Advice on Body Grip Traps?

[HunterDave]

I've been thinking about buying a dozen body grip traps to use for muskrats and I've been looking at the different traps in Halfords catalogue. Some are much cheaper than others (Duke, Bridger) and Sauvageau is quite expensive. I'm leaning towards going with Belisle 120 Super X mainly because of it's AIHTS certification for fisher, marten, muskrat and weasel. They cost $12.75 if you buy a dozen or more while a Duke that's certified for muskrat costs $7.60 and a Bridger that's certified for muskrat and weasel costs $6.00.

What it boils down to is that I'm thinking that the Belisle would provide me with the opportunity to put out a few martin sets while the others wouldn't and that's what I'm prepared to pay a premium for. The jaw size is 4.5" so would a 5.5" x 5.5" martin box be something worthwhile to build or is it too small?

Any advice on the pros and cons of the Duke and Bridger (in the cheaper category) and the Belisle and Conibear that cost a bit more? I think that Sauvageau is a little expensive in comparison to those 4 types so probably not what I really need. Any type in particular that I should avoid or one that really performs real well?

[SmokinJoe]

Make colony traps, heck with catching one at a time I'd rather catch 5 at a time in a faster to set/check trap.

[HunterDave]

Yeah Joe, I plan on making them but I could be catching rats under the ice right now. Also thinking about using them at den entrances as well. Something that I was thinking about and might as well ask now.....

Should I make colony traps or submarine traps? What's the advantage of one over the other?

[FlyTrapper]

Hey Dave, just bought some Belisle 120 Super X's and they are great. Just setting them off at home they are very powerful. Have talked to a trapper who said he used Dukes but ended up paying double because they would be done for quicker. Just my experience.

[PCP_ECOM]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Yeah Joe, I plan on making them but I could be catching rats under the ice right now. Also thinking about using them at den entrances as well. Something that I was thinking about and might as well ask now.....

Should I make colony traps or submarine traps? What's the advantage of one over the other?

Hello, I built 41 colony traps this year and used them with great success,made 24", 30" and 36", stick the 24's on den entrance and you'll get em, I set a culvert with 4 5"x5" 30" colony traps and pulled 13 rats on first check, lined the bottom of round culvert with them and the rats done the rest, 5 at time better than one, but I mixed my rat sets up,had both coniber's and colony traps, right now under ice coniber with carrot,yep yep

[mxz1997]

The Belsilie are awesome traps as they are designed to close completely meaning you get your catch even if it just sticks a foot on your trap. The others leave a gap as the trigger dog is in the way. I personally have wasted money in Dukes and won't be doing it again.

[pointer]

I run dukes under water and they work fine for rats I rather use funnel traps or colony traps best I ever done was 13 rats in one funnel trap in a culvert