Speakin' of gettin traps ready....

[Tim B]

I was modifying traps last week and was impressed with the 'new' duke 1.75's  In the past I had to do all kinds of things to get the pan to sit below the jaws...now it only takes a few minutes per trap.  
Good to see changes.
Tim B

[T-Rex]

Tim, so how did you get the pans of the old Dukes to sit below the jaws?
T-Rex

[Tim B]

It would be easier to show ya but Ill try to explain it.  Remove the pan and put it in a vice.  Using a hammer, tap the pan shank up (the part where the hole is)  So, as you look at the pan as it would normally sit, you would be tapping up from the underside of the pan shank.  This puts the pan notch at a angle when it is back in the trap, so you will have to use a file to square the pan notch back up.  Then its only a matter of adjusting the dog to make the pan sit level.
There was an article in an old T&PC about this a while back.  Ill see if I can see what issue it is in when I get home tonight.  The pictires in the article make it a little easier to understand.
Hope this helps and let me know if you need to know what issue it is in.
Tim B

[Mallard]

I don't know if would work on the older style duke 1.75, but a buddy of mine just took a dozen old style duke 1.5s and replaced the pans with bridger 1.65 pans, and they are now nice and flat.

[T-Rex]

I pulled one pan, and started to reshape it as you describe, Tim. I replaced it, and it did seem to fit just a little lower, I guess I was just afraid to beat it too much.
My Dukes are old style 1 1/2's and already have Bridger levers, so Bridger pans sound like a pretty good solution, Mallard.
With that in mind, I'll beat the heck out of the old pans, and either get a good flat fitting pan, or a good excuse to replace with Bridgers.
Thanks,
T-Rex

[Tim B]

Easy there boys....the whole idea is to  save money.  You dont have to replace the pan unless you have some old ones layin around.  The article is in the Oct 2002 issue of the T&PC.  
T-Rex,
Keep tappin the pan shank until the pan sits flat on the trap...sounds like you almost have it.
Tim B

[T-Rex]

Tim, thanks for the info, sounds like the old pans will work fine.
T-Rex

[Mallard]

I just suggested the replacement pan as an option, considering you can pick up a dozen pans for $10 at a convention, and be Back out scouting after 15 minutes of pan replacement.

Time is money...... :-)

[Tim B]

That is true Mallard....I wasent discountin your idea...and thinkin how many hours Iv spent in the shop, maybe I should have got different pans.....o well, cant scout in the dark.  LOL

Have you been gettin the early geese up there Mallard?
Ours opens in a couple weeks for the 'nuissance canadians'
Tim B

[Mallard]

Had a good opener on the 1st, and were able to get out of the field before the majority of the groups landed, so there are still birds to be hunted later.  All locals, and have yet to see any migrants from the north. Our season got lengthened sigificantly, so I'm hoping the flight numbers justify the season dates. There's a tremendous efort to adel the local nesters, which seems to have lessened the local numbers significantly, but there are still enough to hunt.  We'll get out there again this weekend and see if we can't push a few south for ya. :wink:  How are thinks looking down there?

[Tim B]

There is good habitat for the birds with all the rain we have had lately.  That will keep the teal around for an extra day or so.  I used to really chase the ducks hard, but since this trappin has got ahold of me I only hunt the ducks for two weeks till trappin opens....I do love to eat them though so Ill get a bunch of them in that two weeks...LOL
I am lookin forward to shootin a few of those big local canadians...I can shoot them of a few of the farms I trap so I can scout at the same time.
Good luck,
Tim B