I replied to a similar posting question on Duke #3s earlier today. Yes, older Dukes were like some car models in 70s, built "economically" but unfortunately "cheap" and "inexpensive" should never be considered synomonous in terms of quality. I had some older #1 Duke coils. Weak springs, world's longest dog assemblies were a pain to adjust properly, pans set too high from jaws, etc. etc. etc. OK on rats, but wouldn't trust them beyond that. There was no comparison between a Duke #1 coil (built cheaply back then) and a #1 Northwoods coil.
Today's Dukes are not the same piece of equipment rolling off the line that they used to produce. I took a chance and bought a few #2 Duke coils awhile back as a way to boost up my dryland trap arsenal without taking out a small second mortgage to do it...but I wrestled with that decision for a long time and finally got courage up to buy a couple at first as a test. I had been burned on Dukes before, but those older ones I ordered blindly through the mail without ever holding them and setting them in my hands prior to purchasing them. If I would have, I probably wouldn't have bought them back then. But, mr. UPS showed up with this box of traps I'd ordered, it was already 1/2 through the season, and I got out the boiling kettle and started in on them. I swore I'd never buy another Duke again after that first two seasons of fighting them.
Then awhile back I was in the local sporting goods store and saw some nice looking mid-size traps in the bins. They had some heft to them (a sign of not too much skimping on the steel) and looked OK. Then I saw the "D" stamped in the pan and put them back down quickly. I went home and over course of next several weeks looked at a lot of adds, articles, etc. and after a couple of skeptical return trips to the store I finally bought a couple. Tried them out that season, went 2 for 2 on coyotes, then bought a few more. I have been pleasantly suprised with them and the lower cost.
These ain't the same traps they used to make.
Jim-NE
