Post by: Carp Commander on May 29, 2013, 01:31:33 PM
I have also heard about good prices at the rendezvous but have never been to one. Are the prices good enough that I should wait or just start ordering now?
Thanks
Doug
Post by: Blacktail Sniper on May 29, 2013, 01:54:19 PM
Post by: Humptulips on May 29, 2013, 06:17:44 PM
Post by: Carp Commander on May 29, 2013, 06:26:51 PM
I know you build your own but have you ever tried any of the Comstocks or Dekalbs? I have heard good things about both. I just hate the thought of buying anything I haven't seen before.
Are there any other manufacturers out there that are worth looking into?
I have also heard decent reports about beaver sized colony traps. Anyone have thoughts on them?
Doug
Post by: trapperguy22 on May 29, 2013, 08:01:59 PM
I make my own non powered door swim throughs and they work well for beaver and some otter, i think i miss some otter with the doors free falling. this summer i will be making some powered door ones like bruces.
I have seen both the comstocks and the dekalb traps i like them both the dekalb that i saw was the 12x12x36 i think the guy who owned lt liked i seemed like a well built trap. i have also seen the comstocks and they seem well built also. the one thing that sucks about those traps is the shipping.
Post by: Humptulips on May 30, 2013, 12:57:38 PM
Kirk Dekalbs traps, I don't know if anyone will bring one. Dave Vinke has had them there the last couple of years but again just to look at.
Kirk is a member of this forum so maybe he will chime in.
Post by: kirkdekalb on June 02, 2013, 06:00:25 PM
I believe for the money you should consider Bruces" traps. Shipping is a problem.
We currently have been short of labor, so I am behind. We are not currently making the swing downs. We will as soon as I feel confident of the quality and we have time. I have a new guy who is experienced well, but not in all of my models yet. My employee that has been with me so long has had quite a few problems with sickness and death in his family. He should be back soon.
We are presently selling traps as fast as we can make them. Very little inventory. I have come up with a better hog door, so that is taking away from the time for the other traps.
We have many models that are good for beaver and otter, but are only presently selling the guillotine models. I guess I may have to build a model simmiliar in size as the larger comstock. If I do the design I have will be easier to set, more open appearing to the animal, easier to remove animals, have bar doors, and be stronger- to be set for live catches as well as submerged sets. My favorite though is the 12x12x 36 swim thru for submerged sets and the round centered ones for live and submerged sets. We have a 24 hr check here so live sets are more thought of and tend to allow more opportunity for trap placement here.
One of the best sizes I have found in testing, Is a 14x14x38 powered guillotine doored trap. I would offer if I had enough orders to start. The 14" gives a nice opening and the guillotine doors are faster than a swingdown door in water. I can make it with more support bars on top like the 36" swimthru for strength. I will try to have some in Lima NTA.
We have been selling a lot of the 12x17x38 guillotine door traps because they can trail set them for beaver and other animals, submerge them,and float them to catch beaver. One USDA customer caught 5 beaver in 4 nights with a floating cage then ordered 5 more.
I have had a rail less guillotine doored trap in my mind for quite some time. I made one last weeK. It is really slick. Like every trap, It has features that are better than other traps and other traps have features better than it. It just saves on the shipping.
I am not sure whether I will show that for now.
If you are making traps for beaver, a cage trap for beaver with attached pontoons has been very effective for my customers. You may want to build your trap with that in mind. The trap just needs a minimum width of 12", taller the better, and be set so as the animal floats into it or about 6" of water. It will work with a gravity door as long as the trap is long enough.The longer the trap the wider the trap needs to be.
Good Luck
Post by: pnwmtnmn on June 02, 2013, 10:44:04 PM
Post by: kirkdekalb on July 30, 2013, 04:29:30 PM
It is a way to see various types. Will also have a new large animal trap I mentioned on the caging coyote thread.
There mainly to show.
Post by: rasbo on July 31, 2013, 04:36:53 AM
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 05, 2013, 06:10:40 PM
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 06, 2013, 05:13:46 PM
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 07, 2013, 09:43:57 AM
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 07, 2013, 04:20:50 PM
Went to another location and set a swim thru, a snare, and a mb 750. All scent sets. It was almost 100 today with no rain. It was almost 80 this morning at first light. Told the land owner at the new location I would trap 3 nights. Daming up a cross drain on driveway to home in a subdivision.
Post by: MtnMuley on August 07, 2013, 04:22:42 PM
Made five sets at one location just before dark. All live sets. Land owner had dam wash away and is going to make a larger pond and clean up.
If he had a dam wash away and he wants a larger pond, then why are you removing the beavers? :chuckle:
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 08, 2013, 03:33:42 AM
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 08, 2013, 02:47:56 PM
Post by: MtnMuley on August 08, 2013, 03:01:43 PM
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 08, 2013, 04:30:24 PM
When the ponds are pumped low under drought conditions sometimes the wells can,t keep up and sometimes there are no supplemental wells. At that time the beaver will leave there den or house in the back of the pond and borrow in an area that has water. That usually is the pond dam. After about 8 to 10 years the dam gives way or caves in creating in some cases washed out roads and other problems. Several areas I trap have had dams give way in years passed that washed semi's off the road due to the beaver.
We have had five years of drought, so the areas that had beaver will start showing the problem since the rain has come back.
Post by: bugs n bones on August 10, 2013, 06:31:18 PM
Fred Lawrence will be giving a talk on the Comstocks at the Rendezvous Saturday. I don't think there will be any for sale but Fred will have one you can look at.Comstocks are the ticket!
Kirk Dekalbs traps, I don't know if anyone will bring one. Dave Vinke has had them there the last couple of years but again just to look at.
Kirk is a member of this forum so maybe he will chime in.
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 11, 2013, 07:04:59 AM
Quote
Comstocks are the ticket!
Tomahawk should sell many of them. I am sure they will be manufactured with quality in mind.
Comstock has two models(swim throughs), they are all swing down. In fact I believe all Comstock traps are swing down. They all have a swing bar. The distance that the trigger moves is determined as to the shelf or tab length. This is what determines when it fires. Due to the swing bar and the need for internal components the traps are less open appearing compared to a trap that has firing components on the out side. Advanced traps have both capability, inside or outside components depending on the model and the design. Due to the way the mechanism works on the advanced trap, it can be mounted on the top, bottom, side, inside, or outside of trap. The mechanism can be mounted as a pan configuration, hanging trigger, or a bite and pull. All at various positions and angles. The Advanced Trap can also be fitted with a 4 way trigger, one way trigger, and many other 330 triggers designed for a 330 conibear. Advanced trap also has a dog that can be interchanged to make the trigger respond less to side pressure.Advanced trap also is the only one in the industry that has a double doored tube trap design. Advanced Trap is the only one in the industry that offers powered guillotine door traps.
The problem with most comparisons is that most have a limited bases for comparison. Comstock offers two models sold as a swim through trap. Advanced Trap offers at least 5 and can make a custom design if multiple traps are ordered. Advanced trap has the capability to make a swim through of almost any design.
How many people actually own a number of all models of swim through traps available today. Just in Washington state alone there would be many other variations by trappers, making traps, that have that ability.
Each designer or trapper usually has a different philosophy. For example I believe it would be best to set a swing down door trap to where the door swings from the top down. Comstock promotes his large beaver trap as a bobcat trap when turned on its side. My experience with a trap set this way for coon and cats and beaver, is that sometimes when the trap closes the door catches the animal at the hips. This is more prevalent with a baited set or where lure was accidentally placed on trigger animal reached for trigger pulling as he backs out. So Advanced Trap doesn,t promote setting a swing down door trap on its side, only to simply say it can be done.
Some of Comstock traps are promoted to be set on its back. This allows the trap to appear more open due to the internal components.
All of the various trap companies have a product that works. How well it works is not only up to the components and design, but the ability of the trapper using the trap.
Post by: Carp Commander on August 11, 2013, 11:14:44 AM
Thanks again Bob for bringing your knew trigger design to he rendezvous. I am working on a jig for all the bends and my springs should be here soon.
My trapping partner and I were wondering if anyone has tried swim-throughs above ground for raccoon/bobcat. I thought about modifying my sizes to accommodate bobcats but don't know if the triggers will work for both.
Does bobcat and raccoon need to have a floor pan trigger or will they trip the top or side mounted triggers of a swim through.
Thanks
Doug
Post by: trapperguy22 on August 11, 2013, 12:17:29 PM
Bruce uses 10x18 swim throughs for both bobcat and beaver, otters.
Post by: Humptulips on August 12, 2013, 12:49:01 AM
I find I like the conibear type trigger for cats better then the pan triggered traps. The trigger needs to not hang down from the top though. I like the trigger from the side. Set it up so the cat can look over the trigger. I keep the trigger on the bottom half of the trap.
Comstock promotes his large beaver trap as a bobcat trap when turned on its side. My experience with a trap set this way for coon and cats and beaver, is that sometimes when the trap closes the door catches the animal at the hips. This is more prevalent with a baited set or where lure was accidentally placed on trigger animal reached for trigger pulling as he backs out. So Advanced Trap doesn,t promote setting a swing down door trap on its side, only to simply say it can be done.
That is because of the door design. If the doors hings at the end of the trap and swing the opposite direction of Comstocks a cat cannot back out if hip caught. it will pull through into the trap if hip caught.
There are advantages and disadvantages. Comstocks design shortens the trap but makes it suseptible to back outs. Not a problem for water animals but it looks bad for cats IMHO.
Post by: kirkdekalb on August 12, 2013, 06:08:54 AM
I saw a "Comstock" a customer just bought at the NTA. When he took a pen and fired the trap the trigger moved about 4 " before it fired. That would be a factor. It maybe designed that way to get the animal further in the trap on a short trap, but would be a factor on a baited set or a push into the trap and move the wire only 2" and back out.
The angle of the door also is a factor to create the wedging effect. That is why my doors have a little more angle than the comstocks.
I haven't had the same experience with the trigger hanging down from the top, though. If I had I would offer models with the trigger, on a walk through trap, mounted on the side. I have taken much video. Maybe there is another factor.
I have learned that color and shades of color have an effect.