how strong is to strong for a beaver trap?

[iayogi17]

Well I'm thinking about running my TS85s 4 coiled. I made some new longer spring pins today that will allow me to add an old pair of 1 1/2 coils I pulled off some coon traps. I can still set the traps but "will they break bone now?" that is the question I have to find out. should I laminate them as well? to give the trap a broader jaw face so they would be less likely to break bone but still have a ton of holding power.

[4fur]

Set on a drowning apparatus and well swiveled, it shouldn't be a problem when targeting a hind foot catch. My Alaska #9's are offset and many catches still have a broken back leg. Too much trap and a front foot catch is a recipe for disaster, though. Are TS85's OS? Can you get them with #14 style teeth? ;D

[Scott W.]

I'm no expert, but the 85 is not a great front foot beaver trap. Hind foot, it is plenty (so far). I know there is a thread on Tman that would suggest the 85 is not strong enough, but I will have to disagree until my springs weaken, then I will replace them. Unless you've had trouble with them, I'd try them as they are.

[iayogi17]

I could make then offset with a weld bubble. I have always shied away from offset in case of toe catches, I feel a beaver would be able to pull out and I still want that beaver even if it is toe caught

[x-demoman]

I have not had any problems with my TS85. Great for hind foot catch. If I was going to try for a front foot I would use a #2 Monty or #2 Bridger. Traps can be overpowered. I believe the reason most of the land traps are 4 coiled is so they break the dirt better especially during cold temps. Just my opinion.

[iayogi17]

I have been running them for 2 years now and I have had a time or two where the trap is at the bottom of the rod with no animal in the trap. Yes I have had this happen with other traps too. Maybe I just need to get some #14 with teeth like 4fur

[iayogi17]

Apr 26, 2010 19:42:37 GMT -6 x-demoman said:

Traps can be overpowered. I believe the reason most of the land traps are 4 coiled is so they break the dirt better especially during cold temps. Just my opinion.

I can see that Gene but look what a beaver trap has to do too: snapping off in mud and water

[Bristleback]

I don't own any TS85, nor have I handled any. Before you simply "bubble" the inside of the jaws to make them offset........check to be sure the levers will still raise high enough to "lockup"...........with some traps there isn't sufficient room for the levers to "come up" with "aftermarket" offsets........you may need to remove some metal from the outside of the jaws where the levers ride. Hope this helps.

[longpond]

run 3 doz. for 2 years now........ good trap the way they are ..... but if you like to tinker and fix unbroken problems ..... and some do then have at them........ I caught 36 beavers in three days had I think 26 sets out per day with only couple snapped traps ......... I can live with those #'s.......... mostly strong hind ft catchs with a couple toe type catchs .......... sometimes best you can do is to bed in semi muck, then you might get those toe catchs .......... just my 2 cts worth........

[iayogi17]

Apr 26, 2010 21:21:00 GMT -6 longpond said:

run 3 doz. for 2 years now........ good trap the way they are ..... but if you like to tinker and fix unbroken problems ..... and some do then have at them........ I caught 36 beavers in three days had I think 26 sets out per day with only couple snapped traps ......... I can live with those #'s.......... mostly strong hind ft catchs with a couple toe type catchs .......... sometimes best you can do is to bed in semi muck, then you might get those toe catchs .......... just my 2 cts worth........

you may have something there, Ihave some down time and like to play out in the shop ;D

[longpond]

sometimes I've tried pressing sticks into muck in a weave type of deal then bed trap into mud on top of them it has worked fairly well............. I've got all my 85's on drowning rods if they weren't maybe stronger might not hurt ............ never hurts to close faster just wouldn't want to start any leg damage situations........... maybe offset would help with that but I've caught alot of beaver by the toes and drowned them so I would not want offset ....... laminating shouldn't hurt anything I wouldn't think ...........

[4fur]

Bristleback has a good point about the levers not being able to lock up. The main reason I run OS on canines is physics...the offset allows the levers to close higher which adds holding power to my undersized 1.75s. The OS #9's don't seem to miss too many toes...





Some will say with the right amount of heavy pan tension, weak holds shouldn't be a problem. But they're better trappers than me. I also can't guarantee front foot catches in a shallow set trap, either. Trap placement with beaver footholds is not an exact science no matter what anyone tries to tell you. That's why I like the 14's because the teeth add a lot of holding power to an accidental hind foot catch.

Here is a beaver this morning in a 9...





Broken hind leg but was down the rod in deep enough water to drown it.

[iayogi17]

we have some good info going now

if we have a summer pot luck I will bring some of my ts85 for everyone to look over and talk about

[4fur]

Sounds good, Yogi. The only thing I didn't like about the TS85's was the strength question. Be careful about dry firing a beefed up trap like that because it might be too strong when 4 coiled.

[iayogi17]

the thing is I have only owned ts85s and have never pick up a mb750 until last weekend. so this is where I started to look at the strength of the ts85 to the mb750. yes the mb750 has a 1 1/4in shorter levers but they are running 4 very strong springs where as the ts85 is only running 2 over sized spring and this is where I started to get my brain thinking or I hope that is the reason for the smoke coming out of my ears. to me the mb750 has a lot more holding power then the ts85 (size to size) but I could be wrong I have never used a mb750 on the line.
We can only learn by thinking, asking, doing, and seeing what happens. and this is why I started this thread.

[~ADC~]

All I know is in my limited experience of foot trapping beaver, neither I nor my trapping partner has ever had a sprung mb750 without a beaver in it. I can not say the same for any other trap I've used but I have not used a ts85.

~ADC~

[dalebillingsley]

Might try instead of adding old 1 1/2 springs just ad some Taos lightning springs from JC connors. Should add plenty of holding power as well as balance the trap when in reality thats what 4 coiling was first desighned to do. Make a trap fire straight up instead of rolling when fired.