How to Adjust the Pan on a Duke Trap

Duke-brand traps are designed with a nut and bolt for adjusting the pan tension. The pan, which can be loosened or tightened on the bolt assembly, can be further adjusted by bending the dog that holds the trigger inward or outward. A leg hold trap needs to sit flat so the pan doens't sit at an angle or above the jaws. You'll need to make some adjustments to accomplish this. A trap with a poorly adjusted pan can miss more animals than it catches.

Things You'll Need

  • Pliers
  • Flat-head screwdriver
  • Box wrench
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lift the pan of an unset trap up and down to see how loose or tight it's attached to the base. The pan should freely move up and down with a slight tension to it. If the pan has to be forced to move, it's too tight. If it flops up and down with no tension, it's too loose.

    • 2

      Adjust the pan nut and bolt, using a box wrench and screwdriver to tighten or loosen the nut controlling the tension on the pan. Make adjustments until the pan moves freely up and down with just enough tension to keep it from shifting from side to side.

    • 3

      Set the trap and hold it up at eye level to see how the pan lays. The pan should lay level and even with the top of the jaws. If it sits higher than the jaws, adjust it down. If the outside edge of the pan opposite the trigger points upward or downward, you'll need to level it.

    • 4

      Snap the trap closed. Grip the dog holding the trigger with pliers and bend it in toward the center of the trap if the outside edge of the pan is too high. Bend the dog out if the pan is too low.

    • 5

      Set the trap and study the lay of the pan again. Snap the trap and readjust if it's still too high or low. Continue this procedure until the pan lays level.

    • 6

      Check the pan tension by setting the trap and slowly pushing the pan down with the end of a stick. The pan should easily descend, releasing the trigger and snapping the jaws closed.