I know this has been covered here before, probably lots of times, but is there any issue with storing conis with the springs compressed? do they weaken sooner? I left them compressed this year on my 330s and 280s.

Mine are compressed unless there is an animal in them. No ill effects for me.

~ADC~

I dont compress mine during off season. A couple days before season i get them ready.

I found some original Victor 330's I had misplaced almost 30 years ago. They were compressed, so I released them and reset them, they felt as strong as ever. I used them this past year and could not tell the difference between them and the new 330's I bought and used this past season. I still would not advise storing them compressed though.

Conibears get weak with age somehow, if it's not by having the springs compressed, then how? I never store mine compressed.

Thanks guys, sounds like we've got a mixed bag here!

Not an issue unless they are Dukes or Sleepy Creeks. But both of those go weak in heavy use anyway.

ditto what jackie said. i've got nearly all dukes and some felt weaker after storing them all year (3 years in a row) and some didnt seem to matter at all, why some and not all; i couldn't tell ya.

some are still set and some aren't, depended on how they were when i pulled them, lol.

All of mine stay latched year round to answer your question.

I have a about a dozen or more I store compressed, some have never been used since I bought them in the 80's, nothing wrong with them!!
Easier to store for me that way and move to locations also!!

IT WONT HURT THEM !

I have BMIs and Dukes. I have stored them compressed and not compressed. It depended how things went at the end of the season. The BMIs are still as strong as they were after the first year of use. The Dukes are not. They have lost quite a bit. They still work on nutes but I would hate to get an otter in one to test it.
I got a couple of Northwoods in a trade and they are weak like the Dukes. They are pretty old though.
I will no longer leave them compressed after the season is over for the year.
I would guess that if the spring wire is of top quality leaving them compressed would make no difference, it does not in a clip or magazine for a firearm.

When the springs rust they get weak. If they are compressed when they rust they get even weaker. Also, quality of the spring material makes a difference.

I left one of mine compressed one year the trap still worked fine but seemed to me like it wasnt as strong as the ones that hadnt been left compressed but that could all be in my mind just from knowing it had been left compressed

I have some small body-grip traps from John Caretti designer of the Megabear Beaver trap / MB- 12x16 .

Been leaving them compressed for several years hoping they get a little weaker !

No such luck .

2poor. The traps that John made were of the best quality material. They are in a class of their own.

I believe that yoteskinner said it best. If they are made of high quality steel it won't hurt them. Some of the cheaper stuff definately weakens from compressed stroage.