Brake Rotors for drowning chains

I am able to get some brake rotors from a friend who owns a car repair business. How many would you put on a chain drowning system for coons?

Thanks.

Brian

I'm not sure what a rotor weighs- but 10 lbs of window weights and a drowning stick works for me.

Are we talking standard vehicle or Yugo?

I use rotors off of Chevy suburbans for beaver and have yet to have one pull it to shore.

I would think they would work if you can get them to deep water fast. The big boar coons are pretty strong animals which might be able to pull them into shallow water.

Ironic, going to sell a load today.

Like Hobb said, big difference between 3/4 ton and little car.
A steel stake through them makes em harder to drag.

I use them, I like them. As long as I don't have to carry them far!!

I use a 3/4 ton Chevy truck rotor for beaver trapping ( just 1) ...works great.

I've been using them for years without issue. One thing I started doing about 10/15 years ago was stashing them on river routes to prevent carrying them with me all the time. Works great as long as you remember where you hid them.

Also, not sure how you are thinking of connecting them but I recommend putting a swivel in.

They do work very well for 'coon in deep water. I too used 'em for many years but utilized 3/32" GAC for drowning. The problem, as jaggersr states, is remembering where you hid 'em.

I would have stashes of 10-12 on the river line. As I set the river up going downstream, the pile in the boat would grow smaller. After several years I knew about where I'd need another dozen weights, and the stash would be in the vicinity. On the last day of the season, I'd keep the last dozen or so weights in the boat, run 'em back up to the beginning of the line, and stash 'em somewhere I could fine 'em next year.

Occasionally I would lose a stash. A tree would topple over, a root mass would disappear in the spring flood, or memory would fade from one year to the next. Maps certainly help. There were a few places I stashed 'em in the crotches of trees. But you've got to make sure you use them annually if that's where you stash 'em. Trees tend to grow in diameter.

When I moved down here in 2010, I gave a map of these stashed weights to a former student who traps the area. He's since taken up the line and repeats the same process, hauling the last group of weights back to the beginning of the line on the last pickup day.

A combination of these weights with the GAC and 3/8" rerod drowning rods worked very well for me.

I have several brake rotors I use. Sometimes I use 2 wired together if things look iffy...but like all other drowning weights, the consistency of the bottom of your waterway will make a big difference.

I rarely have issues with mud or gravel bottom streams. But I have one section of my line that the bottom of the creek is a sheet of solid rock... Nothing, no matter how heavy, will hold on that slick rock. It's a good spot, even had otter sign there last year. But I've just about given up on that spot. It's near a road, and although a drowned critter would not be noticed, a live one struggling on the bank could be easily seen.

Mike

Mike, can you span the creek with a single drowner cable that has a stop in the middle? Couple of sash weights s-hooked onto your trap chain would easily slide out with the critter, then he'd get halfway across and struggle with the weights and eventually succumb.

Im using my old rotors off my f150. 1 is plenty. AFter they sit on the bottom for a while they get hard to pull up.

I actually do that on smaller streams. And if I wanted to buy enough cable I could do it on this one creek. You can wade across it without going over your waders, but it's 100 feet or more bank to bank... Not really practical.

There are decent cracks in the bedrock. If I could find some kind of anchor to drive down and wedge in the cracks I think it would work... Something similar to what rock/mountain climbers use to anchor with when they climb. But I don't know if anything exists for such an application outside of that sport.

Mike

Edit: I believe pitons are the anchor I was thinking of... Probably expensive, but I don't need a bunch and a limit on otters might make the cost worth it.

Approx. how much do those truck rotors weigh?

On a sloping bank with solid bottom you better have more than one wheel rotor. More like 20 pound of what ever at least. On steep banks I can see one working......jk

Since posting on this thread I have now had 2 sitting on the bank waiting for me. lol

How deep was the drowning weight? What was the slope of the bank like, steep or gradual slope?

Steep and muddy. They didn't get the weight out but managed to get it close enough to get to the bank. Chain length may have contributed.

the ones for my E350 van shipping weight is 48 pounds for a pair so 24 pounds each not those little ones on cars

You must have some ironmen for 'coon if they're dragging lots of weight up. Seriously, you need some more weight down there if that's the case. How long is the drowner cable?

As far as chain length, I've got mine cut down on all traps in the water. I also move the end swivel two links in so I can secure the trap to the L-lock on the drowner cable with an S-hook easier. Just my way, that's all.

Beaver not coons. First time I've had them do it and it's happened twice in a week. lol

10' wire.

Oh . . .. beaver will do that. You needs LOTS of weight for beaver.

If you've got access to window sash weights, you might want to think about wiring one or two of these onto the chain of your trap. The beaver will take these down and the combined weight of trap + sash weights will tire him out sooner.

Personally, I'd go to 10' sticks of 1/2" rebar and use that system for drowning. If you're not a welder or have access to a buddy that welds, you can incorporate the Bauer's No Weld Drowning System with that 10' stick of 1/2" rerod.

https://www.minntrapprod.com/Bauers-No-Weld-Drowning-System/productinfo/BNW-3P/

My area is all slick mud so to use brake rotors I add 12 " long rebar thru the stud holes and tack weld them in place! Im still not convinced that will hold every beaver! Our mud here sucks for drowners! I've had 30lb boat anchors drug up on shore as well as two concrete blocks! Its almost like if I can throw it 15' its to lite! Wish rods weren't so bulky! Sorry for coons I use two rr plates

Since I went to staking the deep end, I don't ever see myself going back to anything else. Even 3/8" rebar works fine. Just make sure there's a stop of some sort on both the slider (cable, chain, whatever) and also on the rebar.

THANKS JEFF

Yep truck rotors weigh about 24 pounds but your compact rotors weigh about 10 pounds

I use rotors and also 1/2 of a masonry block. I drive a stick into the mud thru the center hole. I’ve only trapped about 35 beaver but this dead man has been very effective for me. I have one spot that is too deep to wade and I have tried the rotor at that location without the center stake. The beaver was waiting on the bank when I arrived.

Bear with me while I try to explain what I use it is fast connect and disconnect and never lost any fur. I can't remember what these are called but they are 1/4 inch steel about 5 inches long. In the middle is a lope that was bent . So now you have a straight rod with a loop in the middle. The end of your chain loop is slid on to the rod to the lope. then the lope is squeezed shut with a vice or hammered tight so the chain won't slip out. Now here is the good part In the rotor pick a hole that will allow the loped rod and fixed chain to pass through. It will act as a " T " and will not come out unless you turn the lope and chain to line up with the hole. Sorry I can't take pictures. I got them from a trappers supply dealer. have your rotor stashed and only carry in traps and chains. I should have said the lope was twisted like a circle.

OK I found information you need. These anchors for a break rotor are called Quick connectors. I got them from WCS trapping supply. good luck trapping.