Trap Fasteners

The way you secure your traps at your sets can make a big difference in how many animals you hold until you get out to check them.

Drowner Sets

We will start with water sets. If you are going to make water sets, use drowner sets.  For the extra few minutes and a little extra wire you will be able to drown and keep the majority of water furbearers that you catch.  Muskrat, Beaver, Mink and Raccoon will twist or chew off their front foot if you do not use a drowner set.

What I have found to be the most effective drowner set is to use two stakes, one in deeper water and one placed at shore. Tie wire to stake in deeper water making sure the wire is towards the bottom of the stake. Then unreal wire toward stake at shore. Slip end of wire through drowner lock which is on the end of your trap chain. Make sure the lock can go toward deeper water, but has resistance when pulling toward shore. I then pull wire tight toward shore stake and cut off an extra two feet of wire. Tie to shore stake making sure it is taught between the two stakes. We cut off two feet extra wire so that if the water level raises you can use same wire to adjust shore stake. When you are finished with the drowner set try pulling trap toward deeper water and then back. If the drowner lock and trap go easy toward deeper water but has lots of resistance when pulled towards shore you have done it right. Now if you catch a furbearing animal it will be on the wire at the bottom of the pole when you return.

A word about the wire size to use at drowner sets. I use no lighter than 14 gauge for raccoon. This gauge will hold the largest until drowned. For beaver, I like to use 11 gauge wire. If you are using coilspring traps with short chains at water sets, add some chain to your traps and it will make life a lot easier for you when making sets and when the water level changes. If you have lots of people around and are worried about trap thieves or if you are in areas where the stream bed is rocky, you can fasten the wire in deeper water to a rock or other similar heavy weight.

Fastening Traps On Land

There are basically two ways you can fasten your traps on land. One is to use a drag and the other is to use a stake.

Drags

A drag is anything you fasten your trap and chain to where you intend the animal caught to leave your set location and get caught up or tangled in nearby brush.  A drag has several advantages and  disadvantages. It can have your catch caught up in brush were everyone will not see it. It is also useful  if the soil is to sandy or soft to use stakes. The obvious disadvantage is that you have to spend time finding your trap and animal. Basically, there two types of drags on the market; Fox or Coyote. If Coyote inhabit your area use Coyote drags as a Coyote can take a fox drag for a mile. Use fox drags for raccoon, fox and similar. I use about 4 foot of chain on my fox drags and 6 foot of chain on my Coyote drags. One advantage of buying drags over using poles is that you can bury the steel drags under the trap at the set and you do not have to spend time searching for a suitable pole to use for a drag.

Stakes

Stakes have the advantage of having less chain to bury and less time searching for your catch. You can purchase several stakes on the market or make your own from hardwood. Steel stakes are preferable because you have the swivel action and a wood stake can split while you are driving it into the ground. If coyote inhabit your area, use double stake swivels which allow you to drive two stakes at an angle and have good swivel action. When using stakes a short chain is good, as it does not allow the animal to lunge and pull free.

Fastening Conibears

Even though conibears usually quickly dispatch the catch, you should tie all conibears to a stake or tree. Beavers can lunge into deeper water and current can take catch and trap away. Or an animal could pull a trap into a den. I like to use a longer pole at all water conibear sets. This allows for easier checking of traps and a way to find your traps if water level rises.

Conclusion

Having your trap fastening equipment ready before season will allow you to get a lot more sets out on opening day and proper use will reduce the number of  furbearers that get away after being caught.