Traps Keep Working

One of the ADC guys I spoke with the other day that uses our 9x11 heavy duty model with 12 gage 1/2x 1 wire, told me some neat stuff.  A number of clients want him to leave a trap behind after the job is complete, "just in case."  He often obliges them.  In the coming weeks and months he receives intermittent phone calls with catches being made, for which he charges of course.  Sometimes the traps are left for many weeks, but the best part, the traps keep on working as if they were set the day before, making catches with consistency day after day.  He told me that he got a call recently about a catch made in a trap that had been left since last November!  Yes, it does tie up a bunch of traps, but the traps are about $100 with shipping to his place, which means for that small investment he keeps the client happy and returns periodically to retrieve an animal, which more than pays what the interest would be on one hundred bucks for a year, about nothing.

When using baitless positive sets, trails or crawl unders, maintenance is not required.   Though I periodically just spray paint a bare contact point, if you put a little grease on the trigger contact and end bushings, there is nothing that needs attention.  A little surface rust won't interfere with the trap function.

Raccoon Caught in a new "Tall" Comstock Prototype Cage

Pictured above is the second raccoon caught in the newest single door Comstock "Tall" prototype cage trap being used by Tim in Ohio this week.  This raccoon had been tearing up a flower garden.  Offering the most open appearing cage traps available, these new panless Comstock, wire trigger traps will be great for anyone targeting trap wise 'coon that have either escaped or been released from a pan triggered cage trap. The additional height will make these traps a go to trap for fox and bobcats.  The trap pictured has a finished opening of nearly 12 inches wide and a full 17 inches tall inside.  Though there are no established dimensions, it is likely they may be offered in heights of 20 inches or taller.  Leading the way with innovations, this light weight, practical, once again completely self contained trap, like all of the Comstock traps, will add one more to the line of the most advanced traps in the world.    

 

Newest Traps

It looks like the new traps will be a winner.

We have a made only a few of the newest single and double door tall traps for smart raccoons and also bobcats, but the traps look very promising.   Ironing out some of the particulars to get them into production does take time, as they an entirely new design for us, which will require different springs for starters. The trigger is same reliable ,simplistic trigger we have used for the past 5 years, with a new powered door system.  Tim in Ohio just began setting them and took a nice 'coon.  Everything performed as it should and held up just fine.  As soon as time permits, we will be offering them to the public.   Hopefully a prototype will be in the hands of the manufacturer within a couple of weeks for them to study.  

Update

Can't believe two weeks has slipped by.  Judy and I attended the Vermont Trappers Convention last weekend in Barton, not far from the Canadian Border.  The weather was cool, trapping weather.  Dale Duryea from Massachusetts gave a demo on Comstock Beaver Cage traps as well as bobcat traps.

We have had a few beaver jobs and continue towards the 500 mark in Comstock Beaver Cages, now at 465.  Still running over 90% catches in our cages in our ADC work, the traps continue to amaze us in the success ratio.

New products are completed or in the works, but always take more time to come to fruition than hoped for.   There are other projects and improvements in the pipeline to be revealed as soon as they are up and running.

Look for us to continue to set the pace and lead with the most advanced traps in the world.

Off Topic-First Mole

Over the years, having caught everything from gators to armadillos, rattlers, bobcats, beaver, otter, mink, fish, birds, frogs, a mountain lion, butterflies and moths and just about anything that crossed my path, it seemed time to catch a mole.  I watched Alan Huots video on mole trapping, which provided enough info to put me on the track in looking for the longest main tunnels.  We were told that it is common for only one mole to inhabit a location, but by no means is it always that way.  There can be many.

 After talking to Tim Albright in Ohio I learned that this process could take a while and would require multiple traps.  After Tim turned us on to Albano's mole traps, we bought a dozen and got started.  The traps are directional, meaning the tunnels would require two traps at each location, facing away from each other, to take a mole coming from either direction.  With 10 traps in place at 5 locations, we were ready to catch a mole.  The first trip was a blank, certainly not unexpected.  However, activity at some of the traps was noted and the mole did appear to dig past one of the traps.  But, the second trip was a success.  These traps are stainless and sensitive, a good combination.

It's a bit tricky, since the holes must remain covered, but it all worked out.  I'm sure there is a lot more to learn, but this was a start.

An Over Veiw of Comstock Traps and Accessories

                                                COMSTOCK  BEAVER CAGE TRAPS

 This is an over view of most of what we offer in panless, wire trigger cage traps with powered doors.  Above left is a 12x18x39, double door,  swim through beaver cage trap with 12x12x36, double door swim though beaver cage traps to the right.  The 12x12 traps are available in 1-1/2, 12 gage wire for beaver and 1/2 x 1, 14 gage wire for raccoons.

                                                   COMSTOCK 12X12 CAGE TRAPS

This shows the 12x12x36 traps in single door, single door with bait door option and double door in tight 1/2x1 mesh and 1-1/2 mesh, 12 gage.

                                                     COMSTOCK 9X11 CAGE TRAPS

These are the 9x11 traps,  in18,24,30 and 36 inch lengths.  These can be purchased in single door, single door with a bait door, double door(with external doors that protrude beyond the frame when set) and double door flush mount on top(one door that is internal and does not protrude beyond the frame).  Additionally we have the most versatile multipurpose traps made with a bottom opening and 3 openings for to accommodate den trapping, free standing dens or side entrances from either direction.

                                                  COMSTOCK SWING PANEL TRAPS

The swing panel traps are also panless and work like their larger counterparts.  Squirrel traps are 3x5x24, 5x5x24, 6x624 with larger 6x8x30, 7x732, 7x7x36 and 8x10x36.  Larger traps will take skunk, opossum, feral cats and woodchucks.

                                       COMSTOCK ACCESSORIES FOR DEN SETTING
                                                   (nose cones for baitless trapping etc.)

Above left front are galvanized squirrel nose cones for the 5x5 and 6x6 swing panel Comstock cage traps.  The black 3 way nose cone fits the 9x11 Comstock cage traps.  Center rear is a chimney adapter, which works with 9x11 Comstock cages, either single or double door.  To the far right is a metal nose cone, which again works with the 9x11 Comstock traps.  A flush mount ring also fits the 9x11 Comstock cage traps.  The ring clips onto the end of the cage to produce a recessed door for flush mounting against hole in a building or the like.  It is a retro tool for those who own a standard double door trap but now require a flush mount trap.  The ring can be quickly attached or removed.  Flush mount traps come in 24, 30 and 36 inch lengths.  The flush mount ring can be attached to a 36 inch trap to form and even longer 42 inch trap if necessary.  We can also make flush mount rings to fit either the 12x12 or 12x18 beaver / raccoon traps too.

The nose cones, flush mount trap, flush mount ring and multipurpose all can be used for positive den sets to catch animals coming or going without the use of hair or lure.

                                                            *NEW PRODUCTS*

Watch for a new line of taller, panless, traps with wire triggers and powered doors specifically designed for bobcats and foxes in the future, along with specialty traps too.  One of our signature accomplishments in trap building is making traps that are self-contained without doors, triggers or any extraneous parts that protrude beyond the confines of the trap itself.  We will continue to hold to the highest standards with the new traps, in practical cage design that have kept us #1 in cage traps.  Those who rely on Comstock traps know they are using the most advanced innovative cage traps in the world!