Mk6 Strikes again

[John Keswick 119]

WELL .......... SOMETHINGS SADLY WRONG ..........

 

IAM FINDING MYSELF AGREEING WITH SOME OF THE POINTS OF JKs POST...................

 

 

I am Astonished! Flabbergasted! Amazed and Taken aback!

 

There may be hope for you yet me auld mucker

[nod 285]

can anyone tell me why the imbras were stopped being made

[OldTrapCollector 376]

Imbras and Jubys were discontinued for a couple of reasons - the rights to making both types of traps was continually shifted and designs changed slightly over time, eventually the holder of the rights, for whom the traps were made under license, stopped requesting them. This was partly in response to public opinion - that there were cheaper and better traps available. Those traps favoured were actually the Fenn range of traps.

 

Fenns have been made since the 1950's. It is possible that these same old traps could still be used legally, and we all realise the consequences of using a trap with tired 60 year old coil springs against humaneness for the captive ...

 

In their time, there was simply nothing to touch the Fenn trap. It did everything, and more, that 'keepers wanted as a VERMIN killing trap. In an appropriately made and sited tunnel the Mk 4 trap is/was deadly. Only later was it considered and developed further to use for rabbits. A whole series of advancements to the design of the trap was made to give an effective rabbit trap and the trap CW shows above is what came from that episode. It was as good as could be made in that style, for that purpose, at that time.

 

In my opinion the Juby trap is a far more capable spring trap for KILLING rabbits, and so long as the springs are still strong, the IMBRA is close behind. The drawback is weight - those Juby traps weigh 20 times as much as a modern Conibear type body grip trap.

 

I very much doubt that the Fenn trap will ever be developed further now, even with the very best will. Things have changed and the great brains behind trap improvement have passed on.

 

I am just in the process of finalising a series of comprehensive reference books that discuss the development of such traps in UK - anyone wishing to explore this subject at a deeper level will find all that they are looking for in those when they come off the printing press. All of the answers will be revealed.

 

Watch this space!!

 

OTC

[pegandgun 51]

A very good thread and some really good replies from men who do and dont just follow.Yeah you found the very same as i did Chalkwarren when you checked those traps and like me you filmed the poor struggling suffering animals caught in those cruel jaws.I felt guilt for setting such cruel traps but at the time had no other option but to use the fenns but now (thanks to people like yourself Chalkwarren)we have far more humane traps that we all have access to which is why i truly believe that those fenns should be a thing of the past just like the old steel (gin) trap...Thanks...P&G

[moley 115]

A very good thread and some really good replies from men who do and dont just follow.Yeah you found the very same as i did Chalkwarren when you checked those traps and like me you filmed the poor struggling suffering animals caught in those cruel jaws.I felt guilt for setting such cruel traps but at the time had no other option but to use the fenns but now (thanks to people like yourself Chalkwarren)we have far more humane traps that we all have access to which is why i truly believe that those fenns should be a thing of the past just like the old steel (gin) trap...Thanks...P&G

 

 

still not a fenn fan then peggy , lol

i have to say , i think duckwing has hit the nail right on the head, the tunnel size and trap position is a huge part of getting things right, also the trap covering can make or break a well set trap , like i have said many times before , its the small details that matter,

i do think the mk 6 could be stronger with little trouble and it would certainly help with dispatching quicker ,however if an arse end catch is made ,it don,t matter how strong the spring is

i use both mk6 and 116 just about every week and get a good kill rate in both , but neither are 100% at killing even with good case catches, i had a couple of live adult rabbits in 116 a couple of weeks back , 1 was neck caught , the other was neck /chest caught , i could see no reason why either should still be alive but they were,same with the fenns , odd ones still alive both young and old, its going to happen but we do our best to set traps to kill as quick as possible , until someone comes up with something that can guarantee a 100% kill rate, its affordable and practical,we have to use whats available and do the best we can to ensure as humane a kill as possible

[john b 38]

Not taking any particular side in this debate it's interesting that the Solway version of the MK4 and MK6 traps were approved only 3 years ago. Admittedly the spring is said to be a bit more powerful but essentially the same basic design of trap.

[moley 115]

Not taking any particular side in this debate it's interesting that the Solway version of the MK4 and MK6 traps were approved only 3 years ago. Admittedly the spring is said to be a bit more powerful but essentially the same basic design of trap.

 

dunno about the mk 4 , but the mk 6 sample i was sent to try out was not very good at all, when the trap was sprung , there was a fair gap between the trap jaws which in my view was not acceptable , this was about 2 years ago , so maybe its bin improved since

[Rolfe 2]

As someone who still does a lot of traditional rabbit trapping I have been reading this very in-depth and interesting thread and some very valid points are being made. I work on a regular basis with a combination of Imbras (Mk1 & Mk 2) and Mk6 Fenns on my permanent rabbit contracts one of which I have been systematically "Block" trapping for over 14 years.

Now without getting into the argument about close seasons for rabbits(which is fine if you are just a sporting rabbiter) I have to control rabbits all year round, this is what i am employed to do, and i would quickly be replaced if i was not doing the job properly. Once the ferreting "season" is over I continue controlling the rabbits with wires and also cage and spring traps.

I have reached a conclusion in my own mind as to where I will or will not use Mk6 Fenns for rabbit control

For clearing up the YOUNG rabbits of the year, then the Mk6 Fenn is more than adequate for the job in my opinion........but when i am trapping full grown rabbits then i much prefer the Imbra for sheer killing power. As OTC quite rightly said, The Juby is about the best "Killing" rabbit trap there is but it's weight and bulk is a major drawback (if setting any number). I have found that with the Mk6 it quite often lacks the power to inflict an instant kill on larger rabbits and therefore can be inhumane.......obviously a major fault in a "humane" trap. Now ANY trap can be inhumane if not set correctly and this is where the skill of the trapper is of paramount importance and although mistakes in setting can and do happen............ in experienced hands these can be kept to a minimum. Another good point OTC makes is that ANY spring trap will become weaker with constant use and this is another major factor that a few overlook when questioning a traps ability to do it's job properly.

I could go on for ever but i have waffled on enough, so in a nutshell I use Mk6 Fenns where I KNOW there are young rabbits and Imbras where I am targetting the big un's. I look forward to the publication of OTC'S book(s) when it appears as a comprehensive guide is long overdue.

[heritage 202]

As an ametaur trapper i can honestly say its been a long time since i followed such an intresting and informative thread,all the posts have been well written and each point of view put across in the propper manor,im just loving the photos of the old imbras/jubys as there like hens teeth now.well done to all those involved.

[DUCKWING 302]

WELL ROLFE ,

 

THERES NOT JUST YOU AWAITING SUCH A BOOK ............... I SEEM TO REMEMBER OLD DITCHSHITTER TEMPTING US WITH SUCH AN OFFER ONLY TO DISAPPEAR BOOK MANUSCRIPT IN HAND

 

ANOTHER COUPLE OF POINTS ABOUT THE FENNS .............

 

PERSONALLY I THINK A MAJOR DRAWBACK OF THE TRAP IS ITS TENDENCY TO THROW THE CATCH AWAY FROM ITS SELF ...........

 

AND ....... SOMETHING IVE NOTICE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS .......... THE KILLING BARS DONT SEEM AS ROBUST AS THE EARLIER FENNS ...... ACTUALLY BENDING ON A CATCH ........

 

OTC ............. HAS THE FENN COMPANY GIVEN UP ANY THOUGHT OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MODELS ?

 

 

ALL THE BEST

 

 

DUCKWING

[IanB 0]

Got to agree excellent thread lads, should be a lot more topics like these... maybe I should create an archive on the different subjects, so they don't get lost

[OldTrapCollector 376]

THERES NOT JUST YOU AWAITING SUCH A BOOK ............... I SEEM TO REMEMBER OLD DITCHSHITTER TEMPTING US WITH SUCH AN OFFER ONLY TO DISAPPEAR BOOK MANUSCRIPT IN HAND

 

OTC ............. HAS THE FENN COMPANY GIVEN UP ANY THOUGHT OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MODELS ?

 

DW - old Ditch Shitter only had the thought of producing a book on traps, nothing was ever actually typed up. He has long since lost interest in traps now anyway. I know there's a few waiting for my book/s - I will try not to disappoint you for too much longer ... It is not quite as easy as JD and Chalkwarren would have you believe to get the manuscript to print stage ....

 

The Fenn traps are made in a slightly different manner these days - the guys that developed the trap, or had any notion of improvement are long gone, and it will be continued in its present - tried and tested - format as far as I know.

 

I personally think that it would be fairly easy to design a British made killer rabbit trap with clutch jaws and tensile wire spring - a la bodygrip - and would assist anyone embarking on such a project where I could but engineering is not my strongpoint, and metalwork even less so, so I could not do it myself. I will stick to my research and writing I think ...

 

OTC

[dogs-n-natives 1,181]

Ive never done much grey squirrel trapping with humane kill traps, as I have reds in my area, and the ammount of rabbit trapping ive done with fenn type traps is amateur in comparison to some on here... BUT, ive trapped thousands of stoats, weasels and rats, with the fenn traps, mainly mk4, and find that if they are placed in a suitably fitting tunnel weather natural or home made, the proportion of good clean kills is pretty good. Most are caught with head/neck or at least an upper chest strike.

I have caught a few mink and ferrets, and found that they didnt have the power to deliver a clean kill. I now use live catch traps and/or flushing to the gun for all of my mink control.

 

So I strongly feel that there is a place for the fenn type traps in the gamekeeping sector for the small mustelids and rats... but generally agree that for the larger vermin like rabbits and mink we could possibly benefit from a new trap with stronger jaws that can guarantee more clean kills?

[salukiwhippet 6]

With the amount of knowledge on here, I'm sure we could come up with a more humane and efficent British rabbit kill trap than those currently available to us?

 

Who knows what's involved in getting a trap 'approved'? Costs of the process etc?

 

James

[pegandgun 51]

I know how much you have put into making your mk6,s as humane as possible moley and if anyone on hear has a right to an opinion on the killing profitiency (spelling lol)its you i have been raabit trapping with you on a number of occations and you are very carefull to set each trap to fire at its best but i still cant change my findings.i wastrapping rabbits in very sandy warrens on tne estate a number of years back and again was checking me traps three or even four times a day (i was very keen then lol).It was mid winter and their was alot of rabbits on that ground.Nearly every rabbit was still alive even though they were caught perfectly and quite a number were pulling out of the traps.Ive tried everything i could think of and one or two things people like moley come up with and each time i had the same results.When ive checked my traps once a day most rabbits were dead but they are squeezed to death over a lond period.a humane trap should kill its victim in a few minutes at the very longest not an hour or more.It could just be ime a sh.t trapper i suppose lol.If rabbits are going to suffer fos such long periods we should bring back the 4" gins the best rabbit trap ever made...Thanks...P&G