# Long Dpring trap questions



## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

My son bought a half dozen used long spring traps at the national convention this summer to try out for muskrats. They are number 1 victors. We generally use 1,5 coil springs but we wanted to try out a few long springs just because I guess. Anyway over the Christmas break we found a couple of real active feed piles on a piece of property we are trapping. We put the 6 long springs out and on the first night we caught 4 rats.....but all 4 were drug off to the side and the rat pulled out of the trap. these were set in an area where there was 12-18" of water but over night things froze up on us and there was a 1/4-1/2" of ice. one of the traps the animal got into the water but he twisted through weeds several times and got up on top of weeds before pulling out. the other 3 traps were in a frozen area on top of the ice. I removed the traps and replaced with coil springs and haven't used them since. 

I am assuming that the springs are weak on these traps and that is my issue but I am wondering your opinions on this. Should a number 1 long spring hold a rat that doesn't drown? I am trying to decide if I should ditch the traps or bother with replacing springs. If I do replace the springs can i use the number 1 newhouse replacements. I have been looking on FNT and under Oneida victor they only list number 0 spring replacements. Under newhouse they have number 1 and it says they are made by victor.

Thanks for any input.


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## Duckman1 (Oct 14, 2004)

If the traps get caught up in weeds or ice the rat will wring out of the trap. 
# 1 longs usually not heavy enough to drown a rat. 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


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## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

#1's are best used as an under ice rat trap. Did you check the jaws for toenails? Lots of times with #1's the jaws will plug up with floating vegetation causing a poor hold at best. If the vegetation is heavy use the heaviest trap you can get away with. No matter what you use, if the vegetation is heavy you'll lose some rats due to twist outs. Best to use a trap they can't move around much so they drown before having the opportunity to tangle in a mass of weeds.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Joe R. said:


> #1's are best used as an under ice rat trap. Did you check the jaws for toenails? Lots of times with #1's the jaws will plug up with floating vegetation causing a poor hold at best. If the vegetation is heavy use the heaviest trap you can get away with. No matter what you use, if the vegetation is heavy you'll lose some rats due to twist outs. Best to use a trap they can't move around much so they drown before having the opportunity to tangle in a mass of weeds.


These were set up out of the water on the edge of a feed pile and wired to a stake in the water. I did look the traps over pretty good. the one trap that made it into the water and twisted in the weeds had a few spots of blood and a few hairs. It went under a clump of weeds and back over on top of it twisting around the weeds several times. the trap was on top out of the water. The other 3 traps caught an animal much later in the night because all 3 were sitting on top of ice that was open water the day before. there was no evidence of an animal in the trap at all other than the fact that it was set off and the wire stretched out to its limit. no hair or blood of any kind or a sign of struggle. That is what made me think maybe the springs were a bit weak. 

We are only in our second yr of trapping and have only caught about 20 muskrats so far. I have only ever had 1 live one in a trap and it was in a 1.5 coil spring just sitting there waiting for us. I guess I assumed the long springs would be the same.

Thanks for the input!


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## meatfishhunter (Jan 6, 2015)

i have had similar problems with #1ls in the past. i personally dont have much trouble with them being to weak, unless they are in really bad shape. you could try attaching an extra weight to the chain close to the trap to aid with quick dispatch and less struggle. i always set in hopes for a back foot catch. i have been told by some old timers that when you get those empty traps with no fur or toe nails its a belly catch, witch means they set the trap off with their bellys and there is nothing there to hold on to. i have alot less of those with a trap set back a few inches deeper. pullouts are always a risk while setting in thick weeds or vegetation. if you are in the market for an awesome longspring muskrat trap i recommend the stop loss by victor or blake and lamb. they dont pull out of them very often.


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## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

Another trick to strengthen the springs on your longspring traps. Take piece of pipe that's slightly larger than the curved section of the longspring and place it securely in a vice. Place trap spring over the pipe so the bend is resting on the pipe. Then hit the outside of the spring with a hammer. Careful how hard you hit the spring though. Too hard and it will break the spring.


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## TrapperJohn (Jan 14, 2001)

You can add helper springs to your #1 long springs (and stoploss traps) will also add spring strength to weaker older traps.

http://www.funketraptags.com/store/pc/Helper-Springs-25p634.htm


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

TrapperJohn said:


> You can add helper springs to your #1 long springs (and stoploss traps) will also add spring strength to weaker older traps.
> 
> http://www.funketraptags.com/store/p...ngs-25p634.htm


I was looking at those the other night on the fnt site. i wasnt sure how they attach. seems like a decent cheap add on.


_Posted from Michigan-sportsman.com App for Android_


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## Seaarkshooter (Nov 5, 2009)

Tack weld on LOW heat.


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

You can drill a hole through both with a good drill bit (slow speed and use coolant) for a screw. Or you can use a piece of wire. How you do it is easier to show than to tell. Basically you twist a piece of wire around them both near the bend, take it around the bend and twist it around them both again. They work well.

John


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Beaverhunter2 said:


> You can drill a hole through both with a good drill bit (slow speed and use coolant) for a screw. Or you can use a piece of wire. How you do it is easier to show than to tell. Basically you twist a piece of wire around them both near the bend, take it around the bend and twist it around them both again. They work well.
> 
> John


Thanks for the input. I think I will try the wire trick.


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## TrapperJohn (Jan 14, 2001)

The extra spring tension will hold them in place.


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## muskrat (Oct 21, 2005)

Hi, just my thoughts. I know you already bought the traps but I was wondering about next time maybe getting stoploss traps? Was hoping others would chime in on this and what there thoughts are about stoploss traps. I have the same experience "with losing rats and only catching one or few toenails" that is with regular #1 long spring traps.
Matt


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I did you just have the one stake that the trap was fastened to?

Put a second stake between the trap and the trap stake for the rat to get the chain tangled in. I always set #1's this way even my stoploss.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

multibeard said:


> I did you just have the one stake that the trap was fastened to?
> 
> Put a second stake between the trap and the trap stake for the rat to get the chain tangled in. I always set #1's this way even my stoploss.


I did not have a second stake. I set the trap on a feedpile where I assumed the rat was climbing up. I then staked in the water about 3 ft away and wired to the stake. I put just enough wire for the trap to reach feedpile hoping it would fall off into the 12" or so of water that was there. there were a fair amount of weeds in the water to tangle in. the one rat that made it in water before it froze tangled himself around a mass of weeds before pulling out. the others were on top of frozen ice and were able to wring out.



_Posted from Michigan-sportsman.com App for Android_


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## wicklundrh (Mar 18, 2014)

I have some pretty old long springs and I don't have a problem. I use one pound ingots of lead (could use anything heavy) and attach them to my chains about 3 inches from the trap swivel. Tiny 1lb cannon ball or drop weights seem to work best as they are round and can roll when the animal goes off the bank and into the water. Drowns them pretty quickly. I attach mine with zip ties.

Just an FYI, rats are capable of holding their breath for up to 17 minutes! That is obviously decreased when thrashing however that is a long time to try and wiggle free from a trap that cannot hold them in the water.


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