Completely Frustrated and need some advice

If you have your pan tension set correct you won't be catching any rabbits. If the coon guys are in the area with hounds you may have snagged a few of them.
 
You should never have blood, bones, tendons,and the like in your traps. Your traps should never cause that type of damage. I agree with some of the other ideas, either someone is checking your traps or you are catching animals that coyotes or dogs are eating.
If your pan tension is two pounds or higher then you shouldn't be catching rabbits. If it's less then turn it up some.
You should be able to spot a footprint in the catch circle if someone is checking them for you.
It is possible you are having toe catches. Could be caused by digging due to improper bedding or a scent issue. If you are sure scent is not a problem then make sure your trap is bedded solid. A clean trap bedded solid with more than 2lbs of tension that is positioned a couple inches lower than ground level should not have toe catch issues.
The #3 bridger is a fine trap and it is not the problem. I would run laminations on the jaws to reduce foot damage because they are a strong trap. Good luck in finding and correcting the source of your problem.
 
Last edited:
Well I think that this is definitely a good place for people to be running there coon dogs. There is two big creek bottoms that runs through this 1500 acres that I am having the trouble on.
My pan tension is set between 2-3 pounds and the trap jaws are laminated. I looked all around the trap circles for footprints or other sign of the animals escaping. It would be fairly easy for someone to cover up there footprints, that is if they were thinking about it.
I am also pretty sure that my traps are bedded properly. Though I am not an extremely experienced trapper.
The signs keep pointing in my mind to someone was checking my traps for me. There would be hair in the trap jaws, coyote or bobcat, and only one of them I found parts of feet. There was on most of the occasions quite a bit of blood on the traps and around them. Which I am thinking could have come from someone checking the traps and shooting them.
Well thank you guys for all of your help. I really appreciate it.
 
In reading through the replies I see lots of mention of coon hunters stealing the fur. The presence of coon hunters has to mean that there are coon in the area as well. I have found several sets just as you describe. I use fully modified #3 Bridger offsets as well. However I don’t think that the brand of trap has anything to do with this problem. I see the same problem in my fox sets with 1.75 offset victors. In my case the problem was I caught a coon and the coon did a little self mutilation and pulled out. I’m leaning a little more that way than theft in your case.

IMO A #3 bridger is an excellent coyote and bobcat trap but it is a poor coon trap at best.
 
Last edited:
Yeah I wasn't blaming anything on the traps. I was more trying to figure out what I was doing wrong and/or what was happening to the animals before I could get to them.
 
Back
Top