1 1/2 coilspring on a coyote?

[Bowkill]

I have some spots were I plan on catching raccoon, but I know I have a chance of catching a coyote or bobcat there also.  I only have a limited number of coyote traps, and they will all be set in better coyote and cat areas.  What are my chances of holding a coyote or bobcat in a 1 1/2?

[trappnman]

biggest problem is going to be trap size vs foot size. In other owrds, the coyote is going to be standing on the jaws in most cases when the trap fires. I suppose you could set up the 1.5 to be a decent coyote trap, but unm,odifed, you are going to have a lot of pullouts. Also, make sure your staking system on the 1.5 is geared for yotes.  Saying this, I catch a few yotes everyyear in 1.5 coon traps in areas much like you describe.

[jim-NE]

depends a little on size of yotes in your region, too. a whopper for me is pushing #25 lbs. Most northern and eastern specimans sound like they are much bigger than ours.
I use #2 longsprings almost exclusively on them, and get nice catches on all of them. The design of the double longspring I think helps in higher locking and less ability to open the jaws up at all, a deficiency in 1-1/2 coil designs. But, jaw spread is identical in 1-1/2 coils and #2 longs, except for the newer sleepy creeks which are slightly taller in the closed jaw height.
I get away with the #2s because of the smaller coyotes and this helps me with the other critters like cats and foxes and somewhat on coons. I've held a few coyotes in #11s meant for coons, too. Double jaws are stiffer than regular jaws, so was able to hold them without popping the jaws. These were all toe catches though...just not enough jaw height there. the #11 is a decent fox trap though, and I have a pic of a cat in one also, caught across 3 toes. Longspring design helps too.
Jim-NE

[Wackyquacker]

You already got some good answers.  I think it was the Legetts that wrote on the 1.5 coil as a coyote trap.  If I remeber correctly they were trapping Texas when they published their book.

I'll suggest two mods that you can do in a hurry that should help hold the yotes and not mess up things for coon (T-man / RdFx correctl me if I'm wrong on the coon side of things).  If you bubble weld the jaw tips the coyotes won't be able to blow the trap apart. And, if you were to  grind a concave into the outside edges of the jaws and allow the levers to travel higher you should get a better lock up with a big foot in the trap.

[trappnman]

I think both those mods would be a bonus.

[RdFx]

Yes Ws suggestions are good. Also put two or three swivels on if useing long or short chain.  Using extra swivels will help holding a toe caught yote.  I have alot of montgomery 1 1/2 stepins (round jaws) that i have caught yotes in with no problems but the monty is an exception bulldog of a trap too.  By using a step down set for the coon if a yote does commit to trap set you will have  yote good.

[Wackyquacker]

That's why it is so nice having "OLD" ones on the forum ...they come on r e a l  slow and add good tidbits of info.

I do fear though, that in two or three more posts we're gona have your 1.5s fully modified :-D

[Bowkill]

When you say weld a bubble on the end of the jaws, what do you mean?  Do you mean to make the trap have offset jaws?  By the end of the jaw, do you mean both ends of both jaws?  Does anyone have a picture I could look at?  Thanks for all the help.

[Mallard]

Think they're talking about a spot weld to form a bubble, or mushroom glob at the tips of the jaws on the outside of the frame to prevent the jaws from pulling back though the frame. I have some round jaw Monties that will no doubt hold a coyote if he steps between the jaws. Very strong, well made traps and I was only able to by a half dozen, but wish I had another 50 or so. I have to consider the fox in my area, so finding that "middle of the road" trap for both has been my challenge.

[Wackyquacker]

Like Mallard said ...to prevent the jaws from pulling.  The concave grind will do almost all of what an offset does.

Mallard what if yoou fully modified (laminate , base plate  4 coil, off set )smaller traps...I have some 1.75s that will hold a Burro :-D .  Seems like a 1.5 souped up would be a compromise for an occasional coyote in fox country.

[Mallard]

WQ, 1.5's are a minumum portion of the canine traps. Most of the traps are 1.75's, a handfull of 4-coil 1.65 Bridgers, and another handful of #2 Monties that I just bought.  All of the traps are modified and have no less than 5 swivel points. After all that work this summer with my trapping partner, I still think the 1.5 Monties I stumbeled across last year are as strong and mechanicaly sound as any of the others. The problem seems to lye in the getting the coyote foot inside the jaws, but I figure with a bit more time under the belt, I will hone in on the finer points of foot placement.  I still think (Hope) the territory I trap will result in fox being better than 50% of the catch, but we'll just have to see... :-)

One problem I have with 4-coiling is getting the loose jaw to sit flat. maybe it doesn't matter, but I just can't stand an uneven trap. Any suggestions?

[RdFx]

Mallard nothing is perfect in this world even with humans  like most people dont realize that one of thier feet is bigger than the other well same with  the laying flat of loose jaw especially four coiled traps.  Unless you have Jakes or MBs.  Just  bed trap slightly deeper so that loose jaw is down far enough or slightly canted so higher jaw of set trap is down further in ground.  Yotes, fox dont know the differance LOL.  I used to  be bugged about that loose high jaw on some of my traps but  since having my head and stetson crushed by a hitman hired by a person we wont name fm Corrales NM.  !!    Ahh life is so hard LOL.... BUT  payback is h#ll!  Heh , heh!  Oh yea on the trap jaw problem, i interviewed  100% of yotes and fox caught in my high jawed traps and they all  agreed they didnt  even know their was a trap there  :wink:

[Mallard]

LOL…..in other words I need to get over it eh? Ok….consider me cured.  :-)

[Wackyquacker]

Now Mallard and every one else following this and other threads be it known that IF ANYBODY has experience with loose jaws it would be the OLD RdFx... a complete lifetime of experience.  I hear tell that he learned to "live with the condition" and bury the problem deeper from his mother. :-D  :-D

I have had a few funky loose, trap jaws and just follow the really really OLD ones method and bury them deeper.  Some times on some traps you can put the levers in a vise and twist them just a bit and some times get the jaw to lower.

...another thing, it's plum hard to find  / hire good help anymore :cry:

[jim-NE]

swivels are a must, more the merrier in my opinion. I also use very short chains on my #2 longs (same jaw height as most #1-1/2 coils). the coyote can pull and tug, but cannot get a good run or lunge against those jaws or the hold the trap has on it. Its a simple rule of mechanics and force, and keeping the chains to less than 8" total (including swivels) works very well for me. But, short-chained yotes need lots of swiveling action since they roll around, throw themselves on the ground, hit the end of that chain hard in every which direction, too.