How to make your KOROs more deadly

[Humptulips]

The title I wanted to use but seemed too long for the subject space is

How to make your KORO rodent traps more lethal without actually modifying them.

I planned on writing an article for the Fur Shed about this but what I am finding out seemed to important to wait until the next Edition. I think I will write a longer more comprehensive story about this for the Spring Edition. I hope John doesn't get mad for putting this out early.
Many of you know I have been fooling with these traps for a while, probably longer than anyone else. I have tried a lot of tweeks to make them work better with somewhat inconsistent results. Of course constrained by the fact we cannot significantly modify these traps and stay within  the letter of the law. That being said I have tried a lot of minor modifications. I have come to the conclusion the traps are best used right out of the box. You don't need to do anything to them however there are a couple things you can do that make them deadly
Lubrication : if you will notice the hinge part of the jaw is a hollow pin that doesn't come quite together on one side. These have a name which escapes me. It fits over the frame of the trap. All that contact creates a lot of friction. When the traps are new it is not so noticeable but that friction slows the trap down. Especially so after a year when it takes on a little rust or if you do like I did and dip them. That gums them up a bit and slows them down. It can get so bad they won't even close all the way and be as slow as molasses.
Put a little lubrication on them and they are faster and more powerful then when they came out of the box. I used some silicone spray lubricant. Spray a little along that gap in the pin when sprung and set. Then give it another spray, same gap when set. Work it back and forth a couple times and you are good to go. Probably any spray lube would work as well. I don't think any of the animals these traps are set for will be bothered by the smell. We are not trapping coyotes here you know.
A striker bar on your box: We can't modify the trap but we can build the box to accomplish the same thing. Guys have asked me about welding a striker bar on the jaw and I have told them no. Last year I decided to try something similar on the box. Pretty simple really. Just a piece of 3/4 angle iron attached to the box. The traps lower bar is tight to the angle iron and the striking jaw goes over it. Angle iron is 2 1/4 inches wide. Kind of a dislocater effect. I remember there was a killer trap company that made conibears with the jaws offset. Kind of the same idea.
I use a paperclip to hold the trap tight in the box. The results have been great. Out of 14 now I have had one last long enough to dislodge the paperclip. They are dead and never move for the most part. All have been dead, even the one that did move the paperclip.  Pretty quick kill!
Here's a few pictures to show what I am talking about.
One more thing, don't get your fingers in the way once you do this or you will regret it.

     

[Norman89]

Very interesting Bruce I like it and there are many members not here in huntwa (guessing here by the lack of content this year on the forum) so I'm sure readers of that fine piece of literature we call the fur shed will see and appreciate your ingenuity. And I know John will be happy just that someone else is writing in for an article!

[Kain]

Brilliant!  I noticed when I looked these up they have a larger size that says muskrat on it.  How do you set for muskrats with these?  The same box style? 

[Humptulips]

Brilliant!  I noticed when I looked these up they have a larger size that says muskrat on it.  How do you set for muskrats with these?  The same box style?

The larger sizes are not WA legal. We can only use the KORO rodent model.
I have never tried them on muskrat. George Brady said he had but i do not know anything about how he set the for muskrat.

[Kain]

Brilliant!  I noticed when I looked these up they have a larger size that says muskrat on it.  How do you set for muskrats with these?  The same box style?

The larger sizes are not WA legal. We can only use the KORO rodent model.
I have never tried them on muskrat. George Brady said he had but i do not know anything about how he set the for muskrat.

Thank you.

[Birdgetter]

A buddy of mine tried them for muskrats and had great results. He set on feed beds and baited with an apple. He set 8 traps and had 5 rats the first night. Here is the set, really simple and seems to be effective!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kain]

A buddy of mine tried them for muskrats and had great results. He set on feed beds and baited with an apple. He set 8 traps and had 5 rats the first night. Here is the set, really simple and seems to be effective!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like a great setup. 

[Loup Loup]

First step should be to give that factory cable a tug and get rid of that POS. Put a positive anchor system on them.

[Humptulips]

First step should be to give that factory cable a tug and get rid of that POS. Put a positive anchor system on them.

:yeah:I've tried to hammer that home whenever I talk about them.

[wags]

^^^^^
Has anyone pointed out that design flaw to the manufacturer? I think it would be a simple fix.

[Humptulips]

The first trap I set I lost because of those poorly pressed eyes. I tried all I had and they all pulled out. I e-mailed him the next day about it. He thanked me and said he would look into it.  That was I think 2 1/2 years ago. They are better now but you cannot trust them. Some hold and some don't.

[Bullytrout]

Trap in place.  Very secure in all directions

[Bullytrout]

I meant to post above this that Bruce gave me an idea for a combination strike bar trap mount. Seems really secure but I haven’t tried it in the field yet.

[Dirty Mike]

Good idea I just ordered some koro traps thank you

[JakeLand]

First Marten of the year ! She was raiding my cat cage

[Norman89]

Mint

[Humptulips]

Took a few pictures to show my set up in the field.

[Humptulips]

Result

[Skyvalhunter]

What were you intending to catch it wasn't skunk was it?

[Kain]

Thats interesting that the trap is mounted upside down to the top of the box.  I put your mod on one of my traps but did not secure the trap in the box so I dont think it worked like it was supposed to.  I will get a clip or find another way to secure the trap in the box and see how that works.  What do you lure skunks with anyways?
 

[Humptulips]

What were you intending to catch it wasn't skunk was it?

Yes, that has been almost my sole species to trap for about 3 years.  I trap a few bobcats too but there is more money in spotted skunks then cats.

Thats interesting that the trap is mounted upside down to the top of the box.  I put your mod on one of my traps but did not secure the trap in the box so I dont think it worked like it was supposed to.  I will get a clip or find another way to secure the trap in the box and see how that works.  What do you lure skunks with anyways?
 

I probably haven't made it clear but IMO the KOROs work best set upside down. Picture the arc of the jaw as it springs and its relationship to the head of an animal entering the trap. If the trap is set right side up, the front upper quadrant of the box where the civets head is arcs short of the front of the box. Also think of the head. If the jaw strikes anyplace ahead of the ears it pushes the civet out of the trap. between the arc of the jaw swing short and the  civet needing to be farther in the trap a civet needs to be in the trap about 3" to get a proper strike. The pan is far enough ahead of that that they set the trap off early commonly.
With the trap upside down they are deeper in the trap and their head is up in the longest part of the arc of the striking jaw. Plus if the jaw comes up under their chin it doesn't push them out but actually pulls them in.
The one pictured is actually unusual in that it was a neck strike. They usually are deeper and you get a strike across the shoulders which is a better catch. Unusual to have them last long enough to pull out of the trap like this one.
I don't know if many realize it but that is a really big one. Probably why he did not get further into the trap. I think that is #33 for the year.

[Humptulips]

  What do you lure skunks with anyways?
 

Tainted meat, beaver is the best but they are not choosy.