trappers and duplicating. 

[nategood21]

This last season was my first I don't know any other trappers.

also don't have that much money -.-

[UrbanTrapper]

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/tomahawk-original-series-model-109-rigid-live-trap-with-two-trap-doors-for-bobcat-fox-coyote-similar-sized-animals-p-3063.html

[hardkorrhunter]

check out this topic there are some great pics on here Dispatching an animal caught in a cage trap?
Started by hardkorrhunter « 1 2 »

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,120368.0.html

[Humptulips]

Yea, I would say you need a taller trap.
What kind of doors do you have on your current traps?

Here's my take on the double door cat traps:  I went down that road and here is the main problem you will have, It is just the length of the trap it takes to make it work. Usually  a bait or scent or some kind of attractant is going to be used in a cat trap. So you put the bait/scent/attractant in the middle, the trap needs to be long enough for the cat to fit in one side. That means your trap ends up being twice the length of a single door. With a minimum length of a single door being 32" that means your double door trap ends up being over 5' long. I tried 4' and it won't work at least for me. Most single doors are 3' long and that puts you at 6' long.
Do you really want to pack something like that around?
I used a trigger similar to the ones I use in the swim throughs. With a little thought you can make that work with an outward opening door but you will have a conibear type trigger. That works but it rules out a peddle type trigger. You may have to rethink what you are going to do with your attractant.
With a tall trap that makes for a lot of door sticking out. I do not think that is good. I hinged from the side with a power door. Door lock is then a problem on an outward opening door.

I honestly think you should be able make a single door work. If I knew more about your attempts this year maybe I could offer some advice.

You can copy or design but it still leaves you with the length problem and what to do with the attractant.
Wish I was more help.

[nategood21]

I posted pictures of my design in  http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,116132.msg1531815.html#msg1531815

I was planning on making it taller the side power door is an interesting idea. how would the door stay closed? i fear that they would stick a paw in the wire and pull it open.

[Humptulips]

So it looks like you have a basic swing door trap. Some guys swear by them but I do not like them. It seems like I had a lot of refusals with them at least with cats. They can work though and seem to work for guys on the east side so maybe it's just me.
My suggestions for this same type trap:
Taller trap, minimum 18", 3' deep
Move pan back towards door, I think at least 12" behind pan.
Solid pan, you can cover the pan with old carpet, plywood, shingle but it needs to solid for the cat to step on it.
Cover floor with dirt/leaves
Cover trap well, sides and back.
Good bait like beaver, rabbit, chicken, mountain beaver
Wire smaller bait outside trap nearby
If you don't connect in two weeks move trap, Could fudge on that if sign dictates.
You need several traps. It is so easy for a cat trap to be set where nothing will happen or where an individual cat just won't go in a trap. Increase your traps= increased opportunity

My traps with the side opening door are like the swim thorough design so the springs hold them closed. A cat or any other animal cannot pull them open. A locking system for an outward opening trap? I haven't thought of a plan that suits me yet. Still thinking on it.

[nategood21]

So you're thinking 18" tall 3' long, the pan having a foot gap from the back? how exactly do you rig up the door to do the side close? i have an idea how to do it but do you have any pics of a side close with trigger setup?

[Humptulips]

So you're thinking 18" tall 3' long, the pan having a foot gap from the back? how exactly do you rig up the door to do the side close? i have an idea how to do it but do you have any pics of a side close with trigger setup?

I can take some pics tomorrow but they are exactly like my swimthroughs only 10 wide x18 high. In fact the ones I used are swimthroughs I made and used, 10x18x48 I caught beaver, otter and even a couple rats in them. Then I turned them on their side, only opened one door and used them for cats late in the season. Out of 5 traps caught  either 6 or 7 cats in those traps. Don't remember what all I caught in the water except I do remember one particular trap, ( maybe my favorite now) that I caught 2 beaver, 1 otter and 2 big tom cats in.

[dbfalls]

Go to BriarPatch .com they know how to build a good cage trap for Bobcat. Pull up ther web site click on cage traps and take from there. They show way to much for somebody thats trying to marget there design, easy to copy. Go to http://klubertanz.com/images/Catalog.pdf for the wire find some place close to you to buy the steel, and if you have a little Mig wire feed welder your set start building.

[nategood21]

So I'm in the process of drawing up my design for a side spring closing door trap. what I'm having trouble with is making the trigger so that it's simple. my idea is for a 2 part trigger. I was thinking a conibear style trigger that holds another piece (___) shaped kind of like that which holds the door open. in the end kind of looking like Humptulips swim-through. i would like to use his style trigger but having troubles figuring out how to make it a side close. I would prefer the side closing idea over a top one, wouldn't have to make the trap as long.

Anyone have any ideas or pictures to help solve my problem.

[Humptulips]

Picture my swim through trigger. Now turn the trap on it's side. That's all there is to it.

[nategood21]

so the conibear trigger would be sticking out from the side instead of hanging from the top? would i need to change the way the wire is bent or would it be fine the way it is? i was also curious, do you have any problems with the conibear trigger freezing up because its attached to the smooth bar?

[Humptulips]

so the conibear trigger would be sticking out from the side instead of hanging from the top? Yep. would i need to change the way the wire is bent or would it be fine the way it is? You can bend it any way you want to suit you. I have been leaving it spread for watdr sets and bending them close together and angled down a bit to create an opening for the cat to see over. i was also curious, do you have any problems with the conibear trigger freezing up because its attached to the smooth bar? No but I get very few hard freezes here. I do think the danger of freezing the trigger up would be less then other designs.