just wondering what size of a leg hold do you guys recommend for coyote? thanks

Coyotes can and have been caught in all sizes of traps, from #1.5's on up. Here is what I have found out trapping coyotes....the hard way,. Go with the biggest, heaviest, stoutest trap you can legally set above the water line. I have had good traps completely destroyed and made unusable by coyotes. They will pull the jaws out, bend the frames and dogs, break chains, and pull the stakes. Now, the ONLY trap I will set for them is a fully modified Bridger #3 with offset jaws. My traps have an extra strap welded to the frame, 4 coils, and laminations welded to the jaws to help prevent bend and pulled out jaws. Even then, a big male will still bend the crap out of them, and I have to spend the time to straighten them back out. I also keep them on a fairly short chain to keep them from getting leverage when lunging. All my traps also have a heavy spring shock adsorber attached in line on the chain. I now use the cable stakes, and they are a lot easier to use, and drive then rebar. They also hold a lot better than rebar, and I have not lost a trap with this setup.

You could get by with a #2 trap. Some brands of trap are naturally built heavier than others. A fully Mod'ed #2 would probably hold up fairly well. BUT, for the small difference in price, I elected to go with the #3's. I KNOW I won't have many problems with those.

When selecting a trap, just be sure of the jaw spread, and the spread on the frame. Not all sizes of traps have the same inside measurements. Additionally, once a jaw spread reaches a certain size, it is required to have an offset to be set above the water line. FYI, I think the last 6 traps I bought, with this setup, it was about $22.00 per trap. Thats adding in the shock and cable stake.

Thanks a lot on the tip I am thinking about getting into it next year so I am going to start looking into building up a collection of traps through the summer.

#3 coil or bigger,offset jaws

Yaz, When you get time could you put up a picture of your modified trap setup with the shock spring on it. I would like to see how yours look.

Thanks

Here ya go.....

Bottom trap is non-mod. It has a single frame. Top trap has a second strap riveted to the frame. Also notice how the bottom trap's frame is bent. The chain is attached in the center of the frame, and as they lunge, the frame bends. Once it bends enough, it allows the jaws to be pulled out of the hinges.


Second mod is the laminations on the jaws. It keeps the jaws from being bent, and pulled out. The laminations also add more surface area on the jaw faze. Really helps hold magically caught yotes.


This is something that has always bugged me, and actually gives the trap away on occasion. The loose jaw (front), sits up higher than back jaw, and the pan. If a coyote doesn't step right on the pan, that jaw is up higher and they can feel it. Its also harder to bed properly, The four coils come from the factory that way.


I tack a small weld on the back jaw so that it pushes down on the spring levers, and it then drops down level. Like this.



You can buy the traps modified. I have a few left that I will modify myself in the off season. The only other thing I do is put an inline spring (shock) on the chain. You can see it on the top picture. In spite of all that, they still bend the dogs, and tear them up on occasion.

Thanks YAZ for taking the time and effort to post these pics for me. I now see what you are talking about and I will have to Mod mine this summer. Those yotes sure are hard on traps.

Thanks Again buddy.

No problem!!!!!!

Yas, That is pretty neat, did you think that up? I dont have or use any leg holds but a neighbor down the road has a shed full of different traps. He's in his 70's and hasnt trapped in several years. Maybe I can borrow a few and see how it goes. You got any links to good reads about setting leg holds? h.h.

Nahh....I'm not that smart! I did come up with the tack weld to get the jaws to lay flat. Trapperman.com is THE best site for trapping info. I started on there this winter, and started in the achives, and am working forward. Because of the "Anti's", it is a process to get signed on. But, it is worth it.

I agree Yaz, Trapperman is awesome. If you new to trapping all the info can almost be overwhelming. The archives are loaded with extremely valuable information.