# Buying Traps



## griffondog (Dec 27, 2005)

For the guys who are going to be buying some new traps this year I have a suggestion for you. Over the last few years I've been switching all my traps over to ones that meet the Best Management Practices for each species.

I let all the people who let me trap on there property know that I only use BMP traps. It helps me get on new farms every year. In the near future we may be required to use only traps that meet BMP requirements. So I would be buying traps that meet the criteria or with a few modifications will.

It looks like a lot of guys are going to be looking for **** traps this year so I'll give you the link on **** traps.


http://www.fishwildlife.org/Furbearer/Aug 2006 BMPs/Raccoons_update.pdf


Griff


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## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

Grif,

Great suggestion!

Thanks!


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Why buy traps when Griff will give them to you for free :lol: :lol:

For some reason though, it really irritates Joe R. :lol::lol::lol:


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## ol'man (Nov 24, 2005)

Where can I get more info on BMP traps for other species, Mink, Fox etc


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## griffondog (Dec 27, 2005)

Here is the link for Bmp's. http://www.fishwildlife.org/furbearer_resources.html


Griff


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Thanks for the link Griff.

After reading through many of the BMPs by species ... I am perplexed. At best they appear to be incomplete. Only in the beaver BMP did they talk about a submersion vs land set. IMHO, should be certainly be taken into account for raccoon and rats. But the best one ... is there recomendation for longsprings on beaver. The *only* lonspring they approve, for *beaver*, is *a #11 DLS* (go look for yourself)!! This makes absolutely no sense to me. How many new guys/gals are you (not directed at Griff or anyone specific) gonna tell to call up F&T to order some S.C. #11s so they can become a real beaver trapper?? They would be a whole lot lighter and take up less space ... and cheaper than a #5 DLS. Sure it might hold one once in a while ... but how many snapped traps, pinched toenails, and 'educated beaver' are you gonna end up with?

Now, I'd also like to understand the results better. What other traps & variations did they test (for all species). In other words ... what size and configurations failed their tests. Were they all tested in non-drowning situations (except for beaver) or is their feeling that it does not matter?

I was gonna continue reading (good thing to do on a rainy day off) but after reading the section on beaver ... I ain't waisting my time anymore. Don't get me wrong, as I think following the BMPs SHOULD be a good thing ... but IMHO they aint ready for print yet.


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## griffondog (Dec 27, 2005)

Ed

Glad you took a look at the Bmp's. Read the Beaver one for the first time today after reading your reply. In some areas you can't set a drowning beaver set because of the possibility of catching a otter. The 11 sleepy creek double jaw is the only trap you can use because all otter must be released alive.

So the 11 double jaw can be used in those areas for beaver trapping in non drowning sets to protect the river otter. It can also be used in areas where you can use a drowning set along with any other long spring trap to a number 5.

They were trying to give us a foothold trap to use in otter protection areas. Ain't government legal talk grand!


Griff


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## lang49 (Aug 1, 2005)

griffondog said:


> So the 11 double jaw can be used in those areas for beaver trapping in non drowning sets to protect the river otter.


 
Maybe I'm confused...

Are they suggesting a #11 can be used to hold a live beaver in the event that you can't drown him? Is it ethical/humane to try to hold a live beaver in any type of foothold?


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## SNAREMAN (Dec 10, 2006)

While a few trapper's may "long-chain" beaver (foot-hold set non-drowning)I will not.Body-grip or down the wire for me.


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## griffondog (Dec 27, 2005)

Lang

The trap only meets beaver trapping standards in a submersion set. But it meets otter standards as a live catch trap. A number 2 coilspring meets the same standards. So are otter worth saving in certain areas to have beaver trapping regs that don't meet Bmp standards. All these are is suggestions right now. But Canada is trapping under their Bmp standards right now. 

Griff


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Is their use of the word 'submersion' referring to the set being under water? Or a drowning type situation? The way I am interpreting it, it is referring to a drowning situation ... the critter is submerged. All of the adjectives seam to refer to where the critter ends up ... not where the trap starts at. 


Griff - What am I missing?? The way I read the table ... coil-springs with a jaw spread of 5"-7.25" are OK (which would be up to a #5 coil). Body-grips also have a range listed. But the long spring has only one jaw spread listed ... 3 7/8". There is no jaw spread range listed for the longsprings. The way the table reads (to me anyway)... one could argue that only a #11 or for that matter, a #1 long spring are accepted (the table does not list DLS exclusively).

What am I missing that talks about the larger DLS traps?????


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## griffondog (Dec 27, 2005)

Ed

Page 5 table BV1 double astrick. Scroll down to bottom of page 5 and read double astrick. Legal double talk is fun!:help:


Griff


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

griffondog said:


> Page 5 table BV1 double astrick. Scroll down to bottom of page 5 and read double astrick. Legal double talk is fun!:help:


Ahhhh ... down in the fine print section!! Didn't notice the 'double astrick' before. That foot note basically says use anything you want ... LOL.

IMHO, They need to change the table to keep it consistent! Measurement ranges are given for each type of trap ... except for the long spring. I dunno maybe I am just being hard headed.

So, the next question (lol), anyone know what the "(recommended use)" which is right after the 'trap catagory' refers to? They use the terms submersion, live restraint, submersion/under ice, and on land. Are they referring to where the trap is set or where the critter finally ends up? By looking at their use of 'live restraint' I am lead to beleive they are talking about where the critter ends up ... submersion = bottom of a drowner.

Griff (not trying to pick a fight ... just trying to understand) in your example on the otter in a beaver set and using a #11 .... if set for beaver the #11 would have to be on a drowner. Only the Basket trap and snare are acceptable forms of live restraint (Fine print - snare not legal in MI unless under ice). So, If an otter was caught in the #11, inadvertantly at a beaver set, won't it still be waiting, dead, at the bottom of the slider? This would defeat the whole theory of the #11 being used in areas where otters have to be released. 

Don't know much about otter (some say I don't know much at all) ... but wouldn't a trap set for a back foot catch (for a beaver) do better at keeping otters out of a beaver set? Or do otters exit the water much like a beaver ... dropping their hind feet etc.

On a brighter note .... who can learn me about cat trapping???? Looks like I'll be spending a month or two in Idaho this year for work.:evilsmile


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Mister ED said:


> So, the next question (lol), anyone know what the "(recommended use)" which is right after the 'trap catagory' refers to? They use the terms submersion, live restraint, submersion/under ice, and on land. Are they referring to where the trap is set or where the critter finally ends up? By looking at their use of 'live restraint' I am lead to beleive they are talking about where the critter ends up ... submersion = bottom of a drowner.


Submersion set does in fact = drowner. Found it on bottom of page #6 of the 'Best Management Practices of the United States - Introduction'.


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## lang49 (Aug 1, 2005)

Mister ED said:


> So, If an otter was caught in the #11, inadvertantly at a beaver set, won't it still be waiting, dead, at the bottom of the slider? This would defeat the whole theory of the #11 being used in areas where otters have to be released.


That's exactly what I was thinking too. 

It would seem like a foothold (even a large one) set for a hindfoot catch would be less likely to take otter than any foothold set for front foot, no?


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