i always set my coon traps on my knee but for fox and coyote would this contaminate them or should i not worry about it. it just becomes a pain settin traps with my feet.
Tyler

you shouldnt be setting traps with your feet it can cause spring damage

Get a kneeling pad and you won't contaminate the set. I've caught plenty fox using a kneeling pad.

I generally wear hip boots when setting canine traps, so setting on my knee is not a problem. However, I frequently check wearing only knee high rubber boots. When I find myself setting traps without my hip boots on, I'll set the trap right on the ground where I plan to dig my trap bed. I've never used my feet. I always wear rubber gloves when handling canine traps.

How does setting a trap with your feet cause spring damage? A compressed spring is a compressed spring.

your weight over your legs is stronger than your arms, and you can put too much pressure on them without realizing it and over-extend the springs. You can damage levers and frames too, if there's sometging under the frame like a rock or stick. I had to use my feet early last season after I broke my arm last summer. I'd extend pressure with my ankles, being creful not to transfer my weight forward, which might put too much stress on the trap.

BuckNE setting longsprings with your feet can cause spring damage because it bends the spring at too sharp of an angle but it doesn't hurt coil springs.

I just kneel in my jeans, sometimes I have on foam knee pads, I have still caught k-9's, but I am no pro at it. I always set the trap on the ground kneeling infront of it.

I use nearly all Double Longspring traps and set them all over my knee, except for a a few Livestock Protection company traps. Those have to be set with your feet due to the design of how the jaws are mounted to the frame.

CTtrapper, if a stick can damage my trap, I have much bigger problems than just setting them with my feet!

I better throw all my MB-650's in the garbage then, because I set them everyday with my feet, so they are probably ruined. Being a full size yote can put 400 foot pounds of pressure on them on a full lunge when he hits the chain end, I probably ruined them all by standing on them to set em with my 165 pound self. I better throw away my new jakes also, as I have been standing on them to set em. Personally, if I can ruin em by setting them with my feet, I don't want them!!!

Does anyone want all my traps, be warned though they are obvioulsy ruined? Don't tell this guy that though, he might just take his foot out and walk away...... NOT .........

yep andy you better send them to me LMAO


Bob

Andy,

If they are all coilspings like the one in the picture, you can keep them.

But I'll be happy to take all of those DBLS that you have junked out!

Well, I might agree to an extent that setting with your feet MIGHT cause a problem as some point, I really don't agree that it is damage worth talking about. As was said, a compressed spring, is a compressed spring. My sons both set with their feet and have had NO problems. I know that trapperSteph sets with her feet cause she shows that method in the traps4Kids videos. So in short, although it could have some validity, that is the most absurd thing I have heard in a Long time. LOL>

If it is cool out I have insulated coveralls on, or just my jeans. I kneel at most of my sets. Once your knees become covered in dirt they wouldn't leave much scent anyway. T.20

Stepping on traps damage's them??????? Must be alot of Duke trap user's on here, lol.

If your using REAL traps it won't hurt them any, i kneel on a kneeling pad and just shove the levers down with the heel of my hand's then set the trap.

My baseplated, laminated traps will handle some vehicles running over them, maybe a little work is needed. T.20

I've been setting coon and canine traps over my thigh/knees for over 30 years and I have yet to have one damaged. 'Must have good
legs, huh?

This year, because of a problem with tendinitis and carpal tunnel, I was setting most canine traps with my feet. Still no spring damage but I'll keep a sharp look-out in case it happens.

Having said this, some of the older NW #11s had a bad baseplate in the early 1980s, and they did bend when set over people's legs. The baseplate was thin and I was told by my trapping mentor of the time, Bob Noonan, that NW would replace them if you contacted them about this problem. Obviously there are still some around and the writer way up near the top of this posting must have some.

I trap on the land of a couple of gentlemen who can't stand coon or anything furry so they set whatever they have and give me the mangled mess when they catch something. This fall, they were using an antique #4 and they said they had to stand on the springs to get them down far enough to set. It was an ancient #4 B&L and even though it must have been close to 50 years old, it still had great spring strength. When I showed them how to set it over my thigh, they were amazed!

i said CAN CAUSE, thats just the way i was taught...i aint saying that if you go set a trap with your foot itll break im saying that its a possibility so why take the chance

It can damage some longsprings by overcompressing the springs if not careful. You wont hurt coils at all.

I've been trapping 52 years and I never seen or heard of a trap spring being weakened by setting on your knee, with your feet or even by using your butt cheeks like many southern beaver trappers do.