Connibear type traps - setting tool?

[sailfast]

A rabbit living under your front walk is VERY different than a mouse in your house.

Damage your front walk? Unless you are planning to drive over it I don't think so.

Rabbits are VERY different than rodents who spread disease.

If thinking like that makes you able to sleep at night, then you are the one who needs to mature.

 

[Jstpssng]

So I've got a cute-and-fuzzy bunny taking up residence under my front sidewalk. In the city right now, so shooting is out of the question. I borrowed a 110 Connibear from a friend but it is pretty rusty and has tripped a couple times with no effect (may not be working well). The rabbit or two I have seen around is pretty fat and well fed, so I'm thinking he may be too big to fit in that small trap. So I went to Fleet Farm to get the next size up - a 160. I can't squeeze and hold the springs on this thing well enough to get it set. There is supposed to be a simple scissors-style tools to do it but they don't have it.

I'm looking for rough dimensions on the tool. Best I can tell it is ~20" long, and looks like it is something like 1"x1/4" flat bar, with hooks cut into one end of each, and the pivot point about 1/3 up from the hooks. Can anyone confirm or give me better dimensions? Nothing too critical, I just want it to work without a bunch of experimenting.

Thanks!

you've got the right idea.
I've made them for 330s using 2 pieces of 3/4x1/4 inch steel with a notch in each to fit the jaws, and a bolt holding them together like a pair of pliers as you suggested.
I would check your lawbook. Nothing is in season right now, so you might consider getting a nuisance permit. You guys are a lot more liberal out there. Here we can't place any body grip on the ground. As someone whose dog goes into the woods with me, I would be nervous if it was legal to put a 220 on the ground
You also might consider trying a live trap, in case you do end up with a "nontarget species."

 

[riptides]

... Tools are why we are (still) ahead of the apes! :laughing: So I'm going to make one!...

Barely! ROTFL.

YEah, I don't get near those traps without that setting tool. Which, BTW, I cannot seem to find mine, either!

 

[Wayne County Hose]

You have to be kidding, right?

Rabbits!

You are trapping rabbits???

First of all they in season?

Second, why in the **** would you hurt a harmless animal like that?

You are one cruel person. Do you torture dogs too?

The OP is probably a PETA member that is trying to keep their local 95% kill rate up.
We don't go on the animal rights threads saying " kill it kill it!"
So myob.

 

[Depmandog]

You have to be kidding, right?

Rabbits!

You are trapping rabbits???

First of all they in season?

Second, why in the **** would you hurt a harmless animal like that?

You are one cruel person. Do you torture dogs too?

Why? Hasenpfeffer....mmmm good. Or there is rabbit stew with dumplings....excellent. Or another favorite - fried rabbit and gravy...tasty, but a bit chewy unless properly marinated.

Does this make me cruel too?

 

[dstig1]

You have to be kidding, right?

Rabbits!

You are trapping rabbits???

First of all they in season?

Second, why in the **** would you hurt a harmless animal like that?

You are one cruel person. Do you torture dogs too?

A rabbit living under your front walk is VERY different than a mouse in your house.

Damage your front walk? Unless you are planning to drive over it I don't think so.

Rabbits are VERY different than rodents who spread disease.

If thinking like that makes you able to sleep at night, then you are the one who needs to mature.

I have no problem dealing with the realities of life, like managing rodents and bugs that are damaging my property. I also don't need to explain myself to you, and BTW you can keep your name-calling to yourself (as shown above), along with your comments if all you want to do is spew. Find another thread.

 

[studor]

I would be a might nervous with a connibear or even an old victor leg hold (yes I still have both) any where that I was not positive that it would only get what I intended it to. I have done lots of live trapping in the city and caught evertything from rabbits, skunks, rats, muskrats (golf course pond) squirrels, groundhogs, cats, and a ferret (neighbours pet that escaped). Not saying that all ultimately survived the experience but none were near fatal or fatal "accidents". - JMHO

 

[handirifle]

The best, easiest and cheapest way to set any conibear it to use a rope. Used to carry a set up like that in my trapping days.

Items needed, 3ft 3/8" nylon rope (the soft kind) and I like to use a section of steel rod about 1/8-3/16" dia with the ends bent over past a 90 deg bend. This will slip over the traps spring near the spring loops. Make sure the ends are bent over enough to make insure it will not pop off. THAT can be exciting, and painful.

You use a good nylon 3/8" dia rope, about 3ft long. On one end you tie a loop, or run it through a section of iron or galv pipe about 6" long, and tie the end to the rope so as to make a loop to put your foot through while standing on the pipe. With the trap standing upright, like it would be when set, thread the other end of the rope up through the LOWER spring loop, then straight up through the top spring loop. Bring the rope back around the outside of the loops you just went through, and repeat the process, except this time, pull the rope straight up. Tie that end off on a handle of hardwood big enough to grip well with one or two hands (2 might be better), then grab sadi handle and give hera strong pull. This will pull the two spring loops together. Once together, the rope will be pretty easy to manage with one hand, and use the other to grab both jaws of the trap.

Now place the steel spring holder you made over the springs to hod them while you undo the rope. Take the rope out now, not after the trap is set and the clamp removed.

Once the trap is set, handle with care. Like others mentioned be careful of other animals like cats getting in there, the trap will kill instantly.

 

[Jstpssng]

The best, easiest and cheapest way to set any conibear it to use a rope. Used to carry a set up like that in my trapping days.

Items needed, 3ft 3/8" nylon rope (the soft kind) and I like to use a section of steel rod about 1/8-3/16" dia with the ends bent over past a 90 deg bend. This will slip over the traps spring near the spring loops. Make sure the ends are bent over enough to make insure it will not pop off. THAT can be exciting, and painful.

You use a good nylon 3/8" dia rope, about 3ft long. On one end you tie a loop, or run it through a section of iron or galv pipe about 6" long, and tie the end to the rope so as to make a loop to put your foot through while standing on the pipe. With the trap standing upright, like it would be when set, thread the other end of the rope up through the LOWER spring loop, then straight up through the top spring loop. Bring the rope back around the outside of the loops you just went through, and repeat the process, except this time, pull the rope straight up. Tie that end off on a handle of hardwood big enough to grip well with one or two hands (2 might be better), then grab sadi handle and give hera strong pull. This will pull the two spring loops together. Once together, the rope will be pretty easy to manage with one hand, and use the other to grab both jaws of the trap.

Now place the steel spring holder you made over the springs to hod them while you undo the rope. Take the rope out now, not after the trap is set and the clamp removed.

Once the trap is set, handle with care. Like others mentioned be careful of other animals like cats getting in there, the trap will kill instantly.

Now you want to hear a dumb a?? move? A local trapper brags that he's not above reaching through the jaws of his 330 while it's under the ice.

 

[dstig1]

Yeah you guys have a point with other animals getting caught in there that concerns me. I have to say I have NEVER seen a dog or cat wandering around (or any evidence of a cat in the gardens). In fact the only animals I see running around are rabbits or an occasional chipmunk or squirrel (tons of deer too). So the risk of getting something unintended seems small, but I want to avoid that. This thing is tucked into a corner up against the house too, so it isn't very obvious or accessible. You almost can't see it even looking right at it, and I am only using the small 110 one right now, which would only allow a very small animal in there (maybe one of the reasons it isn't working well as the rabbits are quite fat here...). I may skip trying the bigger one for that reason.

If it doesn't work soon, probably my fix is to concrete the hole when I patch the driveway once it warms up more, as I will have extra from that job. Then deal with it if it comes back. It doesn't seem to use the dugout all that often. Just often enough to make a mess in the garden and tear stuff up there. With how warm it's been, I may be able to get the concrete going by April even. We'll see how it goes...