Glad to hear you enjoy debate. When I started I read and heard that you modify your trap for yotes since they get into anything. Only draw back to a tricked out trap so far is that a grey fox in a fully modified #2 will break something in a hurry. Checking traps very early in the morning helps, but the little greys don't do as good in a heavy trap. Bobcats in my area do just fine with modified #2's and #3's. I'm still hoping someday to have a mountain lion step in a fully modified bridger #3 and see how she holds up to that abuse.

haus

The little #1 northwoods double coil was about the friendliest trap there ever was for grey fox, they not made out of much, grey fox that is, not the trap, lol.

Haven't had too many problems though with double laminated 2's.

I cant see an animal consistantly being able to put a paw down on a lever to release pressure myself. Every great once in a while possibly but not with any consistancy. I feel funny even replying to this as Im sure Im not saying anything that hasnt already been said. Anyway I like center swiveling for a stright pull and also I believe swiveling from a D-ring is a better swiveling point than a J-hhok in the corner anyway. You have two swiveling points instead of one and I have had a j-hook in the corner get clogged up a great deal more than a bottom center swiveled trap. Thats my exp anyway....

I have many of my traps center swiveled, but the weight adds up fast. When I set on a longer line, I use lighter traps (not baseplated), really short chains and shorter rebar for cross staking. On shorter lines, I like how tough baseplating makes the traps. Some of my base plates are offset. I do not have enough experience to comment on which is most effective.

Thanks,
Brian

I had a cat pull out of a center swiveled dragged trap in willows once, he got the levers wedged in just right and by pulling he released himself.

I had the same thing in the fork of Juniper tree once.

Scott Byrd told me that he thinks a longspring swiveled on the end will get cranked around a big sagebrush and compress the spring as well.

I prefer my cat traps off center but not end swiveled either.

I like that foot pulled over into the corner a bit.

Joel

Jtrapper I agree with this statement, this is the reason I have base plated almost all of mine, I think I have one right now that is bent out of shape and needs fixed, once I started doing this I haven't had another one bent.

Wow! This is a great thread! Slim gave me the same explanation he gave you, Jackie. I put some "Off-center swivelled" baseplates on after we spoke. I didn't cut the baseplates off the ones I'd previously center-swivelled, though.

I'm certainly no big predator trapper, but when the experienced guys like Slim, Paul, and Jackie speak- I listen.

I will say one thing, however. You can sure tell the Rebs from the Yankees on this thread! You don't see any Northern Boys complaining about D-rings biting into their legs. Heck, I can't even FEEL the D-ring through long underwear, jeans, and Lacrosse Outriggers! LOL

Great discussion and a lot of great info, guys! Thanks for sharing!

John

If Charlie said it, I believe it. That's the end of it.
Seriously, in 17 years of trapping, I have no reason to disagree with Charlie Dobbins or any other trapper that supports center-swiveling. I don't mind the extra few bucks to modify my traps. I sure ain't making things worse. So to heck with it. I'll stick with center-swiveling.

I run ADC lines all year long, I cant take chances on every set I make. The last thing I want is to be wasting extra days tryin to catch that last yote on a job. I started using offset D ring baseplates years ago, no one ever told me that this was better way of doin it.It was just a matter of lookin at a trap and thinking "what could I do to make my chances better" at holdin on to the yote. After trapping east of the Mississippi with other USDA guys a learned I was not the only one who had been "thinkin".

I guess I'm one of those coon trappers Jtrapper was talking about.

When a coon is front paw caught, and solid staked in a center swiveled 1.5 coil, he stretches it out tight, rolls on his back, pulls that trap between his legs and both hind feet land right on the levers.

For the record all my traps are base plated and center swiveled and mostly shock springed.

BUT, if I didn't base plate stock traps, I would consider useing the hookup on the side of the trap.

A standard trap that is not base plated, BUT center swiveled is no good when dealing with a big "Eastern Alfa Coyote"......the coyote will pull straight up on the trap causeing the base to bend in the middle and then jaws pop out (anyone hear ever have that happen?)No coyote just a trap that had jaws poped out....this mainly only happens to non-baseplated traps.

If the trap chain is attacted to the side (of a non-base plated trap) the chance of poping out the jaws is decreased because the yote doesn't have the chance to pull in the middle of the base causeing it to flex and pop the jaws.

What if the foot is already at the opposite corner of the trap? I think the end result might be very similar.

Actually,I think side swiveling is the way to go on a stock 1.75 or #2.I believe you'll get fewer popped jaws.If I was going with a fully modified trap I'd go with the center swiveling because it's easier on greys.

I've lost coon with these kind of set ups too often. I think this is where people get the old idea that you can't hold coon with a staked trap, you have to drag it, so it will give when he pulls. Which just isn't so, if you're using the right trap, you can hold him all day staked solid in the open.
Using a #11 staked solid has worked better for me, and I like them center swiveled.

No ones talked much about longsprings. I used to use #2 DLS centerswiveled and sure can't remember many losses, except for toe catches-the Victors had thin jaws. I think a laminated, centered swiveled and heavy duty #2 double long would hold about anything that got it's foot in there, but you'd want a longer chain on them.