what is the best brand of live trap to buy?

About to start a wildlife removal business and I need good traps

Advanced, Comstock's ,Safeguards or WCS, listed in alphabetical order. I'll almost never buy another Tomahawk, they are not sturdy, I refrained from using the "J" word. A friend bought some in the last couple weeks, he's very disappointed in their "quality". There I said it for you J.

Dave:
Have to add one more to your list!
Try Leon Wickenkamp.

pick65

Dave,

I'm surprised with the Tomahawk comments. Have you talked with Greg Smith about your issues? The professional series are extremely durable. I can stand on the 5 x 5 x 16 chipmunk trap and not only does it support my weight, but it still works afterwards. I cannot say the same thing about the Safeguards.

Trapperjim,

In terms of the best trap, there is no correct answer. It will depend on target species, how they are used and how you treat them. Instead, I'd recommend asking yourself if you need gravity door or spring door traps. As a general rule, gravity door traps are cheaper and Williams makes a very sturdy affordable trap. The biggest issue I can say about gravity door traps is that they are all 1 x 1 wire (at least those I'm familiar with).

If you're looking for 1/2 x 1 wire look at the professional series from Tomahawk, Safeguard, and I also classify Advanced and Comstock in this category. The wire tends to be thicker and the traps are made to handle more captures and abuse. Of course, this also means that you'll pay a lot more for these than for regular series and off brand (TSC) names.

Another factor to think about is if you want a pan/treadle system or a wire trigger system. Wire triggers are great for blind and walk through sets, but you may find it easier to bait pan/treadle traps.

Also, look at specialty traps (especially for squirrels). WCS, Fields Development Supply, and Tomahawk all offer multi-catch traps for squirrels. Some require nose cones and are easy to swap out trapped animals with fresh cages while others get mounted directly to the structure and have to be removed before another can be put in its place.

You can check past issues of WCT Magazine as well as doing a search here for past threads where this topic has been discussed.

Eric, I talked to them years ago about a couple other similar issues, I got a wave of the hand to go away. My friend didn't want to comment despite my encouragement so I said it. I'm pretty much done buying cages in my career so my opinion doesn't matter.

Appreciate the advice

I'm guessing that we have a few hundred cages, most of which are Tomahawks. I guess I'm more than a little shocked at what Salys said about their quality. I got my first one 26 years ago and still use it. We buy some nearly every other year so you would think if they had a bad batch, we would know about it. The last couple of years the Tomahawk cages were darn near indestructible.

I also agree that Comstocks are an excellent trap and that they gotten even better since they're now made by guess who? Yep, Tomahawk!
I also agree that the Wickenkamp is an excellent cage but it's got a gravity door and not quite as versatile.
We probably own 30 Comstocks and 30 Wickenkamps and we also like the WCS squirrel cage.

Salys, are you sure that you don't have your Tomahawks confused with your Safeguards, because that's one cage that raccoons wreck just about any time they get in one. Let me know the size and model of the Tomahawks that you guys are having problems with. This has got my interest now. Send a PM if necessary.

LOL Dave, I was at work when this thread was started and as you know my recent health issues have had me rather distracted.

I prefer the Comstocks. I have limited experience with most of the others. Tough traps. As Dave mentioned the Tomahawks
I have recently gotten, don't really seem to be built much better than the other cages I could buy here in town. But to be
fair I will wait until I have taken a couple coon in them to really give an opinion.

I have gone almost exclusively to Comstock's and Williams traps and unless something spectacular comes around I don't see me changing from those. Good luck with your business.

Salys, are you sure that you don't have your Tomahawks confused with your Safeguards, because that's one cage that raccoons wreck just about any time they get in one. Let me know the size and model of the Tomahawks that you guys are having problems with. This has got my interest now. Send a PM if necessary.

[/quote]
I agree with Paul 100%. There are different grades and different prices of Tomahawk. Just depends on what you want. Safeguard are the ones I don't care for. Just me.

"Best"? Best is a very subjective term. Everyone has a different criteria for what is best.

Most of my cages are the Safeguard Professional traps and have held up fine for five years now of part time work. Absolutely no damage from any animal or weather.

I've had some Tomahawk Pro's for a few years that have held up well to the animals but weather does seem to be working on them more than the Safeguards.

I'm using Freedom Brand for my swing down, ring lock door traps and I'm very happy with their performance. The wire is Speed dipped so I'm not really sure if it's galvanized. I'm keeping a sharp eye on them to see if they are holding up and so far, no problems.

And of course, I use both Comstock and Advance for my wire trigger traps. Both work excellent and I'm sure I'll be using both for years to come.

Comstocks (depending on size) are powder coated. I am getting ready to order some soon. If you purchase Tomahawks powder coating is 15% extra. I'm frugal minded like that, especially just starting. So, being Paul mentioned, they are both made by Tomahawk I'm really leaning toward the Comstock... Unless, I keep reading this thread.

I know about Wicks but 90% of my cages are spring loaded, locking doors, that's what works for me. I have several Advanced that aren't lockers but they are species specific for me.

add clips to anything and adjust as needed...........

I have a coupla Hilltop coon traps. Very, very tough traps; separate bait door, gravity-lock catch door. Don't know if they're still available.

It is the trapper,,,,not the trap........

I thought you were a trapper, not a fortune cookie creator....lol.

I don't want to get beat up but no one mentioned Havahart. How come?
Just curious...

coonwacka, just for you I'm going to give my impressions of the Havahart. We have about 15 of the old style coon-sized Havaharts. Those are the ones that have a mesh door, not a solid one. They still work well after 20 years.

Then they came out with the solid door which the raccoons would grab a hold of and twist and let themselves out. Then they came out with the two door cage that was long enough to catch alligators but didn't spring very well. Then they came out with the "one hand set" cage which was so named because the raccoons could let themselves out with one hand.

We own lots of Havaharts because customers are constantly giving them to us. If I every figure out how to make them work well, we will have a lot more cages for the guys to use, but don't hold your breath.

We have hashed the best trap topic over and over again.There are several Types of traps that can do the job. It is just a matter of what you like and if they hold up to the task at hand and the system of work that you do.Some of the things I require in a trap is having the ability to transfer a captured animal into a transfer cage which requires a rear slide release door for the best results.

I found out real quick after losing a couple of coon catches by trying to transfer from a standard extended front door cage trap. It can be a challenge mating up a transfer cage to a tradtional trap without a few escapes. We probably all have done that one a couple of times by now.

In the beginning we all just bought traps that we thought would get the job done and vested as little $$ as we could at that time. Then as your experience grew so did your understanding of what you liked and preferred in equipment.

I have had most all makes and models over the years but our inventory is mostly safeguard traps. For the $$ they work well for us. I know without question I only prefer spring loaded door traps with the exception of a couple gravity door types from Dekalb.

Too many bad experiences over the years that cost me animal losses or misses with some gravity type door traps. Some like them but overall spring powered doors or stronger traps are the way to go as experience will show you.

I like Jim Comstocks traps for certain set ups and other traditional cage type traps for other various appllications. We all find what works best for us and with the tools available to us we sure can make fast work of most wildlife removal issues. If not I can fabricate things to work with what tools I already have available.

The best answer is getting a couple of each if undecided and work them to find what you like the best. In time you can standardize your equipment as you see fit.Just buying any type at first will get your feet wet but a rear door access trap is great as is a smaller grid wire trap. Time will teach you what you need to know.

I never thought about transfers until you brought it up Bob, thanks. I transfer nearly every raccoon that I catch into a 9x9x26 inch Tomahawk. They fit perfectly in every standard size raccoon cage. We have no rear release cages. I haven't lost a raccoon ( or any other animal ) in over a decade. The only exception to the transfer rule is the crazy lactating female. When I have one of those I just switch out the cages.

P.S. If the raccoon is constantly charging the front of the cage, blow in their face. This works really good if you've just eaten something with raw onions.

Paul great minds think alike, that's exactly what I do with my single door Toms. It's a lot easier to carry a tightly packed coon in a 9x9 than have one doing gymnastics in a 3 foot long cage. And despite my low opinion of Toms I probably have a good two dozen in stock, I just use mine for mellow critters.

Coon are absolutely the worst to deal with. Without first suggesting what cages work best, though I do have my own opinion, attacking it from the other end, the pictures above show what can happen with traps that perhaps should be avoided. The "half way out" coon in the top photo was not there in the morning as you might expect. Once the coon ripped the door off the bottom trap, he also was MIA.

Tomahawk Pro model. Tough door as well as new stronger door springs and brass roller. Great pan retention system and strong/well supported trigger rod.






These photos are of a Tomahawk "second" it shows the old pan retention system that I do not like, but that is what made it a second and for a discounted price I still received a rear door powder coated "pro" model so I added it to my order. I am not a fan of rear doors but with Tomahawk they are stout.

"coonwacka, just for you I'm going to give my impressions of the Havahart. We have about 15 of the old style coon-sized Havaharts. Those are the ones that have a mesh door, not a solid one. They still work well after 20 years.

Then they came out with the solid door which the raccoons would grab a hold of and twist and let themselves out. Then they came out with the two door cage that was long enough to catch alligators but didn't spring very well. Then they came out with the "one hand set" cage which was so named because the raccoons could let themselves out with one hand.

We own lots of Havaharts because customers are constantly giving them to us. If I every figure out how to make them work well, we will have a lot more cages for the guys to use, but don't hold your breath."


Thank's Paul!
Why was the solid door put in production then? I'm assuming cost but was it just a marketing ploy, people thinking they must be stronger?
LOL I was wondering why mine are getting harder to set the trigger. Door twisted!!!

Holt that's not the "pro" model I received, I think I was a victim of bait and switch or a warehouse worker with his mind elsewhere. if Tomahawk wants to send me a ''real" PRO model I'll retract all my statements and eat crow.

That certainly explains a lot Salys. While I have never had a raccoon escape from any Tomahawk that wasn't my fault ( If you're not smart enough to watch for overhanging branches, your name must be Paul ) The pro series has worked out really well for us. And Dave, the 9x9x26 pro series is so strong, our southern branch uses them on Tasmanian Devils!

(1) crow, dressed
(1) onion, sliced
(20) gloves of garlic
(20) hot peppers
COOK-COOK-COOK
wash down with multiple JIM BEAMS

I got a solid door Tom, bought it from previous employer (who got out of wildlife control) and have used it lots with good success. (That having been said, since then I've paid better attention to Wink's advice.) I think the coon grabs the sides of the door - cuz that's the only place he can grab it - and finds that it gives a little. He doesn't know that the torque he can exert is highest at opposite ends of an object (but he learns that pretty soon), and ...well, you know the rest!..

I like solid doors for skunk work, gives me more blind sides to work. HINT-HINT-HINT- SLAP UPSIDE THE FACE TO TRAP mfgs.

I like my Comstocks.

Pound for pound armadillos are stronger and harder on cages. Where coons have the dexterity to grab and bend things or unlock locks dillers brute force there way out. Slanting lock bar doors are especially vunerable if the top of the cage can bow. They get down low on the door and push until the top flex enough to allow the lock bar catch to rise enough to let the lock bar fall forward. The other vulnerabilities are cages without internal frames. I once had a safeguard with a bottom rear corner pulled into the cage about three inches almost as if the diller was turning it inside out like a sock.

Now that said coons are worse on wire triggered traps as the trigger wire almost becomes a sacrificial part for catching coons. Dillers pay the trigger no mind.

I have used Williams traps for about 20 years and am very happy with them.

About 15 years ago I had an AR vandal go through a job site and literally smash nine of them, which is very difficult as I can use them for a short step ladder. They looked like a "V". I was able to pry them apart a bit with a 2x4, put a floor jack inside, and pry them back into some semblance of shape. All but two were returned to a functional state. The "fixed" traps went out on high risk sites and I only have two left, the rest have been pilfered.

We really put these traps through the mill and had to replace the wire on some of them. In fact, I was so pleased with the traps we redid I had my guys do almost every trap we had, adding 1/2 X 1 on the lower 6 inches (we were really slow this winter). This should reduce the amount of debris in the traps speeding up resets and cleaning traps, thus reducing labor costs over the life of the trap.

Yeh, them Williams' are tough - and sublimely simple, too. Sorry you had to have that happen, Dirk; what's the rest of the vandalism story?

Fully satisfied with the Pro Series by Tomahawk. I'm 240 and accidentally stepped on one the other day and no damage.

In comparing traps, ring door traps to a solid lock up angled door traps, the consideration primarily resides in roll overs. If a ring door trap can be staked, wired or pined between structure it is a fine trap, but it does take a bit more time and consideration in setting with worry if the trap does not remain upright. The door on the ring door locks up well, but if it rolls over, the animal is gone, while the solid lock up on the angled door traps with lock bars is all but escape proof, no extra work or worries in setting either. A story was told of a sow that rolled a piglet down the road in a solid locking trap, 50 yards, without damage to trap or piglet.

For those who like the versatility of a double door trap to work in any position or in positive sets, double door traps are not readily available and have not been promoted in ring door traps.

Agreed, armadillos and coon are without a doubt the worst on a trap, one pushing the other grabbing, in the "heavy duty class" of animals. Though rabbits, skunks, opossums and others fall into "light duty" animals, coon, armadillos and woodchucks can be really rough on the equipment. When we first set heavy framed traps for armadillos we crossed our fingers, but 17 armadillos later without issue or trap damage, we were confident we were on the right track. Coon reached through 1x1 on doors at times and pulled lock bars back until a trapper said he used 1/2 x 1 wire, which was a simple quick fix making this configuration essentially escape proof for light and heavy duty animals.

The mark of a good trap is not only trap that catches, but holds and also holds up to whatever the animal dishes out without suffering damage.

I tried selling ring locking doored traps with a wire trigger several years ago. Only made and sold about 60. They were cheap to make and sold them that way. Made a double door and a single door. The final proto types were very good ,but there were so many folks that had no idea how the wire trigger worked, they were not profitable to carry at the time. Just didn,t sell well. Mine were 18" tall and 12" wide. Part of the problem with a tall unpowered door was the door itself. Just too slow especially for a double door. I could have put springs on the doors but other designs have worked much better, when it comes to speed of the door closing.

Even made a double catch with ring locking doors. The prototype is at my house. Even made a proto type that had springs that slid down the rail instead of rings. Just wasn,t as practical as what is available now.

The reason they are liked so well has been price. Williams has had the price low and made a very good trap of that design. The difference as Jim alluded to is the versatility of other designs.

Okay, stop me if I'm wrong, but did I just read that Kirk and Jim just agreed on one small thing?

Okay Jim, your turn, say something that Kirk said that you can agree with. ( Small steps )

I noticed that right off Paul but didn't want to jinx the outcome. What's next WCT and NWCOA talking? Wait that already happened. Oh the possibilities!

No stirring the pot Paul.:)

I like Comstock traps for beaver, and Williams traps for skunks, raccoons, and opossum. For the price you can't beat the Williams traps. They are built better than a M-1a1 tank.

I much Prefer http://advancedtrap.com/

From Kirk Dekalb for anything bigger than Squirrels

You guys are really pushing me. LOL I think you will find that I agree with logic and common sense, practicality, whenever and where ever it is presented, politics and personalities aside, with adherence to function and pragmatism.

Wow Jim , I had to get the dictionary out for that one! LOL

Steve, I completely understand. The words "logic" and "common sense" are rarely used on here and never in politics.

Well, we were doing a population reduction on a property that has raccoon problems all the time. I set multiple locations throughout the property, mostly by dumpsters, wanting to hit it hard and fast. The vandal just went dumpster to dumpster. Threw about seven or eight in (the trash guys hauled them that day too ). Smashed the others. He didn't find the ones that were not by dumpsters fortunately or the loss would have been higher.

Must have been a pretty big dude too, or tried to use them as a trampoline. Anyways, I salvaged what I could. There were security cameras too, but they were fakes. I was really looking forward to seeing the footage and catching the culprit.

We have a couple Comstocks too and certainly like them!!! Boy would I ever hate to lose a number of them though.

Dirk, had the same thing happen to bunch of my Wickenkamps. Unfortunately the garbagemen got there before I did. It wouldn't have bothered me so much if this hadn't happened at a campus where the young men were studying to be priests.

I bought a set of these this winter and love them. Even held a 80lb hound that was going nuts in it till I got the catch pole on him. http://www.cagingbobcats.com/index.php?page=13

Those are nice! Easy transported.

those cat style traps will not hold up to coon well. sure one here one there, but not day in day out. I think you need to have a frame design to even be considered a coon trap. as for dillos, aint seen one up here in mn yet

Most cat style cages are made with Galvanized before welded wire. You need GAW wire of good quality to be strongest. Also most put a clip every 4 inches and a ring every 4 inches. Not enough for coon in most cases, over time, on any trap.

Use very good wire and clip every other inch with a ring over the first clip and where there is no clip and you won,t have problems. It prevents the seem from peeling with a rough coon.

Like the picture: This is what we do. We also put a ring every inch on structure. This is a beaver trap: notice the heavy rings on side and key points. This trap is not designed for the beaver to be in the trap more than 24 hrs unless it is a drown set. The larger-taller the trap the easier the beaver is on the cage when left alive in the trap for a period of time. Same with most animals in a cage trap.

That is why Vinke made a post saying just add rings. I believe he was just referring that if you can,t buy the quality, buy what you can and strengthen it up to get by until you can.

I second tomahawk,comstock, kirks trap, and the williams. The tomahawk professional and Kirk's traps will adversely affect or effect whichever is correct your gas miliage but they will make sure you have the money to buy more gas. I have made trap covers out of old political signs, sheet metal etc. but I could have saved time and money buying the plastic covers from tomahawk.