the rope works about as good as anything,,,those traps are tough so i guess you would need boltcutters,,,if i rememeber right 330s need to be set completly under water,,so not much chance of them catching your dog,,,the "trick" with 220s is to twist the trap so its jaws are on the side of the dogs neck not closing off airway that way ,,,it gives you more time to release

 

I use conibear traps on a regular basis and this is some good advice. It will buy you the few precious seconds you need to take more effective action. The quickest way to release the trap that I know of from personal experienmce is with the Tongs you can buy to compress the springs. They are about 8 bucks a set. Not as convienant as the rope method, but they make short work of the traps springs.

 

Where do you think you might encounter a trap like this without prior warning of its presence? Public conservation reserve land?

I did a fair bit of trapping when I was in highschool, and used body gripping traps including 110-330 Connibears. The landowners always knew what and approximately where traps and snares were in use. Only on one occasion did a dog get into one of my snares, and that was a third party hunting there without permission or prior warning. The dog wasn't in it long enough to cause lasting injury, and they messed the place up.

A 220 has a 7" square opening, with a dog's head in it the springs would still be mostly compressed. You probably don't hunt alone, have one person squeeze each spring by hand. A 330 could break the neck of smaller dogs, they can be used for fox or coyotes, with a 10" square opening. The two heavy springs on these may be a struggle to compress without a tool for leverage. This type of trap will almost always have a safety hook on the spring that you can slide up the spring to hold it, even partially open.

 

most conibear traps are set up along a trail and the animal goes through it so unless your planning on trying to crawl through one you should be fine.

leg traps are another issue

conibear

duke #4 quad coil 6.5 in spread

id worry more bout those

 

I hunt in the Superior National Forest. I've seen plenty of trappers coming and going but never any warning signs. In my group we've suffered only one trap incident in 30 years when a black lab got killed by one. I'm not even sure what kind of trap it was.

The Forest Service live traps wolves, and their sites are always marked with a sign at the beginning and ending of any forest road. The warning reads something like ".... conducting trapping in this area....".

 

most likely a conabear or a m44 cyanide trap

 

Pubic land is open to all for any legal use.
Private land is the owners.
Please only try to control what you own.
If you release a dog out of your control in trapping season it's you responsability.
Dogs can not read.

 

My Duke traps are just like Conibears only cheaper. If a dog was killed he was likely killed on a #220 or higher size. I only use #110 for this reason. It's small for rabbits and squirrels. You're right about the 330, but the 220 is very deadly too.

 

"Pubic land is open to all for any legal use.
Private land is the owners.
Please only try to control what you own.
If you release a dog out of your control in trapping season it's you responsability.
Dogs can not read."

I don't know what to say. I'm hunting. The dog can go in over 30 yards for a flush. What are you suggesting? This post was asking how to release a trap. Should you want to discuss your issue, please start another thread. I'd comment directly there. Begin the title with, something like, "Dog owners are responsible for their dogs" or something like that. This is a HUGE issue with both trappers and hunters. Lets not go there in this post please. Thank you.

Thanks everyone. Getting the bar off the windpipe was the best answer. I'll still be looking for something. I think I'll buy one of these traps and experiment. Thanks. OUT

 

I have heard about hunting dogs getting caught in traps. I have never had that happen to any of my boys, but I did catch a neighbors cat in a toothed bear-trap when I was about 8. I felt bad about that one. Those stories and that experience are why we let certain people hunt our land, but we don't allow trapping, and if we find a trap, we just got a new trap for our private use away from anyplace somebody could have a domestic dog.

 

i have trapped for years as well,,,both leg hold ,an conibears ,,,and snares ,,only 2 times did i catch a dog ,,,once in a foot trap [small one ] and once in a snare,,the foot trap i released and it ran home uninjured,,,the one in the snare had not even tightend it up was setting there like it was on a leash ,,,i trapped lots of private ground to remove nusiance animals,,,at times to get the problem animal i needed to set close to farms and buildings,,if i had just been trapping for the furs i would of been far enough away i probable would of never got any dogs

 

I use a set called a bucket set, basically a bucket with slots in it for the conibear springs and a 6 inch hole in the lid and laid on its side. It's suppose to be dog proof and I haven't caught a dog in this set.

Catching a dog does me no good so I adjust accordingly.

 

Best and most deadly for coons, but most dogs leave them alone or are to big to get far enough in.

 

Ive killed feral dogs on purpose on my own land with a 330, in something like a hole set with the 330 on the ground over the hole, bacon grease in the hole.

Works like majic

A piece of light rope or 550 cord is the fastest, lightest and easiest once you know how to open any size Coni

 

I only have experience with 110's, because I dont go after larger game. But I do have a dog, and never really thought of that happening with someone elses trap. Something to keep in mind.

 

They kill way faster than you can open them.

 

I've caught many dogs in fox and coon sets, I always released them if they had a collar. For house cats, that's an entirely different matter. I never caught a dog or cat in a conibear set because I used them for mink and muskrat and they were in near or underwater, the dive set was my favorite because no one ever stole those traps and predators never went underwater looking for dead muskrats. A stop loss dive set was another good one. :

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the best way to learn how to get an animal out of any trap is to practice with the trap, you don't need an animal in it, a stick will suffice, it's only necessary to learn the mechanics of the springs. A conibear is a bit trickier than a leghold, trap especially the 220s & 330s.

I had a device I used for dogs which consisted of a piece of heavy plywood with a handle attached. I cut a hole in the bottom of the plywood and when I approached the dog I would place the shield between myself and the animal and settle the hole over his foot, this way I could release the trap without getting dog bit. No matter what the movies show, a tame dog will bite the hell out of you when in a trap, even if you're trying to release them, Lassie would even bite Timmy. : I sometimes threw a tarp over the dog to calm it down. Big dogs are more difficult and risky. When I trapped, there weren't many Rottweilers around, I think I might opt for a .22 behind the ear for them.

I miss trapping. Anyone in here ever use the dive set for legholds with a wire attached to a rock for muskrats and beaver? It was a poaching trappers dream, you could trap a lake with lots of human activity and they would never see the trap or critter, it may be a method for SHTF meat in the pot.

 

Good stuff Admiral. a land set with a drown style rig can be used to direct a catch back away from a road or over the edge of a embankment. This gets the trapped animal out of sight.

 

Always used a drown rig for muskrat, mink, beaver, (raccoon when pos.).. Just end up with a foot otherwise.

 

So i know your a true trapper. I have trapped since i was a kid. I have only caught one dog and it was in a leg hold. After i got him out he was fine and really happy to see me.
The 110s are for muskrats, ect. the 220s for coons, small beaver, the 330s, and 440s are for big beaver, big coons, fox but i never caught one with em.
110s, 220s are set and released by hand so cutters aren't needed. These traps don't kill by constriction per say, they kill but snapping the neck, shoulder spine area and breaking the spinal column, they are designed to be fast and efficient, and they are.
330s and 440s are hard core trapping tools. So i doubt bolt cutters would be of any real use except to remove the dead body. These big traps are set with clamps and tools and are too big to be hand set or released. At least i can't do it myself.
If these trapping tools are used as they are intended to be and set properly your dogs should not come in contact with them.
I hope you dont have the experience of your dogs and traps tangled up together.

 

I trap a lot of Beaver here.. We have old docks and they get in and rip the crap out of them.
I use a vertical set like the drawing above, only in between the docks..I have the greatest respect for Trappers and the Art of trapping... Conibears scare the crap out of me, and I will use them if I have to: otherwise it is the .22

 

get a better grip and use your hands. thats how i set them.

most states have a rule they have to be underwater. at least in MI they do.

 

dead dog conibar 220

front page of Manchest Union Leader Dec 8 a rather large dog killed when he stuck his head into a baited illegal conibear 220 trap. Woman was out walking dog on well used public trail.

 

A few points of interest. Why has no one mentioned the set tool? That's the easiest way for a novice to open the springs of a 220. I too use my hands. Now in order to re set both springs remember that you need to set the safety or else when you go to the second spring your effort will be lost. Also if the trap trips right it may snap the dogs neck anyways. So if there is trapping in the area, I would just stay clear.

Also you talk about cutting the trap springs. You really think your animal will stay calm enough to let you get a bolt cutter out and snip the springs? Are you really going to carry a big set of bolt cutters around with you while your out with your dog?

And if its public land, or private land that the trapper is legally trapping on, then your liable for the damaged property. Which is most likely not a concern being that your animal comes first, but something you may want to keep in the back of your mind.

Do they allow snaring in your AO? How do you propose to counter that? Bolt cutters wont cut cable. or at least cut it very well/easily.

 

I'm curious what the laws are in your area.

With just a couple exceptions based on district (more restrictive), here in Maine conibear-type traps with a jaw spread of 5-8 inches have to be underwater or 4 feet above the ground or snow. Anything with 8 inch jaws is only for beaver trapping and has to be underwater.

Edited to add:

In my curiosity about your laws, I forgot to address your question. I agree with paramilusmc. Get a set tool.

 

I have a method to set 330 by hand, it probably resembles a gorrila riding a tiny tricycle but it can be done. It's not the way I normally set them though. I wouldn't set a 330 on land even if it was legal to do so.

 

I personally never set a large Coni on dry land. 110's are great for mink, and not big enough to harm a dog. Use the proper size leg holds for your target animals, and you should have no problems. Of course there are slob trappers just as in any sport. The Texican

 

Your gonna have a hard time no matter what. I have used those traps many times, usually they will kill whatever gets in them before you can get it out, unless your right there.