My cousin and I picked up a couple of huge bear traps, are these still legal to use?

Not legal in calif or az saw some in wildlife mgt class and learned how to set them with strong c clamps when the jaws closed they snapped a 4 inch sapling.

I believe the only state where it remains legal to trap bear is Maine.

Thanks for the replys these traps are hard to set without loseing your arm, I was told by and oldtimer that a few of his friends had lost digits and such.

Octave

by the way, what kind of bear traps are they, or should I say what brand of bear trap are they. And where is Salingrad?

If you bought them at a good price, these things have considerable antique value.
Grizz

Salingrad is my way of saying Northern B.C. the traps are marked Newhouse on the pan.

Newhouse beartrap, with the teeth is worth around 500 bucks I think. I'd love to have one on the den wall!!

the chef

quote:

are these still legal to use?

In looking at the BC Trapping Regulations it does not appear that traps or snares are a legal method of take for bears.

Check Ebay to see what the ones you have are going for, probably worth a new rifle or two, especially if they're Newhouse traps.

All trap prices have gone up and I've sold some of my used legholds for 3 or 4 times what I paid for them in the 80's.

As an example, I had a bunch of #3 Montgomery dogless that I paid $43 a dozen for in 1983. I'd laminated the jaws and added base plates and sold several dozen last year for $190/dozen. And that was after years of use.

I would be interested in hearing more about the bear traps. Not because I want to buy them, but just becasue I am interested in Newhouse traps.

They say Newhouse on the Pan, but they should have a number on the pan as well. What are the numbers on the pans of the traps that you have.
the size of the trap matters a great deal as to condition, and condition is also very important as well.

Newhouse traps were made by the Onieda community in Onieda, New York. Many people think that Sewall Newhouse invented steel traps but he did not. He was a member of Oneida community and worked in the trap making department which was a very lucrative department for Onieda. After awhile He became the head of the Department and that is when they started naming he traps after him, mostly because he developed a special tempering process for the springs that made them super strong.

What Newhouse traps do you have, and what shape are they in.

If you do try and set one of these just out of curiousity use C-Clamps and reach in under the jaws to set the pan. I have used them doing control work years ago. To unset when I wasn't successful, I'd cut a sapling of somesort and trip the pan, if I had C-Clamps with me I used them, but in those days we carried everything in on foot. This was pre4 wheeler days, good old days come to think of it.

Or you can- Tie a loop on a rope, put the loop on yer foot,run the rope through the spring "loops" that slide over the jaws. Put the other end over your back and shoulder, hold on tight and stand up. This will compress the spring, then if you have the little clamps on the springs to hold it down have a buddy attach the clamp.

Bejesus!! be careful with them traps lad.

There is a number 5 on the Newhouse trap the other trap has no numbers or makers mark.

now yall got me curious, i have 7 old traps that have been hanging on my wall for a long time 1 is blake & lamb 3 are onieda victor 1 1/2 one onida victor 0 and 2 #2 all show light surfice rust but have been inside for somewhere over 15 years can any one give me approximate value. thanks

Go to e-bay you can find values there.

During the early 90's while elk hunting, I jumped off a log in a deadfall jungle. Looking down at my feet as I was about to land, all I could see was a single jaw of a monstrous trap! Landed on it , and it was sprung, but almost had a heart attack anyway. The wires were rusted off, and the tree was rotten, so know it was there for years. Was an original No. 5 Newhouse with teeth, and I packed it out and got about $250 for it back then. Good #6's were around $800. I bet they have doubled by now, for good condition originals.

Oh ya Blank....they have doubled. Well maybe a bit more.

He thinks this is worth $1500. However, no one else does at this time.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Newhouse-Oneida-Community-N...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I guess will see how bad somebody wants one.

In high crime areas, I always thought having a bear trap recessed in the floor right outside the bedroom door could be a nice catch and of course a nice LAWSUIT!!??

With bear traps in general, "cavat emptor" applies. They are still produced, both as working traps and reproductions. Telling the difference can be tricky.
I believe 22WMF is correct in that Maine is the only state to allow bear trapping. Some non-residents even travel there for one, same as they would to hunt bear.

quote:

Originally posted by mills:
now yall got me curious, i have 7 old traps that have been hanging on my wall for a long time 1 is blake & lamb 3 are onieda victor 1 1/2 one onida victor 0 and 2 #2 all show light surfice rust but have been inside for somewhere over 15 years can any one give me approximate value. thanks

If these traps are in usable condition you would get from $3(small ones) to about $10(large ones) on ebay.

quote:

I believe the only state where it remains legal to trap bear is Maine.

Only with snares; not legholds

Sorry jnemmers, but that is not correct.
From the Maine Fish and Game regulations:

quote:

b. The only types of traps you are allowed to use when trapping for bear are the ordinary foothold trap, cable trap (foot snare), and cage type live trap.

The use of a "common" neck snare is expressly prohibited.

I havwe a no.5 NewHouse that my Dad and uncle used to trap bears up into the 50,s in Wis. It is the last of a couple of dozen they had the rest being sold off as they needed money.

I might just have to travel to maine one of these days I would think it would be cool to trap a bear with this trap.

Towards the end they had to put up a fence around the trap site and post signs on all four sides.