I have some #3 bridgers, 4 coiled. I'm a fairly big, strong fella, and can set them with my hands. But, I'm sure that there are many out there that don't have the strenght they once had, and have difficulty setting these large, 4 coiled beasts.

So, I was just curious, what methods do most people use? These bridgers have sort of short levers, which makes it difficult to set with your feet.

I usually set any of my footholds because I can't seem to compress the springs with my hands and set the dog over the jaws. I'm pretty big for my age and I'm always in the weightroom, but I cna't seem to do this and would perfer not to have black and blue fingers :P lol.
CoonD

The big one's I set 'em very carefully.

I just use my feet to set my big traps

Never had a trap I couldn't set with my hands. Just set it on my thigh and I squeeze it down. I am a big fellar though that lifts weights all the time in football so.. Yea..

'Yup, if one can't set them with their hands then simply stand on the springs. The real big traps like 4 1/2 Newhouse require compressing one spring at a time and pinning it until the other spring is compressed. Ace

This is the easist way to set long springs, I've ever found. Go to the hardware store and get the spring loaded hand clamps that woodworker use. Put it on the spring and clamp down, one spring at a time, they hold the spring down. After you get the trap set just release one side of the spring, being release it will set the dog in the pan notch. then just release the other one.

You mean C clamps?

Being old and puny, I have to set even number two coils with my feet. Have to carry a small piece of plywood to set the trap on while setting or they sink down into the snow and grass. That is probably why I am partial to snares

I plan on getting rid of all of my coilsprings before I get to old to set them and replace them with double longsprings, As a matter of fact except for ! 1/2's I think I have bought my last coil.

NO!. Don't use usual-style C-clamps.

With a bear trap, or other large long spring trap, the usual design C-clamps will "walk up the springs to the bent end. If they don't walk, they will usually slip all at one time, and this can be very disconcerting if your hand is in the wrong place!

The C-clamps used for bear traps have specially designed "heads", don't know what else to call them, that are designed to fit the trap springs at their narrowest point right at the eyes of the spring. This prevents walking.

You screw the first spring down, slip a 1/2" piece of cold rolled
formed in a square bottomed U, this is called a "keeper", slide the keeper over the compressed spring, then use the trap setter to screw down the second spring. Lay the dogged jaw down, and working from UNDERNEATH the jaws, engage the pan with the dog, flatten out the jaws, still underneath the jaws, hold the pan/dog engagement in place, and remove the trapsetter and the keeper.

Various trapping supply dealers sell trap setters for heavy long and coil spring traps that are smaller than the bear traps. Leaf thru the various catalogs.

Adios,
45/70,

A piece of 2x8 or 2x10 about a foot long comes in mighty handy when it is cold out to set traps on and compress the springs with you hands. I am to clumsy to set with my feet and bend over to flip the dog.

its all in the hands!!! never had a trap i couldnt set with my hands and a knee

Big coil springs are set with my feet, #3and #4 Longsprings I set over my knee. If you set the LS traps enough it gets easy for it's technique more than strength. I used to be a strong young buck but not anymore and i can still set them. Put the LS trap baseplate first on your thigh and one spring on right and other on the left. I compress the one on the right first because it is on my left thigh and this is the inside spring to me. Grip it with right hand and squeeze while moving hand kinda back and forth to get the eyes of spring over the hump then pull the spring down and put it between your legs and hold it. Now compress the other spring and pull it downward so now the jaws will drop and set the dog and pan.It's like your breaking the trap over your thigh. I do this while standing up and bent over generally but can do sitting down. My fat butt can easily step on a four coiled #3 and set it. Good luck...BamaCoyote

can set 220s and large footholds with my hands

but i like my fingers in the unbruised variety so i generally set my larger stuff like 3 double long with my feet

Buy a pair of trap setters from Mr Dobbins himself

ty-bo67

No, not c-clamp these are called quick grip they are flat on the clamping side with rubber feet, they won't slip at all like a c-clamp does. In fact wouldn't recommend using c-clamps at all.


For coils I made an extension that went over the levers. Ijust set a number 5 and took pics I'll get on here in a bit.

threestud, I have 3, none of which I believe you could set with your hands and a knee.

For many, many years I set all my traps bare handed inc. 330 mags.

I have arthritis in my hands so bad, I cannot do it any longer.

The problem with setting over your knee is that on a short chain in a re-set, you don't have the room to do it.

The only traps I once regularly set with my feet were my # 14s.
I did this in the swamp over an axe handle (ground usually too soft). These days I have a Lines Setter (and a spare) for them.
If you can set a # 14 bare-handed, its is wore out!

WAUGH,
45/70,

Unless I am in the water I set all my coils with my feet.I am faster that way. Then again I am only about 140 lbs which is just barely good enough to set CDR's when you forget your setters <_<.

Coils by hand, though I feel less nervous setting the #5s with my feet, bodygrippers smaller than 330 by hand, the 330s with a rope, and longsprings over the knee.

http://www.traps4kids.com/trapsetting.html (body grippers and longsprings by hand)


http://www.traps4kids.com/conibear-with-rope.html (bodygrippers with a rope)

I set all my traps using my hands to include 330's, I guess all my traps are worn out even my Alaskan #9's which BTW are less than two years old.. LOL

ASA, When I was younger and stupider LOL, I trapped a lot of beaver with the #4 1/2 and #114 Newhouse. I'm not a big man, I don't work out with weights, but I did build up my forearms to where I could (fairly) easily set the big Newhouse over my knee. While trapping beaver I could never find a piece of hard dry ground to stand on so it became a neccesity to be able to set them by hand. I can still do it but the traps mostly stay hung in the shop, not set in the field.

I was thinking about getting some #5 DLS for beaver, but i hardly weigh enough to compress both springs on a #11 at the same time by standing on them. i know i'll have to buy a setter if i ever get a big LS trap