Mini Hancock Style Trap

[Wolfdog91]

So has anyone made basically a mini version of a Hancock clam style trap ? A wile ago I saw a picture of one that was like lady the size of a regular one and was being used for muskrats. I know your could probably do just as well with regular cages but has anyone made one ? Would be interested because I think I'd have a use for something like that.

[Loup Loup]

Wolfdog: There are a couple antique suitcase stlye traps that were made for muskrat. Also I know of one hawk trap that was very suitcase trap like, although it used netting instead of wire mesh.
I have thought that a mini suitcase style trap would be very efficient as a muskrat trap. I've thought a mini suitcase powered by 220 springs.
There are many ways to catch muskrats in various styles of cages.
But in the spring when rats are focused on marking toilets it would be most efficent to have a trap that is right at the toilet, not a cage whose entrance is 14 inch in front of the treadle, which would be right at the toilet. This is one application where a mini suitcase would shine.

[wags]

I hope this isn't too far off the subject, but as long as we are talking about innovative traps, I have caught several muskrats alive in colony traps set in the following manner.

First off you need to get the muskrats in the habit of eating carrots. If they haven't been exposed to them it can take them a couple of days to figure out what they are. Once they realize they are food they will seek them out.

Mike M. and I discovered this several years ago while experimenting with various traps on golf course ponds in Sumner Washington.

We found that we needed to scatter carrots around the edges of the ponds a few days before setting the ponds in order to condition the muskrats into eating carrots.

One set that worked was to take a colony trap and set it on a gently sloping bank with one end of the trap in maybe an inch or so of water. Naturally the back door of the trap is in the closed position due to gravity. But I would prop the front door (the end that is in the water) with a toothpick size stick. I would prop the door open maybe three inches so that when the muskrat walks into the trap his back would lift the door just slightly and the stick would naturally fall over and the door would close behind the muskrat.

This set actually worked great, the drawbacks however are that you then have to take the time to dispatch the muskrat, and because the trap is essentially a live trap which requires a 24 hour check, whereas a killing colony trap may be checked every 72 hours.
 

[Wolfdog91]

Wolfdog: There are a couple antique suitcase stlye traps that were made for muskrat. Also I know of one hawk trap that was very suitcase trap like, although it used netting instead of wire mesh.
I have thought that a mini suitcase style trap would be very efficient as a muskrat trap. I've thought a mini suitcase powered by 220 springs.
There are many ways to catch muskrats in various styles of cages.
But in the spring when rats are focused on marking toilets it would be most efficent to have a trap that is right at the toilet, not a cage whose entrance is 14 inch in front of the treadle, which would be right at the toilet. This is one application where a mini suitcase would shine.

how would you use 220 springs ? I'd definitely build one if I could get a good idea if how to make it work

[Humptulips]

Wolfdog: There are a couple antique suitcase stlye traps that were made for muskrat. Also I know of one hawk trap that was very suitcase trap like, although it used netting instead of wire mesh.
I have thought that a mini suitcase style trap would be very efficient as a muskrat trap. I've thought a mini suitcase powered by 220 springs.
There are many ways to catch muskrats in various styles of cages.
But in the spring when rats are focused on marking toilets it would be most efficent to have a trap that is right at the toilet, not a cage whose entrance is 14 inch in front of the treadle, which would be right at the toilet. This is one application where a mini suitcase would shine.

how would you use 220 springs ? I'd definitely build one if I could get a good idea if how to make it work

Imagine your mini-Hancock type trap with the side of the basket extending back beyond the hinge. When the trap was closed those extensions would be together. When set they would be spread apart. 220 spring attached in between them so that spring is compressed when trap is set.

[Wolfdog91]

So basically kinda like a long spring foot hold ?

[Wolfdog91]

Or like one of these koro traps ?

[Humptulips]

No not what I was thinking of. I don't see how that would work. The trap pictured would have to have cage wire over the jaws and then how would the springs close.
Think more like a conibear but have a pin all the way across where the jaws pivot. Two jaws on one side have basket material. Two jaws on the other side have springs on them.
I guess that trap is a good visual except the springs would have to be on the back side of the basket.
Seems more trouble then it would be worth to build.

[Loup Loup]

Yea, that koro is pretty close to what Ive envisioned.
Picture a mini suitcase, just like a koro suitcase except about 20-25 % the size of the regular one. On a regular koro the spring coil is anchored to the frame of the trap and the spring levers come together when fired.
The way I see 220 springs on the mini, two springs one on each corner of frame. one spring eye would be anchored to the corner of trap frame. The other spring eye would travel along a rod or rail that would be along the outside of the basket sides. When the trap fires the spring eyes would travel the length of the rail bringing the two basket halves together.